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The Paris Library: A Novel Paperback – March 1, 2022
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Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet seems to have the perfect life with her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into the city, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.
Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.
“A love letter to Paris, the power of books, and the beauty of intergenerational friendship” (Booklist), The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest places.
- Print length384 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherAtria Books
- Publication dateMarch 1, 2022
- Dimensions5.31 x 0.9 x 8.25 inches
- ISBN-101982134208
- ISBN-13978-1982134204
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From the Publisher
Editorial Reviews
Review
“A fresh take on WWII France that will appeal to bibliophiles everywhere. I fell in love with Odile and Lily, with their struggles and triumphs, from the very first page. Meticulously researched, The Paris Library is an irresistible, compelling read.” -- Fiona Davis, national bestselling author of The Chelsea Girls
“The Paris Library is a refreshing novel that celebrates libraries as cradles of community, especially when we need them the most. It shows how literature can be a means of escape, a catalyst for human connection, and a moral center in grim times. A thoroughly enjoyable read, kind-hearted and brimming with delightful bookish allusions.” -- Matthew Sullivan, author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
"Having lived in an apartment just above the current location of the American Library in Paris, I've always felt connected to the institution and wondered about its story, so I'm grateful to Janet Skeslien Charles for penning such a vivid, enjoyable, based-on-a-true-story tale. In THE PARIS LIBRARY, the beloved library, its staff, and its subscribers come to life and remind us of both the horrors of World War II and the vital role books play in keeping us afloat in difficult times. Well-researched, stirring, and rich with detail, THE PARIS LIBRARY is an ode to the importance of libraries, books, and the human connections we find within both." -- Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Lost Names
"Intelligent and sensuously rich....A novel tailor-made for those who cherish books and libraries." ― Kirkus Reviews
"A love letter to Paris, the power of books, and the beauty of intergenerational friendship." ― Booklist
"Delightful...richly detailed...Historical fiction fans will be drawn to the realistic narrative and the bond of friendship forged between a widow and a lonely young girl." ― Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
PARIS, FEBRUARY 1939
NUMBERS FLOATED ROUND my head like stars. 823. The numbers were the key to a new life. 822. Constellations of hope. 841. In my bedroom late at night, in the morning on the way to get croissants, series after series—810, 840, 890—formed in front of my eyes. They represented freedom, the future. Along with the numbers, I’d studied the history of libraries, going back to the 1500s. In England, while Henry VIII was busy chopping off his wives’ heads, our King François was modernizing his library, which he opened to scholars. His royal collection was the beginning of the Bibliothèque Nationale. Now, at the desk in my bedroom, I prepared for my job interview at the American Library, reviewing my notes one last time: founded in 1920; the first in Paris to let the public into the stacks; subscribers from more than thirty countries, one-fourth of them from France. I held fast to these facts and figures, hoping they’d make me appear qualified to the Directress.
I strode from my family’s apartment on the sooty rue de Rome, across from the Saint-Lazare train station, where locomotives coughed up smoke. The wind whipped my hair, and I tucked tendrils under my tam hat. In the distance, I could see the ebony dome of Saint-Augustin church. Religion, 200. Old Testament, 221. And the New Testament? I waited, but the number wouldn’t come. I was so nervous that I forgot simple facts. I drew my notebook from my purse. Ah, yes, 225. I knew that.
My favorite part of library school had been the Dewey Decimal system. Conceived in 1873 by the American librarian Melvil Dewey, it used ten classes to organize library books on shelves based on subject. There was a number for everything, allowing any reader to find any book in any library. For example, Maman took pride in her 648 (housekeeping). Papa wouldn’t admit it, but he really did enjoy 785 (chamber music). My twin brother was more of a 636.8 person, while I preferred 636.7. (Cats and dogs, respectively.)
I arrived on le grand boulevard, where in the space of a block, the city shrugged off her working-class mantle and donned a mink coat. The coarse smell of coal dissipated, replaced by the honeyed jasmine of Joy, worn by women delighting in the window display of Nina Ricci’s dresses and Kislav green leather gloves. Farther along, I wound around musicians exiting the shop that sold wrinkled sheet music, past the baroque building with the blue door, and turned the corner, onto a narrow side street. I knew the way by heart.
