This was a very enjoyable book.

I preferred the narrative in Paris over the scenes in the US (I didn't think theh added much to the story, to be honest) as they immersed me completely in the realities of the war.

It's a great book for book lovers, with a strong narrative thread about the power and significance of books.

Odile was a well-rounded and interesting protagonist.

A colourful and vivid telling of the story of the American Library in Paris through the years of the occupation.

As someone who works in a library, I could relate wholeheartedly to the wonderful, rounded depictions of the staff and the regular readers who made up the backdrop to this fascinating story.

The protagonists in both timeframes (1940s and 1980s) were believable, likeable and honest. Having Odile present in both eras linked the stories without giving away too much too soon in terms of how her story unfolded.

Lily is a flawed character who doesn't always do the right thing, and there were moments when I just wanted to give her a stern talking to... but Odile somehow retains her faith in her, and it's heartening when this is eventually rewarded.

The author manages to create a wholly believable world in both timeframes, despite Odile and Lily being so unlike each other and coming from such different places. I even found myself rooting for some of the more peripheral characters, all of whom had their own unique voices. Not every character is likeable - in fact there are some who I positively disliked - but the story needed them, and even went some way to explaining their justifications and motives.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and even learned a little something about the American Library, which I don't think I'd heard of before.

I loved it. I was so drawn into the story of the characters at the American Library in Paris and in Froid usa with Odile and Lily. . It was so well written and the occupation of Paris was well documented, what a terrible time to live in and how brave all the staff and subscribers were except for the 'crows' who sent out the damning letters to the Police. Horrible betrayals.

I was so pleased when Paul and Odile got married but oh how could poor Margaret be so betrayed but of course those were the times ! Felix may have given Margaret some happiness at the time but no ..... not allowed of course.!

I loved the relationship between Odile and Lily which was good for them both. Poor Odile had given up so much when she left Paris I felt so sad for her but then she had happiness with her Buck and Mark.

Thank you so much for my free copy. I will push on Amazon too.

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot (there are plenty of other reviews like that out there!).

I chose this book as I secretly long to be a librarian (sadly that ship has sailed due to my age!)

Confession: I entirely failed to notice before reading that the book was billed as being based on real life events! So I read it as a novel, and only found out that the characters and events were real when reading the Author's notes at the end. I have to say that it still worked for me - and I now have the added bonus of looking forward to reading more about the background via the books and articles referenced by the Author!

I liked the way the book switched between two timelines and locations - the Second World War in Paris, and the 1980s in Montana, USA. The writing style is descriptive and observational, capturing events and characters and painting a picture of the various settings beautifully. The relationships between the various characters are well written, giving an insight into their thoughts and feelings as well as their actions.

I read this late into the small hours in order to finish it - always a sign of a good read for me!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. Opinions my own.

This book is set in two time zones - in Paris during World War 2, and Froid, Montana, small town USA in the 1980s. Our main character is Odile Souchet, who gets her dream job, as librarian in the American Library in Paris shortly before the outbreak of the war. Odile lives with her strict parents and twin brother Remy. Her senior police officer father is not happy that she has taken a job and continues to turn down the suitors he regularly invites to dinner. War affects the whole family, and Odile and Remy's love lives too. Odile finds her safe place with her library family - fellow staff, volunteers and subscribers. We see the staff take risks, and Odile learns the hard way that everything is not as it seems. Moving forward, life in 1980s USA sees Odile as a reclusive widow. But who was her mysterious husband? Her next door neighbour, teenager Lily, befriends Odile, and the unlikely pair have a lot to teach each other. I enjoyed how the two time zones came together and how Odile was still affected by the events of 40 years earlier showed how immense the Paris occupation was. I didn't realise until the end that the American Library was a real place, and many real characters were used. A wonderful way of bringing history to life. #netgalley #TheParisLibrary

The Paris Library is a beautiful and haunting novel about living in Paris during world war two. It's full of intrigue, betrayal. And explores how the past actions of others can be felt far in the future.

This is a truly excellent book, with a compelling story based on a real American Library in Paris around the time of the Second World War. Everything about the book is superb and makes for an intriguing story. I cannot praise it highly enough and strongly recommend it to all readers, as it has something for everyone. The author"s notes at the end of the book round off what is a brilliant story.

This is an historical fiction story, set in Paris during World War II. Very absorbing story with great characters and a fascinating storyline.

