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The Underground Library
When the Blitz imperils the heart of a London neighborhood, three young women must use their fighting spirit to save the community’s beloved library in this heartwarming novel from the author of The Chilbury Ladies' Choir
When new deputy librarian, Juliet Lansdown, finds that Bethnal Green Library isn't the bustling hub she's expecting, she becomes determined to breathe life back into it. But can she show the men in charge that a woman is up to the task of running it, especially when a confrontation with her past threatens to derail her?
Katie Upwood is thrilled to be working at the library, although she's only there until she heads off to university in the fall. But after the death of her beau on the front line and amid tumultuous family strife, she finds herself harboring a life-changing secret with no one to turn to for help.
Sofie Baumann, a young Jewish refugee, came to London on a domestic service visa only to find herself working as a maid for a man who treats her abominably. She escapes to the library every chance she can, finding friendship in the literary community and aid in finding her sister, who is still trying to flee occupied Europe.
When a slew of bombs destroy the library, Juliet relocates the stacks to the local Underground station where the city's residents shelter nightly, determined to lend out stories that will keep spirits up. But tragedy after tragedy threatens to unmoor the women and sever the ties of their community. Will Juliet, Kate, and Sofie be able to overcome their own troubles to save the library? Or will the beating heart of their neighborhood be lost forever?
When new deputy librarian, Juliet Lansdown, finds that Bethnal Green Library isn't the bustling hub she's expecting, she becomes determined to breathe life back into it. But can she show the men in charge that a woman is up to the task of running it, especially when a confrontation with her past threatens to derail her?
Katie Upwood is thrilled to be working at the library, although she's only there until she heads off to university in the fall. But after the death of her beau on the front line and amid tumultuous family strife, she finds herself harboring a life-changing secret with no one to turn to for help.
Sofie Baumann, a young Jewish refugee, came to London on a domestic service visa only to find herself working as a maid for a man who treats her abominably. She escapes to the library every chance she can, finding friendship in the literary community and aid in finding her sister, who is still trying to flee occupied Europe.
When a slew of bombs destroy the library, Juliet relocates the stacks to the local Underground station where the city's residents shelter nightly, determined to lend out stories that will keep spirits up. But tragedy after tragedy threatens to unmoor the women and sever the ties of their community. Will Juliet, Kate, and Sofie be able to overcome their own troubles to save the library? Or will the beating heart of their neighborhood be lost forever?
368 pages, Hardcover
First published March 12, 2024
About the author
Jennifer Ryan
5 books2,139 followersJennifer grew up in the British countryside with a penchant for climbing trees and a wonderful grandmother who told her hilarious stories about the Second World War.
As an adult, she became a nonfiction book editor, first editing politics and economics at The Economist Books, and then moving on to the BBC, DK, and other publishers, editing books on health, cooking, wine, and history.
All this time, though, she harbored a longing to share her grandmother's stories about the war, and so she embarked on an MA in fiction at Johns Hopkins University. The novel that she wrote while there--The Chilbury Ladies' Choir--became a National Bestseller.
Please visit Jennifer's website for more information and free giveaways.
www.JenniferRyanAuthor.com
As an adult, she became a nonfiction book editor, first editing politics and economics at The Economist Books, and then moving on to the BBC, DK, and other publishers, editing books on health, cooking, wine, and history.
All this time, though, she harbored a longing to share her grandmother's stories about the war, and so she embarked on an MA in fiction at Johns Hopkins University. The novel that she wrote while there--The Chilbury Ladies' Choir--became a National Bestseller.
Please visit Jennifer's website for more information and free giveaways.
www.JenniferRyanAuthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 764 reviews
March 10, 2024
Once again, Jennifer Ryan has pulled me into a historical fiction novel with some romance that is based on a true story, but fictionalized.
The Underground Library
features three women in London during World War II when London was bombed and air raid sirens sounded nightly.
Juliet Lansdown is the new deputy librarian at the Bethnal Green Library. However, it isn’t busy and she is determined to invigorate it despite a head librarian who doesn’t want change. Katie Upwood has been working at the same library until she starts at the university in the fall. Her family life is filled with conflict, she has a secret, and her boyfriend died in the war. Sofie Baumann is a refugee from Berlin who received a visa by going into domestic service to a hateful and disparaging widower. She’s concerned about her father and sister left behind in Berlin. Will they get visas? Her one relief from it all are her visits to the library and friendship she finds there.
When the library is destroyed by bombs, Juliet manages to relocate the books to the local Underground station where residents take shelter each night. However, tragedy seems to follow them. Will the library be saved? Will Juliet, Katie, and Sofie get their happily ever afters?
Juliet has oppressive parents who she is happy to leave behind in Upper Beeding. She’s smart, needs a challenge, bookish, energetic, empathetic, and has a lot of ideas. Katie is smart, lives at home with her parents and brothers, and has a secret. Sofie uses books to escape terrible times. She is worried about her family in Berlin and is treated horribly by her employer. The characterization is the main and supporting characters is excellent.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel. The characters were likeable and the focus was on women, the roles others wanted for them, what the women wanted for themselves, and the challenges they faced in achieving them. Other themes included friendship, family, life choices, wartime danger, community, found family, sacrifice, volunteerism, treatment of others, the power of books, hope, and romance.
Overall, I learned a lot about these women who had a vision and pursued it relentlessly as well as about the library itself and the internment camps on the Isle of Man. The excellent characterization made this book special. The author did significant research and I recommend reading her note after completing the novel.
Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books and Jennifer Ryan provided a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently expected to be March 12, 2024.
----------------------------------------
My 4.36 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Juliet Lansdown is the new deputy librarian at the Bethnal Green Library. However, it isn’t busy and she is determined to invigorate it despite a head librarian who doesn’t want change. Katie Upwood has been working at the same library until she starts at the university in the fall. Her family life is filled with conflict, she has a secret, and her boyfriend died in the war. Sofie Baumann is a refugee from Berlin who received a visa by going into domestic service to a hateful and disparaging widower. She’s concerned about her father and sister left behind in Berlin. Will they get visas? Her one relief from it all are her visits to the library and friendship she finds there.
When the library is destroyed by bombs, Juliet manages to relocate the books to the local Underground station where residents take shelter each night. However, tragedy seems to follow them. Will the library be saved? Will Juliet, Katie, and Sofie get their happily ever afters?
Juliet has oppressive parents who she is happy to leave behind in Upper Beeding. She’s smart, needs a challenge, bookish, energetic, empathetic, and has a lot of ideas. Katie is smart, lives at home with her parents and brothers, and has a secret. Sofie uses books to escape terrible times. She is worried about her family in Berlin and is treated horribly by her employer. The characterization is the main and supporting characters is excellent.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel. The characters were likeable and the focus was on women, the roles others wanted for them, what the women wanted for themselves, and the challenges they faced in achieving them. Other themes included friendship, family, life choices, wartime danger, community, found family, sacrifice, volunteerism, treatment of others, the power of books, hope, and romance.
Overall, I learned a lot about these women who had a vision and pursued it relentlessly as well as about the library itself and the internment camps on the Isle of Man. The excellent characterization made this book special. The author did significant research and I recommend reading her note after completing the novel.
Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books and Jennifer Ryan provided a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently expected to be March 12, 2024.
----------------------------------------
My 4.36 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
March 21, 2024
In a Nutshell: A historical fiction based on true events, focussing on the functioning of the Bethnal Green Library from the local underground station during the WWII Blitz. The ending was a bit too smooth for my liking, but the rest of the plot was worth it. I learnt a few new facts as well, which isn’t something I expected. Recommended!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
I am still on a sabbatical from WWII fiction. Historical fiction is actually among my favourite genres, but I have burnt myself out reading too many similar WWII stories. The only reason I grabbed this novel is that I had enjoyed Jennifer Ryan’s ‘The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle’, another WWII work covering a part of the war I knew nothing about. I was hoping for a similar experience this time around, and luckily, this one worked even better.