I loved Paris, a city with secrets. Like book covers, some leather, some cloth, each Parisian door led to an unexpected world. A courtyard could contain a knot of bicycles or a plump concierge armed with a broom. In the case of the Library, the massive wooden door opened to a secret garden. Bordered by petunias on one side, lawn on the other, the white pebbled path led to the brick-and-stone mansion. I crossed the threshold, beneath French and American flags flittering side by side, and hung my jacket on the rickety coatrack. Breathing in the best smell in the world—a mélange of the mossy scent of musty books and crisp newspaper pages—I felt as if I’d come home.
A few minutes early for the interview, I skirted the circulation desk, where the always debonair librarian listened to subscribers (“Where can a fella find a decent steak in Paris?” asked a newcomer in cowboy boots. “Why should I pay the fine when I didn’t even finish the book?” demanded cantankerous Madame Simon), and entered the quiet of the cozy reading room.
At a table near the French windows, Professor Cohen read the paper, a jaunty peacock feather tucked in her chignon; Mr. Pryce-Jones pondered Time as he puffed on his pipe. Ordinarily, I would have said hello, but nervous about my interview, I sought refuge in my favorite section of the stacks. I loved being surrounded by stories, some as old as time, others published just last month.
I thought I might check out a novel for my brother. More and more now, at all hours of the night, I would wake to the sound of him typing his tracts. If Rémy wasn’t writing articles about how France should aid the refugees driven out of Spain by the civil war, he was insisting that Hitler would take over Europe the way he’d taken a chunk of Czechoslovakia. The only thing that made Rémy forget his worries—which was to say the worries of others—was a good book.
I ran my fingers along the spines. Choosing one, I opened to a random passage. I never judged a book by its beginning. It felt like the first and last date I’d once had, both of us smiling too brightly. No, I opened to a page in the middle, where the author wasn’t trying to impress me. “There are darknesses in life and there are lights,” I read. “You are one of the lights, the light of all light.” Oui. Merci, Mr. Stoker. This is what I would say to Rémy if I could.
Now I was late. I hurried to the circulation desk, where I signed the card and slid Dracula into my purse. The Directress was waiting. As always, her chestnut hair was swept up in a bun, a silver pen poised in her hand.
Everyone knew of Miss Reeder. She wrote articles for newspapers and dazzled on the radio, inviting all to the Library—students, teachers, soldiers, foreigners, and French. She was adamant that there be a place here for everyone.
“I’m Odile Souchet. Sorry to be late. I was early, and I opened a book…”
“Reading is dangerous,” Miss Reeder said with a knowing smile. “Let’s go to my office.”
I followed her through the reading room, where subscribers in smart suits lowered their newspapers to get a better look at the famous Directress, up the spiral staircase and down a corridor in the sacred “Employees Only” wing to her office, which smelled of coffee. On the wall hung a large aerial photo of a city, its blocks like a chessboard, so different from Paris’s winding streets.
Noting my interest, she said, “That’s Washington, DC. I used to work at the Library of Congress.” She gestured for me to be seated and sat at her desk, which was covered by papers—some trying to sneak out of the tray, others held in place by a hole puncher. In the corner was a shiny black phone. Beside Miss Reeder, a chair held a batch of books. I spied novels by Isak Dinesen and Edith Wharton. A bookmark—a bright ribbon, really—beckoned from each, inviting the Directress to return.
What kind of reader was Miss Reeder? Unlike me, she’d never leave books open-faced for a lack of a marque-page. She’d never leave them piled under her bed. She would have four or five going at once. A book tucked in her purse for bus rides across the city. One that a dear friend had asked her opinion about. Another that no one would ever know about, a secret pleasure for a rainy Sunday afternoon—
“Who’s your favorite author?” Miss Reeder asked.
Who’s your favorite author? An impossible question. How could a person choose only one? In fact, my aunt Caro and I had created categories—dead authors, alive ones, foreign, French, etc.—to avoid having to decide. I considered the books in the reading room I’d touched just a moment ago, books that had touched me. I admired Ralph Waldo Emerson’s way of thinking: I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me, as well as Jane Austen’s. Though the authoress wrote in the nineteenth century, the situation for many of today’s women remained the same: futures determined by whom they married. Three months ago, when I’d informed my parents that I didn’t need a husband, Papa snorted and began bringing a different work subordinate to every Sunday lunch. Like the turkey Maman trussed and sprinkled with parsley, Papa presented each one on a platter: “Marc has never missed a day of work, not even when he had the flu!”
“You do read, don’t you?”
