The story starts a few months before the outbreak of the Second World War, when Odile Souchet starts work at the American Library in Paris. As the Nazis take over France, the library staff have to work under different laws and conditions to help and protect their readers.
At the same time, the action switches to Lily, growing up in Montana 40 years later, who is intrigued by her mysterious neighbour, war widow Odile Gustafson. Why did she come to Montana, and what is she hiding about her previous life?

A fascinating story, based as it is on actual events and people, if dramatised slightly for the book. The plight of the Parisian people under Nazi rule, especially the Jewish, is not one that is often told, which made The Paris Library an even more engaging read.

Worth a read for all fans of historical novels.

This enjoyable book really brings to life the atmosphere that was sustained through the German occupation of Paris from 1940 to 1944. Based on true life characters and events the book personalizes the story that enables the reader to be drawn into the workings and relationships generated from the existence of the American Library in Paris that was established at towards the end of WWll. The story of the occupation and its consequences to the people of Europe and Paris in particular through this book, illustrates the limitations to liberty and the ingenious methods that were employed to circumnavigate around them to continue strands of ‘normality’. Generally, these tactics were successful however, the tightening of the German stranglehold later in the war especially on the Jewish and non-German populations resulted in the cruelest oppression and it was heartening that a few of the Paris Library characters survived. A great read and highly recommended.

Lovers of historical fiction will without a doubt revel in the retelling of the true story of the American library in Paris. The setting, as well as the book-related topic was what drew me to reading The Paris Library. (What book lover doesn't love a book about books?) although this isn't typically a genre I read.

The Paris Library doesn't use an unfamiliar time of history, yet it tells of the importance libraries, and in particular this one, played during the wartime. It also tells of the sacrifices and risks staff of libraries took in getting books to people and protecting their books from the Nazi onslaught. In that respect I've found the novel a useful attempt at educating readers. Against this background stories of friendships, family bonds and love are told.

I would have preferred that the story only be about Odile - even if told in two different eras. Lily as character doesn't lend enough to the story and her narrative - which content-wise doesn't carry the same weight as Odile's - feels as if it should be a separate coming-of-age story. The two characters' lives don't fuse convincingly. If told from Odile's perspective, even with Lily as character, it would've been more powerful. Neither of the two characters came across as likeable and weren't easy to warm to.

I have to admin, at times I've found it a bit sentimental, but that's too be expected if your preferred genre is crime fiction. For readers who love romantic, historical fiction, this will be a sure-fire hit. Thank you to John Murray Press for providing me with an ARC.

The occupation of Paris during the Second World War was a very difficult time and this book brings us back to these times through the little know story of the American Library during the war, the work place of main character Odile. The characters, though fictional, are based on true persons and this is a gripping story of how the ALP stayed open during the war, and how they continued to bring books clandestinely to the Jewish readers who could no longer come to the library. The beautifully written and well researched book really makes us feel the atmosphere of these times, the struggles of the people, the terrible choices and decisions they had to make, and the hurt that could never be undone. I also found the character of Lily, set in the 80s, very endearing. Her beautiful friendship with Odile brings the story to light, offers Odile another chance, and sets some strong foundations for Lily’s life. A really good read.

Thanks to NetGalley, John Murray Press and the author Janet Skeslien Charles for this advance readers copy of the book.

I was drawn into the world of the Paris Library and the story of Odile during WWII and the again in 1980s Montana. The author has prior knowledge of the library and those that worked there during the German occupation of Paris and many of the characters are based on real people, though the main protagonist is not. The interpersonal relationships are particularly well captured, as Odile matures into a woman during the harshness of war and she and other Parisians make decisions based on fear, loneliness and survival. Forty years later Odile befriends Lily, a girl dealing with her own place in the world after a tragic loss. That friendship is convincing and strengthened by the sharing of hidden truths.

I'm not a huge fan of books set during wartime (they are a little bit too real-life for me) but two words on the cover of this book caught my eye: Paris and library. How could I resist?

Odile is obsessed by books, so working at the American Library in Paris is a dream come true. Her family are against the idea but she's seen first-hand how important it is for a woman to have her own money and be independent. The library and its thriving community of students, writers, and fellow book-lovers is the perfect haven - until war looms, pitting friends and colleagues against each other. Suddenly the punishment for being caught with the 'wrong' book is severe.

The main part of the story is told from Odile's viewpoint: from 1939, when she applies for a job at the library, to the end of the war in 1945. The second timeline is a coming-of-age story about American teenager Lily, who is struggling following the death of her mother and the arrival of a young step-mother. The only person who seems to truly understand is the reclusive Frenchwoman who lives next door.