Bookish Yays:
💐 The three female characters: strong girls in tough circumstances. I liked all of them almost equally, which is quite rare in multi-character novels.
💐 The story alternates across the three leading ladies without feeling jumpy. There are clearly defined perspectives and behavioural traits, and the three girls never sound like copies of each other. The personality of each character is distinctly written.
💐 Each girl also battles a personal predicament, thus adding depth to their individual arcs and providing some interesting subplots to the novel.
💐 I loved everything about the library – its functioning, its non-book activities, its shift to the underground station location, and the challenges it faced above and below. That this book was based on the actual Bethnal Green library’s operations during WWII enhanced the appeal. (During the Blitz, the library became the first, and possibly only, bomb-shelter library in all of Britain – wow!)
💐 Even beyond the library, I loved how the story demonstrated the importance of books and reading in bringing joy and hope to people’s lives. This novel proves how books can be an escape from the troubles of reality.
💐 Though I have read plenty of WWII fiction based in the UK, I still learnt some new things about the wartime era. I never knew about internment camps in the Isle of Man. I also liked how effectively the wartime constraints were incorporated into the plotline. The story also includes a couple of real disasters connected to the underground library. The Blitz-related scenes were haunting.
💐 The author’s elaborate note, mentioning the real life incidents in Bethnal Green during the war, and her creative choices on which facts to include and which events to fictionalise. Loved it!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌹 The book has several interesting secondary characters, with Sebastian Falconbury, Mrs. Ottley, Mac, and the two Miss Ridleys being exceptional. However, many of the remaining secondary characters felt cliched and one-noted. The male characters, except for Sebastian and Mac, are either annoying or boring. I also didn’t understand why the book made Mrs. Ottley sound so old when she was described as being ‘about forty’.
🌹 While I do not like romance appearing in non-romance genres, I was slightly better prepared for it this time around, thanks to my experience with this author’s earlier book, which was slightly more romance than historical. Thankfully, only Juliet’s arc had too much of romance; Sofie’s and Katie’s arcs were balanced and romance-free respectively. The romance stays clean and doesn’t overpower the main topic of the library.
Bookish Nays:
🌵 The overly positive ending. I get why such a neat ending was chosen, but it felt too happy and even too straightforward for a WWII work. There was no poignancy despite personal losses. The book would have worked even better for me if the ending had been more realistic than predictable.
Bookish If Onlys:
There is another novel based on the Bethnal Green Library: The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson. I haven’t read this one yet, so I cannot compare the two novels. But what I find really interesting is that both books depict a female librarian driving the success of the library from the underground location. In truth, it was two male librarians, George F Vale and his deputy Stanley Snaith, who were at the helm of library operations. In the Jennifer Ryan book, the only male librarian is a pompous snob who considers women inferior. All other library staff and volunteers are female. I wish there had been at least one positive male librarian character in honour of the real librarians.
All in all, I liked this book a lot. While I do wish that it had dialled down the romantic elements and finetuned the overly smooth finish, it offered me much to enjoy. While I am still not going to rush towards WWII books with open arms, I am now more amenable to giving such books a fair chance.
Definitely recommended to historical fiction readers who love books about books, and even to those fed up of typical WWII fiction.
4 stars.
My thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Underground Library”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
If you enjoy this kind of a story, you might also want to try The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green, another WWII historical fiction about a library book club, but with much less focus on the war and more focus on the book club itself. I loved this novel as well. Its being set in the USA sets it apart from the usual Europe-centric WWII stories.
You can read more about Bethnal Green library’s wartime operations here: https://www.historiamag.com/bethnal-g...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
1940, Bethnal Green, London.
Juliet Lansdown, 26, has just been appointed the new deputy librarian at the Bethnal Green library, but when she takes over, she realises that the head librarian refuses to adopt new ideas to imbue fresh life into the library. Juliet is determined to prove to him that women librarians can handle the job adeptly.
Katie Upwood, 18, loves her job at the library though it is only for the short term before she heads off to university. But after the death of her boyfriend on the front line and some big personal upheavals, Katie finds herself handling a life-altering problem with no one to help out.
Sofie Baumann, 19, a young German-Jewish refugee, has come to London on a domestic service visa, only to be stuck with an employer who treats her miserably. She cannot leave her job as it’s the only way she can legally stay in London. The library is her refuge from drudgery while she hopes to reunite with her sister and her father, who are still stuck in Germany.
The story comes to us in the third person perspective of these three characters.
I am still on a sabbatical from WWII fiction. Historical fiction is actually among my favourite genres, but I have burnt myself out reading too many similar WWII stories. The only reason I grabbed this novel is that I had enjoyed Jennifer Ryan’s ‘The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle’, another WWII work covering a part of the war I knew nothing about. I was hoping for a similar experience this time around, and luckily, this one worked even better.
Bookish Yays:
💐 The three female characters: strong girls in tough circumstances. I liked all of them almost equally, which is quite rare in multi-character novels.
💐 The story alternates across the three leading ladies without feeling jumpy. There are clearly defined perspectives and behavioural traits, and the three girls never sound like copies of each other. The personality of each character is distinctly written.
💐 Each girl also battles a personal predicament, thus adding depth to their individual arcs and providing some interesting subplots to the novel.
💐 I loved everything about the library – its functioning, its non-book activities, its shift to the underground station location, and the challenges it faced above and below. That this book was based on the actual Bethnal Green library’s operations during WWII enhanced the appeal. (During the Blitz, the library became the first, and possibly only, bomb-shelter library in all of Britain – wow!)
💐 Even beyond the library, I loved how the story demonstrated the importance of books and reading in bringing joy and hope to people’s lives. This novel proves how books can be an escape from the troubles of reality.
💐 Though I have read plenty of WWII fiction based in the UK, I still learnt some new things about the wartime era. I never knew about internment camps in the Isle of Man. I also liked how effectively the wartime constraints were incorporated into the plotline. The story also includes a couple of real disasters connected to the underground library. The Blitz-related scenes were haunting.
💐 The author’s elaborate note, mentioning the real life incidents in Bethnal Green during the war, and her creative choices on which facts to include and which events to fictionalise. Loved it!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌹 The book has several interesting secondary characters, with Sebastian Falconbury, Mrs. Ottley, Mac, and the two Miss Ridleys being exceptional. However, many of the remaining secondary characters felt cliched and one-noted. The male characters, except for Sebastian and Mac, are either annoying or boring. I also didn’t understand why the book made Mrs. Ottley sound so old when she was described as being ‘about forty’.
🌹 While I do not like romance appearing in non-romance genres, I was slightly better prepared for it this time around, thanks to my experience with this author’s earlier book, which was slightly more romance than historical. Thankfully, only Juliet’s arc had too much of romance; Sofie’s and Katie’s arcs were balanced and romance-free respectively. The romance stays clean and doesn’t overpower the main topic of the library.
Bookish Nays:
🌵 The overly positive ending. I get why such a neat ending was chosen, but it felt too happy and even too straightforward for a WWII work. There was no poignancy despite personal losses. The book would have worked even better for me if the ending had been more realistic than predictable.
Bookish If Onlys:
There is another novel based on the Bethnal Green Library: The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson. I haven’t read this one yet, so I cannot compare the two novels. But what I find really interesting is that both books depict a female librarian driving the success of the library from the underground location. In truth, it was two male librarians, George F Vale and his deputy Stanley Snaith, who were at the helm of library operations. In the Jennifer Ryan book, the only male librarian is a pompous snob who considers women inferior. All other library staff and volunteers are female. I wish there had been at least one positive male librarian character in honour of the real librarians.