Papa often complained that my mouth worked faster than my mind. In a flash of frustration, I responded to Miss Reeder’s first question.
“My favorite dead author is Dostoevsky, because I like his character Raskolnikov. He’s not the only one who wants to hit someone over the head.”
Silence.
Why hadn’t I given a normal answer—for example, Zora Neale Hurston, my favorite living author?
“It was an honor to meet you.” I moved to the door, knowing the interview was over.
As my fingers reached for the porcelain knob, I heard Miss Reeder say, “?‘Fling yourself straight into life, without deliberation; don’t be afraid—the flood will bear you to the bank and set you safe on your feet again.’?”
My favorite line from Crime and Punishment. 891.73. I turned around.
“Most candidates say their favorite is Shakespeare,” she said.
“The only author with his own Dewey Decimal call number.”
“A few mention Jane Eyre.”
That would have been a normal response. Why hadn’t I said Charlotte Brontë, or any Brontë for that matter? “I love Jane, too. The Brontë sisters share the same call number—823.8.”
“But I liked your answer.”
“You did?”
“You said what you felt, not what you thought I wanted to hear.”
That was true.
“Don’t be afraid to be different.” Miss Reeder leaned forward. Her gaze—intelligent, steady—met mine. “Why do you want to work here?”
I couldn’t give her the real reason. It would sound terrible. “I memorized the Dewey Decimal system and got straight As at library school.”
She glanced at my application. “You have an impressive transcript. But you haven’t answered my question.”
“I’m a subscriber here. I love English—”
“I can see that,” she said, a dab of disappointment in her tone. “Thank you for your time. We’ll let you know either way in a few weeks. I’ll see you out.”
Back in the courtyard, I sighed in frustration. Perhaps I should have admitted why I wanted the job.
“What’s wrong, Odile?” asked Professor Cohen. I loved her standing-room-only lecture series, English Literature at the American Library. In her signature purple shawl, she made daunting books like Beowulf accessible, and her lectures were lively, with a soupçon of sly humor. Clouds of a scandalous past wafted in her wake like the lilac notes of her parfum. They said Madame le professeur was originally from Milan. A prima ballerina who gave up star status (and her stodgy husband) in order to follow a lover to Brazzaville. When she returned to Paris—alone—she studied at the Sorbonne, where, like Simone de Beauvoir, she’d passed l’agrégation, the nearly impossible state exam, to be able to teach at the highest level.
“Odile?”
“I made a fool of myself at my job interview.”
“A smart young woman like you? Did you tell Miss Reeder that you don’t miss a single one of my lectures? I wish my students were as faithful!”
“I didn’t think to mention it.”
“Include everything you want to tell her in a thank-you note.”
“She won’t choose me.”
“Life’s a brawl. You must fight for what you want.”
“I’m not sure…”
“Well, I am,” Professor Cohen said. “Think the old-fashioned men at the Sorbonne hired me just like that? I worked damned hard to convince them that a woman could teach university courses.”
I looked up. Before, I’d only noticed the professor’s purple shawl. Now I saw her steely eyes.
“Being persistent isn’t a bad thing,” she continued, “though my father complained I always had to have the last word.”
“Mine too. He calls me ‘unrelenting.’?”
“Put that quality to use.”
She was right. In my favorite books, the heroines never gave up. Professor Cohen had a point about putting my thoughts in a letter. Writing was easier than speaking face-to-face. I could cross things out and start over, a hundred times if I needed to.
“You’re right…,” I told her.
“Of course I am! I’ll inform the Directress that you always ask the best questions at my lectures, and you be sure to follow through.” With a swish of her shawl, she strode into the Library.
It never mattered how low I felt, someone at the ALP always managed to scoop me up and put me on an even keel. The Library was more than bricks and books; its mortar was people who cared. I’d spent time in other libraries, with their hard wooden chairs and their polite “Bonjour, Mademoiselle. Au revoir, Mademoiselle.” There was nothing wrong with these bibliothèques, they simply lacked the camaraderie of real community. The Library felt like home.
“Odile! Wait!” It was Mr. Pryce-Jones, the retired English diplomat in his paisley bow tie, followed by the cataloger Mrs. Turnbull, with her crooked blue-gray bangs. Professor Cohen must have told them I was feeling discouraged.
“Nothing is ever lost.” He patted my back awkwardly. “You’ll win the Directress over. Just write a list of your arguments, like any diplomat worth his salt and pepper would.”
