The Paris Library caught me by surprise. After a picturesque but slow start, the book gathered momentum. So much so, that I stayed up until 3AM finishing it! This read is a pleasure for us historical fiction addicts – incorporating love stories, a full description of the lead up to German occupation of Paris and its effect on The American Library, including a tutorial in the workings of the Dewy Decimal System. Did I mention there are Nazis as well? The story time shifts from war torn Paris to a remote 1980s Montana town, where our heroines come together to teach each other life-lessons.

Janet Skeslien Charles has done her homework and presented the reader with verisimilitude for both locations and developed her characters so they withstand the test of time. The challenges of the choices made during times of need do not change over time. Some of the issues explored in The Paris Library are not that dissimilar from some we are facing today.

Being a book person and a big fan of libraries and librarians, the day-to-day details of the importance printed material played in surviving WWII was fascinating. We forget that dissemination of information is a luxury that’s one of the immediate casualties with the arrival of fascism.

I was grateful to Simon & Schuster for sending me an ARC and certainly The Paris Library. This is a 5 star read!

Thank you to the publisher of The Paris Library for sending me an advance copy of this book. She said that I like
historical fiction but she didn't know that I volunteer at the American Library which is the centrepiece of this story.
The author, Janet Skeslien Charles, worked as the Program Manager of the Library in 2010 and was inspired by
all the history that is displayed (and is still displayed) on the walls. She was particularly moved by learning about the brave men and women who fought to keep the Library open during WWII.

Charles passionately talks about her love of books in the voice of one of the main characters, Odile, a young french woman who has gone to school to be a librarian and has perfected her knowledge of the Dewey Decimal system. She learns of an opening at the Library and must convince the Directress that even though she is french, she is the right person for the job. Odile's story as a young women is interrupted every couple of chapters by the story of Lily, a high school girl living in Froid, Montana. forty-five years later. As expected the two stories merge
as well as unearthing some of the more bitter, unscrupulous parts of War.

The story begins in late 1939, early 1940 when the Germans first arrive and occupy Paris. French are urged to get out of Paris and ex-Pats are advised to go home. No one at the Library budges. Their strong belief in providing books for soldiers, hospitals and sending books to all parts of the country, unites the staff as well as many of the clientele. We are entertained by a variety of people that make the library their home. The Library is no longer
at the site it was in the 1940s, but I could still envision the conversations going on in the reading rooms.

The Paris Library is a fun read, easy reading and, if you live in Paris as I do, a tour of Paris in the 1940s of many of the streets I love. I always learn something new when a book is published about a little known hero or heroine of the war. I can only hope to have as much integrity if ever I'm faced with a situation anywhere near an occupation by the enemy. The forward of the book says it is based on real events. Yet in the book, the publisher says that everything is fiction. I hope this gets sorted before the book is launched. I feel certain that it is based on real events and is yet another example of integrity and courage during horrible times.

Absolutely loved this book! Charles does a great job introducing the reader to her characters and making you feel invested in the story. There are many things (those of us who did not live through World War II) take for granted. Knowing that despite all the danger of doing anything to rebel against the evils that were taking place, people were still taking risks to rebel in small ways so they could feel they made a difference. I love that this story tells us what an escape books provide people at all times... a way of "seeing through another's eyes." The Paris Library allows the reader to see many points of view through the different visitors and staff of the library before, during and after World War II. It's a story of courage, of people rallying together to survive, and to help others continue to have access to books despite the limitations forced on them. I have an even greater appreciation of all libraries after this story.

