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emileereadsbooks's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Thank you for the Gifted Book Libro.fm, Simon Audio, and Atria Books.
I have had a hard time coming up with words for how to review this one. Overall I really enjoyed the book and think many historical fiction fans will as well. This book has many things going for it. It's a book that celebrates the power of libraries and books. It highlights some of the lesser known resisters of the Germans in occupied France and how even seemingly small actions can have big consequences.
What I didn't love about this book is that it alternates POVs and spends disproportionate amounts of time with each character making it a bit of a shock when the POV changes. Also I did not really see where this book was headed for 75% of it and although I did enjoy the ending, it took so long to get there. That being said, once I listened to the author's historical note, I did appreciate the whole scope of the book more. The amount of research that went into this title made me reflect on each element of the story and how it all ties together.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Antisemitism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity and Terminal illness
linesiunderline's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This novel offers us views of grief, loss, and self discovery from many perspectives. The two main narratives centre on Odile, a young French woman working during the German occupation at the American Library in Paris, and Lily, Odile’s neightbor, a teenager in the 1980s in small town Montana. Lily views Odile’s past as mysterious and readers discover more about her wartime experience as the novel unfolds and alternates perspectives.
What I loved:
- it’s an ode to libraries, how they are essential and can serve such a noble purpose, carrying people through dark times
- the relationships between the colleagues and patrons at the library were well captured and endearing
- reading a WWII novel that presents a different kind of story than is often portrayed
Howevers:
- as is often the way for me with books that have dual (or more) perspectives, I wasn’t as interested I. Lily‘a story compared to Odile’s
- I found it unusual that the author inserted a few sections from the perspectives of secondary characters, but only a few. For me, I’d have liked more, or for the structure to stick to just the POVs of the two central women
This is a wartime novel that focuses more on daily life in occupied territory and the relationships between those not on the front lines. There are times when it is lighter in tone, and for that reason I think it would be a good readalike for those who enjoyed Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Dear Mrs Bird, or The Chilbury Ladies Choir.
What I loved:
- it’s an ode to libraries, how they are essential and can serve such a noble purpose, carrying people through dark times
- the relationships between the colleagues and patrons at the library were well captured and endearing
- reading a WWII novel that presents a different kind of story than is often portrayed
Howevers:
- as is often the way for me with books that have dual (or more) perspectives, I wasn’t as interested I. Lily‘a story compared to Odile’s
- I found it unusual that the author inserted a few sections from the perspectives of secondary characters, but only a few. For me, I’d have liked more, or for the structure to stick to just the POVs of the two central women
This is a wartime novel that focuses more on daily life in occupied territory and the relationships between those not on the front lines. There are times when it is lighter in tone, and for that reason I think it would be a good readalike for those who enjoyed Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Dear Mrs Bird, or The Chilbury Ladies Choir.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Police brutality, Antisemitism, and Grief
Minor: Terminal illness and Death of parent
acitygirlsthoughts's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you Netgalley, Atria Books, Simon & Schuster, and Janet Skeslien Charles for choosing me to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I'm a huge fan of WWII historical fiction so I couldn't pass up this opportunity to review this! On top of that, I'm also an avid library user and supporter, so two of my favorite topics in one book? Yes! I enjoyed Janet's exploration of the different employees who worked at the American Library in Paris, their quirks, and Odile's (the protagonist's) all-conuming love for her work and friends at the American Library in Paris. Told in alternating point-of-views: Lily, an ambitious, lovable, and curious teen who's Odlie's neighbor in 1980's Montana, USA, and Odile herself.
Lily's growth from her middle school to high school years are influenced by Odile's wisdom as she helps Lily navigate adolesence through her mistakes she made as a teen herself. Although she didn't experience the brunt of WWII, her run-ins with the Nazis on-the-job shaped her morals and ethics as she dealt with secret spies for the Nazis, anti-semitism, and her friend's questionable loyalty to the Allies. Assumptions and hesitation led to some hiccups in her relationships but she used those lessons to teach Lily how to deal with situations similar to her's, such as jealousy. The writing isn't hard to follow; there's a few typos at the beginning but other than that it's fine.
Odile, Lily, Odile's family, Felix (Odile's boyfriend), Mary Louise, Odile's second husband, and the residents of Montana are the only fictional characters in this story, but just because they're fictional doesn't mean I agree with their justifications as a teachable moment. For example - this will be a spoiler but its worth mentioning - Odile tricks her husband into thinking she's single when she's currently married to Felix, all because Felix beat up her friend over her (friend's) affair with a Nazi. There's also an emotional disconnect between the reader and Odile's WWII story. Yes, she's probably blessed to have escaped a lot of violence and gore under the Nazis, but I didn't feel the thriller-esque feel promised, even when she physically ran into them twice. But other than that it's a great story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Misogyny, Police brutality, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
Minor: Infidelity
internationalreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Violence, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Genocide, and Murder