This book was so full of passion and yet sadness at the same time.
I laughed and I cried throughout. I felt the bravery of the librarians, I connected with their passion for books and I felt the sadness of those who were treated so cruelly.
I’m not sure how I felt about the ending because it doesn’t feel truly resolved, and I would’ve liked to have seen a rekindled friendship between Odile and Margaret. Their ending makes me sad.
However I understand that that was the point. It had to be that way.

I would give this more than 5 stars if that was possible. I still have a lump in my throat.

The story start in 1939 Paris, as we follow the 20 year old librarian Odile Souchet. With the war approaching, the American Library of Paris might be under attack. Some subscribers are banned from the library due to their heritage or because they are deemed enemy aliens. The majority of those people are sent to detention camps or worse. Some of the books get confiscated or destroyed. The library is under constant scrutiny and people are spied on and reported to the Nazi or police enforcement. For the whole duration of the war Odile and her co-workers try to save the books and sent them out to the soldiers and subscribers who are banned, because as Miss Reeder says:

“I believe in the power of books - we do important work, by making sure that knowledgeable is available, and by creating community. And because I have faith.”

In 1983 Montana, we meet Odile again, widowed, alone and isolated from others except from her attendance at church.
Teenage Lily lives next door to Odile and is going through some rough times. The two of them strike up a wonderful friendship, as Odile teaches Lily french and gives her few life advises.

The two timelines interweave with each other creating the perfect parallelism between Odile’s past and Lily’s life. Even if I’m 1983 Odile’s is an adult as a reader I could still see her younger self holding onto insecurities and fears of her past, and watching Lily committing some of the mistakes she has made she is able to process the past and see things more clearly.

But the most interesting topic for sure was the America Library in Paris, as this is true historical fiction with most of the library workers and patrons being real life people, who risked their life to help others and bring some hope and joy delivering books and creating a community.

This is a delightful book for lovers of literature. Spanning the decades from the 1930s to the 1980s, between Paris and Montana, the focus is on the main character of Odile Souchet. During the 1930s and 40s, she works as a librarian at the American Library in Paris. This is, of course, during the second World War and the German occupation of Paris. The book is about Odile's family, her friendships, her love story and her bravery. She is devoted to her work and has such a passion for literature. I enjoyed the quotes from other books contained within the narrative and, to use a quote from this book "I gorged on the chapters, wolfing down the words". At first I found it hard to keep up with all the different characters we are introduced to in Paris, but it didn't take long for them to feel like old friends. With the backdrop of war and the atrocities of this time in history this book felt hopeful and brave. I absolutely loved it and have already recommended it to friends.

Spanning more than forty years, two continents, times of war and peace this brilliant tale shows the importance of honesty, friendship, and admitting personal mistakes and successes. Odile has survived the Second World War, and has her personal history buried deep. She slowly reveals herself to a young girl, Lily, in her new small town in Montana where she relocated after the war ended. They forge a strong bond, and Odile becomes a pivotal character in Lily’s life, guiding her and supporting her through adolescence and young adulthood.

Descriptions of life in Occupied France, and the slow reveal of Odile’s secrets, create an amazing story, which contrasts with Lily’s life experiences and the Montana backdrop.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

Books about books always grab my attention. I thought this was a beautiful read. Two stories are told concurrently. In wartime Paris, Odile gets a job at The American Library. In 1980's Montana, Lily makes friends with her elderly neighbour, Mrs Gustafson who was a French war bride. It isn't long before we discover that this is the same Odile. Lily's story enables the reader to fill in some gaps that exist in the wartime story. The library is filled with wonderfully eccentric characters, some of whom we learn from the author's note, were real people. Although Paris is occupied, the staff work hard to keep the library open, getting books to those who would benefit from them. This is a love letter to Paris, and to books. Beautifully told and uplifting.

"We all have a book that's changed us forever," says Odile, in The Paris Library. "One that let us know that we're not alone. What's yours?"

In amongst the book stacks of the American library in Paris, a wonderfully eclectic community of characters finds solace. War is coming, the Jewish community is being persecuted, but the comfort provided by books and fellow booklovers remains constant.

Odile, a young Parisian, finds work at the library despite her father's stern disapproval of female independence. The formidable and fearless head librarian, Miss Reeder, is determined that the library should not close, because "books promote understanding, which is important now more than ever." Together, this close-knit community share their grief, and their love.

But there's more... right from the start of the book, another tale runs alongside accounts of Odile's early days in Paris. Odile, now in the twilight of her years, is living alone in America, where she befriends a young girl living next door.

