This historical novel is loosely based on a true World War II story. The Bethnal Green library was indeed bombed and the librarians set up an underground library in the half-finished Bethnal Green tube station, where all of the neighborhood sheltered. However, the characters are all fictional. I enjoyed the novel, told from the perspective of three women: Juliet (librarian), Katie (adolescent girl), and Sophie (German Jew who escaped from Germany to London). Each woman's story is given equal weight in the novel. Their stories intertwine nicely and all three women show growth during the novel. The novel was a bit more romanc-y/soap-opera-ish than I would have liked, but it wasn't too cringey. Overall, I would recommend this book.

On a side note, I discovered another historical novel about this same underground library called The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson. I haven't read it yet, but, interestingly, both authors turned the male librarian assistant into a woman.

*thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my review*

What a beautiful story about the kind of community that a library can create! Jennifer Ryan weaves a compelling tale about friendship and resilience based on the very real story of the Bethnal Green Public Library, which survived WWII by moving underground after the building was destroyed in a bombing.

Sophie, Juliet, and Katie share the spotlight in this triple POV narrative, where their bond over the library allows them to put aside their differences and help each other navigate the difficulties of life during wartime. A number of distinct themes arise in their shared stories: 1) overcoming situations, 2) overcoming limitations, and 3) overcoming expectations. Ryan deftly handles historically sensitive topics with grace as she tells this war story.

While the timeline wasn’t always clear and there were a few too many pithy realizations for my taste, the characters were so lovely, and the relationships were wonderfully developed. As far as WWII stories go, this one isn’t too heavy. Yet it honors the impact the war had on everyday life in Britain. The unsurprising separations and deaths don’t overshadow the HEA that so satisfyingly crowns the story.

I really enjoyed this book, and I recommend it to anyone who wants a cozy bookish read set in WWII.

(reviews to be posted on Goodreads and Instagram)

I struggled with this book but I had struggled with another novel of this author, Kitchen Front, as well, so it may be that this author isn't for me. It may also be that I am not in the frame of mind for another WW II novel, though I have not read that much about the London Blitz and, having seen the remnants of a church in Liverpool from that period during a vacation with my family, I was fascinated. I also liked the concept of an underground library. I liked the historical aspect for the most part and I think the author did her homework. What I struggled with is that it was slow to get into and there were parts of it that were soap operaish. It was about these women in London during WWII that came together to start an underground library. There was a great deal of drama in their lives and that was the part that made it seem like a soap opera. Then there was difficulty at times following what was going on because it went back and forth between the characters which has the effect of making it challenging to understand each character.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for providing me with the opportunity to read this novel.

Another WWII book based on a true story. Aside from the aspects of the war and libraries, this is a book about friendship, pulling together and supporting each other. I really enjoyed it, but I always enjoy stories of women supporting women.

There are the three separate stories going on with the three main characters, all brought together by the library. One is facing sexual discrimination in her job at the library. One is facing struggles with her parents and a secret she is struggling with. The third is a Jewish immigrant trying to find a safe place away from the Germans.

This was different enough that I didn't feel like it was the same old WWII story. I loved it!

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group--Ballantine and NetGalley for the copy. All thoughts are my own.

Inspired by the existence of libraries in the tunnels of the underground during WWII, The Underground Library is the story of the importance of libraries in building community and providing a common space for people from all walks of life. It has an important message in our modern times, when libraries, authors and books are under attack.

The story is told from the perspectives of three women who are, on the surface from very different backgrounds, but come together through the library. Each of their stories was inspiring, as each woman showed a strength that was not apparent at first, and each came into their own by standing up to adversity. They built bonds with each other and with their neighbors, as they created the library as the centerpiece of the community.

This is a wonderful story that will resonate with book lovers and historical fiction fans.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House-Ballantine for the digital ARC of The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan. The opinions in this review are my own.

