The Paris Library

 By Janet Skeslien Charles

Atria     2021

368 pages     Historical Fiction

The Paris Library is the librarian’s dream book—a young librarian saves the world with books! With the Dewey Decimal System thrown in. Well, not exactly, but sort of. Honestly, it is much more than that. The book deals with a little-known aspect of World War II in France; its impact on the arts and culture of the city.

Odile Souchet is a young woman who has just gotten a job at the American Library in Paris. The library is one of the centers of American culture in Paris and the gathering spot for American scholars and researchers as well as American families living in the city. After the invasion, Jews are not allowed to enter the library, so Odile and the other librarians send books to the Allied troops stationed around France and sneak books to their Jewish patrons, an obvious act of resistance. When she realizes that her father and other police officers are putting the city’s Jewish population into internment camps, she feels confused and betrayed. Especially by Paul, her fiancé, who is a police officer as well. She does everything she can to continue to serve her patrons and save them from capture. As the war ends, Paul is involved in one final, major act of betrayal which causes Odile to forsake everything and escape Paul, her family, and the library that has given her strength.

Juxtaposed with this story line is the story of Lily, a teenager living in small-town Montana in 1983 and yearning for a bigger life. Odile is her elderly, reclusive neighbor. Lily wonders how this French woman ever got to Montana and sets out to understand her story. The friendship the two form ends up being healing for both of them and moves the story forward in unexpected ways. It, in itself, is a lovely story.

Just recently, I read of some art work that was hidden from the Nazis and recently recovered. So, reading about the hiding of first editions of classic literature and the defiance of librarians was not unexpected. I have always maintained that librarians are among the champions of the rights of the people, and it was affirmative for me to read of these women and men and their fight to protect the library, its books, and its patrons.

The author, Janet Charles, was the program manager at the American Library when she started to hear the stories of the resistance and the brave librarians at the American Library. This caused her to do a great deal of meticulous research into these brave souls, many of whom are portrayed in context, although Odile is the creation of the author. Additionally, the author grew up in small-town Montana so she understands well Lily’s need to move into a bigger world.

The Library Journal has a very astute look at the library and the librarians who appear in the novel. The article talks about Miss Reeder, the director of the library, who appears in the novel, all the books that they delivered, and with Dr. Fuchs, the Nazi “Library Protector” who appeared off and on to inspect the library. Additionally, the author has included on her website some of the research she used in developing the novel. There are pictures, newspaper articles, and reports. It really resonates.

The Kirkus review concludes that The Paris Library is a “novel tailor-made for those who cherish books and libraries.” Although there are a monumental number of World War II books out and about these days, The Paris Library deserves readers’ attention.