In Jennifer Ryan’s latest historical fiction novel The Underground Library, the reader learns about the bombing of the Bethnal Green Library in London during World War II, and it becomes the intersection point of three young women's stories. Sofie is a Jew who is fleeing Germany. Juliet has been hired as the Bethnal Green Library deputy librarian under Mr. Pruitt, and he has some very archaic values. And then there's Katie, a teenager whose love is off fighting in World War II. After the library is bombed, it has to be taken underground, where the community flees to when the air raid horn goes off.

In this underground library, the community rallies around books and friendship.

I'm giving this 4 stars for two reasons. 1) Sofie's story seemed rushed, particularly in the middle and end. 2) These three characters - again, particularly Sofie - didn't cross paths enough for them to be a cohesive group of women to root for.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. #netgalley- #bookstagram #march2024release #theundergroundlibrary #jenniferryan

This is a wonderful work of historical fiction set in London during World War II. it features several female characters who boldly keep things running while the men are at war. The story is told from multiple voices as they share their experiences. It is very interesting and the reader will be eager to turn the pages. The dialogue flows smoothly and is easy to read. It is very well written.

Historical fiction with WWII and books? Yea please. I loved the new perspective of yet another group of incredible individuals fighting against the evils of the world to help society!

The three women in the book were so impressive with their desire to fight for what they believed in! Read most of this book in one setting!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

While the Bethnal Green tube station is mostly known for the 1943 Tube Disaster, the Underground Library is a cool little fun fact that also apparently happened there, along with all sorts of entertainment and other facilities to make it better night after night. I thought that information was interesting and enjoyed a new item to learn.

However, I didn’t really feel that I connected with the characters. Maybe it’s because with 3 women and so much happening, I couldn’t get a good hold on being invested in their stories before it switched up again, and it also felt a little too easy and perfectly tied up in the end.

Also, mandatory clothing stars for Jews in Germany were discussed but not introduced until 1941, not 1939, so while probably a dumb pet peeve, it was brought up a few times and it was not accurate. The author talked about a couple changes she made to events but that seemed to be overlooked.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

4.5 stars
Having read the author's previous work The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle, I was super excited to get this from NetGalley and it did not disappoint. I love stories of found families and women being badass during WWII in London, and this delivered on both fronts. I finished 88% of the book in one sitting. I felt like the characters were very realistic and relatable, and I was very invested in how the ending would tie up for each of them. This book comes out on March 12th; don't miss it.
I HIGHLY recommend this, especially to all of the WWII fiction fans out there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the ARC!

I received a free ARC ebook of <i>The Underground Library</i> from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I am an absolute sucker for books where reading and libraries are the star of the story. Set in London during the Blitz, Juliet has come to London to serve as the Deputy librarian of the revered but stodgy public library. She has left behind her stifling and controlling parents along with the disgrace of a fiance who had deserted the army. Filled with new ideas, she finds her voice and her personal strength. Much of what she learns about herself is due to the wonderful library patrons of all ages.

Among them are elderly spinsters, a Jewish refugee, and an unmarried pregnant young woman. Together they work to bring the wonders and power of a library to the underground station where terrified citizens spend their nights while bombers fly overhead.

For those who might doubt the power of a book in the most stressful of times, try reading about the Armed Services Editions, books printed and distributed to soldiers on the battlefield.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan was an enlightening look at a public library that got set up in the London underground train station. When a London library was bombed during the blitz, three women pull together to keep the the spirit of the library and the physical books alive.
Easy historical fiction to get wrapped up in. Fast read!

Ryan’s The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was a good read, so I was glad to be selected to read the ARC of her new novel. Like the earlier book, this story reminds the reader of how difficult life could be for the people in Europe during the war. The story tells of families that were separated, homes that were lost, jobs that were suddenly open to women, meals that had to be created from rations, nights that were spent sleeping in underground stations, alliances made for survival…and most of the challenges that women took on and won. A quick, rewarding look back at those times in London, with great attention to a library which moved into an underground station, providing books, stories, friendship, and schooling to those sleeping there almost every night. A quick read.

This is a book based on actual WWII events and is a delight to read. I admit I am a fan of Jennifer Ryan and her writing style and was very anxious to read this book. It was very hard to put it down once I started it. It is set in London during the Blitz when the Bethnal Green Library was bombed and people were forced to huddle in underground bunkers for safety at night. Many chose the train stations after the trains shut down. Juliet, the Librarian Assistant formed an underground library supplying books to those huddled there. She formed a book club and would read aloud to the families gathered there. The main characters of this story are beautifully introduced each with their own very important story of love, loss, failures, successes, kindness and so many other attributes. Each has an unforgettable part in the story. I loved this book and am telling everyone about it. Books are so important to our lives and this one points out how valuable a book can be. It has something for everyone. Do not miss this one when it comes out in March.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Three young women are drawn to the Bethnal Green Library in London during WWII, and draw inspiration and life from it and each other. Juliet arrives there one morning as the new Assistant Librarian, thrilled with the job that she knows she has only because no men are available to fill it. She finds an underused and underappreciated library that she knows she can revive if only she is allowed to. Katie is the clerk there whose fiance has recently been killed in the War, and she harbors a secret that will turn her life upside down. And Sophie is a Jewish German refugee in the country by a domestic service visa that is dependent on her employer or she can be sent back to certain detention. As the Blitz descends, Juliet creates a public library in the Underground that turns into a center of community for more than just their three.
This was a delight to read. The characters are engaging and well-realized, the historical research seems flawless and well integrated into the story, and the plot smooth and seemingly effortless. A real pleasure to read. Highly recommended.

