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Die zwei Leben der Helen Fox
Eine große Liebe, ein Exil in den Schweizer Alpen und ein Manuskript, das alles verändert
Genf, 1926. Die Amerikanerin Helen Fox leitet eine kleine Bibliothek, die sich um die Nachlässe verstorbener Amerikaner kümmert. So geordnet ihr berufliches Leben ist, so wild sind ihre Nächte, in denen sie durch Bars und Cafés der Stadt zieht. Als Helen eines Tages das Manuskript des berühmten Autors August Hegland erhält, wird ihre Routine erschü August ist ihr ehemaliger Geliebter. Der Roman handelt offensichtlich von ihr. Wird er ihre größten Geheimnisse enthüllen?
1916 begegnen sich Helen und August in einem ehemaligen Luxushotel in den Bergen, das als Lazarett dient. Helen arbeitet dort als Krankenschwester und Bibliothekarin und versorgt den Versehrten mit Lektüre. Sie verlieben sich und träumen von einer gemeinsamen Zukunft. Doch ihre Verbindung ist von Anfang an überschattet von einer Keiner der beiden ist wirklich der, der er vorgibt zu sein.
Mit Augusts Manuskript – und vor allem mit seiner Rückkehr nach Genf – muss Helen sich der Vergangenheit stellen und sich Hat die Liebe ihres Lebens noch eine Chance?
Genf, 1926. Die Amerikanerin Helen Fox leitet eine kleine Bibliothek, die sich um die Nachlässe verstorbener Amerikaner kümmert. So geordnet ihr berufliches Leben ist, so wild sind ihre Nächte, in denen sie durch Bars und Cafés der Stadt zieht. Als Helen eines Tages das Manuskript des berühmten Autors August Hegland erhält, wird ihre Routine erschü August ist ihr ehemaliger Geliebter. Der Roman handelt offensichtlich von ihr. Wird er ihre größten Geheimnisse enthüllen?
1916 begegnen sich Helen und August in einem ehemaligen Luxushotel in den Bergen, das als Lazarett dient. Helen arbeitet dort als Krankenschwester und Bibliothekarin und versorgt den Versehrten mit Lektüre. Sie verlieben sich und träumen von einer gemeinsamen Zukunft. Doch ihre Verbindung ist von Anfang an überschattet von einer Keiner der beiden ist wirklich der, der er vorgibt zu sein.
Mit Augusts Manuskript – und vor allem mit seiner Rückkehr nach Genf – muss Helen sich der Vergangenheit stellen und sich Hat die Liebe ihres Lebens noch eine Chance?
456 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 14, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars! Of course I am going to pick up a historical fiction surrounded around librarians/libraries. There was no other option! I loved the first half; I truly did. I felt very immersed in the story and entertained by the characters. The historical aspect was really interesting to me. However, the second half seemed to lose that momentum for my reading experience. I enjoyed the writing more than I anticipated, but I wish I loved the second half as much as I did the first. I do recommend picking up this book if you love historical fiction!
Thank you NetGalley, Harper, & Emily Dunlay for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Library of Leaving is released on September 8, 2026!
Thank you NetGalley, Harper, & Emily Dunlay for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Library of Leaving is released on September 8, 2026!
October 25, 2026
Another book club selection I didn't really enjoy. Sigh, to put it nicely. Let's see if I can articulate this one's troublesome aspects...
I think the two biggest factors contributing to my nonenjoyment of the book were an unlikeable main character and the style of storytelling. First, I can only assume the author thought weaving together all these disparate streams and perspectives would keep the readers engaged but I just found it all tiresome and a real barrier to getting into the story. (Ugh, my poor little mind couldn't stop looking at how many dozens of chapters I had left to slog through.) And unfortunately, all these perspectives really showcased an unlikeable character from so many angles - we weren't given anything to like until sooooo late in the story!