Historical fiction set during the WWII London Blitz with multi-POV from the 3 leading female characters. A feel-good story about a library that’s forced underground & the perseverance of its staff & volunteers. Friendships are made through a love of books and how they can enrich our lives. Even though the book was a little formulaic at the end, I enjoyed the story of Juliet, Sophie, & Katie. Thank you for the advanced copy, NetGalley!

Leave it to Jennifer Ryan to bring readers a World War II story full of characters one can root for and a positive side to a very dismal time in English history.

As much as I have read of World War II, I had never heard about the people in London getting in the underground tunnels of the railway system to take cover from the bombing. Much roomier than the bomb shelters and cellars, the people were able to move around and had plenty of room to spread blankets and sleep for the night.

The story follows three women whose paths intersect during this time and how they become friends and build a sense of community during the tumultuous days of the Blitz. Juliet is a librarian, Katie is a future college student and Sophie is a Jewish immigrant from Germany who managed to get to England just in the nick of time.

When the main library is hit by a bomb and too damaged for the people to use, Juliet decides they should move to the tunnels and start a mini-library. The idea is popular among those escaping to the tunnel for safety and the tunnels eventually become a mini village under ground.

Each of the three women are facing challenges of the time. Katie has lost her fiancee in the war. Sophie has had an unpleasant experience with her employer and is trying to locate some of her family members. Juliet is dealing with a missing fiancee/possible deserter and is trying to keep the library up and running.

There are also many other memorable characters who are pivotal to the story and help the underground residents form a bond. I really enjoyed reading this and recommend to other readers who enjoy historical fiction.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review and recommend to other readers.

Historical fiction readers will enjoy this well researched novel based on true events in London during WWII. Living in the tube stations during the bombings brought people of all walks of life together to survive. After the bombing of the Bethnal Green library, the library moved to the underground as told in this wonderfully crafted story. Highly recommended!

Historical fiction at its best! Ryan does a masterful job of telling the stories of several Londoners during the Blitz, and how their lives come to revolve around the Underground Library. When the Bethnal Green library is bombed, Juliet, a resourceful librarian, moves the surviving books to a nearby tube station, where locals take shelter as the bombs fall. The characters are beautifully and realistically rendered, from Sophie, a Jewish refugee from Germany, to Katie, a native Londoner who discovers that she's pregnant by her fiance, who is now MIA in Italy. Juliet draws the community together with book clubs, story hours, and her indomitable spirit.

The Underground Library is the second book of Jennifer Ryan's for me to read. I love that she brought to light a fact about WW2 that is so little known by many.

Juliet Landsdown finds herself working at the Bethanl Green Library. Once she starts her job there she discovers that the library is far from thriving.

The Underground Library brings together a wide range of characters. I love any books that show that we are better together.

If I had any complaints about the story it would be that the story was wrapped up too nicely in the end. It felt too unrealistic to me that everyone got their happy ending especially during a time that so many lost so much.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have loved Jennifer Ryan’s previous works, especially enjoying the way she pulls together the stories of various characters into a single story. This one I enjoyed, but not quite so much. She tried to provide so much information that I often felt like I was being lectured to. I loved the characters and the storylines though, and I would still recommend this to anyone who enjoys World War II/bookish fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine, Ballantine Books, and the author, Jennifer Ryan for the opportunity to read The Underground Library. It was such an incredible account of the "The Blitz," in London during WWII. I was completely enthralled with the story.

I especially loved how Ryan focused on the women who lived in London at that time. She did a wonderful job showing how women stepped in and took over for their male counterparts after they had been sent off to war.

Ryan also did an excellent job of showing how hard it was for Jewish-Germans who had escaped to England. Even though they hated Hitler, their German accents often made some English act horrible towards them. Thankfully there were just as many people who stood by the Jewish population and helped them to feel worthy.

In the author's notes, Ryan explained how her book was based on a true story. Every time I read another aspect of the trials people went through during WWII I am flabbergasted. What an amazing project it was to have an underground library for everyone who had to take cover during the bombings. The people of London truly had an incredible spirit. They never gave up and they never allowed Hitler to break their spirit.