“Quit mollycoddling the girl!” Mrs. Turnbull told him. Turning to me, she said, “In my native Winnipeg, we’re used to adversity. Makes us who we are. Winters with temperatures of minus forty degrees, and you won’t hear us complain, unlike Americans.…” Remembering the reason she’d stepped outside—an opportunity to boss someone—she stuck a bony finger in my face. “Buck up, and don’t take no for an answer!”
With a smile, I realized that home was a place where there were no secrets. But I was smiling. That was already something.
Back in my bedroom, no longer nervous, I wrote:
Dear Miss Reeder,
Thank you for discussing the job with me. I was thrilled to be interviewed. This library means more to me than any place in Paris. When I was little, my aunt Caroline took me to Story Hour. It’s thanks to her that I studied English and fell in love with the Library. Though my aunt is no longer with us, I continue to seek her at the ALP. I open books and turn to their pockets in the back, hoping to see her name on the card. Reading the same novels as she did makes me feel like we’re still close.
The Library is my haven. I can always find a corner of the stacks to call my own, to read and dream. I want to make sure everyone has that chance, most especially the people who feel different and need a place to call home.
I signed my name, finishing the interview.
Product details
- Publisher : Atria Books (March 1, 2022)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 384 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1982134208
- ISBN-13 : 978-1982134204
- Item Weight : 10.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.31 x 0.9 x 8.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #10,623 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #64 in Historical World War II Fiction (Books)
- #115 in World War II Historical Fiction (Books)
- #1,151 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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The Paris Library: A Novel
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About the author
Janet Skeslien Charles is the New York Times bestselling, USA Today bestselling, and #1 international bestselling author of The Paris Library, Moonlight in Odessa, and Miss Morgan's Book Brigade (called The Librarians of Rue de Picardie in the UK). Her essays and short stories have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Sydney Morning Herald, and Montana Noir. Her work has been translated into 38 languages. Janet was born and raised in Montana. After graduating from the University of Montana, she got a job teaching English in Ukraine. She later went to France intending to teach for a year, and has been there ever since. Place is at the heart of every story she has ever written. She loves traveling, spending time with friends and family, and researching stories of forgotten people and places. She is currently working on the final installment of her library trilogy.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They appreciate the well-developed characters and skillful characterisation. The writing quality is praised as well-written and eloquent. The story is described as heartwarming, enlightening, and encouraging, with valuable life lessons. Readers also mention that the book is a tribute to the resilience of individuals and the enduring power of books.
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Customers enjoy the book's readability and find it a worthwhile reading experience. They appreciate the wonderful cast and consider it one of their favorite books. The memoir is described as a beautiful story of survival and how books helped in a time of history.
"The Paris Library: A Novel by Janet Skeslien Charles is a beautifully crafted and emotionally resonant story that transports readers to the heart of..." Read more
"First of all, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it...." Read more
"...to learn some interesting events during WWII while reading a captivating story." Read more
"...The story and the characters are compelling because it is based on true stories of survival, compassion, personal growth and quiet resistance..." Read more
Customers enjoy this historical fiction book. They find it fascinating to learn about interesting events during WWII while reading. The story is based on true events and is a must-read for fans of historical fiction and anyone interested in stories. Readers appreciate the part of the story set in Paris and find it moving, poignant, and enjoyable.
"...Overall, The Paris Library is a must-read for fans of historical fiction and anyone interested in stories of courage and the transformative power of..." Read more
"...This is an original and interesting view of the time period in Paris, and its effects on people...." Read more
"...women couldn’t relate to a younger woman but it was fascinating to learn some interesting events during WWII while reading a captivating story." Read more
"I thoroughly enjoyed “The Paris Library,” an historical novel about the American Library in Paris, the role it played during the Nazi occupation of..." Read more
Customers enjoy the well-developed characters and engaging plot. They appreciate the strong female characters and lively prose. Readers find the people realistic and the definition of a hero broad.
"...The characters are well-developed and relatable, and their journeys are portrayed with empathy and depth...." Read more
"...does very well with switching time periods and making the reader comfortable with the characters...." Read more
"...I admit that I also love libraries and books. The story and the characters are compelling because it is based on true stories of survival, compassion..." Read more
"...read for every woman who dares to read and dream The characters will become your friends and stay with you!" Read more
Customers find the writing quality of the book engaging and eloquent. They describe it as an easy read about friendship and literacy. The story is described as a must-read for women who dare to read and dream.