This story completely swept me away. The American Library is a fascinating setting. It is a real place and many of the characters mentioned are real people, who acted heroically keeping the library open and delivering books to their Jewish subscribers. Odile is an engaging character who wants to do the right thing but has led a sheltered life. She is unprepared for the way living in Occupied Paris will change the lives of her family and friends, causing some to crack under the pressure. Will she also betray those she loves? In 1980s America, Odile tries to pass on all she has learnt about family and friendships to teenage Lily, so she won't make the same mistakes.

The best part of this story is the library and the characters who work there. It would make a terrific film. I loved the way Odile references titles and quotes from her favourite books to help her cope, and the way she automatically categorises each book or subject according to the Dewey Decimal System. The point of the dual timeline is to help explain Odile's character and the choices she made forty years previously. It does mean the book seems overlong at times and I wasn't entirely convinced by the ending.

However, the historical detail is amazing and I found myself thinking a lot about the story after I had finished it. Recommended for anyone who loves historical fiction, this was a five-star read for me.



Thank you to Janet Skeslien Charles and Two Roads (John Murray Press) for my copy of this book, which I requested via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

I thoroughly recommend this book! Not only is it about the American Library in Paris leading up to the World War II and during the war, it is about love, loyalty, jealousy, betrayal. Odile, a young Frenchwoman who loves books manages to get employment at the Library and we follow the story through her eyes.
Then there is the story of Lily in 1989, who eventually befriends Odile, a neighbour. What Odile has learnt in France still has so much relevance and Odile shares her knowledge with her young friend.
Add to that the numbers from the Dewey Decimal System and quotes from classics and what more could you want.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Janet Skeslien Charles/John Murray Press for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, this is an unforgettable story of romance, friendship, family, and the power of literature to bring us together.

This is such a beautiful book, this is a first for me from the author and I absolutely loved it. This book is very well researched and fits the genre and description very well, Please do not think this is just a book based on the world war because it is so much more than that. Anyone interested in historical fiction and book reading will adore this book.

The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

One aspect of the Second World War that we don’t usually hear much about is the role of books and libraries, so I was immediately drawn to this new novel by Janet Skeslien Charles which tells the story of the American Library in Paris and the people who worked there during the Nazi occupation.

One of the novel’s two main narrators, twenty-year-old Odile, starts working at the library in 1939 at the beginning of the war. With her love of reading and obsession with learning the Dewey Decimal System, it’s Odile’s dream job and she quickly settles in, getting to know the other librarians and the people who come in to borrow books. Her happiness doesn’t last long, however, because soon the Germans cross the Maginot Line and enter Paris. With her twin brother Rémy fighting in the French army, these are difficult and worrying times for Odile, but her priority remains keeping the American Library and its collections safe from the Nazis and ensuring that those less fortunate can continue to find comfort in books.

Our second narrator is Lily, an unhappy twelve-year-old girl growing up in Froid, Montana in the 1980s. She has become intrigued by the reclusive elderly woman who lives next door and when she decides to interview her for a school project, we discover that the woman is Odile. As she gets to know Odile better and uncovers the sequence of events that brought her from Paris to Montana, Lily learns some important lessons that help her to deal with some of the problems in her own life.

There were many things to like about The Paris Library, yet I didn’t really enjoy the book as much as I’d been hoping to. The wartime story was fascinating, but I couldn’t help feeling that the 1980s one was unnecessary; dual timeline novels are very common these days and obviously a lot of people like them, but I often find that one of the two threads is a distraction from the other and adds very little to the novel as a whole. In this case, I felt that Lily’s could have been left out entirely without having much effect on the overall plot. Also, with Lily being such a young narrator, her story revolves around school, her relationships with boys and her best friend, and coming to terms with her widowed father marrying again; it makes the novel feel like YA fiction – which is fine, of course, but not what I was expecting.

I did find all the information on the American Library in Paris very interesting, especially when I discovered that some of the characters in those sections of the book were people who really existed, such as the library director, Dorothy Reeder, who refused to abandon the library when the war began and led the other librarians in a Resistance against the Nazis. I love the fact that the library managed to continue operating throughout the war, in one way or another, with the librarians providing reading material to soldiers and ensuring that books were delivered to Jewish members who were no longer able to visit the library in person.