There was some hubris at the very end that almost broke me from all the induced eyerolling. And I may have scoffed when the main character said she was a librarian at "the library" at UI Chambana, LOL like there is only one library on that campus! But that's all petty shit. So lest I descend further, and since we can actually give half stars these days, I'll mention I tossed in a whole extra half star for geography! LOL, never thought I'd hear the town Kankakee again after I left Illinois in 1988. Like, a "suburb" or some such adjacent parcel to Kankakee is Bradley!!!! Bradley, IL!!!
I think the two biggest factors contributing to my nonenjoyment of the book were an unlikeable main character and the style of storytelling. First, I can only assume the author thought weaving together all these disparate streams and perspectives would keep the readers engaged but I just found it all tiresome and a real barrier to getting into the story. (Ugh, my poor little mind couldn't stop looking at how many dozens of chapters I had left to slog through.) And unfortunately, all these perspectives really showcased an unlikeable character from so many angles - we weren't given anything to like until sooooo late in the story!
There was some hubris at the very end that almost broke me from all the induced eyerolling. And I may have scoffed when the main character said she was a librarian at "the library" at UI Chambana, LOL like there is only one library on that campus! But that's all petty shit. So lest I descend further, and since we can actually give half stars these days, I'll mention I tossed in a whole extra half star for geography! LOL, never thought I'd hear the town Kankakee again after I left Illinois in 1988. Like, a "suburb" or some such adjacent parcel to Kankakee is Bradley!!!! Bradley, IL!!!
October 23, 2026
I wasn't too convinced at the start, became more engaged as the layers of characterisation started to build up, at which point I would have rated the book at a solid 4/5, then felt let down by the end, which had at least two twists too many in order to achieve an effective emotional impact, and ended up coming across simply as a desire to eat one's cake and have it too.
I could have swallowed, and even appreciated, one twist in the direction to which all the foreshadowing appeared to have been leading. But after that there were diminishing returns, and I ended up caring less about the characters rather than warming to them more, as I think was intended.
On the plus side, it did have a solid sense of period - of multiple periods, even, with the characters looking back from a present that is 'modern' to them while long ago to us, which is always a tricky perspective to evoke.
I could have swallowed, and even appreciated, one twist in the direction to which all the foreshadowing appeared to have been leading. But after that there were diminishing returns, and I ended up caring less about the characters rather than warming to them more, as I think was intended.
On the plus side, it did have a solid sense of period - of multiple periods, even, with the characters looking back from a present that is 'modern' to them while long ago to us, which is always a tricky perspective to evoke.
September 16, 2026
“The Library of Leaving,” set in the 1920s, follows a lonesome librarian who’s confronted with decisions she made to survive WWI. How’d her past catch up with her? Her ex, a WWI soldier she met while volunteering as a nurse, wrote a book spilling aaalll the details about their separation. Besides being a masterclass in how to be a majorly messy ex — on a serious note, this novel delivered a touching meditation on the power of storytelling as a comfort or tool for alchemy. Loved that, while Helen was the clear protagonist, the supporting characters had a strong foundation, too. The story did feel like it could be more concise at some points, which is always a risk with books that follow this format. Regardless, the story is packed with suspense and references to beloved literature – truly a book lover’s book.
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Disclaimer: advance copy provided courtesy of the publisher.
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Disclaimer: advance copy provided courtesy of the publisher.
Read
August 27, 2026Wrong book, wrong time for me. I couldn’t latch onto the book from the beginning and this is a book I thought for sure I would love. DNF
October 31, 2026
So so book. Didn’t especially like the main character and felt like the book was trying to do too much- love story vs war spy thriller- failed on both accounts with me
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A well written historical fiction book that unfortunately just wasn't for me. It will definitely find its readership though.
November 6, 2026
The Library of Leaving by Emily Dunlay is a stunning Historical Mystery that is highly immersive and utterly enthralling
Helen Fox is working in the American Library of Geneva., It is 1926 and the great war has not long ended. Her job is to catalogue books that have been bequeathed to the library, striving to glean the personalities and details of the deceased owners
Helen's life is peaceful and quiet, until she receives a parcel from August Hegland, the man she used to love. Within the parcel is teh first chapter of a book that the ex-soldier is now writing and the content sends shivers down Helens spine. She recognises events, conversations and herself within the pages and the thinly veiled threat contained therein. August has Helen in his grasp, the threat of betrayal looming over her.
