Play Book Tag discussion

Odile is a Parisian young woman in love with literature, and dreams of working in the American Library in Paris. Her dream comes true just before WWII erupts in Europe, and France gets taken over by Nazis. The library is allowed to stay open, but, of course, Jews aren’t allowed to use it. The remaining employees band together to do what they can, bringing books to the usual Jewish clients and keeping the library fro Nazi influence.

We also get a story from the 1980s, Odile is a widow living in Montana, and her young neighbour Lily befriends her and tries to find out the truth about her past.

I really enjoyed this, based on a true story. I actually hadn’t realized most of the characters had actually existed until I got to the end! Rather than being one of those usual love-in-the-time-of-war stories, this was a beautiful tale of friendship between Odile and Margaret, an English volunteer at the ALP. We know from the time in the 80s that Odile does not marry her beau from the 1940s, and that she hasn’t returned to France since the war, but we don’t know why until the end. The mystery was well constructed, building up steam but never leaving us frustrated. And Odile's love of books was so well transcribed, I loved it!

My only criticism was that sometimes the pacing was odd, and things would happen much too quickly, leaving me with a bit of whiplash.

Oh and I almost forgot to add that the French was perfect, which is SO rare in a book written in English but set in France! A real breath of fresh air.

Elise, I just read and reviewed this a couple of days before you! Yes the French was perfect! Didn’t you love the love affair with books, libraries, and the right thing all rolled into one?