I highly recommend The Underground Library to anyone who loves historical fiction. It's a five star book in my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House and Ballantine Books for the ARC of The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan.

I've said many times that I am done reading books about WWII, so I was a little hesitant to pick this one up. What more can one learn and experience that hasn't already been covered in another book? Jennifer Ryan's novel proved me wrong. I had no idea that The Underground Library was an actual place created by those from the Bethnal Green library (And did you know Jerry Springer was born in an railway underground shelter during the war?). During a time of such turmoil, I could only imagine that solace that the townspeople could feel when they took shelter in the library. I also enjoyed learning about the Isle of Man and how it was used during the war.

The novel focused on the women during the war, and the hardships that so many of them faced. I truly enjoyed the characters and getting to know them. If I had to say one negative thing, it would be that in times of war, and especially WWII, happy endings were hard to come by. So, I did find it hard to believe that all of the characters would get their happy ending.

In the end, I enjoyed learning something that I didn't already know about WWII.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan
Posted on March 7, 2024 by Carol Early Cooney

Dear Fellow Reader,

Welcome to March! A month of madness? That seems to be what it is famous for but this year it has so much more – Spring Forward, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter – a whole cornucopia of spring! Get out the patent leather shoes!

Meanwhile, I am sitting here warming my hands on a cup of tea! It is sometimes hard to overcome the damp, cold here in the Midwest.

I am happy to tell you about this week’s book. It is the fifth book by Jennifer Ryan. No, they are not a series, but all take place in England during World War II. I know I read The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle and I think I read The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir. So, let’s break convention here and tell you that I like these books. Yes, I know that I profess to be sick of historical fiction. And in some ways, I am. But these books are really character-driven. While the historical background is there, these characters are living in the setting, they aren’t there to support the setting.


The Underground Library has three main characters and several supporting characters. Juliet Lansdown has left her parents and hometown to move to the Bethnal Green section of London to work at the library there. She had worked at the library in her hometown and loved it. She has hopes that it will be even better in Bethnal Green. Katie Upwood works at the library for the summer before she goes to the University. She is only allowed to study at the University because so many of the students are off to war, but she is bright and can’t wait to go. Sofie Baumann, is a refugee from Germany. She has come to Bethnal Green to be a domestic worker – the only way she could get out of Germany. She is not in a good situation but the day she comes to the library, she finds friends and support.

Soon into the story, the Germans start bombing London and each night the residents must leave their homes and go to shelter. The Underground soon becomes the shelter of choice. When the library is bombed, the friends gather around and move books to the Underground. Juliet starts some programs that become extremely popular like a time each night for reading aloud and eventually a school.

Our three main characters each face choices they never could have anticipated and despite rocky times, they find that their friendships keep them floating in the sea of hard times.

I was given an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The book will be published on March 12th.

I really enjoyed this book! I've always heard of The Blitz during World War II, but it was really interesting to look a little deeper into it. I really liked that the cast of characters included women of various ages, and stages of life, and read about the challenges they faced. Not only the challenges of wartime, but also the social and cultural constraints of the era. It's ultimately a very inspiring and uplifting novel. Big thanks to Jennifer Ryan, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for access to the eGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The cover and title made this one jump out to me; I enjoy books that take place in a library setting. I also enjoy historical fiction, but I'm beginning to tire of the WW2 setting. It's told from the perspective of three different women and I enjoyed the themes of community and friendship. If you enjoy historical fiction and books about books, give this one a read.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC.

Juliet Lansdown is the new deputy librarian at Bethnal Green Library during WW2. Normally these positions are not given to women at all but held by men, but because of the war, women are being “temporarily” assigned to them. She wants to make sure the library is being used not by just the select few, but by everyone. Even when the actual building is bombed during the Blitz. Juliet along with her staff and people in the community moves it underground. Now she knows it will be successful, but the past can come back to haunt her and ruin her plans.