The Underground Library is about the neighborhood of Bethnal Green during the Blitz of WWII, centering primarily around the Bethnal Green Library, and the deputy librarian, Juliet Lansdown, as well as Katie Upwood, a young library assistant, and Sofie Baumann, a Jewish German refugee, living and working in London as a domestic on a work visa. For anyone unfamiliar with the work of Jennifer Ryan, while there is danger and drama, overall, the cast of characters and the plot present a very "cozy" feeling novel.
The Blitz of London was a fraught time in history, when the people of London faced danger every day, but overcame it by working together and developed a strong community. I enjoyed this novel because it was nearly 100% centered around the Blitz as opposed to other elements of WWII, and within that, also focused on the power of reading and a love of books to help one get through a difficult time.
As mentioned, the writing for me is very cozy, but I still felt that I learned new things about WWII and the experience of living and working in London during the Blitz. With that in mind, I'm rating this a solid 4 stars. It was well plotted, and well written and I read it from start to finish in one day.
Thank you to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

Thank you, Ballantine Books and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of The Underground Library.

Jennifer Ryan hits another home run! The way she can take true events and spin them into such fantastic stories is utterly delightful. Ryan spectacularly webs these stories together and brings to light historical events that many might not know. The Underground Library is a brilliant read that you don't want to skip.

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me via NetGalley. This book was just amazing. I just lost myself in this story and didn’t want it to end. It was really well written and just drew in you into these characters lives. I look forward to seeing what’s next from this author.

I've enjoyed all of Jennifer Ryan's other books, so when this book became available, I was very excited. I'll admit I had to temper that enthusiasm a bit when I realized that this was yet another book about the library in the Bethnal Green underground air raid tunnel. Last year I read both The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons and 19 Steps by Millie Bobby Brown, both of which cover similar topics, themes, and historical events. That being said, I really did enjoy this novel. Ryan has a way of building great characters and depth to her story lines. She was able to nicely mine the shifting conventions of society in wartime and developing a well-rounded cast of characters. It's definitely worth a read if you are looking for a WWII fiction that looks for the cozy feelings despite it being the Blitz. I think Ryan's best novel is The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle, but this is a great addition to her war fiction.

I was given an advance copy of The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan in return for my honest review. Thank you @NetGallery!
I truly enjoyed this book and of all the historical fiction books I have read through the years, I was intrigued to learn something new. This is a sweet story of love, hope, anxiety, fear - all coupled with stories of several families interwoven together while they lived, survived and thrived during the London Blitzes of WWII. If you are interested in a little different take in the typical WWII story, this book is for you. #TheUndergroundLibrary #NetGalley #WWII #historicalfiction #libraries

2.5 stars. I was so disappointed in this book. The characters were one dimensional, the romance storylines were predictable and the dialogue was often corny. I did not like the fictional changes the author made to the Bethnal Green underground and the events that happened there during WWII, it somehow made less of an impact and I barely cared to finish the book. I loved Ryan’s The Kitchen Front and The Wedding Dress Circle so I was really looking forward to this book! Oh well.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Charming, heartbreaking, and beautiful. This is a lovely woven story told by multiple three main characters during WWII in London. It’s truly a story of chosen family and making the best of the worst life can throw at you. I received this ARC from NetGalley.

I just read The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan. On the whole, the book is a very good and interesting read, taking place primarily in the UK during the early years of WWII. It gives a good sense of how the country pulled together during the Blitz. But there are some historical inaccuracies and other facts are glossed over. But the story did hold my attention to the very end.

The Underground Library
A Novel
by Jennifer Ryan
(The review is from an ARC sent to me by NetGalley)
The Underground Library is a historical fiction novel based on real events. This is the story of three women: Juliet Lansdown has just taken the role of Assistant Librarian, (a role usually reserved for men) at the Bethnal Green library, Jewish Sofie Baumann has managed to obtain a visa to leave Berlin for London as a household servant and Katie Upwood, a library assistant, finds out she is pregnant shortly after hearing that her boyfriend is missing in action. Each one of these characters has an amazing story to tell.
When bombs destroy the library, Juliet relocates the stacks to the local Underground station where the city’s residents shelter nightly, the underground library becomes a place not just about books, but about people, and how books can bring them together This is a unique story and the author has done in depth research on the subject.
This is a novel of love, friendship and the power of the human spirit.
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What a delightful book! As a book lover of course I love stories about libraries, and this novel based on a real life Underground Library is my new favorite. The story is told from the points of view of three young women, Juliet, Katie, and Sofie. Sofie is a Jewish refugee escaping Germany who makes it to London but finds herself working for a mean miser of a man while fearing for the sister and father she had to leave behind. Katie is a young woman preparing to escape an unhappy family to go to University although mourning her lover lost in the war. Juliet is the central character, a bright young woman escaping her rural village where her oppressive parents wanted her to do nothing but make a respectable marriage and give up her ideas of education and jobs. Their lives become intertwined through the suburban London library where Juliet has secured a job as a deputy librarian. Along the way many other endearing characters, and some scoundrels as well, become woven into their lives. The internment camps on the Isle of Man were very interesting too, as I did not know about them either. I was so happy to find that the Underground Library did actually exist, as did a whole community of life in the London Underground during the World War II years of bombing. Everything I have read about the use of the Underground as a shelter has really brought the horrors of the war and the impact of the bombings on the people of London into clarity as a horrifying time. So it was a relief to read about the ways people worked together to keep their spirits from crumbling. To find out what happened you will have to read it yourself, and I highly recommend that you do!
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.