Reviews

The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson

neen11's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

bec_28's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

prupell's review

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. I think it was the perfect blend of history and fiction. It was well researched and I learned a lot. The story was really good. I liked the main characters and cared about what happened to them. I think the book was probably longer than it needed to be. But overall, a really good book and one I would recommend.

mikkeline's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring reflective

4.0

kazupolar's review against another edition

emotional inspiring

4.0

bargainsleuth's review

5.0

For my complete review, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com and subscribe to my email newsletter.

The Little Wartime Library I received and ARC of this book from Hodder & Stoughton Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Based upon a true story, the book is set in the Bethnal Green tube station after The Blitz, where an entire community is living after being bombed out. An unfinished portion of the tube, it’s transformed into a dorm for 5,000 and boasts a theatre and more importantly, an underground library led by former children’s librarian Clara Button, whose husband died at Dunkirk, and assisted by Ruby Munroe, a young woman who lives life to the fullest and breaks the conventions of the day by playing around.

The author’s notes at the end of the book, with pictures of the actual library in the tube, the bombed out original library, and the importance of libraries in Britain are explored in depth and give a fuller picture to what was a wonderful World War II historical fiction book. Five stars!

mgfalla's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

iza_g's review

emotional informative inspiring reflective

4.0

aj_yogi's review

4.0

Clara and Ruby are librarians at Bethnal Green library which is set up underground in the subway tunnels during WWII. There are a lot of characters in this story but all (save for 2) are wonderful people just trying to figure out how to live on during the war. While I did love the story and adored the idea of an underground library, some of the storytelling felt a bit tell instead of show, so I didn't get as involved with the characters as I might have been otherwise. 

Great idea for a historical fiction book. Who doesn't love a good book about books?!?!

safiwi's review

inspiring 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? No

3.5