Publisher: Atria Books Page Count: 368 Publication Date: February 9, 2021
Synopsis: 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, perfect for fans of The Lilac Girls and The Paris Wife.
Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, 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 powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are—family, friends, and favorite authors—The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places.
My Thoughts:
Brief synopsis: The world is on the brink of WWII. Odile is a young woman in Paris who dreams of being a librarian at the American Library in Paris. When she lands the job, her love of books consumes her days, but when the Germans come, the library becomes so much more as the librarians work to keep it open in a German-occupied France. In 1980s Montana, Lily dreams of escaping her small town where her potential feels limited. The two heroines, though decades apart in age, share similarities that bond them.
This historical fiction novel is a tribute to the bonding power of books and the hope they offer in the darkest of times. I started this book with high hopes, relishing in the references to classic books and Odile’s immense knowledge of the dewey decimal system. Initially, I was less impressed with Lily’s storyline. I find that I struggle with multiple timelines in historical fiction because I’m typically drawn to one storyline more than the other. With THE PARIS LIBRARY, I wasn’t sure where Lily’s story was going or why two timelines were necessary. As I read, however, I came to appreciate both timelines and enjoyed Lily and Odile’s bond by the end.
As a reader who grew up in a very small town where it was hard to picture the world beyond, I related to Lily’s naïveté and fascination regarding Odile, a woman from Paris. Lily wants to know about France, and Paris, specifically. Odile, by contrast, finds a piece of herself in Lily, who is still wide-eyed and eager to see the world, a world that disappointed Odile time and again. Neither character is perfect, but it is through their respective mistakes that they find connections and, in some ways, redemption.
When I finished this book, I was shaken by the ending. I read a fair amount of historical fiction and I thought I knew where the book was going, but I the ending surprised me.
My qualm with this book is that I’ve read many historical fiction books that are rich with character development and WWII historical fiction, typically, focuses on resistance. This book doesn’t. I would’ve liked to see a bit more character development (a shortcoming I see most in dual-timeline scenarios) and more resistance. I recommend reading @districtbookshelf review! I agree that inaction may be read as sympathy or support.
Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks and @librofm for the e-galley and ALC.
Have you read this? Do you plan to? What’s your favorite historical fiction book?
I highly recommend for readers who enjoy dual timelines, books about women in wartime, and women dreaming beyond the limitations of their lives.
Read It Like Rory 