All in all, I liked this book a lot. While I do wish that it had dialled down the romantic elements and finetuned the overly smooth finish, it offered me much to enjoy. While I am still not going to rush towards WWII books with open arms, I am now more amenable to giving such books a fair chance.
Definitely recommended to historical fiction readers who love books about books, and even to those fed up of typical WWII fiction.
4 stars.
My thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Underground Library”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
If you enjoy this kind of a story, you might also want to try The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green, another WWII historical fiction about a library book club, but with much less focus on the war and more focus on the book club itself. I loved this novel as well. Its being set in the USA sets it apart from the usual Europe-centric WWII stories.
You can read more about Bethnal Green library’s wartime operations here: https://www.historiamag.com/bethnal-g...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
March 25, 2024
“Libraries aren’t only about books; they’re about people. They’re about human life, how books can mend hearts, comfort wounds, and inspire us. But most of all, books can bring people together. Their ideas and thoughts make us realize that we are not alone, that we are all connected.”
Set WWII London, The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan revolves around three women whose lives intersect during the London Blitz. Elegant prose, well-thought-out characters and a consistently paced and fluid narrative make for an engaging read.
After her fiancée goes missing in Dunkirk, twenty-six-year-old Juliet Lansdown moves to London, where she finds employment at Bethnal Green Library as Deputy Librarian. She approaches her new position with eagerness and undertakes several initiatives to engage the community. In London, she also meets an old acquaintance from her village who encourages her to volunteer for the war effort in London. Eighteen-year-old library assistant Katie Upwood’s plans to attend university in the fall are upended after an unexpected development leaves her with no choice but to wait for her boyfriend to return from the front. But when tragedy strikes, she has no one to turn to but the friends she has made in the library. The library also provides nineteen-year-old Sofie Baumann, a Jewish refugee from Berlin who fled Nazi occupation under a work visa, a place to enjoy the books she loves among people who offer her kindness and friendship. Employed as a maid in the house of a vile widower, she is desperate to find out what happened to the family members whom she had to leave behind. After the library is bombed during the London Blitz, Juliet takes the initiative to relocate the surviving books into the Bethnal Green Underground Station – a mammoth task in itself compounded by her immediate boss’ resistance to the idea. But Julia and her friend succeed in their plans and Underground Library becomes a refuge from death and devastation all around, The narrative follows these three women and their friends as they rally around one another, lending support, kindness, a sense of community and friendship in one another’s time of need.
“Books give us so many things…..They give us a world to imagine, a cozy corner to lull us to sleep on a hard cold stone floor. They give us facts and figures to guide us, a knitting pattern or a recipe to help us with the rations, a map of the world or a history of Europe, the poets from the last war, and the news of this war, too. They give us joy, hope, and inspiration. They help us to see inside someone else’s world, empathize with people we’ve never met—and if there is one thing the world needs right now, it is the willingness to understand and connect.”
The narrative is shared from the perspectives of the three protagonists . The author has skillfully woven the different threads of this novel into a cohesive narrative. I was invested in the storylines of all three main characters and enjoyed the insights into life in the Bethnal Ground Underground community. It’s always rewarding to read about how books and the love for reading can bring people together. The novel touches upon several interesting aspects of WII such as how women contributed to the war effort back home, the British policy for internment of Jewish refugees and the psychological impact of war on those returning from the front. Given the three distinct storylines, there was a lot to cover in terms of each of the character's personal experiences during those difficult times. However, I would have enjoyed the story more had less emphasis been given to the romantic relationships of the characters and more time been devoted to the historical aspects. The ending is a bit too neatly tied up, but I respect the author’s choice to end the story on a positive note.
“But life isn’t always about choosing the plot. It’s about plunging in or plugging on, becoming submerged in your own story, having the courage to dip your head beneath the surface.”
The informative Author’s Note detailing the people, places and events that inspired this novel definitely enriched the overall reading experience.
3.75⭐️
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Underground Library was published on March 12, 2024.
Note: This novel is the second work of historical fiction featuring the Bethnal Green Underground Library that I’ve read , the first being Kate Thompson’s The Little Wartime Library which I would definitely recommend to fans of WWII historical fiction.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
Set WWII London, The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan revolves around three women whose lives intersect during the London Blitz. Elegant prose, well-thought-out characters and a consistently paced and fluid narrative make for an engaging read.
After her fiancée goes missing in Dunkirk, twenty-six-year-old Juliet Lansdown moves to London, where she finds employment at Bethnal Green Library as Deputy Librarian. She approaches her new position with eagerness and undertakes several initiatives to engage the community. In London, she also meets an old acquaintance from her village who encourages her to volunteer for the war effort in London. Eighteen-year-old library assistant Katie Upwood’s plans to attend university in the fall are upended after an unexpected development leaves her with no choice but to wait for her boyfriend to return from the front. But when tragedy strikes, she has no one to turn to but the friends she has made in the library. The library also provides nineteen-year-old Sofie Baumann, a Jewish refugee from Berlin who fled Nazi occupation under a work visa, a place to enjoy the books she loves among people who offer her kindness and friendship. Employed as a maid in the house of a vile widower, she is desperate to find out what happened to the family members whom she had to leave behind. After the library is bombed during the London Blitz, Juliet takes the initiative to relocate the surviving books into the Bethnal Green Underground Station – a mammoth task in itself compounded by her immediate boss’ resistance to the idea. But Julia and her friend succeed in their plans and Underground Library becomes a refuge from death and devastation all around, The narrative follows these three women and their friends as they rally around one another, lending support, kindness, a sense of community and friendship in one another’s time of need.
“Books give us so many things…..They give us a world to imagine, a cozy corner to lull us to sleep on a hard cold stone floor. They give us facts and figures to guide us, a knitting pattern or a recipe to help us with the rations, a map of the world or a history of Europe, the poets from the last war, and the news of this war, too. They give us joy, hope, and inspiration. They help us to see inside someone else’s world, empathize with people we’ve never met—and if there is one thing the world needs right now, it is the willingness to understand and connect.”
The narrative is shared from the perspectives of the three protagonists . The author has skillfully woven the different threads of this novel into a cohesive narrative. I was invested in the storylines of all three main characters and enjoyed the insights into life in the Bethnal Ground Underground community. It’s always rewarding to read about how books and the love for reading can bring people together. The novel touches upon several interesting aspects of WII such as how women contributed to the war effort back home, the British policy for internment of Jewish refugees and the psychological impact of war on those returning from the front. Given the three distinct storylines, there was a lot to cover in terms of each of the character's personal experiences during those difficult times. However, I would have enjoyed the story more had less emphasis been given to the romantic relationships of the characters and more time been devoted to the historical aspects. The ending is a bit too neatly tied up, but I respect the author’s choice to end the story on a positive note.
“But life isn’t always about choosing the plot. It’s about plunging in or plugging on, becoming submerged in your own story, having the courage to dip your head beneath the surface.”
The informative Author’s Note detailing the people, places and events that inspired this novel definitely enriched the overall reading experience.
3.75⭐️
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Underground Library was published on March 12, 2024.
Note: This novel is the second work of historical fiction featuring the Bethnal Green Underground Library that I’ve read , the first being Kate Thompson’s The Little Wartime Library which I would definitely recommend to fans of WWII historical fiction.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
February 17, 2024
3.5 stars, rounded down
I always feel like it’s a bit of a crap shoot whether to take on one more WWII fiction. Is there anything left to learn? Will I feel it’s all been done before? But Jennifer Ryan has once again crafted an historical fiction with characters I quickly came to care about. The story is from the perspective of three young women during the London Blitz. Juliet has just accepted the job of deputy librarian at the Bethnal Green Library. Katie is the young receptionist at the library. And Sophie is a German Jew who has managed to get a visa to work as a maid in the neighborhood. Each woman has her own issues beyond the horrors of the Blitz. When the library is bombed, the women band together to save what books they can to the tube station.