I loved this book and especially the way that the story unfolds. It flips between small town 1980s Montana and Paris during WWII. We discover how Odile survives war torn Paris by working g at the American Library there and along the way, we discover how she ends up living in Montana. I don't want to give too much away but the story revolves around relationships between family, friends and lovers. It also makes the reader think about how we would cope in a time of war, decisions we would make and how easy it would be to betray those we love. I was truly sorry to come to the end. Thank you NetGalleyfor giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

As a lover of reading books who has recently built a library room in our house, I was drawn to The Paris Library as an imagined tale of what might have taken place at the real American Library in Paris. In an end note, the author Janet Charles said she worked there for a while in 2010 and spent a few years with colleagues researching life there in the second world war.

Through the narrative, I felt truly immersed in that Library in those war years imagining browsing the shelves and could almost smell the seat leather and bookshelves which surrounded the readers.

The story centres around Odile in Paris when she was young, a lover of books herself, and whose passion was to join the ALP library and indulge her fascination with the Dewey Decimal catalogue system which she became able to quote for any book requested by borrowers. We also contrast her life in German - occupied Paris in alternate chapters with her life as a retiree in distant small-town Froid, Montana.

It is a historical novel which truly brings to life what the Nazi occupation meant to freedom-loving Parisiennes and contrasted fascist control of thought and action with the intellectual freedom that the Paris Library offered to its readers, The Jewish readers which were of course banned by the occupying forces from accessing the Library were magnificently served by the brave librarians such as Odile who continued to secretly send them books and reading material

This is, without doubt, one of the best historical novels I have read in many years and engaged me page after page with a gripping story, characters and, above all, an emotional rollercoaster for what life must have been like for Odile in her youth and her elderly years.

The parallel stories of life in France in World War II and life in Montana in more recent times through a single character converge in a wonderful concluding narrative that is truly moving. Wonderful and a five-star read.

There seems to be a theme developing lately, a new trend for books about, well, books! Librabries- mobile or physical, seem to be the new literary trend, and each one I have read so far has been brilliant. As an avid book lover, I love sharing this love with the characters. The Paris Library charts the actions of librarians at the American Library in Paris-spanning decades And miles apart, a great moving read.

This is a beautiful book. So cleverly written, the story unfolds and leaves us wondering how Odile came to be living in America with a late husband named Buck, when we know she started out in Paris, in love with Paul.

Lily is a child living next door to Odile in America. She is determined to find out more about her neighbour.

Odile teaches Lily about love, friendship and marriage, while she also starts to tell her the story of her life.

The takes from the Paris library are wonderful and heartbreaking. It is wonderful to see how the library soldered on despite all the danger, how they used books to subvert the Nazi occupation.

I loved the character of Odile, and could fully relate to her battles of emotion over so many things.

Definitely worth reading.

A great story for book lovers. I loved everything in this book: from the plot to the setting and the great characters.
It was an excellent read that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Very interesting read. I liked the way the story moved between eras and how the characters developed. Great descriptions of Paris during the occupation.

I began reading this book thinking that I might struggle with the changes in time and place. The story is sent partly in Nazi-occupied Paris and partly in 1980s Montana. I often find it jarring when stories jump between different times and locations, feeling that I never settle properly into either location, but Janet Skeslien Charles manages her switching so seamlessly that it’s really not an issue.
This is a beautiful and intelligent story about friendship, crossing both nationalities and generations. It is a celebration of the power of literature and libraries to change people’s lives and a tribute to those people who resisted Nazi occupation not with bullets but with books.
Charles’ research is detailed and impressive and partly based on her own experiences working in the American Library in Paris. Many of the real-life wartime patrons and employees of the library have their stories woven into the book. We see stories of courage and the determination of library staff to keep their community alive, bravely risking their own safety secretly delivering books to French Jews. But there are also desperately sad tales of betrayal, fear, bad choices, revenge, and redemption.
The Paris Library manages to be both realistic and magical and I would recommend it to anyone who appreciates the pleasures of totally immersing themselves in a good book.
It was the perfect book for me to read during the Coronovirus lock-down, reminding me of the power and beauty of books and the worlds contained inside them.
With thanks to Netgalley for a free pre-publication copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderful book! This is a charming story, well told, with a perfect blend of fact and fiction. It's about the power of books, friendship and overcoming hardship - a wonderful escape for difficult times!

I loved this book. Beautifully written, with compelling characters, it really drew me into Odile's world, and I was reluctant to put it down. I would thoroughly recommend this book.

Odete lives in Paris and works in the American Library during world war two.
The story then splits into the life of Odete living in Montana USA in 1983.
Based on true events and facts about the workers in the Library .Odete lives through the rise of fascism and the invasion of Paris by the Nazis.This then has a terrible effect on her friends and colleagues working in the Library.
Compelling story about Odetes life and loves and her influence on friends and neighbours even after the war.It was very life like and could have been a biography.

