Jennifer Ryan's "The Underground Library" is a work of WWII historical fiction, but its focus is more on relationships between people and the books that bring them together than it is on the events of the war. It was an enjoyable read, although the outcome for each of the characters was obvious from the moment they were introduced. I enjoyed learning about the real Underground Library and the resilience of the British people in those underground networks and loved the role books and stories played in helping them get through the Blitz. Definitely worth the read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.

“The Underground Library” by Jennifer Ryan is a delightfully written story. While the basis of the book is London during World War II during the blitz, the author created a wonderful story about the power of books to bring people together.

This is my second book by Ms. Ryan. I loved “The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle” and was excited to read her new book “The Underground Library”. To start things off, Ms Ryan is an excellent writer. She has the ability to draw you into the story. The characters are beautifully created and I felt like I knew each one. The sense of ‘sisterhood’ is central to the story. This feeling of belonging and support was strong and heartwarming. Each woman is powerful in their own unique way. By combining these elements together Ms. Ryan has formulated the bond and glue for the story. Each character will stick with me for quite awhile.

The story is told from different points of view. The women are diverse in their backgrounds and present circumstances. The story centers around the Bethnal Green Library in London. It actually becomes a character itself. The library develops friendships, as well as, a love for books. The library brings unity to the Londoners who need a sense of unity and kinship.

When I finished the “Wedding Dress Sewing Circle” I anxiously awaited the arrival of Ms. Ryan’s next endeavor. “The Underground Library” did not disappoint! I truly loved the story, the settings, the characters and the writing. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Ryan has in store for us next. However, while I am waiting, I am going to read some of her other books.

I would like to than Ms. Ryan, Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Underground Library is a solid work of WWII historical fiction, based during the London blitz, and centering around 3 female characters coming from different perspectives and places in society. It covers a lot of important topics, such as book censorship, fear of German Jews during the war, and pregnancy outside of marriage. If I have any complaint, it's that things work out a little too neatly in some ways, especially in an era so filled with tragedy, it seems likely many of the people who had gone missing would never be found, and it kind of brushes over some losses. But this is still a really good book, I liked all the characters. There is a bit of romance in the book, but it's not the central point. The main love here is for books and reading.

“…she grasped the true and immense power of books. How they could transcend time and speak to an inner voice. How much they needed them.”

Like many others, I find WWII fiction to be an overdone genre. However, my interest was piqued when I saw this was about books and a library, and I was not disappointed. Ryan seamlessly pulls the reader into the time period and the lives of three women.

In the same vein as The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, these women are drawn to each other through books, and through that connection, we learn about their varying struggles across gender, class, and religious divides. I really enjoyed how the story focused solely on London during the height of the Nazis bombings - you get a sense of what it must have been like to live in the city during that time.

Sophie, Juliet, and Katie were all extremely relatable, each in their own way. Although they struggle enormously throughout the book, I found their stories to ultimately be ones of hope and triumph. The Underground Library is a beautiful tale of friendship and survival, and at its heart, there are books.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Jennifer Ryan’s, The Underground Library centered around London during WWII and a handful of women who defied the bombardments to open an underground library as people fought to find safety in underground tubes during the height of the Blitz. The book is a treasure trove of well-researched details, albeit a few modified for purposes of writing entertaining WWII fiction. I became embroiled in the lives of Katie, Sofie, and Juliet as soon as I connected with each one of their varied life stories. The expansion of each character including the older sisters, Dorothy and Irene, and their unusual friend, Marigold pulled me in as each woman fought the horrors of war, the terror and deprivations of rationing and bombing raids to save the Bethal Green Library as an underground library which brought joy and camaraderie to people from various walks of life. Based on well-researched facts, the story showed the power of women united for a common cause despite the male librarian’s reluctance to open an underground world of reading, socializing, and exchange of books during the crippling of London in 1940. I was immediately transported to the tubes; I could feel and smell the cordite alongside the characters as I became familiar with each of their personal stories. I could feel the ‘Blitz Spirit’ of the community as the story transported me through each character’s individual tale of sacrifice and determination. Having read an extensive collection of WWII fiction over the years, and having had family who fought in the war, I enjoyed the backdrop of a library as the focal point of the novel with a chaser of female empowerment and romance in a time when women were just beginning to be pulled from the home and hearth to support their countries. As I live in the US and I watch world events unfolding now, I find the story enlightening, showing the power of books, the joy of reading, and the education of the masses as society seeks to destroy knowledge for the sake of power. I give this book a solid 5 stars. It was not only based on a true story, but it showed that people can come to common ground via knowledge and joy gained from books, despite the difference in upbringing and social class. As Germany burned and banned books during this period, (a shock happening in the US today) a group of women worked together to save the Bethal Green Library, while starting a school for those children that remained in London as the bombs destroyed their homes, schools, churches, and lives. The book kept me up with the coffee flowing. I simply couldn’t put it down. Many thanks to Net Galley for the digital ARC. This review is entirely my own opinion of an author’s story I enjoyed from start to finish.