This book was a well written novel set in Paris just before and during the occupation of world War 2. Although it didn't dwell on the extent of the horrors and tragedies people suffered then, there was enough to make the reader realize the terrible conditions - starvation, humiliation, death, torture - that ordinary citizens endured.
The Paris Library existed and thanks to this books, the general public will understand the bravery of the people who worked there and although it may seem inconsequential to those who do not "Read to live and live to read", it is amazing to see how these people risked their lives literally to make sure people had books. When the library became out-of-bounds for Jews and others designated by the Nazis, the library's devoted employees made sure they had reading material delivered to them.
This is also the story of a survivor, and how Odile got her job at the library and eventually ens up sharing her life story in Montana. Spanning years and cultures, using what she learned in life to help her young neighbor avoid making the same mistakes, Odile is the window through which the story unfolds.
Paris under siege is also a character, while the British and Americans who remained there out of a sense of duty, but finally have to leave or be arrested, all have the reader's interest.
Odile is a librarian through and through. She relates incidents in her life to what she has read, and then to the Dewey Decimal System, to where the book is found in the library. This is a great book for lovers of reading as well as those who appreciated the 'old days' of library research using the card boxes and Dewey;s system to lead us to treasures.
I was doubly excited to read in the acknowledgements, mention of the librarian of the Chemists' Club in NY, where my late husband, a chemical engineer (and owner of Bakelite in Canada) spent many happy hours researching in their library - a unique location.
Although we can benefit from the digital age, we cannot help but miss the personal touch of a book, and the personal touch an oasis of reading like the Paris Library must have afforded its patrons.
This book is staying with me and I highly recommend it.

There have been SO many books recently that focus on civilian life in France & Italy during World War II. In this novel Charles explores life in Nazi-occupied Paris and the employees and subscribers of the American Library in Paris. In the face of ever-threatening conditions, they keep the library open and try to continue services to English-speaking patrons. The story is based on true events, and many of the characters were actual employees or patrons of the library.

The story is built around Lily, a precocious 12 year old, and Odile, an older woman (the war-bride), and the friendship they strike up when Lily's curiosity gets the better of her and she decides to find out more about the mysterious woman living next door. Over the course of several years, they become friends and Lily learns the story of Odile's years as a librarian in Paris.

I loved every page of this book. While the writing is not likely to win literary awards, the story is fast-paced, the characters well crafted and realistic, and the drama is suspenseful, engaging, and never overly melodramatic. There are some surprises and the ending is just perfect. For book lovers & librarians, the story is sprinkled with quotes from classic novels and poetry, and there are lots of references to the Dewey Decimal System -- every one adds to the story, never distracting or seeming out of place. This is a dream book for historical fiction fans and fans of books & libraries.

I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book based on the real American library in Paris. The novel takes place in Paris during the German occupation and in the 1980's in a small Montana town. Nineteen-year-old Odile Souchet takes a job in the American Library in Paris at the start of World War Two. She experiences love, loss, courage, and betrayal—all life lessons she is able to pass on to her young neighbor many years later. A page-turner of a novel with memorable characters,

I’ve read a lot of books set during WWII as it’s my favorite genre. I was attracted to this book because the story centers on the librarians and their patrons at the American Library in Paris. This was certainly a new take on WWII but based on actually people. The librarians were courageous and devoted to their patrons and books during the occupation of Paris. The story is mostly told from Odile’s point of view and has a connection her young neighbor Lily in 1983 Montana. She mentors Lily and teaches her French and a strong bond forms between them. We don’t find out until near the end of the novel how Odile ends up in the United States and I was surprised at the developments. It was an enjoyable read and I highly recommend it. Thank you Atria and Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the story of Odile and her love for literature! It was so interesting to learn about the American library and the role it played during WWII.
I wish some of the story could have developed a little deeper. Some parts were descriptive in a way that I could easily picture the setting or character Skeslien envisioned while other parts seemed rushed and confusing.

The Paris Library fits comfortably in the theme of WWII literature, with some interesting twists. Following Odile's life during the occupation of Paris while working at The American Library in Paris and her later life in the Midwest in the 1980s, The Paris Library is about perseverance, consequences, and love.

The library is populated by fascinating characters, including Odlie, and was a part of the Paris resistance movement that I had never heard before. I would have loved even more exploration of the resistance movement. The Paris Library also lets its characters be perfectly imperfect. Characters have room to be selfish, scared, and loving instead of flat characters.

I loved the references to Odile thinking in The Dewey Decimal System. It was an interesting twist that lent a air of freshness to the novel. I read it in just a few days not wanting to put it down.

This story brings “a little-known chapter of WWII history: the story of the American librarian, Miss Reeder, who created the Soldiers’ Service to deliver books to servicemen, and who later faced the Nazi ‘Book Protector’ in order to keep her library open. She and her colleagues defied the Bibliotheksschutz by delivering books to Jewish readers after they were forbidden from entering the library.”

