Historical Fiction Review: THE PARIS LIBRARY by Janet Skeslien Charles

Historical Fiction Review:  THE PARIS LIBRARY by Janet Skeslien CharlesThe Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
four-stars
Published by Atria Books on February 9, 2021
Genres: Historical Fiction
Pages: 368
Source: Netgalley
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FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

 

 

 

 

 

I’m a huge fan of WWII historical fiction and I’ve read a lot of it over the years. For that reason, I’m always on the lookout for books that bring a fresh perspective or a story that I haven’t heard yet, and that it exactly what Janet Skeslien Charles does with her new novel, The Paris Library.  Based on a true story, The Paris Library shines a light on a part of the French Resistance movement that I was not familiar with, that of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris (ALP).  While the Nazis occupied and terrorized their city, the men and women of the ALP risked everything to keep the library open at all costs, even sneaking books across Paris to their beloved Jewish patrons who were barred from entering the building.  For these librarians and their book loving patrons, books were both an escape and a symbol of hope and so the librarians wanted to do their part to keep hope alive no matter how dark life seemed.

One of the things I enjoyed most about The Paris Library was how the story unfolded.  We are presented with a dual timeline, one in the 1980s that follows Lily, an awkward and lonely high school student living in a small town in Montana.  Lily becomes intrigued by her neighbor, an elderly woman named Odile who keeps to herself and has an air of mystery about her.  All anyone really knows about her is that she’s originally from France.  Lily decides she wants to get to know Odile better and so, under the guise that she’s doing a school project on Paris, she approaches Odile and requests to interview her.  A lovely friendship develops over time between Lily and Odile, and it is through this interview that we are introduced to Odile and the second timeline, which reveals that as a young woman, Odile worked as a librarian at the ALP and was a very active member of the Resistance.

While I loved watching the relationship blossom between Lily and Odile because Odile becomes almost like a second mom to Lily, I was of course most drawn to the incredible story that takes place during WWII.  The author had me fully invested in the lives of Odile and her fellow librarians.  I loved how committed they were to their cause, as well as how devoted they were to each other and to their patrons.  I never would have guessed that there was an actual Resistance movement within the walls of a library and was glued to the pages each time the librarians faced danger or the risk of betrayal since one never knew who might be a Nazi collaborator.  Even though the WWII timeline was the most engaging of the two, the author still manages to make the 1980s timeline compelling in the sense that there is some mystery surrounding Odile and why she keeps to herself and why she has never returned to Paris, not even once, after all these years.  I loved the scrappy and determined Odile of WWII so much that I really wanted to know what had happened to send her to live in isolation in Montana of all places.

The Paris Library is a beautiful story of friendship, family, resistance, and resilience.  If you’re looking for a WWII historical fiction that brings something new to the table, I highly recommend The Paris Library.

four-stars

About Janet Skeslien Charles

Janet Skeslien Charles is the award-winning author of Moonlight in Odessa and The Paris Library. Her shorter work has appeared in revues such as Slice and Montana Noir. She learned about the history of the American Library in Paris while working there as the programs manager. She divides her time between Montana and Paris.

16 replies
  1. Angela
    Angela says:

    It’s really amazing that with all the WWII historical fiction out there, authors still manage to find fresh angles – I’ll never get tired of this genre!

  2. Tanya @ Girl Plus Books
    Tanya @ Girl Plus Books says:

    This sounds wonderful, Suzanne! I just finished reading a dual timeline book last night with part taking place in WW II England, so I’m still kind of itching to return to the past. I love the sound of Lily and Odile’s friendship in this one and the ALP involvement in the Resistance is new to me. I’ll be checking this one out.

  3. Amber Elise @ Du Livre
    Amber Elise @ Du Livre says:

    I’ve seen this one advertised quite a bit! I’m not a big WWII historical fiction reader (I’m pretty picky with all historical fiction), but this one sounds beautiful and I love the friendship that blossoms!

    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:

      I’m glad to hear it’s getting some love elsewhere. It’s definitely one of the better historical fiction novels I’ve read recently.

  4. Lark
    Lark says:

    This does sound wonderful. I’m a fan of this time period, too. And it has librarians in it! Who can resist that? 🙂

  5. Literary Feline
    Literary Feline says:

    The historical stories in dual timeline novels often draw me in more than the more modern day thread–although I usually enjoy both. I really want to read this one and am glad you liked it, Suzanne. This is a story I haven’t heard before and look forward to learning more. Thank you for your great review!

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