What happened to Odile in Paris? And Miss Reeder? Did they survive... did the library survive? And how did Odile come to live on the other side of the ocean? I really couldn't wait to find out.

This story really was beautifully written – almost lyrical – and it summed up exactly why I love books: because, "no other thing possesses that mystical faculty to make people see with other people's eyes."

A lovely story, however rather long.
I feel this is a story that deserves more attention than I could give it and I may try rereading this when I have more time.

3.5

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

The Paris Library tells the story of the occupation of Paris from a different point of view - that of the librarians. Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres, books are my favourite things, so it was a pretty safe bet that I’d enjoy this book!
In 1930’s - 1940’s Paris, we follow Odile, a young woman who wants to be a librarian in the American Library. She gets her dream job - much to her parents dismay. She meets and falls in love with a young police officer, but life begins to get much more difficult when the Germans invade France, occupying Paris. Odile’s twin brother is imprisoned in a camp after he is captured on the front, and her Jewish subscribers at the library are forbidden from going there. Odile’s wartime experiences are fascinating to read about, and I really enjoyed these flashbacks.
We also meet Lily in the 1980’s - Odile’s neighbour in the small Montana town that they both live in. They become good friends when Lily decides that she wants to write a school report about France during the Occupation. Odile teaches Lily to speak French, and they share a love of books. Odile becomes a grandmotherly figure in Lily’s life, and I loved the relationship between the two of them.
I found this book so interesting: when I was reading about Lily, I was desperate to know what would happen in the next Paris flashback, and when I was reading about Odile’s Paris, I wanted to know what would happen to Lily in her next section. I would say that this is the sign of a good book!
The Parisian sections weren’t gratuitously violent - in fact the Nazi heading the library department of the invading forces seemed to be a reasonable man. It’s made clear that the characters don’t like the Germans, and we’re told that Jews go missing, but the German’s themselves are very low key. This is about Odile’s experience, and Lily’s life in the 80’s. And the power of books.
The bravery of the Parisian librarians was admirable, especially as they could have been imprisoned or killed if their acts of resistance had ever been revealed.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book - it was a pleasure to read.

History teaches us... And it's important to learn new perspectives.

This book goes back in time to the 1930s and will also show you the modern 1980s. As timelines move you will come to appreciate books, libraries, the need for sharing/ passing down of knowledge

The Paris Library is a duel timeline novel set in Paris between 1939 and 1945 and Montana between 1983 and 1989. It is told in the first person from the perspectives of Odile, a French woman, who, in 1939, worked as a librarian in the American Library in Paris, and from 1983, Lily, an American teenager desperate to grow up and leave the small town of her birth.

I was excited to read this story, having been captivated by the blurb. I love historical novels set in and around World War II, as I enjoy picking out details which help me to learn more about that time period. In this novel I learned about 'crow letters'. I loved the description of the 1939-45 everyday life in Paris, the library with its subscribers, and the occasional classification of Odile's thoughts using the Dewey Decimal system. Some of the characters used in this story were real and did in fact work at the library, but I did not realise this until I read the Author's Note at the end of the book.

Lily's account tells of the loss of her mother, and the arrival of a step mother, Eleanor, some ten years older than herself. Lily resents Eleanor and sets out to make Eleanor's life difficult. Lily comes to know Odile because she has a report to write on France and decides to interview her French neighbour. Odile teaches her to speak French and they form a close friendship.

Whilst I enjoyed Odile's account of life in wartime Paris, I found the story difficult to get into. I became disheartened when the story switched to Lily's account, but kept going, reading a few pages here and there, never really wanting to spend more than half an hour on it, until I reached the end. Although I'm glad I did, because the ending brought it all together and made the whole read worthwhile.

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for offering an honest review. I read it about a year ago and it is still fresh in my mind, still working its magic on my imagination.

I love libraries – long may they exist! The library that is central to this story is one in Paris, The American Library, founded in 1920 and the first in Paris to allow the public to browse the shelves.

Odile goes for a job there, she is a book lover and a library aficionada. She is passionate about all that libraries stand for – literature, research, study, and the freedom to learn from the words of others. A library is also a refuge, a place of quiet reflection and companionship.

For Odile it is also a place of order – she loves the Dewey Decimal system that organises books according to subject. ‘There was a number for everything. My twin brother was a 636.8 person, while I preferred 636.7 (Cats and dogs respectively)

Into this organised and peaceful world of the Paris Library come the stomping boots of the Nazi invasion of Paris. Suddenly it is not permitted for certain people (usually Jewish) to borrow books.