Montana, 1983. Lily, a lonely teenager, is working on a school project, a report on France. She goes to her French neighbor Mrs. Gustafson to interview her for the report. Mrs. Gustafson is defined as the epitome of solitude. And what starts as a school project, turns into a heartfelt relationship. As the relationship deepens, Lily starts wondering about certain things about Odile’s life in Paris.

Paris, 1939. Odile Gustafson has just started working as a librarian at the American Library.

When England and France declare war on Germany, requests for magazines and books from soldiers pour in. The library gets busy with fulfilling those requests.

Once, the Nazis occupy Paris, Miss Reeder, the Library Directress, realizes that churches and libraries will not be spared as she previously hoped. Certain people and books are not allowed in the library. Thus, an idea of smuggling books to Jewish subscribers springs up. But there are checkpoints everywhere, thus carrying something suspicious puts one in danger.

Then, the crow letters, most unsigned, informing on Jews, keep arriving at the police station. Deceit weaves its way into the story.

Loved the portrayal of Odile’s French family. They come through as very human, always criticizing father, depressed mother. The bond she has with her brother is very endearing.

Lily is also a very likeable character. Her tone is expressionless most of the time. She is not the most enthusiastic person, which reflects her loneliness. But her journey of discovering herself is engrossing.

Usually, I don’t like to read stories through the voice of a teenager, but there is something special about her and the relationship with Odile. When the story was unravelling in Paris for a longer time, I started to miss the present time story. “You came into my life like the evening star.”

Typically, I don’t like foreign words being mixed with English. But I actually enjoyed little lessons of French that Lily was getting from Odile. It makes so much more sense as in this case you know what you’re reading.

It’s also interesting to learn about Dewey Decimal number system. 813 (American) + 840 (French) + 302.34 (friendship) = 1955.34 (worthy books).

This book doesn’t detail the events of WWII. The purpose of this book is to shed light on the Library and its people who risked their lives to lift other people up.

I enjoyed the story and writing thoroughly, but if you enjoy more of a descriptive writing, then this book may not be the right fit for you.

I would like to thank Net Galley and the publisher for letting me have an ARC of this lovely book. Yet again, I learned something about the war that I did not know by reading historical fiction. This story is told in a dual timeline 1980s Montana and occupied Paris durning WWII. The two main characters, Lily and Odile are neighbors in Montana. Lily is a teenager, and Odile is a widowed war bride from Paris. They form an unlikely friendship. In Paris, Odile works in the American Library with an eccentric staff and subscribers. As Paris becomes occupied, the staff at the library tries to keep things as normal as possible for their subscribers. This sometimes includes delivering books to subscribers who are no longer able to enter the doors of the ALP. Odile’s father is a police commissioner, who is desperately trying to marry her off. Her twin brother enlists in the army. She finds both respite and meaningful work and friendships at the ALP. Odile bravely delivers books to Jewish subscribers, hides an important manuscript by a Jewish author all while living under Nazi rule. A betrayal and turn of events cause her life to change in ways she never dreamed possible. Lily’s mother is ill and is not going to get better. She knocks on Odile’s door to ask if she might interview her for a paper that she needs to write for school. This small gesture changes everything for both Lily and Odile.. This is a lovely book, it is well written and researched. Many of the characters in Paris are based on real people, and there is information about them in the author’s notes. Tot tells a story of survival, resistance, love and friendship. This book will not be released until June, but I urge you to either pre-order or put it on your library hold list.

What a wonderful book. Told from multiple viewpoints at two different periods in history, THE PARIS LIBRARY is a splendid telling of the American Library of Paris during WWII. I loved the characters and their stories, and the bits of their lives we were able to see. Definitely worth a read.

Absolutely wonderful book. Full review coming tomorrow. Just had to say, it's wonderful. Would love to hear the author speak about writing the book.

This is a well written story about a French Librarian who manages to keep her beloved library open during Nazi Germany's occupation of the area. The story is revealed in a way that keeps the reader guessing, as important information about the characters is slowly revealed to keep the reader guessing. People have to be very careful in order to survive, and it seems no one is who you think they are. Past meets present...historical fiction meets romance. I did enjoy this book and definitely recommend it. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely adored The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles! As a librarian, I am naturally drawn to books and the way they can save us in the worst of circumstances. But in this book, it was more than just books that did the saving -- it was the institution of the American Library of Paris. I loved Odile's story, and her growth journey over the years both during World War II and in Montana in the 1980s. The secondary timeline, in Montana, focused on a sweet teenage girl named Lily, and her story was equally captivating as well.

