I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel that is based loosely on true events during WWII in Bethnal Green, London. It was a great reminder of the power of books and libraries, especially during difficult times.

Looking forward to reading other books by this author.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

1939. Sofie is an upper-middle class Jewish German citizen, who must leave her home, her family, and her possessions and memories behind to try to get away from the Nazis. She is moving to London, to work for a wealthy widow as a servant. And she has no idea what the future holds for her sister or her father, who is choosing to stay.

1940. Juliet has also moved to London, to Bethnal Green, to be the new deputy librarian, since her fiancé has been labeled MIA, and to try to make a difference in this war instead of stuck at home, waiting to find a society boy to marry. But the head librarian, Mr. Pruitt, has no interest in improving things. He wishes the Bethnal Green library would fold so he can retire to the country, away from the London bombings. The house she is staying in, with a kindly older woman, also happens to be the same home a man named Sebastian is staying in, someone she couldn’t stand back home for flirting with every girl who came along. She has no idea yet how the war has changed him, or the current war efforts he is now part of.

Katie currently also works at Bethnal Green library, as an assistant who hopes to leave for university soon, but a dalliance with her boyfriend has left some unexpected consequences, which will have a terrible effect on her family which is already falling apart.

All three women want to save and grow the library, but they need help. When the shelters become too full for the number of people in Bethnal Green to get to, Juliet decides to take books to the underground station, where people have been waiting out the overnight bombings. What starts as a small hope turns into a burning flame that inspires and brings together an entire community. Juliet says that “To me, books are like old friends, telling us great truths, holding our hands through the difficulties, showing us light and joy at the end of every tunnel.” And so the library becomes for her and those around her.

This historical WWII fiction is perfect for fans of the genre, for fans of romantic drama, of love triangles, of surviving and bringing together communities in war, and especially for those who love books and libraries that inspire people even in the bleakest of times.

AMAZING historical fiction set during the Blitz in Great Britain and I love that its based on a true story. The character development was beautiful but I still felt like this book overall was an approachable, and just overall enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book, but the second half lost me a bit. In the beginning, the 3 main characters felt unique from one another, with different interests and goals, but as the plot moved forward, they felt as though they were melting together, and I felt as though I was losing interest. The ending also did not feel plausible to me. It felt as though everything was wrapped up in a perfect bow, when that does not feel realistic for a WWII novel. That being said, the writing style was easy and palatable, and I appreciated learning about the Londonites that were forced to hide underground.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I felt like there was far too much exposition from the characters that bogged down each chapter, making the book twice as long as it needed to be.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

Though this book held my attention and was easy to read, I too often found myself annoyed and disappointed. It quickly became apparent that her writing is insanely formulaic, as I could easily swap characters and plot lines from this book for another. Though there were interesting tidbits of information, the writing is insubstantial, repetitive, and easy to skim. I believe she tried too hard to be quotable and wise, making every character sound as if they’re speaking from some unrealistic script. I do see the merits in her writing, but in my opinion, if you’ve read one of her books, you’ve read them all. This is for people who want something soft and cozy, along the lines of an old grandmother’s story.

I will admit, the first several chapters, I was sure I'd read this book in the past. Which, considering its publication date, I knew wasn't possible. I eventually found the book I'd read last year on the subject and realized there were a few differences, but I will admit that my familiarity with the subject probably put me at a slight disadvantage with this book.

Part of the problem with this book, however, was there just wasn't enough to make me really care about the characters. I read what they were going through, but they seemed somewhat superficial, so I didn't actually care or get drawn in to their stories. I was drawn in to the situation they were in and the subject matter itself, but the characters felt flat and the soap opera romance aspects (that were really, very very obvious) just were off putting at times.

While this was a decent read, unless you love some over the top drama and romance thrown in to your historical fiction, you may want to look elsewhere. If it's something you can overlook and you'd like to read more WWII historical fiction set mostly in England, this is your chance.

Overall, this book was a terrific read. Originally it was a little difficult to grasp the characters' identities due to their similarities, but as the book progressed they became more distinct.

I found that the characters were very relateable, even though they are from a different time period, and had very different life experiences than I have.

One complaint that I would have is the book's authenticity. I find that the author wrote it to be a book that would please the masses, making it a happy story, one that would not bring tears to the reader. However, for this time period, I believe that the truth and realities must be spoken about, which ultimately leads to unhappy endings. I feel as if she drew out the story in ways to ensure that a happy ending was inevitable.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

For more reviews and discussions, listen to my podcast The Honest Book Reviewers with Nate and Emma.

https://open.spotify.com/show/3H3ugH4xlzvjMXuUo1Lyvh?si=ewdzfkUnSVKyDmAvHMHIPQ

This was a stunning story. The book follows 3 women and their community in London during the height of WWII. All three stories were so well done and interesting, and I could not put this book down. It was a totally different take from any other WWII story I've read, and it was so interesting. The cast of characters that sheltered in the underground and lived in the neighborhood was so fun and unique. I truly loved reading this so much.

If you love historical fiction, add this to your list for sure!

I just finished The Undergroubd Library. Thank you for allowing me to review it. It is my first book by Jennifer Ryan and I don't think it will be my last! This story was beautifully written. I loved the different storylines. It was written about history that I have not heard about before. No one ever talks about Underground London. It wasn't graphic and had a lot of positivity in it. What a breath of fresh air!
Thank you for sharing this history with us.