Odile becomes part of a clandestine rebellion – to continue to lend books to the subscribers who have been banned from entering the library. Carrying books through the streets, visiting banned subscribers in their homes to deliver their parcels of freedom, is dangerous and revolutionary.

This story is beautifully written and totally absorbing. There are many strands to the story. There are secrets and misunderstandings. There are people who have to operate in secret so they are not what they seem underneath. And there are two stories that interweave – one the Paris world of the 1940’s and the other set in Montana USA in 1986. How they are linked is something you have to discover by reading the book.

There is also humour in the midst of the darkness that had settled over Europe in the war.
Here is Boris another librarian helping out Odile on the day after she discovered that her father had a mistress:

‘You’ve been blue today’ he handed me 891.73 ‘Go to the Afterlife. No one will bother you there’

This is a book to savour and to enjoy. I have nothing but praise for it.

This book is essentially about the love and joy that books can bring us so it has targeted it audience perfectly. I really did love it - from front cover to the end, no slow bits. I absolutely absorbed and took joy from all the descriptions, the characters, the heartbreak, the friendships and of course all the books. Unusually for a book set over 2 time periods, I equally loved both: when I was in the 1980's in Montana I was desperate to get back to 1940's Paris and vice versa. When I have to vote on a book at book club, only books that have made me think about them way after finishing them deserve my top score and this book certainly is one of those. Added bonus for me was the realisation after finishing the book that this was based on some true events / characters and I have really enjoyed looking up the pictures of the America Library Paris - so this receives my book club bonus point that I reserve for any book that makes me google!

Such a special, special book - I’m already confident this will make it into my top books of 2021!

With two brilliantly feisty female lead characters telling one story across two timelines, this is a sweeping tale of war, family, love, friendship, and of course, the power of books in dark times.

Odile captured my heart from the moment I opened the first page set in 1930s Paris, and then the introduction of Lily in 1980s America, and the way she brings Odile back to herself was just beautifully written and heartwarming. Their two stories blend seamlessly and add an element of suspense to the story which makes this a real page turner.

I felt emotional within a few chapters - the vivid descriptions of Paris and the American Library made me yearn to go there in an almost visceral way. These emotions were only heightened by all of the poignant quotes from other novels which were peppered throughout the story. This is a novel made for readers.

There’s certainly the darkness and horror of war as a backdrop to this novel, but above all there’s the most wonderful sense of community and courage from the people working and spending time at the Library. The friendships formed and the endless support of each other was the most integral part of the story for me - I spent the whole time wishing I could be in the stacks with them all.

This is a truly moving novel which soothes the soul in that way that really special books do - one to treasure and escape with.

Plot - 3.5/5
For about 75% of the book, I kept wondering where is this story taking me? I couldn't make much sense of the plot but once I crossed a certain point in the novel, it all came together. Like a beautiful tapestry or a well-baked cake, it all made sense only in the end, and the story ultimately turned out to be quite satisfactory and fulfilling.

Pacing - 3/5
The pacing was really slow, atleast till almost 3/4th of the book. Imagine you are on a seashore. You see the build-up of a huge wave, it's steadily building up the momentum and you can barely wait for it to crash on to you! But in the end, you realize it just wetted your feet and sunk you deeper into the sand granules! That sinking feeling? That's as close to how I felt reading this book. It was good, but I didn't get the huge wave crash on me, it wasn't strong enough, not satisfactory enough.

Characters - 4.5/5
If this book did something very well, it was the characters. I adored Margaret and Ellie. I liked the older Odile. There are other equally lovable characters in the library too.
If not for anything else, read this book for the character study. Especially to peep a look into human emotions, how they can make or break you. How it can force you into doing an unforgivable mistake and how it can redeem you.
I have always read the English POV(Point of View) of world war II. It was absolutely eye-opening to read from a french POV.

Set-up - 4/5
The set-up is very well done. I loved the way analogies are used to help us experience Paris. For example:
"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"

This book is not showing us the horrors of the war as most of the world war II books do. This is a subtle story of living in wartime. What happens when the men go away to a war? What happens to the people who get left behind? How do they survive? Cope? Sustain the soldiers? That's the crux of the story. More reflection than action.


Writing - 4/5
I found the writing to be extremely accessible. It was light and surprisingly uplifting considering the subject matter. Despite my complaints on pacing, I still think the writing was impeccable. There is a line in the novel, where the author, gives her name to a character, sort of a guest appearance in her own book, and I was charmed by it. We have seen directors acting/appearing in a guest role in their movies. Seeing an Author's name as a guest character in their own novel is somewhat unique to me, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Overall rating - 3.8

Objective Rating - Borrow grade - Book worth borrowing from the library or trading with your friends/family.
Subjective Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you want to learn more about my rating system, click <a href='https://youtu.be/K1dvwJ3NU5g'>here.</a>

The Paris Library
Possibly quite accurate, although it's not certain. Very interesting story, hard to put down.