"...It is a beautifully written and deeply moving read that will captivate anyone who appreciates compelling historical fiction and the timeless impact..." Read more
"...The author does very well with switching time periods and making the reader comfortable with the characters...." Read more
"...Wow! What a book! I loved it! Told through multiple narrators, it goes from WWII Paris to 1980's Montana...." Read more
"A must read for every woman who dares to read and dream The characters will become your friends and stay with you!" Read more
Customers find the book heartwarming and emotional, with valuable lessons about love and friendship. They say it's touching, compassionate, and deeply moving. The sadness isn't overwhelming like in some World War II fiction, and the themes of friendship and loyalty run through the novel.
"...It is a beautifully written and deeply moving read that will captivate anyone who appreciates compelling historical fiction and the timeless impact..." Read more
"...The sadness is not overwhelming like it is with some WW II fiction...." Read more
"...are compelling because it is based on true stories of survival, compassion, personal growth and quiet resistance against an enemy intent on..." Read more
"...She is complex, compassionate, committed, and caring as a teen, having grown up too fast like so many in her generation, as the City of Light is..." Read more
Customers find the book enlightening and encouraging. They appreciate the life lessons, courage, and transformative power of books. The characters' stories are good reminders for all of us to learn. The book restores Odile's sense of purpose and reconnects her to her French culture. The author did a great job combining two lives into her historical novel, which keeps readers fully invested until the last page.
"...and anyone interested in stories of courage and the transformative power of books...." Read more
"...because it is based on true stories of survival, compassion, personal growth and quiet resistance against an enemy intent on destruction, not just..." Read more
"...For Odile, it restores her sense of purpose, reconnects her to her French culture and allows her to love again...." Read more
"...Her history in France before and during the 2nd World War was enlightening...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's depiction of resilience and perseverance. They find it a heartfelt tribute to individuals' enduring power and bravery. The story is described as inspirational and educational, revealing human virtues and failures through history.
"...is not only a historical novel but also a heartfelt tribute to the resilience of individuals and the enduring power of stories...." Read more
"...She is complex, compassionate, committed, and caring as a teen, having grown up too fast like so many in her generation, as the City of Light is..." Read more
"This novel speaks deeply to human frailties and heroism under the terrible pressure of war, in this case WWIl in Paris...." Read more
"...Bien fait, Janet Skeslien Charles. Magnifique!..." Read more
Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find it compelling and fascinating, while others feel it begins slowly and drags on. The premise is liked by some readers, but some find the characters confusing.
"...Janet Skeslien Charles has delivered a remarkable novel that is both touching and unforgettable. Highly recommended!" Read more
"...They are both terribly naive and selfish and neither seems to ever own their faults...." Read more
"...She is complex, compassionate, committed, and caring as a teen, having grown up too fast like so many in her generation, as the City of Light is..." Read more
"Despite the fact that some of this book dragged on longer than I thought necessary, it was a glimpse into a part of the WWII story I never knew...." Read more
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I was swept into another (not to be forgotten) world
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2024The Paris Library: A Novel by Janet Skeslien Charles is a beautifully crafted and emotionally resonant story that transports readers to the heart of World War II Paris. This novel is a testament to the power of literature and the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
The narrative skillfully intertwines two timelines: the story of Odile Souchet, a librarian at the American Library in Paris during the Nazi occupation, and Lily, a young woman in the 1980s who uncovers Odile's past. The dual perspectives provide a rich and multifaceted exploration of the impacts of war on personal lives and the enduring power of books to offer solace and hope.
Charles’ writing is both evocative and engaging, painting vivid portraits of Paris during a tumultuous period while also delving deep into the emotional and personal struggles of her characters. Odile's story is particularly compelling, showcasing her bravery and determination as she navigates the challenges of war and fights to protect the library and its priceless collections.
The book also excels in its portrayal of the significance of literature and the bonds formed through shared love of reading. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and their journeys are portrayed with empathy and depth. The exploration of themes such as friendship, love, and sacrifice adds layers of richness to the story.
The Paris Library is not only a historical novel but also a heartfelt tribute to the resilience of individuals and the enduring power of stories. It is a beautifully written and deeply moving read that will captivate anyone who appreciates compelling historical fiction and the timeless impact of literature.
