The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan– 368 pages

ARC from Random House, Ballantine Books and Netgalley for an honest review

Book Blurb:

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?

My Review: 4 stars

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The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan was an eye-opening look into life in London during the blitz of 1940 and how it directly affected the people.

This book is told from three different POVs, with each woman having their own compelling storyline. All of the women were young which made this read much a like a coming-of-age story. They each dealt with heartache, suffering and immense growth emotionally. That part of the story wasn’t new. It was done well, and I appreciated it, but what most surprised me was the making of a true underground library in one of England’s famous underground train stations.

When people couldn’t get to their libraries and spent so much time in overcrowded bomb shelters, Juliet, the MC, brought all the books to the underground station. After a bomb hit and destroyed most of her library, they had to save the books that were left. This was a creative way to save them. They conducted story time, offered lessons and created a way to borrow and return books.

This novel celebrates books and the powers they hold. Stories allowed people to escape their troubles. They even held a book club in underground. It’s truly remarkable and fascinating that this happened. I’m so glad that Jennifer Ryan brought this story to life with her well drawn characters. I felt like I was there with them all from the start. Well done!

Quotes I liked:

All I need is to be surrounded by the books that I love: They are my friends, my adventures, my happy endings. Why would I need anything else?”

“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.” 

“A book isn’t just a physical object; once you’ve read it, it become a thought, a story, a memory this is alive inside you forever.”