A refreshing insight into WWII in London. Yes - it was devasting, but the courage and determination of the citizens - who banded together despite the restrictive class and gender barriers - was heartwarming. Wonderful characters, well-developed, and far from the typical “woe-is-me” or superhero stereotypes. Admirable and enjoyable as the reader really cared about what happened with each protagonist.

A truly excellent read, with an insight into the Blitz I'd never before encountered. The Underground Library is a story of three young women -- Juliet, Katie, and Sofie -- and how their lives are impacted by WWII, and how their love of books brings them together to not only unite their community but to, in many ways, save each other and themselves. I devoured the story in one sitting and couldn't recommend it enough. What a fantastic story of resilience and strength during such a dark, uncertain time!

This was a very interesting read. It’s definitely something I normally don’t read but the title dragged me in and boy was I happy I read it. I absolutely devoured it!

An interesting story about how things were during WWII for the civilians. I really enjoyed learning from their perspective.

World War II is a prolific subset of historical fiction, one of my favorites, but also can be tedious. So many have been done, can they all be done well? A new story from each? There are many perspectives and many stories, and much to be learned and admired.

This was one of the "lighter" WWII novels, if such a thing can be said. The horrors of the blitz are talked about, but not the main focus. The focus is three women who strive to better themselves, and in the meantime help others. I enjoyed the main characters and the surrounding community members who all become friends because of the library and the underground sheltering during the nightly bombings. Sophie, a young Jewish refugee, taught me the most about parts of history that were new to me, and made me think of the desperation and difficulties of anyone trying to escape. Of course I loved Juliette, the librarian and the story of the library bringing the community together. Katie is the other main character, likeable and strong, and supported by women around her, and in turn teaching her mother to be strong. A decent read, as I said not heavy as a WWII book. At times things were a little to coincidental or too neatly wrapped up to be believable, but overall I liked the story. Enjoyed the authors notes in the back about what was fact and what was fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley for the early read in trade for an honest review.

A true story about 4 women to get together to form an underground library for refugees during WW2. I love historical fiction and this one did not disappoint. There were a lot of side stories that were entertained by the circumstances and I enjoyed that part of the book. I recommend for anyone looking for a WW2 historical
Fiction.

In this tale, set in WWII London, we have three main female characters, and we get to know them through the events of the Blitz.

I liked that all three interacted at the beginning and throughout the book rather than the threads coming together at the end. I also liked the history woven into the story. The action is centered around Bethnal Green and its library and underground station.

The first woman is Juliet, who has just arrived in London to serve as the Deputy Director at the Bethnal Green Library. The head librarian isn’t thrilled to have a woman in his library, and he doesn’t like any of Juliet’s new ideas. Juliet is thrilled to escape her parents and hometown and mourns her fiancée, who has been missing since Dunkirk.

Katie is a young woman working at the library and planning to start university in the fall. She is also mourning the loss of her boyfriend in the war.

And finally, we have Sofie Baumann, a Jewish refugee who escaped Germany to work as a domestic. Her employer treats her horribly, and she finds some refuge at the library and with the other women.