Katie Upwood has a beautiful life, she works in the library, will be going to university in the fall and has a boyfriend who has left to go to the front line. Then it all comes crashing down when he goes missing and is presumed dead, her parents are having issues and she has a secret that will change her life forever.

Sofie Baumann, is a Jewish refugee from Germany who was lucky to escape to England because of a work visa. But the man she works for is horrible expecting her to do anything and everything, at one time he even takes one of few things of jewelery she was able to smuggle out. She is trying to find out if her sister was also able to get away and one place that has been helping her is the library. Everything comes to an abrupt halt when she is accused of stealing something and being German she is automatically considered dangerous.

In the past few years lots of books have been coming out about World War 2, especially the roles that women played in it. Some have been wonderful and others not so much. When I saw this I couldn’t wait to read it because I do like other books by this author. The only thing that worried me was that I had read a book last year about the same library and there was a chance that this book would be too similar to it. Thankfully it was not. It was one of those books I could not put down until I had finished it. I loved the way it took us back in time to include real events that took place in real places and allowed us to see what so many went through during that war. It truly shows how many felt that the working class did not deserve to be educated the same way the upper class was, if at all and how women had to struggle in so many ways. All things that have been forgotten about even though it was not that long ago.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House/Ballantine Books for an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.

The book is set in London during WWII. Sofie is reluctant to leave her family in Berlin even though it has become unsafe for Jewish families, but her sister makes sure that she catches her train to go to the housekeeping job that she got in London. Juliet has been hired as a deputy librarian at a library in the city while the regular person is off fighting in the war. She has lots of great ideas but the head librarian is not interested. Katie is working at the library for the summer before starting at university in the fall. This is a wonderful story about discovering who you really are amidst the hardships of war time. I enjoyed the main characters and their growth through the book plus the interesting side characters.

"The Underground Library" takes place in the midst of WWII across the perspective of 3 women brought together by the Bethnal Green Library in London. Julia Lansdowne has taken on a new role as the deputy librarian and despite resistance from the current head librarian, is determined to transform it into something new. Her love for literature and ability to bring in the community around help propel her forward to starting the Underground Library, but she also does her best to avoid discussing her fiance, Victor, who disappeared in the midst of battle and was labeled a deserter by the government.

Julia meets Katie Upwood, a staff member at the library planning on attending university only a few months later. The two immediately bond, but Katie's dynamic with her image-centric parents is at odds with her relationship with Christopher, another man who signed up to join the war. She receives devastating news about him, but also is forced to confront the looming possibility of motherhood as a single, unmarried woman.

The third storyline is told from Sofie Baumann's perspective, a Jewish refugee from Germany forced to leave her family behind in order to utilize the working visa that the British government has given her. She serves as a maid for Mr. Wainwright, a wealthy but heartless individual who manipulates her situation to and overworks her cruelly. When she meets Katie and Julia, Sofie finds a brief respite from her grueling days, and a community of women who come to care for and help her try to find her remaining family members.

I'm a sucker for WWII historical fiction so immediately wanted to read this novel. There's a lot that I (and many other readers) would enjoy - a female-centric novel with protagonists breaking the norm, a community centered around the library and literature, and a look into an area that isn't as frequently written about during the war. I overall did enjoy the storylines, the evolution of the Underground Library as British citizens were forced to shelter in the underground stations for protections during raids, and the progression each of the characters made. However, the writing style felt clipped and lacked the complexity and depth I was hoping for, which might have also been because there were 3 POVs that the author needed to cover. I also really wished there wasn't as much emphasis placed on the romance aspect, as it seemed a minor component to the overall themes and focus of the novel.

Overall an enjoyable read, especially given the research and historical inspiration of the real Bethnal Green Library!

The Underground Library is the newest WW2 England-based historical fiction by Jennifer Ryan. This novel explores the lives of three young women who are attempting to carry on with their routines during the bombings of WW2. They come together to form a library for their community set in the underground train station where they are sheltering. This is a tale that makes you appreciate all of the little luxuries we take for granted now. Read and enjoy!