Ryan manages to convey the day to day life of London at war - the nights spent in the underground stations, the ambulance corps, the smells and pervasive smoke and dust, the rations and food shortages. She does an equally impressive job with the big moments - bombs crashing into the library and the tube station. I was impressed to learn facts I hadn’t known before, especially concerning the British internment camps on the Isle of Man for foreigners, including European Jews.
At times the book veers into soap opera territory and it was equal parts romance to meaningful historical story. And I felt the ending was a little too “happily ever after”. But yet, the story did draw me in, mainly because of the characters. Based on a true story, albeit with some major changes to the story.
My thanks to netgalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for an advance copy of this book.
I always feel like it’s a bit of a crap shoot whether to take on one more WWII fiction. Is there anything left to learn? Will I feel it’s all been done before? But Jennifer Ryan has once again crafted an historical fiction with characters I quickly came to care about. The story is from the perspective of three young women during the London Blitz. Juliet has just accepted the job of deputy librarian at the Bethnal Green Library. Katie is the young receptionist at the library. And Sophie is a German Jew who has managed to get a visa to work as a maid in the neighborhood. Each woman has her own issues beyond the horrors of the Blitz. When the library is bombed, the women band together to save what books they can to the tube station.
Ryan manages to convey the day to day life of London at war - the nights spent in the underground stations, the ambulance corps, the smells and pervasive smoke and dust, the rations and food shortages. She does an equally impressive job with the big moments - bombs crashing into the library and the tube station. I was impressed to learn facts I hadn’t known before, especially concerning the British internment camps on the Isle of Man for foreigners, including European Jews.
At times the book veers into soap opera territory and it was equal parts romance to meaningful historical story. And I felt the ending was a little too “happily ever after”. But yet, the story did draw me in, mainly because of the characters. Based on a true story, albeit with some major changes to the story.
My thanks to netgalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for an advance copy of this book.
March 14, 2024
Juliet Lansdown is the new deputy librarian at Bethnal Green Library and it’s a far cry from volunteering in her small home town one and in the village Upper Beeding. Juliet discovers her boss doesn’t think she's capable and up to doing the job, the beautiful library isn’t as busy as it once was, Juliet has a few ideas how to change this and want's to prove him wrong.
Katie Upwood loves working at the Bethnal Green Library, for the summer and then she's off to university in autumn and she can’t wait. Katie and her neighbour have been dating, both are intellectual and she’s devastated when she hears he's been is killed in the war. Life at home isn’t easy, her father is busy with his ‘war work’ and her mum is tense and Katie is hiding a secret from her.
Sofie Baumann is Jewish, she leaves her sister and father behind in Berlin and travels to London on a domestic service visa, and she works as a maid and her employer is a horrible man. Sofie is all alone and who can she complain to, and would they care? Sofie escapes to the library, here meets Juliet and Katie and other members of a new reading group and they even offer to help find her sister.
When the Blitz begins, the bombs start reigning down, there’s not enough places to shelter, people are at breaking point and they start using the underground train stations as a place to sleep and it grows into an underground community. Juliet starts reading out loud one night in the Bethnal Green Station, she has people of all ages gathered around listening to her, it takes their minds of the lack sleep, bombs and worrying about love ones fighting in the war. Juliet and Katie would love to open an underground library, books and reading provides a way for frazzled people to relax, a break from reality and transports them to another place.
I received a copy of The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan from Ballantine Books and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Once again Ms. Ryan has exceeded my high expectations with her empathetic and eloquent style of writing, attention to detail and a story that will take you back in time. The reader gets to experience what is was like for Londoners during the Second World War, adults worked during the day, many volunteered at night by driving ambulances, mobile canteens, and were fire wardens and Londoners certainly had “Blitz Sprit.”
The narrative is full of likable and memorable charters, some of my favourites are, Juliet, Katie, Sofie, Mrs. Ottley, Sebastian, Marigold, Mac, and sister's Dorothy and Irene Ridley. Reading provided comfort, an escape and brought people and the community together. Five stars from me, I highly recommend The Underground Library and the author's previous book The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle.
Katie Upwood loves working at the Bethnal Green Library, for the summer and then she's off to university in autumn and she can’t wait. Katie and her neighbour have been dating, both are intellectual and she’s devastated when she hears he's been is killed in the war. Life at home isn’t easy, her father is busy with his ‘war work’ and her mum is tense and Katie is hiding a secret from her.
Sofie Baumann is Jewish, she leaves her sister and father behind in Berlin and travels to London on a domestic service visa, and she works as a maid and her employer is a horrible man. Sofie is all alone and who can she complain to, and would they care? Sofie escapes to the library, here meets Juliet and Katie and other members of a new reading group and they even offer to help find her sister.
When the Blitz begins, the bombs start reigning down, there’s not enough places to shelter, people are at breaking point and they start using the underground train stations as a place to sleep and it grows into an underground community. Juliet starts reading out loud one night in the Bethnal Green Station, she has people of all ages gathered around listening to her, it takes their minds of the lack sleep, bombs and worrying about love ones fighting in the war. Juliet and Katie would love to open an underground library, books and reading provides a way for frazzled people to relax, a break from reality and transports them to another place.
I received a copy of The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan from Ballantine Books and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Once again Ms. Ryan has exceeded my high expectations with her empathetic and eloquent style of writing, attention to detail and a story that will take you back in time. The reader gets to experience what is was like for Londoners during the Second World War, adults worked during the day, many volunteered at night by driving ambulances, mobile canteens, and were fire wardens and Londoners certainly had “Blitz Sprit.”
The narrative is full of likable and memorable charters, some of my favourites are, Juliet, Katie, Sofie, Mrs. Ottley, Sebastian, Marigold, Mac, and sister's Dorothy and Irene Ridley. Reading provided comfort, an escape and brought people and the community together. Five stars from me, I highly recommend The Underground Library and the author's previous book The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle.
February 7, 2024
Generally, I'm done with reading books about World War II, as there isn't a whole lot left to tell differently. But if the story is strong and the writing has merit, I will give it a chance. Jennifer Ryan is a new author to me, and her 2024 release, The Underground Library, was listed on NetGalley as a top read. It was about books, so I decided to give it a chance. Three women who work in a British library during the war struggle to accomplish goals in their lives. One woman escaped the Nazis. Another was being forced into a marriage. And the third lost her fiancé in military service. they develop friendships and enemies, but through it all they keep the library running. It's a good example of historical fiction that transports you to the time period with ease, and seeing the different levels of wealth and religious persecution was essential to the story. Enjoyed it a lot; will give the author another read.
December 28, 2023
Based on a true story. Set in London during WWII, when tube stations were being used for underground shelters. The book centers around an underground library and a group of women who became fast friends while making this happen. So many side stories. These women were from different backgrounds and became tied together because of the underground library. The story reflects the challenges faced by those remaining in London, from a woman who sent her beloved children to the country for their safety to a Jewish refugee and the challenges she faced. That’s just a few of the side stories. The author did an outstanding job of presenting the main characters, their dilemmas and outcomes. Highly recommend.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 23, 2024
This story is set in London where three young women - Sofie, Katie, and Julie - share their stories of their lives as the war has begun. They meet at the Library, which opened in October of 1922, but it isn’t long before the German bombs destroy the roof of the library, and when they are forced to seek shelter underground, they decide to bring the library underground, as well.
This novel is an ode to books, libraries, and librarians, as well as a story that shares the hardships of the times, the toll it took on everyone, as well as the willingness to step outside of their comfort zones and help one another, while also covering some of the issues of the times, and what some people had to endure. Worrying about their loved ones who were soldiers fighting against Germany, especially as the war made communication between them and their families impossible in many cases.
If you're interested, there is a photo online of some of the people who were among those seeking shelter underground:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/202...