I loved that this was loosely based off of real circumstances during WWII.

This book was excellent--great settings, great characterizations, and a plot that touches all sorts of emotions. Excellent!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Paris Library is a building. Its the people inside it that make this historical work of fiction come to life. Set against the backdrop of Paris and the Nazi invasion, the characters come to life. Each character finds their personal way to survive through the cruel atrocities of war in all too human ways. You can dislike the character but you have to respect the human drive to stay alive at any cost.

The true joy of this story is how lessons learned in one generation are shared with younger generations. Lives only have meaning when we learn from them. Odile,, Lily, and the other characters share the pain and joy of their humanity with us and remind us that history is always waiting to repeat itself if we don’t learn from it.

Every young girl should have an Odile in their life.

This book was fantastic! I absolutely loved the book of Odile and her journey. The writing was beautiful and the side story of Lily was also beautifully written. I would highly recommend this story to anyone.

Paris, 1939 we find Odile interviewing for a position at the American Library. Odile, having learned the Dewey decimal system thinks in terms of numbers, referring to the books in the library. This is a place where she feels comfortable, where she reveres books. Further this is where students, writers, diplomats and book lovers congregate. Odile is at home, where friendships were made among the many book shelves. Yet as important as the job the library is in her life, she has more...an English best friend, her twin brother Remy, a boyfriend. Then war is declared in September, 1939... her twin brother Remy enlists leaving Odile lonely and worried. Parisians leave by the thousands and the city is occupied with German soldiers. The Paris Library remains steadfast, but now there are rules, some books are confiscated, no Jews may enter, the life you once led can no longer be taken for granted..

Montana, 1983 we find Mrs. Gustafson, Odile, now living in a the small town of Froid where she is called the "War Widow". Lily, a lonely teenager whose family lives next door to Odile and who is obsessed with the mysterious older French woman, asks her teacher to assign her with writing a paper on France. The friendship begins. She is there for Lily when her mother dies, while at the same time the young teenager is trying to find whatever secrets Odile has hidden in her past.

We follow Oldile as she struggles through the war, as the books in the library become weapons. Surrounded by her friends and co-workers at the library, there is a sense of unease, insecurities as the Germans tighten their noose around the Parisians. Resentments build up, who do you trust, who are the betrayers, who are still your friends.

Then there is Lily and we read as she learns the secrets of Odile's past. Yet, despite the difference in age between the two there is most definitely a connection there. What is it and how does it affect their relationship? As their friendship grows, as they become comfortable with one another, the older woman seeing similarities between them. Until one day, Lily makes a terrible mistake...the floodgates open and spill out.

This book about friendship, love and loss all hold strong emotions. With a wonderful cast of characters, each with their own story it is hard to put down. This book isn't one that can be put aside...no, it won't let you. Highly recommended.

My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was looking forward to reading a book that takes place in the American Library in Paris and the author’s description of the library, its staff and patrons were well researched and poignant. The story shifts between Odile, the young French librarian in occupied Paris to Odile, the elderly neighbor of a troubled teen in rural Montana in the 1980’s. Odile’s wartime secrets are slowly revealed as young Lily breaks through the reclusive librarian’s reserve and her personal effects.

The secrets are a little anticlimactic, so don’t get your hopes up that there is some earth-shattering revelation. The shift between the two timelines does emphasize the loneliness and hope that the younger Odile shares with Lily. Don’t read this because of the fictionalized relationship between the past and the present. Read it because you want to hear more about the American Library in Paris during WWII, because that is the real story.

This sweet story is told in alternate voices of Lily (more recent day) and Odile (in the past). Both women find each other when they didn’t know they needed the other. Odile was a librarian in Paris and Lily befriends her for a report in school. Turns out they have similar loss, heartbreak, experiences and are able to help the other speak their truth. I really enjoyed this story and the sweet cast of characters that also worked at the American Library in Paris