An outstanding novel that is authentic to the era and the desperation of a jilted lover. The concept of exposing Helens past was a strong one and so reflective of a time when a woman's reputation was priceless.
I absolutely loved this novel and will certainly be seeking out more from this author
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and 4th Estate and William Collins | Fourth Estate for this exceptional novel. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
Helen Fox is working in the American Library of Geneva., It is 1926 and the great war has not long ended. Her job is to catalogue books that have been bequeathed to the library, striving to glean the personalities and details of the deceased owners
Helen's life is peaceful and quiet, until she receives a parcel from August Hegland, the man she used to love. Within the parcel is teh first chapter of a book that the ex-soldier is now writing and the content sends shivers down Helens spine. She recognises events, conversations and herself within the pages and the thinly veiled threat contained therein. August has Helen in his grasp, the threat of betrayal looming over her.
An outstanding novel that is authentic to the era and the desperation of a jilted lover. The concept of exposing Helens past was a strong one and so reflective of a time when a woman's reputation was priceless.
I absolutely loved this novel and will certainly be seeking out more from this author
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and 4th Estate and William Collins | Fourth Estate for this exceptional novel. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Like many who had direct experience of World War I, Helen Fox never really recovered from the trauma. Years after the war ended and the combatants went home, Helen is still holed up in Geneva, Switzerland. She lives a lonely life these days in the American Library. She receives books from deceased Americans who don’t have heirs, keeping them organized for anyone who might visit the library looking for something to read. She occasionally goes out for drinks with an Austrian baron who does his level best to retain the elegance of pre-war culture. And she tries very hard not to think about the American soldier she fell in love with during the war. But in the opening pages of Emily Dunlay’s emotional and gripping novel, The Library of Leaving, a message arrives at the American Library that indicates that Helen’s secrets are about to be exposed...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was an intriguing book, set in 1926, but with links to events that happened in 1916. As information is slowly revealed, the search for an effective lightweight gun is the thing all participants in the war want. Helen is delegated the job of finding what Leo Lambie knows and is designing. However, her experiences change her perspectives and she falls in love with a fellow American. This story is about cultivating people, reading stories, and the portrayal of truth. At times, I wasn’t sure who to trust, but the eventual ending puts everything into context . This was a different type of story, with several timelines and the use of a novel in progress as well as a diary to provide information and perspectives, some of may have been unreliable. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to read this book.
September 9, 2026
⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for the ebook!
Summary:
In the 1920s, Helen Fox is living a quiet life as a librarian in Switzerland when a package from someone in her past forces her to revisit the choices she made during the war and the life she has tried to leave behind.
My Review:
I secretly love the 1920s, and historical fiction is such a favorite of mine, so there was a lot here that I enjoyed. I loved the setting, the books, and the way Helen’s past slowly started coming back into the story.
Some parts just fell a little flat for me and did not completely pull me in the way I wanted. I still enjoyed it overall, but I think I wanted a little more from the story emotionally.
Would I Recommend?
Yes, especially if you love historical fiction, the 1920s, books, and slower stories about memory, love, and the past.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for the ebook!
Summary:
In the 1920s, Helen Fox is living a quiet life as a librarian in Switzerland when a package from someone in her past forces her to revisit the choices she made during the war and the life she has tried to leave behind.
My Review:
I secretly love the 1920s, and historical fiction is such a favorite of mine, so there was a lot here that I enjoyed. I loved the setting, the books, and the way Helen’s past slowly started coming back into the story.
Some parts just fell a little flat for me and did not completely pull me in the way I wanted. I still enjoyed it overall, but I think I wanted a little more from the story emotionally.
Would I Recommend?
Yes, especially if you love historical fiction, the 1920s, books, and slower stories about memory, love, and the past.
October 15, 2026
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I want to thank NetGalley and 4th Estate and William Collins | Fourth Estate for providing me with an ARC.
