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A review by ashleynoelle
The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan
4.0
*Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions remain my own.*
"It was terrifying, monstrous, these people thinking they could obliterate history and culture and reinvent it the way it suited them. My father wanted us to see it so that we could understand what was coming.”
Juliet has started her new job as Deputy Librarian at the Bethel Green Library during World War 2. She's determined to breathe some life into it regardless of the challenges she comes across. Katie is one of the library volunteers who Juliet has taken under her wing and embraced as part of her world, when Katie's boyfriend dies while fighting at the front Katie realizes she's not only grieving but has a secret she is hiding as well. Sophie is a refugee that sees the library as a haven. When the library is bombed, Juliet moves it all to the underground and keeps it running and keep the spirits of their community alive!
This was a great book. I've read a ton of WWII historical fiction novels and this one felt like I was in it with them. This one didn't yank on my heartstrings quite as much as some others, but there were definite moments of loss, love and friendship that were all very well done. I wish I could have jumped into the book and screamed at Juliet about Victor because she really did have her head in the clouds on that one, but overall, this book is really well done, and I enjoyed myself while reading it.
"It was terrifying, monstrous, these people thinking they could obliterate history and culture and reinvent it the way it suited them. My father wanted us to see it so that we could understand what was coming.”
Juliet has started her new job as Deputy Librarian at the Bethel Green Library during World War 2. She's determined to breathe some life into it regardless of the challenges she comes across. Katie is one of the library volunteers who Juliet has taken under her wing and embraced as part of her world, when Katie's boyfriend dies while fighting at the front Katie realizes she's not only grieving but has a secret she is hiding as well. Sophie is a refugee that sees the library as a haven. When the library is bombed, Juliet moves it all to the underground and keeps it running and keep the spirits of their community alive!
This was a great book. I've read a ton of WWII historical fiction novels and this one felt like I was in it with them. This one didn't yank on my heartstrings quite as much as some others, but there were definite moments of loss, love and friendship that were all very well done. I wish I could have jumped into the book and screamed at Juliet about Victor because she really did have her head in the clouds on that one, but overall, this book is really well done, and I enjoyed myself while reading it.