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles is a delightful read. Perfect for book lovers and anyone who has a fondness for Paris.
The story follows Odile, a young Parisienne, recently employed in the American Library in Paris. The Paris setting is in the 1940s and follows Odile as she navigates her new job, relationships with family and friends, the onset of war and the occupation of Paris. She encounters many varied and colourful characters through her work at the library and has some tough decisions to make about what's important to her in life when faced with difficult situations involving family and friends.
Odile's story is intertwined with that of Lily in 1980s Montana. Lily is dealing with many changes in her life, the illness of her mother, changes at school and at home and she's learning how to grow up and who she wants to be as an adult.
I loved this story. The setting and characters of the library in Paris were delightful. I felt like I knew each individual and found it interesting how they each influenced Odile's life. The portrayal of Paris under Nazi occupation was clever and the story painted a nuanced picture. Deciding who is "good" or "bad" is never straightforward and I felt this book did a good job of looking into the subtle motivations behind certain behaviours.
Lily's storyline was also sensitive. It could easily have descended into cliché, given her family circumstances, but the story dealt sensitively with the challenges Lily faces and how she deals with them within the confines of her family. We see her learn and grow and, although some lessons do not come easily, she is a clever and sympathetic character.
I loved the values of the library and the commitment to providing access to knowledge without judgement.
Reading this book made me want to visit Paris and visit the American Library in Paris and it made me appreciate books and people a little bit more. A subtle, thoughtful read.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A book with alternating time frames connecting the past to the present. I really enjoyed this; a story of courage, love and loyalty in extreme situations. I really connected to the book elements, the importance of libraries and how powerful writing can be, Although this is fiction, it's set within a world of history and the awful events of Nazi occupations and the underscore of resistance. A recommended read.

Thanks to Net Galley and John Murray Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
What a wonderful book. To mark this book as a 5 star read would be unjust- it is that and so much more.
This book is about The Library, war, family, friendships, love, strife, loss, jealousy, guilt but above all hope.
It’s told so wonderfully in the past by Odile and in the present by Lily.
The descriptions of the library for any book lover are so real, I could feel myself their in among the tall book shelves of treasures , I could smell the books, feel Odile’s love for the library and her friends. The horrors the war brought, the loss of her twin brother Romy, the heartache and guilt she has lived with for many years.
Then Lily in the present, looses her mother, has a young stepmother forced upon her, she builds a friendship with Odile who lives alone across the road, she is inquisitive and wants to learn every about Odile and her previous life in Paris.
This book will stay with me for some time and if you are a bookworm I highly recommend you read this one.

I

This book is Beautiful ! It is Emotional ! It is Insightful ! It is Powerful !
The Paris Library is a true historical fiction and is based on real events that took place during the Worls War-II. This is a story of the library staff who fought by showing their resistance against the Nazis by providing the Jews with the library books. This is a captive read that follows the story of Odile and Lily in two different timelines.
The Paris Library is a true historical fiction and is based on real events that took place during the Worls War-II. This is a story of the library staff who fought by showing their resistance against the Nazis by providing the Jews with the library books. This is a captive read that follows the story of Odile and Lily in two different timelines.

Paris, 1939: It follows the story of a young and ambitious Odile who has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, new laws were imposed on the Libraries. Jews were banned from the Library. Fearing that she might loose everything, Odile, together with her fellow librarians, joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books.
Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager living with her parents in small-town Montana. When Lily's mother passed away suddenly, she found herself drawn towards her neighbour, Odile. 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.
I would highly recommend this book to every book lover out there ! It's a book about book ! It's a book about Library ! I mean what else do we need ?

This has been one of my favourite reads of the year so far. I like mid-20th century stories especially when like this one they are based on historical facts. How clever of the writer to find out so much information about the history of the American Library in Paris including details of the people who worked there.
As usual I will not write a resume of the book as others can do this so much better. Just to say that I enjoyed reading about both the lives of Lily and Odile in Paris and later in the USA. The addition of Lily’s life as a teenager in 1980s Montana finding out about Odile’s war time life, added a different and interesting dimension. I really liked Lily and sympathised with her loss and struggles to find her identity in family and life.
This book felt fresh and different and I really enjoyed it and would have liked to have read it as a teenager myself. Recommended and I will look out for more works by Janet Skeslien Charles.