Bookseller friend of Hugo. He knew why those apartments were empty. RELEASE DATE: Feb. 2, 2021. But erasing people comes with a price, and along with a mysterious, handsome forger named Rmy, Eva decides she must find a way to preserve the real names of the children who are too young to remember who they really are. Bhd. As the war proceeds and the Nazis take over the city, she fears for her twin brother, who has been captured by the Germans, places herself in danger by transporting books to Jewish patrons who are forbidden to visit the library, and begins to question some of her boyfriend's actions. Odile often reminisces about food from France or makes dishes for Lily. Its a city I truly love and reading this was a balm for my travel-deprived senses, reliving the City of Lights, even if it was in the pre-war years of the 1940s. I love to read and review various genres with a focus on contemporary fiction, historical fiction with some mysteries/thrillers and also select nonfiction and memoirs. Janet Skeslien Charles British literature.). It seemed out of character to do what he did to Margaret. Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. Television buffs will smile at the Kincaids resemblance to the Roys of Succession. Most often, they add. This article first appeared on July26, 2021 in The Edge Malaysia. Her friendship with Odile was a strong part but I wasnt so into the teenager angst. In fact, many of the characters in the book are based, often by actual name, on real people. Despite knowing about Lilys faults, Odile loves her unconditionally and accepts her. Based on historical events. New Paris Library: Visionary or Outdated? - The New York Times Her newest novel,I Meant to Tell You, was published in November 2022 by Stephen F. Austin State University Press. Few in Paris recognize the looming threat of war. Janet Skeslien Charles. The main character, Odile, narrates the time in Paris, while a secondary narratora young girl named Lily, who is coming of age in a small Montana town in the 1980sallows the author to revisit Odile later in life and emphasize the timelessness of friendship. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Janet Skeslien Charles is an award-winning author with over a decade's worth of roaming the streets of Paris and researching in its libraries. Her father refuses to help the Professor. The interview with Miss Reeder, the Directress, begins well, but Odile falters when asked her reasons for wanting to work at the Library. I do recommend The Paris Library, but the print version, please. View my Affiliate Disclosure page here. 199301012242 (266980-X). Only Eva holds the answerbut will she have the strength to revisit old memories and help reunite those lost during the war? The author has actually worked there in recent years and learned first-hand about the efforts of librarians and volunteers not only to keep it open during the German occupation of Paris, but to smuggle books to Jews and to allied forces on the front. Perhaps because of that, I avoid books about this time, though there have certainly been a plethora of them in recent years. Lilys mother tells her People dont always know what to do or say. Instead, Odile consents to an interview for Lilys project about France. But then the Nazis invade Paris and everything changes. Soon thereafter, Lilys father remarries. "The Paris Library is a refreshing novel that celebrates libraries as cradles of community, especially when we need them the most. Have you read The Paris Library? Were you shocked by what happened to Margaret? The Paris Library combines a love of literature with an inspirational tale of ordinary people standing up to fight injustice. It includes a letter from me, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club, an author Q&A, delicious French recipes, and some of my favorite French songs. GENERAL FICTION, by Still, Odile harbors jealousy toward Margaret for her wealthand resents her criticisms of the French army. If you love libraries and are interested in how a library stayed open during the entire war in the center of conflict, The Paris Library is a great book club choice. However, for The Paris Library, there was plenty of food mentioned, partly due to the fact that the story is dual-timeline. Nazi book inspector Dr. Fuchs, initially feared, turns out to be sympathetic to the Library. I thought this one was decent overall but I had some issues with it. Paris between the wars teems with artists, writers, and musicians, a glittering crucible of . Do you think it was harder for Odile to forgive herself than it was for Margaret to forgive her? Susan Mallery. Eva Traube Abrams, a semi-retired librarian in Florida, is shelving books one morning when her eyes lock on a photograph in a magazine lying open nearby. The Paris Library | Book by Janet Skeslien Charles | Official Publisher A thoroughly enjoyable read, kind-hearted and brimming with delightful bookish allusions., Matthew Sullivan, author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore, "Having lived in an apartment just above the current location of the American Library in Paris, I've always felt connected to the institution and wondered about its story, so I'm grateful to Janet Skeslien Charles for penning such a vivid, enjoyable, based-on-a-true-story tale. And, because Odile isnt Jewish and has some connected friends, she sometimes partakes in black market dishes even during the war. For dessert you could serve Professor Cohens Russian cigarettes! This 1954 classic by a precocious 18-year-old takes us to the sun-drenched Riviera, where lazy and selfish 17-year-old Ccile is holidaying with her widowed father and his latest girlfriend.