This book took me much longer than it should have to read. I also had to take a break due the book feeling like it was dragging on.
I feel that the multiple perspectives was confusing and I got characters mixed up. I think this book could have been a lot more exciting and a more interesting read. I was going the book would be more about the under ground library and less about pushing personal beliefs. I also felt that this book was not realistic and nothing actually bad happened to any of the main characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
I've read every book by Ryan. I always find her historical fiction novels to contain consistency.
I am so fond of Ryan's devotion to each book she publishes.
So far all of her HF novels have multiple POVs from our main characters. Each sharing their story. I personally find Multi POV's are one of the best-loved features in any type of novel.
There is not one character in this novel that you find yourself relating to. The bonds and friendships the women find while trying to survive the war, makes me envious.
You will come across a pair of funny characters that will bring a smile to your face.
In a prim and proper way this book was clean in choice of language. No profanity. No sexual content.

I really enjoyed this book. It combined two of my favorite things, books and community. I received this advanced reader copy from netgalley. I was interested in it because I have read the Chilbury Ladies Choir, which I really liked as well. I enjoy fiction that is based on real events but also has Indian characters. I read this book in about 24 hours because I was enjoying it so much.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan is set during the London Blitz of World War II. It revolves around the lives of three very different women, Juliet, Katie, and Sofie. The three of them are passionate about the library for their own reasons. When it is destroyed by bombs, Juliet manages to move the books down into the nearby unground station where the residents of Bethnel Green, London go for shelter each evening. People were able to form book clubs, exchange ideas, share hope, and more. Even with these good things happening, the future of the library and the women is unknown and the story explores all of this beautifully. Juliet, Katie, and Sofie are all characters I enjoyed learning more about and feel they each had sufficient backstory. At the end of the book, the author talks about the real events and people that inspired this story.

I really enjoyed this WW II historical fiction novel. It follows three different women with different backgrounds and challenges who are each helped by the library that ended up in the Bethnal Green tube station during the London Blitz. It’s a great story of resilience, friendship and the power of literature. I appreciate how Ryan writes without coarse language or sexually explicit scenes.

"It was terrifying, monstrous, these people thinking they could obliterate history and culture and reinvent it the way it suited them. My father wanted us to see it so that we could understand what was coming.”

Juliet has started her new job as Deputy Librarian at the Bethel Green Library during World War 2. She's determined to breathe some life into it regardless of the challenges she comes across. Katie is one of the library volunteers who Juliet has taken under her wing and embraced as part of her world, when Katie's boyfriend dies while fighting at the front Katie realizes she's not only grieving but has a secret she is hiding as well. Sophie is a refugee that sees the library as a haven. When the library is bombed, Juliet moves it all to the underground and keeps it running and keep the spirits of their community alive!

This was a great book. I've read a ton of WWII historical fiction novels and this one felt like I was in it with them. This one didn't yank on my heartstrings quite as much as some others, but there were definite moments of loss, love and friendship that were all very well done. I wish I could have jumped into the book and screamed at Juliet about Victor because she really did have her head in the clouds on that one, but overall, this book is really well done, and I enjoyed myself while reading it.

Wonderful book! It didn't grab me at first, but as I continued I became fully invested in the story. I imagine some people might complain that a lot of it gets neatly tied up in a bow at the end, but sometimes that's what the heart needs!

The Underground Library
By Jennifer Ryan

Based on a true story, this book is about the London blitz during World War II by the Nazi air forces. We have all heard the stories of the resiliency of Londoners while their lives and homes were being destroyed night after night.

This book is told from the perspective of three young women: Sofie, a German Jew who manages to escape Berlin leaving her family behind, only to become the servant of a brutal and abusive employer in London; Katie, a middle class Londoner whose young lover is serving overseas; and Juliet, who comes to Bethnal Green to escape her oppressive parents and to work as the assistant librarian.

These three young women, together with the women who befriend them and the men who come to love them, have extraordinary stories to tell about the war in London. But more importantly, their stories come together in the story of how a bombed out library, moved to an underground tube station, became the center of a community of survivors.

This is an uplifting book. There were tremendous losses, to be sure, but the people herein managed to make things better not only for themselves, but for others as well. By coming together and helping each other, they stayed strong. Too bad we haven't learned that lesson in our current society.

4.5/5

Another great one by the fantastic Jennifer Ryan!! Her books are among my very top most anticipated. Every time I find out one is in the works and has a release date, I can barely contain myself until I have it in my hot little hands.

One thing I love about Ms. Ryan's stories is that they center women in a part of history that feels very dominated by our very brave male service members. Her books are the only WW2-centric books that I seek out because they are lighthearted and fun, with quirky characters and charming settings.

This book reminded me of The Kitchen Front and The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle, which both showcase the resourcefulness of the main characters. I loved that this story celebrated books and the role a good written story can play in centering us when our world is off-kilter. It was easy to tell that Ms. Ryan loves classical literature, and each mention of a classic story made me smile. I had no idea that large chunks of the population moved underground during these bombings and strikes, and I would have never guessed they set up a thriving library, medical center, and other small businesses. The war rages in the background of this book, but it never overtakes the story. I just loved it so much, and once again, I find myself impatient and eager for her next story.

I received a digital review copy from the publisher via NetGalley, but I supplemented that digital reading with a large print copy from my library's shelves. Many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this gem of a story.