Pub Date: 12 Mar 2024
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books
February 17, 2024
I was hesitant to read another book about World War II as I have read so many before. They are all heart-wrenching and I have trouble getting my head around how the Nazi mentality became so pervasive that it created a world war. Such a nightmare! I encourage you to read the author's note at the end explaining where the story comes from and the many elements of truth in the writing.
This book is a great piece of historic fiction. It was truly well-researched and incorporated so many things that truly happened during World War II in London, England. The story focuses on the underground library in Bethnal Green where the bombings caused the library to move to an underground tube station. The story showcases how the community pulled together and supported each other during the war - basically living underground every night as the bombings took place. It also shows how women were affected by the war and, with so many men gone off to fight, how they stepped up to fill jobs and take on more responsibilities and care for themselves and each other. T
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through Netgalley for an advance copy. Expected publication on March 12, 2024.
This book is a great piece of historic fiction. It was truly well-researched and incorporated so many things that truly happened during World War II in London, England. The story focuses on the underground library in Bethnal Green where the bombings caused the library to move to an underground tube station. The story showcases how the community pulled together and supported each other during the war - basically living underground every night as the bombings took place. It also shows how women were affected by the war and, with so many men gone off to fight, how they stepped up to fill jobs and take on more responsibilities and care for themselves and each other. T
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through Netgalley for an advance copy. Expected publication on March 12, 2024.
March 19, 2024
4.5 stars. I’m so excited to be pre-approved for an ARC from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine via NetGalley. Based on true life events.. this story follows the lives of three courageous ladies in London during WWll. I thoroughly enjoyed how the author told the narrative of each of these women.. their own battles they faced during such a tumultuous time in history;
*JULIET: new Deputy Director at the Bethnel Green Library
*KATIE: librarian at BGL, starting college in the fall, and mourning boyfriend who is missing in the war
*SOPHIE: a German Jewish refugee, seeks to find family left behind.
I applaud these women, through strong will and determination they persevered to save their neighborhood library after bombs destroyed it during the Blitz. I adored the passion these women felt to see their project through, not only for their own personal reasons, but for the enjoyment of all during this time of upheaval, sadness and change. What a mesmerizing tale of courage, love and sacrifice, and the friendship between these women was everything. This is my first Jennifer Ryan book. ❥ — Pub. 3/12/24
All opinions are my own.
*JULIET: new Deputy Director at the Bethnel Green Library
*KATIE: librarian at BGL, starting college in the fall, and mourning boyfriend who is missing in the war
*SOPHIE: a German Jewish refugee, seeks to find family left behind.
I applaud these women, through strong will and determination they persevered to save their neighborhood library after bombs destroyed it during the Blitz. I adored the passion these women felt to see their project through, not only for their own personal reasons, but for the enjoyment of all during this time of upheaval, sadness and change. What a mesmerizing tale of courage, love and sacrifice, and the friendship between these women was everything. This is my first Jennifer Ryan book. ❥ — Pub. 3/12/24
All opinions are my own.
March 11, 2024
Much like Jennifer Ryan's previous historical fiction book, The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle, which I liked very much, this is a sweet story that highlights the lives of three young women in London, England during the time of the Blitz.
This novel does not contain any new material that isn't already in many other WWII historical fiction books; characters separated from family, vivid scenes of bombings, brave men and women, unscrupulous thieves, and generous people with little to share. But what it does show us, is how strangers quickly become friends, friends become family, and true love can be found in the most unlikely places. It also opens our eyes again to how many innocent citizens, not just the military, lose their lives during war. This is something that is occurring even in our present times.
This was an interesting slice of history that was based on the true story of the Bethnal Green Library in London. The library was truly bombed at the beginning of the Blitz and then moved to underground shelter tunnels. These shelters became underground communities for civilians who often spent the entire night there together, providing people with a library, medical care, food, shelter, and even a school for children.
I enjoyed the stories of Juliet, Katie, and Sophie and their strong determination to overcome adversity and even danger. The author's note at the end of the book should definitely not be missed.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing-Ballantine Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own,
This novel does not contain any new material that isn't already in many other WWII historical fiction books; characters separated from family, vivid scenes of bombings, brave men and women, unscrupulous thieves, and generous people with little to share. But what it does show us, is how strangers quickly become friends, friends become family, and true love can be found in the most unlikely places. It also opens our eyes again to how many innocent citizens, not just the military, lose their lives during war. This is something that is occurring even in our present times.
This was an interesting slice of history that was based on the true story of the Bethnal Green Library in London. The library was truly bombed at the beginning of the Blitz and then moved to underground shelter tunnels. These shelters became underground communities for civilians who often spent the entire night there together, providing people with a library, medical care, food, shelter, and even a school for children.
I enjoyed the stories of Juliet, Katie, and Sophie and their strong determination to overcome adversity and even danger. The author's note at the end of the book should definitely not be missed.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing-Ballantine Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own,
March 18, 2024
London is being bombed, and we meet three women with troubles of their own who want to save the library and its beloved books.
Juliet is in charge of the library.
Katie works in the library and has a secret.
Sophie is a refugee employed as a housekeeper in the home of an awful man, finds solace in the library, and is trying to find out information about her family left behind.
Books are a comfort for all three women, and they make books the comfort of those who are sheltering during the bombings by moving the books from the bombed Bethnal Green Library to the Underground.
What a wonderful way to use the Undergrounds - this is based on a true event.
THE UNDERGROUND LIBRARY is another lovely, heartwarming read by Ms. Ryan as we follow the three women and see that books are the saving grace for many during these dark times.
The book also focused more on the library and its importance to keep up morale and friendships instead of the war.
You will love the characters and will miss them when the book ends.
They all helped and supported each other and were characters you would have loved to be with. 5/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Juliet is in charge of the library.
Katie works in the library and has a secret.
Sophie is a refugee employed as a housekeeper in the home of an awful man, finds solace in the library, and is trying to find out information about her family left behind.
Books are a comfort for all three women, and they make books the comfort of those who are sheltering during the bombings by moving the books from the bombed Bethnal Green Library to the Underground.
What a wonderful way to use the Undergrounds - this is based on a true event.
THE UNDERGROUND LIBRARY is another lovely, heartwarming read by Ms. Ryan as we follow the three women and see that books are the saving grace for many during these dark times.
The book also focused more on the library and its importance to keep up morale and friendships instead of the war.
You will love the characters and will miss them when the book ends.
They all helped and supported each other and were characters you would have loved to be with. 5/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
March 27, 2024
This is a book lover’s book. Based on the real Bethnal Green Library which opened in 1922 and by necessity was moved underground during the London Blitz in WWII providing a place of sanctuary for so many people. (Look it up on Google).
The author has captured the fear and horror of bombs dropping overhead and people scrambling for cover but she has also captured the sense of companionship, friendships and strangers helping one another in times of dire need. Something we could use more of today.
We are introduced to the private lives of many of the people that made use of the underground library, and I can assure you they all have interesting stories to tell. Our main characters Katie, Sofie and Juliet are portrayed very convincingly, but you will be hard pressed not to become involved in the heartbreaks and triumphs of all these people.
If you love books and believe libraries are special this is the book for you:
“Libraries aren’t only about books, they’re about people.” (Pg.344)
This was a lovely heartfelt read!
The author has captured the fear and horror of bombs dropping overhead and people scrambling for cover but she has also captured the sense of companionship, friendships and strangers helping one another in times of dire need. Something we could use more of today.
We are introduced to the private lives of many of the people that made use of the underground library, and I can assure you they all have interesting stories to tell. Our main characters Katie, Sofie and Juliet are portrayed very convincingly, but you will be hard pressed not to become involved in the heartbreaks and triumphs of all these people.
If you love books and believe libraries are special this is the book for you:
“Libraries aren’t only about books, they’re about people.” (Pg.344)
This was a lovely heartfelt read!