Overall, The Paris Library is a must-read for fans of historical fiction and anyone interested in stories of courage and the transformative power of books. Janet Skeslien Charles has delivered a remarkable novel that is both touching and unforgettable. Highly recommended!
- Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2021First of all, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it. The author does very well with switching time periods and making the reader comfortable with the characters. I tried to read it a while back and there was sadness. I couldn't do it then, but I waited and read it this week. The sadness is not overwhelming like it is with some WW II fiction. This is an original and interesting view of the time period in Paris, and its effects on people. My only problem is that one thread of the book was unresolved or maybe not fully explored at the end and that was the relationship between Paul and Odile. I wanted a resolution there and a confrontation over what transpired with Margaret. That seemed contrary to what I knew about Paul from before so I wanted his explanation rather than Margaret's.
I won't give the plot away I hope in the review, but I enjoyed it very much and would definitely read more from this author in the future.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2024Overall, we all enjoyed it. Mostly. I think some of the older women couldn’t relate to a younger woman but it was fascinating to learn some interesting events during WWII while reading a captivating story.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2022I put books on my kindle that I call "knock offs" or what used to be called paper backs; books read for leisure and then given away and never read again. After reading a knock off I typically remove it from my kindle, but I did not remove this book because I want to read it again. I loved this story. I admit that I also love libraries and books. The story and the characters are compelling because it is based on true stories of survival, compassion, personal growth and quiet resistance against an enemy intent on destruction, not just of books but also culture, history and the people who want to know the truth. It reminds me of more recent stories of curators who stayed behind in Iraq to save artifacts and protect the museums. Some died. Some survived. It is easy to forget these stories of human passion and commitment to something, or someone, loved and cherished. We often forget about those who quietly go about protecting our culture and history while maintaining continuity for the community and the individual. They become the quiet heroes. The dual stories demonstrate the conflicting perspectives between youth and age that are only reconciled by compassion and understanding. History is often considered boring and forgettable but history, large or small scale, is what shapes us and often seems to repeat itself. Books and libraries remind us that language, culture, government, fantasy, and dreams of the future change; that change is inevitable. We learn from change. Books and libraries help us to do that.
Top reviews from other countries
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MarieReviewed in Canada on September 10, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars À lire !
Excellent livre ! Je l'ai lu jusqu'aux petites heures du matin.
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Chiara LosiReviewed in Italy on July 25, 2024
4.0 out of 5 stars Lettura gradevole
Inizialmente un po’ lento però dalla seconda metà del libro diventa avvincente. Mi ricorda molto “El tiempo entre costuras” di Maria Dueñas. Se vi è piaciuto quel libro oppure “Fiore di Rocca” di Ilaria tuti, allora vi piacerà anche questo.
- Client d'AmazonReviewed in France on November 22, 2022
1.0 out of 5 stars Totally phoney
This is the low quality equivalent of the series Emily in Paris .
This novel is supposed to describe life in Paris during WW2 but it is full of inconsistencies and the style is very poor. Full of clichés like the smell of croissants which is supposed to pervade Paris.
What a disappointment !
- bethReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 2, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely heartwarming read
I think anything that involves a Paris library set in the 1940s is a instant purchase for me, and I’m glad that this book lived up to the expectation.
At first I found it a little hard to get into but after the first third of the book I couldn’t stop reading, quite literally as I was up into the early hours after reading 200 pages in one go!
I was unsure to start with of the two timelines, one set in Paris in the 1940s at the library and the second of the main character Odile’ new life in Montana, America. As I continued to read I loved them both equally as they really added to the setting of the story and the background of the characters.
It explored some tough themes of the WW2 and the Jewish subscribers of the library and how they were handled, how books were the saviour for lots of people especially those at war that had little else and how families coped with so much pain during the war.
The only thing I would have liked is a little bit more conclusion at the end as I felt there were still a few unanswered questions into how certain characters felt after a certain departure (no spoilers)! Overall though it was a really lovely book and written very well and explored a side to France during WW2 in a different way.
- K SenReviewed in India on June 20, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars A gem of a book for book lovers
Little known part of WW II wherein librarians of American Library in Paris demonstrated exemplary courage to go against the occupying Nazis and ensured steady supplies of books and journals first to the wounded, sick soldiers and then to other subscribers including those prohibited from using the library. At the same time,it is a story about friendship, family bonds and humanity. It will be a treasure trove for any book lover to go through this book and learn about an extraordinary librarian cum friend by the name of Odile Southey.