The Paris Library is worth reading for the wartime storyline, the history and the many references to books I’ve read or would like to read, but if Janet Skeslien Charles had just concentrated on Odile’s story she would have had more space to develop the characters and relationships and I think that would have made it a stronger, more emotional novel.

Some books I like. Some books I admire. But occasionally a book comes along that I fall deeply in love with, a book that sings to my soul. The Paris Library is one of those rare stories that captured my heart and soul. A book for those for whom reading is as necessary as breathing.

Based on the true story of the American Library in Paris during WWII, with its cast of hero's and heroines who put their own lives at risk to ensure that everyone had access to this sacred place. When Jews were banned from entering, staff hand delivered books to them. They began a Soldier's Service that sent thousands of books to servicemen to raise morale.

Odile tells the story of The Paris Library, and a young girl Lily, who befriends her in her later years, fills in the unanswered questions. Their relationship is truly beautiful. There is such depth, and such heart in it that nobody could fail to be moved.

Odile's story is one of joy, of sadness, of regret. But throughout every moment, one thing has provided her escape and her comfort - reading. Words can change lives, and they show us that we are not alone.

Truly one of my all time favourite books and one that I will return to over and over again.

The Paris Library is a rich and sweeping historical novel that whisks you away to a different time to witness the power of books, the often neglected role women played in the war and the versatility of intergenerational friendship. It reads very much like a love letter to Paris. It's 1939 shortly before the Nazis invade France and occupy the city of Paris when Odile Souchet, a young Parisian, lands her dream job at the American Library, a place she has adored since childhood, where she will assist the patrons. Her father, the captain of the local police precinct, is annoyed by her continued interest and passion for the library and wishes she would focus on finding a husband. But when the Nazis roll in and begin to occupy the city they have bigger problems than finding her a spouse. Despite the occupation the library is allowed to stay open - it serves the community as best it can and a small group of loyal librarians, patrons and volunteers form a clandestine resistance - hiding forbidden titles, transporting books to serving soldiers and delivering books to Jewish patrons who are no longer allowed to visit the library in person. These selfless loyalists risked their lives ferrying books to those banished from the library. Despite the terror the war brings with it the library remains open but directoress, Miss Reeder, understands that she cannot guarantee the safety of the titles they hold, the visiting patrons or those who allow the library to keep serving the community. Odile eventually, much to her father's delight falls in love with Paul, a police officer he happens to bring home to join them for dinner one evening.

But after learning her friend Margaret has feelings for Nazi soldier Felix, she confides in fiance Paul and is rocked to her core when he pays her friend a visit to knock some sense into her. We are then transported forward forty years to rural Montana. It's 1983 and in the small town of Froid, 12-year-old Lily Jacobsen uses a school report as an excuse to meet her reclusive, widowed French neighbour, Odile Gustafson, who has lived in the town since 1945. She is curious because Odile is so different from other women - her ”exotic” name, the foreign furniture Lily had seen whilst peeking into her living room, not to mention, she was always dressed in her Sunday best regardless of day or occasion. It doesn't take long before they become good friends with the two growing close as Lily’s mother becomes poorly. Odile teaches her French and reveals secrets about her former life in world War II Paris. Helping her through her tempestuous teen years and offering her books, refuge and advice. This is a scintillating, captivating and beautifully woven story and one of the most life-affirming reads I've encountered in a long time. The time and place are richly-described, the characterisation is detailed so much so that the characters come alive and it is superbly plotted. Book lovers will find this as engrossing as I did as it speaks to the power of literature in a time of restriction. The narrative switches seamlessly between 1939 Paris and 1945 Montana, and I found the juxtaposition between the alternating chapters worked flawlessly to build up the story. It's moving, intelligent and charming with an absorbing balance of fact meets fiction. This is a historical novel book lovers will immerse themselves in and discover themselves utterly bereft upon its conclusion. Highly recommended.

This was a book I was pretty much predestined to love - I love WWII fiction; I love books, and libraries; Paris is probably my favourite city in the world. Luckily, it didn't disappoint. I loved the fighting of the war with books - tiny little rebellions that felt so huge, I loved all the characters, even the secondary ones, even the flawed ones. This book was right up my street. Such a brilliant read.

Bibliophiles - When Covid closes the libraries & travel is banned, this carefully constructed delight immerses us in daily life at the American Library in WW2 occupied Paris. The dual POV allows honest dialogue, unlikely friendships & ageless wisdom. Themes of sacrifice, jealousy and finding one's place in the world are embedded in this inspired tale of how the librarians of Paris refused to abandon their literary home during the war.