March 17, 2024
3.5
What a lovely ode to the power of books and how a love of reading builds connections and provides an escape during harrowing times. Set in London during WWII, and the plot centers around the lives of three women intersecting at the Bethnal Green Library. The author’s note at the end outlines the true story that inspired the tale. The read is an immersive one, the horrors of the Blitz and the struggles on the home front providing the backdrop to the three engaging protagonists’ stories. While I thought the novel wrapped up a bit too neatly, this is an easy, light read that pays homage to the community of readers, the sisterhood of female friendship, and the stalwartness of the human heart.
What a lovely ode to the power of books and how a love of reading builds connections and provides an escape during harrowing times. Set in London during WWII, and the plot centers around the lives of three women intersecting at the Bethnal Green Library. The author’s note at the end outlines the true story that inspired the tale. The read is an immersive one, the horrors of the Blitz and the struggles on the home front providing the backdrop to the three engaging protagonists’ stories. While I thought the novel wrapped up a bit too neatly, this is an easy, light read that pays homage to the community of readers, the sisterhood of female friendship, and the stalwartness of the human heart.
January 17, 2024
I struggled with this book from the get go. Just something about the writing style didn’t pull me in. I found the characters to be a bit flat and just problematic overall. As the book continues the story is a good one and interesting, but there are some factual errors. While I do think certain liberties can be taken with fiction, other things should not be changed on a whim. I just wasn’t compelled by this story and found it easily forgettable.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest opinion.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest opinion.
November 26, 2023
4.5 stars. Loved it!
March 23, 2024
I've always been intrigued by books about The Blitz and books about libraries/book clubs. Since this is a combination of the two, I figured it was a "can't miss." novel. I was right. Compelling characters and true-to-life descriptions will transport you to 1940 London as you peruse a book in the underground tunnels while bombs drop overhead. Highly recommend.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers. My reviews voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers. My reviews voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
October 24, 2023
Genre: Historical/Women's Fiction
Publisher: Random House
Pub. Date: March 12, 2024
Mini-Review
"The Underground Library" is a historical fiction novel based on real events. The novel centers on three young women who play a crucial role in saving the Bethnal Green Library from bomb damage in London during WWII. They achieve this by relocating the library's remaining volumes to the neighboring underground station, where locals sleep every night for protection as the Blitz encircles them. Although I enjoyed this book, I probably would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't recently read three other WWII historical fiction novels.
The below link is from https://bibliobloggityboo.com/author/.... It describes her mother as one of the actual women involved.
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK....
I received this novel at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://books6259.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com
https://www.amazon.com
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/c...
Publisher: Random House
Pub. Date: March 12, 2024
Mini-Review
"The Underground Library" is a historical fiction novel based on real events. The novel centers on three young women who play a crucial role in saving the Bethnal Green Library from bomb damage in London during WWII. They achieve this by relocating the library's remaining volumes to the neighboring underground station, where locals sleep every night for protection as the Blitz encircles them. Although I enjoyed this book, I probably would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't recently read three other WWII historical fiction novels.
The below link is from https://bibliobloggityboo.com/author/.... It describes her mother as one of the actual women involved.
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK....
I received this novel at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://books6259.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com
https://www.amazon.com
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/c...
March 8, 2024
Three women unite in Bethnal Green to create an underground library during the London blitz. This library creates an escape from the violence of the Nazi blitz both for them and for the people around them. Sophie, a German Jew, has recently escaped Germany and is working as a servant in the house of a cruel man, hoping her family will soon join her. Juliet has recently become the deputy librarian and is trying to keep the library alive amidst a war-torn London. Katie's fiancé died during the war and she was left behind; however, she soon discovers he left her with more than a broken heart. These three women band together with other members of Bethnal Green to create a library in the London underground, where hundreds shelter during the blitz.
This is a feel-good tale for book lovers everywhere as well as those who enjoy WWII fiction. It gives a portrait of England during the war, and is especially interesting since it's based on the true story of a library in the underground in Bethnal Green during WWII. Hearing Sophie's story was especially interesting, especially her peaceful interment as a suspicious German Jew in England.
Unfortunately, this story wasn't a win for me. I've read too much multi-POV WWII recently, and while I wanted this story to be unique, it just wasn't. The characters lacked depth, the writing was extremely cliche, and the ending was far too happy and trite. Everything turned out well, the characters got happy endings, and the war seemed almost extraneous to the plot at times. While the element of the underground library was interesting, the two-dimensional characters (2D because of the multi-POV) really detracted from the story. This book just wasn't for me.
Thanks to Netgalley for the arc.
This is a feel-good tale for book lovers everywhere as well as those who enjoy WWII fiction. It gives a portrait of England during the war, and is especially interesting since it's based on the true story of a library in the underground in Bethnal Green during WWII. Hearing Sophie's story was especially interesting, especially her peaceful interment as a suspicious German Jew in England.
Unfortunately, this story wasn't a win for me. I've read too much multi-POV WWII recently, and while I wanted this story to be unique, it just wasn't. The characters lacked depth, the writing was extremely cliche, and the ending was far too happy and trite. Everything turned out well, the characters got happy endings, and the war seemed almost extraneous to the plot at times. While the element of the underground library was interesting, the two-dimensional characters (2D because of the multi-POV) really detracted from the story. This book just wasn't for me.
Thanks to Netgalley for the arc.
October 16, 2023
During the London Blitz, three women help to save the Bethnal Green Library after it is bombed, by moving surviving books to the nearby Underground station, where citizens also bunk nightly for safety. Thrilling!
March 14, 2024
Another fantastic WWII historical fiction novel based on the real underground Bethnal Green wartime library, told through the POV of three very different women - a new deputy librarian struggling to make a place for herself in a previously male-dominated position, a Jewish refugee searching for her sister and a young pregnant woman grieving her dead fiancee.
Moving and heartfelt full of important messages about courage, the indomitability and strength of women and the power of books to provide solace during difficult times. Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of books like Kate Thompson's The little wartime library. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
Favorite quote: "Libraries aren't only about books, they're about people, they're about human life. How books can mend hearts, comfort wounds and inspire us. But most of all, books can bring people together. Their ideas and thoughts make us realize that we are not alone. That we are all connected."
Moving and heartfelt full of important messages about courage, the indomitability and strength of women and the power of books to provide solace during difficult times. Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of books like Kate Thompson's The little wartime library. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
Favorite quote: "Libraries aren't only about books, they're about people, they're about human life. How books can mend hearts, comfort wounds and inspire us. But most of all, books can bring people together. Their ideas and thoughts make us realize that we are not alone. That we are all connected."
March 20, 2024
The Underground Library was an engaging work of historic fiction. I really enjoyed how it incorporated a different look at life during World War II. The story itself focuses on life during the bombings in London England, and tells the story from the point of view of three women, and how a library brought them together.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
Historical Fiction
Multiple POV
Town coming together
Strong Women
Suspense
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?
The majority of this book was a fast pace.
Thank you Ballantine Books for this gift to copy and exchange from my honest opinions.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
Historical Fiction
Multiple POV
Town coming together
Strong Women
Suspense
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?
The majority of this book was a fast pace.
Thank you Ballantine Books for this gift to copy and exchange from my honest opinions.
March 22, 2024
I sometimes get tired of WWII stories, but I never tire of a Jennifer Ryan novel. Always informative, uplifting, and inspiring, this new book ticks all the boxes.
March 10, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.
First, let me say that Jennifer Ryan has added much to my understanding of what it was like to live in England during WWII. Her meticulously researched stories bring the era alive and make me filled with wonder and pride for the women left at home when the men left to fight the Nazis.