This book takes the reader to Switzerland in 1920s and then to WWI.
Helen Fox, a librarian at American Consulate in Geneva is the protagonist who faces her past through the stories written by a man she knew during the war. It's a brilliant portrayal of how others see you.
The characters grow and evolve, the setting is mysterious and the encapsulation of romance, history and fiction is intriguing.
I want to thank NetGalley and 4th Estate and William Collins | Fourth Estate for providing me with an ARC.
This book takes the reader to Switzerland in 1920s and then to WWI.
Helen Fox, a librarian at American Consulate in Geneva is the protagonist who faces her past through the stories written by a man she knew during the war. It's a brilliant portrayal of how others see you.
The characters grow and evolve, the setting is mysterious and the encapsulation of romance, history and fiction is intriguing.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed this story. While it is set in WWI, it is unique from other war stories I have read. The story opens with a woman who is the keeper of books that have arrived from estates of people who have passed on. Then it takes a major shift as the life of the librarian begins to be revealed. For quite a while, I wasn't sure where this was going, but I was intrigued. Once things start to move along, I was completely hooked and I raced through the second half of the story. Nearly a 5 star read for me. Highly recommend.
Did Not Finish
September 15, 2026Rezensionsexemplar
DNF
Leider war dieses Bauch nichts für mich. Ich fand den Schreibstil sehr gut, dennoch gab es viel zu lange Sätze, welche unnötig waren. Dadurch wurde es für mich etwas anstrengend der Textpassage zu folgen. Ich habe auch gedacht, dass es mehr um Helen und August geht und seine Bücher und nicht noch Bücher bzw. Tagebücher von Fremden.
DNF
Leider war dieses Bauch nichts für mich. Ich fand den Schreibstil sehr gut, dennoch gab es viel zu lange Sätze, welche unnötig waren. Dadurch wurde es für mich etwas anstrengend der Textpassage zu folgen. Ich habe auch gedacht, dass es mehr um Helen und August geht und seine Bücher und nicht noch Bücher bzw. Tagebücher von Fremden.
September 18, 2026
Absolutely amazing…
Emily’s second novel is a complex yet deeply humane story that raises provocative existential questions about what is done in the name of love or self preservation. An amazingly compelling WWI tale set mostly high in the Alps where the weather is as icy as the characters. Recommend.
Emily’s second novel is a complex yet deeply humane story that raises provocative existential questions about what is done in the name of love or self preservation. An amazingly compelling WWI tale set mostly high in the Alps where the weather is as icy as the characters. Recommend.
September 28, 2026
I enjoyed this book! It begins with an American woman living in Geneva in 1926, who is in charge of the American library there. Once a month, she receives a box of books that belonged to an American ex-pat who has passed away. She has a secret regarding her role in WWI and as the book progresses, her past catches up to her.
Read
November 13, 2026The premise of the story was good, but there were several characters to keep track of and you didn't learn their identity right away. The story went back and forth form 1916 war time to 1926 and I had to keep going to the beginning of the chapter to remember which 'story' I was reading. There was more than 1 narrator. All in all a bit confusing. I like stories that are more linear.
November 8, 2026
Written from 4 different people’s perspectives and I found it confusing until a page or two in whose perspective it was. I didn’t find the story line all that interesting and surprised I finished it, but there were some good sections….
November 13, 2026
I found myself captivated by Helen’s quiet, atmospheric world in post-WWI Switzerland. When a draft chapter from a soldier she nursed during the war suddenly resurfaces, the suspense becomes irresistible. It’s a deeply nuanced, haunting look at secrets, identity, and past choices.
October 21, 2026
DNF 50 pages in. Just couldn’t get into it
November 3, 2026
Very hard to get into and then the story kept going back and forth between 1916 and 1926 which was ok.
But sometimes you would read an event and then later read what happened just hours before.
But sometimes you would read an event and then later read what happened just hours before.
Did Not Finish
November 5, 2026Not feeling it at the moment
November 14, 2026
very interesting story with some good twists. I liked the inserts from other characters.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews