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penguins_save_lives's review against another edition
4.0
"The War Librarian" by Addison Armstrong is an enchanting historical fiction novel that immerses readers in a world of courage, love, and the transformative power of literature during wartime. The author takes on the tired story of wartime-librarian and infuses it with new life. Armstrong brings the setting to life, vividly capturing the challenges faced by the librarian and the resilience of the human spirit. The novel beautifully weaves together elements of romance and adventure, creating a compelling and heartwarming narrative.
Through the protagonist's journey, readers are reminded of the unwavering strength found in literature and its ability to provide solace even in the darkest of times. "The War Librarian" is a captivating tale of bravery, sacrifice, and the enduring love for books that will leave readers inspired and deeply moved. Perfect for readers that enjoyed "The Paris Librarian."
Through the protagonist's journey, readers are reminded of the unwavering strength found in literature and its ability to provide solace even in the darkest of times. "The War Librarian" is a captivating tale of bravery, sacrifice, and the enduring love for books that will leave readers inspired and deeply moved. Perfect for readers that enjoyed "The Paris Librarian."
day_fisher's review
4.0
A classic historical fiction with dual perspectives that connect. I enjoyed seeing the perspective of women in roles new to their sex, eager to prove themselves and make an impact.
brewychock51's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
scottonreads's review
5.0
"Books are the best place to hide," I said quietly. "When the world is just too much to take."
WHEW, that line got me. And encompassed a lot of what I have felt over the past few years.
What a JOY this book was! Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin Books for gifting me an early copy to read.
A historical fiction novel about two women, decades apart, struggling with so many of the same things, striving to break barriers in their own fields. A book about the importance of relationships, trusting yourself and your people.
Emmaline Balakin is a quiet, book lover working at the Dead Letter Office in 1918. She leaps outside of her comfort zone to become a volunteer librarian on the frontlines in France. She quickly forms close friendships and joy in her work. I
Kathleen Carre is admitted as part of the first coed class at the Naval Academy in 1976. She is confident and talented, knowing she deserves her spot while the majority of the men feel she does not.
I love books with multiple storylines and points of view, and Addison Armstrong nailed it here. There is such a high level of difficulty, but I couldn't imagine this story being told in any other way. Weaving in a bit of mystery had me on the edge of my seat, and I found myself gasping a few times in the last 100 pages.
What really struck me, though, is how many of these themes are still so prevalent today. The book was set in 1918 and 1976 and yet here in 2022 we are continuing to deal with such blatant censorship, racism, and misogyny.
This book was such a delightful escape. I could not recommend it more.
WHEW, that line got me. And encompassed a lot of what I have felt over the past few years.
What a JOY this book was! Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin Books for gifting me an early copy to read.
A historical fiction novel about two women, decades apart, struggling with so many of the same things, striving to break barriers in their own fields. A book about the importance of relationships, trusting yourself and your people.
Emmaline Balakin is a quiet, book lover working at the Dead Letter Office in 1918. She leaps outside of her comfort zone to become a volunteer librarian on the frontlines in France. She quickly forms close friendships and joy in her work. I
Kathleen Carre is admitted as part of the first coed class at the Naval Academy in 1976. She is confident and talented, knowing she deserves her spot while the majority of the men feel she does not.
I love books with multiple storylines and points of view, and Addison Armstrong nailed it here. There is such a high level of difficulty, but I couldn't imagine this story being told in any other way. Weaving in a bit of mystery had me on the edge of my seat, and I found myself gasping a few times in the last 100 pages.
What really struck me, though, is how many of these themes are still so prevalent today. The book was set in 1918 and 1976 and yet here in 2022 we are continuing to deal with such blatant censorship, racism, and misogyny.
This book was such a delightful escape. I could not recommend it more.
smalltownbookmom's review
4.0
I really, really enjoyed this highly readable dual timeline historical fiction book about Emmaline, a war librarian serving in WWI and her granddaughter, Kathleen, who is among the first coed class at the Naval Academy in 1976.
It was fascinating reading about Kathleen's experience trying to fit in and the prejudices she faces as a woman in a male dominated world. Mirrored by her grandmother's work bringing books to soldiers in a hospital and setting up a book club that discussed subversive and banned books.
Intertwined through both timelines is the mystery surrounding Kathleen's grandmother's true identity and the lost love of her life. Highly recommended for fans of The Paris library and great on audio. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
Favorite quote: "Books are the best place to hide when the world is just too much."
It was fascinating reading about Kathleen's experience trying to fit in and the prejudices she faces as a woman in a male dominated world. Mirrored by her grandmother's work bringing books to soldiers in a hospital and setting up a book club that discussed subversive and banned books.
Intertwined through both timelines is the mystery surrounding Kathleen's grandmother's true identity and the lost love of her life. Highly recommended for fans of The Paris library and great on audio. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
Favorite quote: "Books are the best place to hide when the world is just too much."
blogginboutbooks's review
4.0
When it comes to dual-timeline novels, I'm generally more interested in the past story than the present one. This wasn't the case with THE WAR LIBRARIAN. Both the past (WWI) timeline and the "present" (1976) one were intriguing in their own way. Emmaline's story is interesting because I didn't know about war librarians and the important job they did during WWI. It's also compelling due to her determination to fight racism in the hospital and to battle government censorship over controversial reading material. Her romance with Nicholas was the least interesting bit for me, but it was still sweet. As for Kathleen, her story about being one of the first woman to be admitted to the U.S. Naval Academy is full of tension and conflict. It's easy to sympathize with her as she struggles to prove herself to men who don't want her there and show it through cruel pranks, hazing, and even assault. Her story intertwines with Emmaline's in a way that is a bit predictable, but still compelling. Although THE WAR LIBRARIAN starts slowly and feels overly long, I found it engaging overall. I liked the characters, was interested in what was going to happen, and learned things I didn't know about the role of books during wartime. For the most part, I enjoyed the novel.
I listened to THE WAR LIBRARIAN on audio. It worked well in this medium, although I liked the narration of Emmaline's story more than that of Kathleen's. The latter's voice had a bit of a nasal/whiny tone to it which didn't seem accurate for the character. Mostly, it's a smooth listen, though, making it easy to get caught up in the story.
I listened to THE WAR LIBRARIAN on audio. It worked well in this medium, although I liked the narration of Emmaline's story more than that of Kathleen's. The latter's voice had a bit of a nasal/whiny tone to it which didn't seem accurate for the character. Mostly, it's a smooth listen, though, making it easy to get caught up in the story.
grayinla's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
booknerd315's review
5.0
Run and do not walk to preorder this book! It will be hitting shelves August 2022!
This is my first book by Addison Armstrong and this one did not disappoint!
I have read a lot of historical fiction books but the majority of them are set during WW2. When I saw that this was set during WW1, I instantly requested it. There are so many things that I loved about this book. First, this book is rich in history. In Emmaline's timeline, we read all about WW1 history and the history of what war librarians do. In Kathleen's, we get a glimpse into the mid 70's and all the history surrounding this time.
Second, this isn't your typical dual timeline book which I'm thankful for. I got to see two strong female characters trying to navigate very similar (and different) historical issues.
Lastly, Armstrong did an amazing job bringing to life these characters that I felt sucked into the story. I felt all their emotions as if they were my own. If an author can elicit this type of response from me, I have to give the book 5 stars.
This would be perfect for fans of: Lisa Wingate, Kristin Hannah, Kate Quinn
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This is my first book by Addison Armstrong and this one did not disappoint!
I have read a lot of historical fiction books but the majority of them are set during WW2. When I saw that this was set during WW1, I instantly requested it. There are so many things that I loved about this book. First, this book is rich in history. In Emmaline's timeline, we read all about WW1 history and the history of what war librarians do. In Kathleen's, we get a glimpse into the mid 70's and all the history surrounding this time.
Second, this isn't your typical dual timeline book which I'm thankful for. I got to see two strong female characters trying to navigate very similar (and different) historical issues.
Lastly, Armstrong did an amazing job bringing to life these characters that I felt sucked into the story. I felt all their emotions as if they were my own. If an author can elicit this type of response from me, I have to give the book 5 stars.
This would be perfect for fans of: Lisa Wingate, Kristin Hannah, Kate Quinn
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review.