This story begins when Juliet Landsdowne travels to London to serve as Library Assistant Director at the Bethnal Green Library. She is from a very small town and London is, at first, overwhelming. But she is getting away from an unhappy childhood and the loss, and probable death, of her fiance, who was reported missing amid the Dunkirk evacuation.
Although the Library is not all she had hoped, it is much larger than the one in her hometown and she revels in the sheer number of books. The first person she meets is Katie, who is working the front desk until going off to University at the end of the summer. When Katie receives word that her boyfriend is missing and presumed dead, she and Juliet bond over their losses and become good friends. But Katie realizes she has a small problem that she must hide from everyone. Because Katie's boyfriend has left her pregnant, an unforgiveable sin in her parent's world, and one she has no idea how to handle.
One day a young German Jewish refugee comes into the library looking for respite from her employer. She has come to England on a Domestic Visa and must work for the employer who vouched for her, but he is an unhappy and demanding employer who mistreats her and takes advantage of the power he has over her freedom.
These three women work together to form a Reading Group in the Library and when the building is bombed they relocate the Library to the nearby underground train station. There are hundreds of people forced to spend their nights in the train station during the London blitz and the little underground Library becomes very popular with a lot of them.
The story follows the three women, others they become acquatinted with, and, of course, the men they meet. It is a great read and you almost feel as if you are trapped in this underground area with bombs going off all around and above you.
First, let me say that Jennifer Ryan has added much to my understanding of what it was like to live in England during WWII. Her meticulously researched stories bring the era alive and make me filled with wonder and pride for the women left at home when the men left to fight the Nazis.
This story begins when Juliet Landsdowne travels to London to serve as Library Assistant Director at the Bethnal Green Library. She is from a very small town and London is, at first, overwhelming. But she is getting away from an unhappy childhood and the loss, and probable death, of her fiance, who was reported missing amid the Dunkirk evacuation.
Although the Library is not all she had hoped, it is much larger than the one in her hometown and she revels in the sheer number of books. The first person she meets is Katie, who is working the front desk until going off to University at the end of the summer. When Katie receives word that her boyfriend is missing and presumed dead, she and Juliet bond over their losses and become good friends. But Katie realizes she has a small problem that she must hide from everyone. Because Katie's boyfriend has left her pregnant, an unforgiveable sin in her parent's world, and one she has no idea how to handle.
One day a young German Jewish refugee comes into the library looking for respite from her employer. She has come to England on a Domestic Visa and must work for the employer who vouched for her, but he is an unhappy and demanding employer who mistreats her and takes advantage of the power he has over her freedom.
These three women work together to form a Reading Group in the Library and when the building is bombed they relocate the Library to the nearby underground train station. There are hundreds of people forced to spend their nights in the train station during the London blitz and the little underground Library becomes very popular with a lot of them.
The story follows the three women, others they become acquatinted with, and, of course, the men they meet. It is a great read and you almost feel as if you are trapped in this underground area with bombs going off all around and above you.
Shelved as 'set-aside'
April 5, 2024This hurts, but I have to abandon this, at least for a little while. In the second chapter it is mentioned that the librarian character “found her adventures in The Secret Garden” and “Narnia””. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was published in 1950. It very famously takes place DURING THE BLITZ. How how how did that mistake go to print???? That was missed by the author and the editors. It’s possible eventually I’ll get over it enough to keep reading, but it will be a while. I was so looking forward to this too. 😭
March 29, 2024
"To me, books are like old friends, telling us great truths, holding our hands through the difficulties, showing us light and joy at the end of every tunnel."
"Books give us so many things... They give us a world to imagine, a cozy corner to lull us to sleep on a a hard cold stone floor. They give us fact and figures to guide us, a knitting pattern or a recipe to help us with rations, a map of the world or a history of Europe, the poets of the last war, and the news of this war, too. They give us joy, hope, and inspiration. They help us to see inside someone else's world, empathize with people we've never met - and if there is one thing the world needs now, it's the willingness to understand and connect."
A novelized story about the very real Bethnal Green Library in London who, when bombs rained down throughout the Blitz, took their slimmer unharmed stock, and moved them underground to host a fully-functioning lending library underground in the train tunnels. As the Blitz intensified, all of life moved underground in London - friendships, budding romances, school time, meals, conversations, and even libraries. As the intensity of war increases, and tragedy after tragedy ensues, this library becomes the beating heart of this community and strengthens their resolve and resilience, offering hope and a refuge.
This hopeful, beautiful story is told through 3 POVs: Juliet, the new deputy librarian new to Bethnal Green, full of hopes and dreams and ideas. Katie, a loyal library worker and aspiring teacher who is also harboring a shameful secret. And finally, Sofie, a Jewish refugee that has arrived in London on a service visa. The way Ryan weaves their stories, their troubles, their hopes together was so sweet and tender. This story is full of themes of found family, finding solace in one another amidst tragedy, and how communities can band together in times of trial. There was some difficult things that happen in these pages, but ultimately, this is very hopeful and heartfelt. Maybe the ending was a little too tidy, but that could just be for this reader.
Ultimately, I really, really enjoyed this one and am always a sucker for books about books and the healing power of stories.
"Books give us so many things... They give us a world to imagine, a cozy corner to lull us to sleep on a a hard cold stone floor. They give us fact and figures to guide us, a knitting pattern or a recipe to help us with rations, a map of the world or a history of Europe, the poets of the last war, and the news of this war, too. They give us joy, hope, and inspiration. They help us to see inside someone else's world, empathize with people we've never met - and if there is one thing the world needs now, it's the willingness to understand and connect."
A novelized story about the very real Bethnal Green Library in London who, when bombs rained down throughout the Blitz, took their slimmer unharmed stock, and moved them underground to host a fully-functioning lending library underground in the train tunnels. As the Blitz intensified, all of life moved underground in London - friendships, budding romances, school time, meals, conversations, and even libraries. As the intensity of war increases, and tragedy after tragedy ensues, this library becomes the beating heart of this community and strengthens their resolve and resilience, offering hope and a refuge.
This hopeful, beautiful story is told through 3 POVs: Juliet, the new deputy librarian new to Bethnal Green, full of hopes and dreams and ideas. Katie, a loyal library worker and aspiring teacher who is also harboring a shameful secret. And finally, Sofie, a Jewish refugee that has arrived in London on a service visa. The way Ryan weaves their stories, their troubles, their hopes together was so sweet and tender. This story is full of themes of found family, finding solace in one another amidst tragedy, and how communities can band together in times of trial. There was some difficult things that happen in these pages, but ultimately, this is very hopeful and heartfelt. Maybe the ending was a little too tidy, but that could just be for this reader.
Ultimately, I really, really enjoyed this one and am always a sucker for books about books and the healing power of stories.
April 16, 2024
Loved this! Its inspired by the true story of a London library that moved underground during the blitz. We follow three women whose lives are very different but connected through the library. It’s about books and friendship and so good.
March 31, 2024
It’s weird to describe a WWII story as sweet or cheerful, but this one is. It focuses on the friendships and sense of community formed in the London Underground stations that served as shelters during the Blitz. Yes, it was predictable and syrupy sweet, but I really liked the characters and enjoyed reading it anyway.
November 5, 2023
"Books are like old friends, telling us great truths, holding our hands through the difficulties, showing us light and joy at the end of every tunnel.”
The Underground Library is inspired by real life events. During the Blitz of WWII, London's Bethnal Green library was bombed, and the staff moved the library into the underground train station to continue to serve the community. These stations were used as shelters by thousands of people, featuring subterranean schools, medical facilities, and even theaters. This book tells a fictional story against this backdrop, of several women whose shared love of books and reading create a community based on mutual aid and support. Juliet moves to London with dreams of being a librarian, and an AWOL fiance believed to have deserted his military unit. Sofie is a Jewish refugee who managed to escape Berlin with a visa permitting her to work as a domestic in Britain, desperate for news of the sister and father she had to leave behind. Katie is about to begin university when she receives two pieces of shocking news - an unplanned pregnancy, and a boyfriend who is MIA and presumed dead. Their friendships with each other and with others in the community help them find comfort and security in a terrifying and devastating time.