As the nightly air raids begin, the women and all Londoners cope the best they can. After a time, people started taking over the underground station for shelter. I didn’t realize that this wasn’t sanctioned at first by the government. Life underground soon becomes a bustling hive with food, clinics, and ultimately a library and school.

There are some love stories, an unplanned pregnancy, and searching for missing loved ones, and this author has a way of writing about the characters so that I grew to root for them to find happiness amid an awful time in London. Don't miss her notes at the end that clarify some historical facts.

Sometimes you just need a story about a group of women who truly want the best for each other. Juliet, Kate, and Sophie are coming into the story from all different directions but they come together for their love of reading. This book was set in a time of extreme hardship during the blitz attacks in London during WWII and somehow Jennifer Ryan told a story of friendship and love and it was still based on real events during the war. And if you are reading or writing book reviews you know you have a soft spot for a book that is about the love of books. Overall a great read. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book tells the story of three women, Juliet, Sofie and Katie in WWII London. Juliet is the new deputy librarian of a local library where the head librarian sees the library as more of a museum than a place for people to gather. Sophie is a Jewish refugee working night and day for a grumpy old man. Katie is about to go to college and lives at home with her well meaning mother and father. This is the story of how a library brings them, and the community, together.

Really enjoyed this one. This was a piece of history I hadn’t yet known from WWII. I loved the theme of the library and how all these very different women all connected thought the story.

Thought provoking and well written. I really enjoyed and highly recommend.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy. Jennifer Ryan’s books are like a warm hug. You fall in love with the characters and truly enjoy seeing their stories unfold. The Underground Library was no exception. There were a lot of parallels to what is happening now with book banning, genocide, etc. so that was a bit sad to see how little has changed over the years.

A very engaging historical fiction story set during World War II in London, we follow the lives of 3 woman who are connected with the local library in different ways. Each character's story is unquie, well crafted, and engaging. I would reccommend for any lovers of historical fiction.

Book release date 3/12/24

This story takes place in London between 1939 and 1940 as the Nazi air strikes pushed into London. The book highlights 3 women- Sofie, a German Jew on a work visa as a means of escaping Nazi occupation, Juliet, with a new job as a deputy librarian in the Bethnal Green library, and Katie, a soon to be university student who works at the library. Their paths cross because of their love of books. Their friendship was forged because of their love of literature. Living through this trying time of love, loss, and trauma a small book group that started in a room of a library became the light in the darkness for an entire community.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

As a fan of historical fiction, the book gave me insight to parts of this war I didn’t know existed. I felt as though some of the storyline was hard to believe or over dramatized. That being said- I cheered for each heroine’s success and was invested in their story arc.

3.5 rounded up. Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for the Arc.

I was happy with this book. I felt like it read very fast. When the Blitz comes to London, where does the Library go? This tale is rooted in history based on the men and women that took the library underground when the bombs started dropping. The women's stories were a little far fetched in my opinion, only because at the end, everything was tied up in a nice bow. There was no loss or heartbreak that makes a story great. I think that there could have been women that definitely had this experience, a Jewish refugee, a young woman moved to the big city, and another young woman who finds herself in a predicament. I will say that I did enjoy that they all met each other and became friends along with other minor characters throughout the book.

The author's note was also really interesting. I think the author did a great job with the research that went into this fictional tale. I liked hearing about the Isle of Man's internment camps and their purpose. I also love learning something new that I did not know about during WW2, such as the Underground Library.

I picked up this book on Net Galley because I loved the Chillbury Ladies' Choir. I'm not someone who reads a lot of World War II fiction but for Jennifer Ryan, I was willing to read a story during such a turbulent time. The Underground Library was a wonderful story of a library forced underground by the Blitz in London. Juliet is a deputy librarian in a world where men choose to keep tight control of management. Sophie is Jewish and has escaped Germany but fears opening her mouth because Londoners might think she is a Nazi. Katie's story touched me. Her fiancee is missing/presumed dead and she finds herself pregnant in a society that scorns unwed mothers.
This is a story of community breaking away from boundaries and finding kindness and love in others. I loved this book and would highly recommend it.