Tuesday, February 9, 2021

The Paris Library Janet Skeslien Charles



The American Library in Paris 1939 then to a small town in Montana 1983.

Odile is a librarian at the American Library in Paris as the war breaks out.  Lily is a teenager in Montana whose mother passed and is having trouble at school.

Both women find solace in each other after Lily finally meets her elegant neighbor from Paris.

THE PARIS LIBRARY moves back and forth and allows us to see into the lives of both characters.

Odile has the perfect job until it was necessary to provide books in secret.

Lily has the perfect life - well almost perfect - until her mother dies, but Odile helped her through this time and Lily helped Odile to not be so alone.

I enjoyed how the staff at the library was like a family itself and how the library delivered books to soldiers and others who couldn’t enter or were forbidden to enter the library.  I never knew this happened.

Both Lily and Odile were very likeable characters. I truly enjoyed watching Lily grow up.

THE PARIS LIBRARY will appeal to all bookworms, romantics, and historical fiction fans.

It is heartwarming as well as heartbreaking, and despite the heartaches most of the characters were lighthearted and positive.

Once you get to know the characters, you will cry with them, wish them well, and not want them to leave you alone as you close the last page.
 
This book is about friendship, the love of books and libraries, regrets, giving advice, and forgiveness.

Ms. Skeslien Charles' research is impeccable. 4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

18 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. It was such a lovely read.

      Thanks for commenting, shelleyrae.

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  2. Well, I didn't cry, but mostly because all of the Montana stuff got in the way. I loved the parts during the war, but not the modern stuff at all. I don't think any of that was necessary, to be honest.

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    1. I enjoyed the book...sorry it wasn’t thoroughly enjoyable for you, Davida.

      Thanks for your comment.

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  3. Very good review.
    I didn't read this one but it does sound like one I would have liked.
    Thanks for sharing!

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    1. I think you would have liked it.

      Thanks for your comment, Linda.

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  4. Great review. I'm reading this now and really enjoying it.

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    1. It is such a good read....glad you are enjoying it.

      Thanks for your comment, Alex.

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  5. Great review. And this was a good read!!!

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    1. Thank you, reeca. I did enjoy it.

      Thanks for commenting.

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  6. This sounds absolutely lovely! I will look for it at my local library. Thanks for the review.

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    1. You will LOVE it Laura.

      ENJOY when you read it.

      Thanks for commenting.

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  7. Now on the waiting list at the library - thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Wonderful!!

      I hope you love it as much as I did.

      I think you will.

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  8. I'm sorry for, again, disagreeing with you. I gave this book just two stars.

    The 1939 Paris part of the book is boring mainly because it is so, so slow. We hear about every little bit of Odile's life and are left to wonder, when will something happen, for too long.

    The Montana chapters are told from the perspective of Lily, a junior-high-school-age girl, who becomes a friend of her next-door neighbor, Odiłe, now an older woman. These chapters, too, are slow and made me wonder, what is their purpose, for too long.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, techeditor.

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