A young librarian in Paris during World War II and a lonely Montana teenager decades later are linked by a secret
Librarians who kept the books moving
In 1939, Odile Souchet, a young woman who loves books, gets her dream job at the American Library in Paris, a lively place full of eccentric readers and dedicated staff. When war comes and the Germans occupy the city, the librarians refuse to close. They keep the library open and secretly deliver books to readers who have been banned from it under the occupation's laws.
Who will enjoy it
Readers who enjoy historical fiction with two timelines, books and libraries, friendship between generations and stories of quiet courage.
What you will get
A warm, moving novel about books, friendship and quiet courage, based on the real story of librarians who resisted during the occupation of Paris.
The Paris Library Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Historical Fiction · World War II · Libraries · Friendship
Length
368 pages · ≈ 11 h
More about this book
The second story begins in 1983 in a small town in Montana, where Lily, a curious, lonely teenager, becomes fascinated by her neighbour Odile, an elderly French war bride who lives alone and keeps to herself. Odile teaches Lily French, and their friendship grows as Lily faces her mother's illness, her father's remarriage and the usual troubles of being a teenager. Lily wonders why Odile left Paris and never went back.
In Paris, Odile's chapters show the hardships of the occupation, the arrest of friends and the risks the library staff took, including real historical figures such as the library's director. Odile's romance with a policeman, her bond with her twin brother and her friendships with colleagues are tested, and a painful betrayal changes her life. The novel touches on the persecution of the war and on loss, but gently, and it celebrates the comfort and connection that books and libraries offer.
Heartfelt and bookish, a good choice for book clubs and for readers who love libraries, with an author's note that explains the true history behind the story. About 368 pages in the Atria hardcover.
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