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles is set in Paris during World War 2, and is the story of the librarians at the American Library in Paris.

We meet Odile who is young and in love, living with her parents and brother in Paris in 1939.  She has a young man who is courting her, and works at the American Library, except the Nazis have taken control of Paris.

In Montana in 1983, Lily is a teenager, whose mother is dying and her neighbour Odile is there at a time when she is most needed.

We jump between these two stories, learning more about Odile and Lily, and what happened in Paris and Montana.  This is a well written book, with stories of friendship, love and loss.  

 The Paris Library  by Janet Skeslien Charles was published on 9th February 2021, and is available on  Amazon ,  Waterstones  (signed edition!) and  Bookshop.org .

You can follow Janet Skeslien Charles on  Twitter  and her  website .

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to  John Murray Press .

I really like books about books and libraries - this one stars the American Library in Paris during WWII so pretty much kept my interest over the few months that I polyread it among other titles. Quite the read and it ended up being quite unlike what I thought it was to start with.

What an interesting story - I feel I've learned so much about a subject I really knew nothing about.

In Paris, 1939, Odile Souchet is a young woman absolutely obsessed with books. Her dreams come true when she secures a position in the American Library in Paris; when war is declared, the staff are determined to remain open and continue providing books to those who not only want them, but need them. Then the Nazis invade Paris, and life will never be the same again. In Montana, 1983, Lily is a young girl who reaches out to her neighbour, a woman who keeps very much to herself. As their friendship grows, Lily begins to learn more about Odile's earlier life in France, and the secrets she harbours.

I have been completely engrossed in this novel to the detriment of everything around me - what an engrossing story! I knew nothing of the American Library in Paris before now and found the details of their work to be absolutely fascinating. Both Odile and Lily are flawed characters; their relationship is very touching but not perfect. It's worth mentioning that the translator has done a wonderful job; it all flows beautifully and I would never have guessed tit was written in another language. This is a beautifully written and well-spun story but my hackles were up at the phrase 'England and France declared war on Germany'. As a Scot, this really rankles with me - it wasn't 'England', it was Britain or, as is now more common, the U.K. A small detail, but a very important one to the other three countries whose ancestors fought in all wars! Apart from that, this is an enjoyable and informative read and one I'm happy to give 4*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

I love reading historical fiction which is actually based on fact... and that is what this book is. Of course, you learn that only at the end - apparently most of the characters are based on real people who were at the American Library in Paris during the German occupation.
We encounter the protagonist Odile on her way to a job interview at the library and follow her career, family and friends over the next few years. The story is actually split between the present and past. You also meet a young girl Lily who loses her mother and turns to her neighbour (who happens to be an older Odile) for comfort.
It is only in the penultimate chapter that Lily's true role in Odile's life is revealed. Why is her story important? Why not just have Odile's life story chronologically?
I truly enjoyed this book. It is not a suspense thriller. It follows the lives of ordinary Parisians during world war 2 - no war heroes, resistance heroes etc. But it was so carefully constructed, I could not put it down.
Highly recommended.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the copy.

I love historical fiction and have been on a bit of a binge read of this genre lately and this one I wanted to love but though I loved reading about Odile who worked at The American Library in Paris and the brave actions that she and the other librarians took to take books to those the Nazis banned. I just didn't connect with the rest of the story set in 1980s America especially Lily whose character felt flat.

However I thought the writing and pacing was great and loved the fact that this was based on real events. While I didn't love it I would still highly recommmend it.

This is a dual-timeline novel, following Odile as she works at The American Library in Paris at the start of WWII, then also the lives of her and her neighbours in 1980s America.

Loved the library (great for Dewey Decimal geeks!): the other timeline felt a bit superfluous and almost YA in style. I can see how the author wanted a different perspective on the story but the issues in that section just felt a bit minor compared to those happening in Paris. I'd have preferred a bit more depth in the Paris storyline.

I wish I‘d have known that it was inspired by a true story before I read it. I would have felt much closer to the characters in the library, even though that was the part that I loved most.

A powerful blend of fact and fiction, THE PARIS LIBRARY is compelling, evocative, and memorable. Set during the Second World War in Occupied Paris, the story follows the librarians and subscribers of the American Library in Paris. Odile is the main character but it's like an expanded family and the reader comes to care for so many wonderful people.

The Paris storyline is interspersed with a later timeline which works perfectly to enhance your reading experience. Recommended for fans of THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY, this has a similar subject matter and is the perfect book for any bibliophile.