What an inspirational story. Definitely one for book lovers. Everyone should read this and keep a copy on their bookcase.

# Summary
This historical novel is structured around a dual time fictional account.
On the one hand, young Odile’s story starts in Paris in 1939. Shortly after getting her dream job at the American Library in Paris, the Nazis storm into the city and Odile’s privileged life quickly fades into just a memory. Her job at the library and her love for books become her only weapons when she joins the Resistance. However, her heroic story is finally sealed by unconceivable betrayal.

The second story follows Lily, and is set in Montana in 1983. Lily is lonely and struggles to fit in her small town. Her boredom is only relieved by the chance to get to know her mysterious neighbour. Slowly, her friendship with this otherwise solitary older lady, teaches her invaluable life lessons. This atypical couple is united by shared passions and a shared complicated emotional baggage.

# My take on this book
This novel is based on a true World War 2 story of the heroic efforts of the librarians from the American Library in Paris. I have been passionate of historical fiction set in WW2 since elementary school, when I discovered Ana Frank’s diaries, and have read dozens of historical novels retelling Resistance stories. In fact, I have read so many that I stopped at some point, because it became difficult to find novelty in them.

This story seemed to had it all to make a thrilling one and reignite my interest in WW2 historical fiction: real life librarians who become heroes, romance, friendship, family, and the power of books to helps us overcome and unite over the most difficult times.
It was indeed the library setting that made the book special to me, and what motivated me to start reading.

The best part of this book is that it retells real facts and in fact the authors’ note at the end was the most interesting bit to read. I really enjoyed understanding her inspirations for each character and learning about what the librarians from the American Library in Paris accomplished during WW2. It was really inspirational reading about how we can all become heroes in difficult times. This book was also a very timely reminder of the power of books to provide a place of solace when everything around seems daunting and out of control.

I also appreciated the constant references to the Dewey decimal system that we actually used in my school library. It was a great strategy to understand Odile’s personality; she used this system to classify not only bools but also people, feelings and memories. It helps her understand the world around her, and feel confident about her interpretations of events quickly unfurling.

Similarly, I enjoyed passages, conversation and episodes that were replaced by book excerpts that conveyed exactly what was in the characters’ hearts and minds. This worked as a relief to lighten the story, for example when lovers wanted to have intimacy when being overheard by family members.

Also, it was nice to delve into some aspects of French culture from the eyes of a young American girl. Descriptions of mouthwatering biscuits, curious facts about the language… they would make anyone dream of Paris!

At times, this novel felt powerful, and the exploration of the consequences of our choices, whether in a mundane or in an extremely difficult and rare setting, was interesting. This novel shows that it is our relationships and our choices, including picking favourite books and authors!, that define our lives. Seemingly about heroism, the value of this novel lies for me in the exploration of topics like jealousy, redemption, and second chances. Reading I realised how universal these are, and how past experiences can teach us lessons that translate into very different settings.

However, very often the whole felt unsatisfying to me.
This is a heavily character driven novel. Sadly, I couldn’t get invested in most of the characters, and I only felt curious about the older Odile. The rest lacked of complexity or novelty, and this made the book overall incomplete for me.

Other things I didn’t like so much in this novel were the romance stories and Lily’s teenager struggles. I was particularly disengaged from the love story between Odile and Paul and would have rather discover her relationship with her colleagues in the library who were also performing incredibly brave acts of resistance. On the other hand, I rushed through the chapters involving Lily and her family/ school issues to return to Paris and the library.

Maybe my biggest criticism to this book is about what it doesn’t have, and is paradoxically linked to the things to praise about it.
I think that to understand and fully acknowledge how brave and the difference Odile and her fellow librarians made, more time should have been spent describing how tough life in Paris under Nazi occupation was. We do get some glimpses of it: Odile and her family experience hunger, there is mention of people fleeing and hiding and terrifying experiences are shared. I feel though that individual stories of hardship beyond Odile’s should have been further explored so that we could appreciate the relief provided by the acts of the librarians from the American Library in Paris.
It would have also been helpful to follow for a little some of those who were helped in their hiding by the books brought by the librarians. Only then can the reader understand the impact of the librarians’ heroism and the true power of literature and stories. Without them, we can only believe those, because we have experiences of finding comfort in books ourselves or thanks to the final authors’ note.

# My verdict
I wanted to love this book but it wasn’t more than an entertaining read at the end, and so was a bit disappointed overall.
Fans of historical fiction, passionates of French culture and book lovers will find some pleasure in reading The Paris Library.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, John Murray Press, for an advance copy.