Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (From Goodreads):

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. 

Review:

There have been so many books in the last few years about Paris during WWII, with many different angles.  This novel is set in the real-life American Library in Paris, a private library where patrons paid a yearly subscription fee to gain access to books in English.  The book follows the heroic efforts of the employees to keep the library open throughout World War II, and the many challenges they faced.  There are two timelines, first taking place during the Nazi occupation, and then in The United States during the 1980's.  I found the settings,  historical details, and characters to be compelling, with a story that was full of suspense.  If you enjoy historical fiction, you are in for a treat. 

What I Liked:

Historical Details of 1940's Paris:

The historical details of wartime Paris were particularly well done.  To think there was this gem of a library (and ones from other countries, as well) in the heart of Paris?  I had no idea.  The author went to great lengths to describe this real-life place, and how it worked.  She used letters and archives from the actual American Library to lend details and a level of accuracy that was stunning.  

She also showed how people found ways to still keep living their lives, despite the war.  The descriptions of the food situation, in particular, were vivid.  Slowly, all the little luxuries were stripped away as the war progressed.  A scene where a group of characters pool all their rations together to help a couple celebrate their wedding was very moving.  

Characters:

Odile is a young, very strong-willed woman in Paris as the war breaks out.  She certainly is one to buck tradition when she gets a job, and is not enthusiastic about marriage.  But her hot temper is not an asset once Paris is occupied.  She has to learn quiet ways to defy the Nazis, or risk the lives of her co-workers, and family.  But is she too complacent? She is very young when the book begins.  As the war progresses, things she doesn't think about much, such as what her father and boyfriend, do as police officers, start to nag at her.  How is her friend getting all those extra rations?  How does her boyfriend seem to know when fantastic apartments will be empty?  Odile learns some hard lessons. But she also learns not to come to quick assumptions and judgements.

Lily is the teenager in Montana who lives next door to Odile in the 1980's. She shares many of the traits of the young Odile, especially her hot temper and snap judgements.  While Lily doesn't need to deal with danger, she does face terrible heartache as her mother is dying.  When her dad quickly remarries, how is she supposed to move on?  Lily needs to understand how she fits into her new family, and half-siblings.  While Lily seems bratty at times, it's very understandable.  She is still mourning the death of her mother.  With her clueless father being no help, Lily gravitates towards Odile. Their friendship helps both of them move on from tragedy.

Story:

The story set in Paris is really compelling.  It is hard to fathom the lengths that the staff of the American Library went to keep the operation going.  They didn't just hide a few rare books, they risked their lives delivering books to Jews, who were banned from entering the library.  If they had been found to do this, they (and their families) would have been shot.

But beyond that, the part of the story that really got to me was how Parisians adapted to, and sometimes assisted, the Nazi occupation.  The author used real letters, called crow letters, to show how people informed on their neighbors to the Nazis.  Police had no choice but to assist in rounding up Jews, sending them to their deaths concentration camps.  Of course, some people were happy to do this.  

There were also heart-wrenching scenes of how the women who slept with Germans were treated once the war was over. While the mobs were brutal, the author did an admirable job of showing the roots of this violence.  Men felt emasculated from years of humiliation at the hands of the Germans.  Sadly, they took their frustrations out on women who probably had little choice but to sleep with the occupiers. 

The scenes that take place in Montana are of a smaller scale of tragedy, but also riveting.  Lily's life is turned upside-down by the death of her mother.  And there is also the mystery of why Odile wound up in Montana in the first place.  She had a wonderful, French, boyfriend during the war.  What happened?  The answers to this make this novel a page-turner! 

What I Was Mixed About:

Setting:

What could be more exciting, and scarier, than Paris in the 1940's?  Not Montana in 1983, that's for sure!  The contrast between the two time periods was deliberate.  After narrowly surviving the Nazi occupation of WWII, it's no wonder that Odile is happy to live out the rest of her life in small-town Montana.  But, even in rural America, life can still have some drama.  While the Paris setting was rich in details, I didn't get the true flavor of America in the 1980's. Where was Madonna, MTV, and all those shoulder pads? 

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  February 9th, 2021

Author:  Janet Skeslien Charles

Publisher:  Atria Books

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Page Length:  368 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation: Full of historical detail, this book about the American Library in Paris is a treat.  Highly recommended.