The story itself is quite well researched, rich with period details that make the setting feel immersive, detailed, and specific to the time and place. The author does a good job capturing the feeling of the period, sensitively handling topics such as anxiety, PTSD, army desertion, the plight of Jews in Europe, and exploitation of Jewish refugees in "safe" countries.The characters are sympathetic and well developed. The plot has a satisfying arc and resolution. The writing, however, is inconsistent - at times strong and eloquent, at others clumsy and unpolished. It makes me wish I could edit this book, or that its current editor would have another go at it.
There are frequent spelling errors (principle/principal, pedal/peddle, sight/site, wretch/retch, prize/prise, etc) grammatical errors (eg. "ladened" instead of laden) and incorrect word usage ("plundering" when blundering would be a better fit, or "unmitigated" when unqualified would be more appropriate because to mitigate means to help make less bad so it's usually applied to negative things - we don't really mitigate good things). There are factual errors (for example, postpartum lochia lasts for about six weeks, not a day or two). The dialogue is occasionally a bit weird (commenting on the job of ambulance drivers who deal with the human carnage in the aftermath of bombings, a character opines "“It’s not always a pleasant way to spend an evening.” as if... sometimes it is?) The writing is sometimes awkward ("even now, at a quarter to four, the sun beamed warmth onto her exhausted face." Is it really so weird that the sun is actually still up in the afternoon in August?) And some plot elements seem unrealistic (for example, it's difficult to believe that there are no real qualifications or educational requirements to become a head librarian or a teacher beyond simply wanting to be one). It's unfortunate that the story is marred by many instances of awkward writing, because otherwise it's very good.
P. S. There are many literary references to well-known books, as a book about a library should have, but when the characters were swooning over Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights as a sexy romantic hero I beg to freaking differ. Heathcliff is a violently abusive human dumpster fire, unless wife beating, child abuse, and rage-killing puppies are romantic green flags to you. I hate Heathcliff. I hate Wuthering Heights. And I hate that it gets hailed as a romance when it's not. This is just a me thing, however, and does not affect my rating.
I'm thankful to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Underground Library is inspired by real life events. During the Blitz of WWII, London's Bethnal Green library was bombed, and the staff moved the library into the underground train station to continue to serve the community. These stations were used as shelters by thousands of people, featuring subterranean schools, medical facilities, and even theaters. This book tells a fictional story against this backdrop, of several women whose shared love of books and reading create a community based on mutual aid and support. Juliet moves to London with dreams of being a librarian, and an AWOL fiance believed to have deserted his military unit. Sofie is a Jewish refugee who managed to escape Berlin with a visa permitting her to work as a domestic in Britain, desperate for news of the sister and father she had to leave behind. Katie is about to begin university when she receives two pieces of shocking news - an unplanned pregnancy, and a boyfriend who is MIA and presumed dead. Their friendships with each other and with others in the community help them find comfort and security in a terrifying and devastating time.
The story itself is quite well researched, rich with period details that make the setting feel immersive, detailed, and specific to the time and place. The author does a good job capturing the feeling of the period, sensitively handling topics such as anxiety, PTSD, army desertion, the plight of Jews in Europe, and exploitation of Jewish refugees in "safe" countries.The characters are sympathetic and well developed. The plot has a satisfying arc and resolution. The writing, however, is inconsistent - at times strong and eloquent, at others clumsy and unpolished. It makes me wish I could edit this book, or that its current editor would have another go at it.
There are frequent spelling errors (principle/principal, pedal/peddle, sight/site, wretch/retch, prize/prise, etc) grammatical errors (eg. "ladened" instead of laden) and incorrect word usage ("plundering" when blundering would be a better fit, or "unmitigated" when unqualified would be more appropriate because to mitigate means to help make less bad so it's usually applied to negative things - we don't really mitigate good things). There are factual errors (for example, postpartum lochia lasts for about six weeks, not a day or two). The dialogue is occasionally a bit weird (commenting on the job of ambulance drivers who deal with the human carnage in the aftermath of bombings, a character opines "“It’s not always a pleasant way to spend an evening.” as if... sometimes it is?) The writing is sometimes awkward ("even now, at a quarter to four, the sun beamed warmth onto her exhausted face." Is it really so weird that the sun is actually still up in the afternoon in August?) And some plot elements seem unrealistic (for example, it's difficult to believe that there are no real qualifications or educational requirements to become a head librarian or a teacher beyond simply wanting to be one). It's unfortunate that the story is marred by many instances of awkward writing, because otherwise it's very good.
P. S. There are many literary references to well-known books, as a book about a library should have, but when the characters were swooning over Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights as a sexy romantic hero I beg to freaking differ. Heathcliff is a violently abusive human dumpster fire, unless wife beating, child abuse, and rage-killing puppies are romantic green flags to you. I hate Heathcliff. I hate Wuthering Heights. And I hate that it gets hailed as a romance when it's not. This is just a me thing, however, and does not affect my rating.
I'm thankful to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
October 23, 2023
Wow! This was a wonderful story set in the East End of London leading up to and during the Blitz of World War II. It is framed in actual events and focuses on the lives of three rather different women all brought together by one cause - the love of reading and the desire to share it and imbue that love in others. There's Sophie, a young Jewish refugee working on a domestic service visa. Kate is a young college-bound girl whose sudden change in situation derails her plans and subjects her to society's scrutiny. Then there is Juliet, the deputy librarian, fortuitously serving in a traditional man's profession. She has strong ideas and a desire to serve the community and help others develop a love for reading. It's at Bethnal Green Library where these women meet. Through their shared love of reading, amidst the horrors of a war torn neighborhood under attack, they build strong friendships and bond over their shared love for books and sharing that love with their community.
Having read other books by Jennifer Ryan, I knew that I was in for a treat with this one. As anticipated, it did not disappoint. On the contrary, it carried me away to a different time and place and held me there in thrall through the entire book. It filled me with a full range of emotions and empathy for the characters as they quietly struggled. The initial tears of sorrow and angst give way to tears of shear joy and hope. Who could imagine that a library would become the lifeline that everyone needed?
Ms. Ryan has deftly written a beautiful and engrossing story. She has done her research which is no less than herculean. Using actual events for the framework, she weaves the stories of these three women in and around it. The reader gains glimpses of the amazing spirit of the British people and their willingness to carry on through the darkest of hours. Arching above it all is the amazing power of story to transcend the challenges of life and carry us to a safe and wonderful place, if only for a brief period of time.
I am grateful to Ballantine Books for having provided an advance reader's copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Anticipated Publication Date: 03/12/2024
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books
ISBN: 978-0593500385
No. of pages: 368
Having read other books by Jennifer Ryan, I knew that I was in for a treat with this one. As anticipated, it did not disappoint. On the contrary, it carried me away to a different time and place and held me there in thrall through the entire book. It filled me with a full range of emotions and empathy for the characters as they quietly struggled. The initial tears of sorrow and angst give way to tears of shear joy and hope. Who could imagine that a library would become the lifeline that everyone needed?
Ms. Ryan has deftly written a beautiful and engrossing story. She has done her research which is no less than herculean. Using actual events for the framework, she weaves the stories of these three women in and around it. The reader gains glimpses of the amazing spirit of the British people and their willingness to carry on through the darkest of hours. Arching above it all is the amazing power of story to transcend the challenges of life and carry us to a safe and wonderful place, if only for a brief period of time.
I am grateful to Ballantine Books for having provided an advance reader's copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Anticipated Publication Date: 03/12/2024
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books
ISBN: 978-0593500385
No. of pages: 368
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