the paris library ending explained
I also loved all of the mentions of Zora Neale Hurstons Their Eyes Were Watching God in the novel, a personal favorite of mine! The authors affection for both Paris and the ALP, where she worked as a programme manager in 2010, comes through beautifully as she integrates the stories of many of the real-life employees and patrons of the library into the story with finesse. However, for The Paris Library, there was plenty of food mentioned, partly due to the fact that the story is dual-timeline. Who was your favorite secondary character? I get what the author was trying to convey but I didnt think it was executed in the best way. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. In some ways, the story is your standard historical fiction story with the dual timelines (takes place both during the WWII era and also in the 80s in Montana). Based upon her own experiences working at the American Library in Paris and growing up in rural Montana, Charles tells the story of "The Paris Library" with two distinct threads. I do recommend The Paris Library, but the print version, please. The Paris Library is a dual-timeline story of family, friendship, resistance, romance, betrayal, heroism, bravery, and books. Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. Family intrigue plays out against the backdrop of 1920s Claiborne County, where racism is a given, Prohibition is the law, and bootlegging is the main source of income for Blacks and Whites. A Season in Hell by Rimbaud. When war is declared, the Library is determined to remain open. An impromptu celebration on the beach at sunset with champagne becomes a weekly touchpoint to their lives as they learn more about each other and themselves. Janet Skeslien Charles has penned an unforgettable novel that spans 60 years and several generations in the midst of historic turning points as dramatic as those we are living through now. Lily has to deal not only with loss but with learning how she fits into a new family. All Rights Reserved. When the Nazis march into the city, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Few in Paris recognize the looming threat of war. The main character, Odile, narrates the time in Paris, while a secondary narratora young girl named Lily, who is coming of age in a small Montana town in the 1980sallows the author to revisit Odile later in life and emphasize the timelessness of friendship. In 1939, idealistic, courageous, and ambitious Odile Souchet works at the American Library in Paris when the Nazis arrive. How did you feel about a younger Lily contrasted with a more mature Odile? There is a comforting element to the expectedness of the plot and odd familiarity of the characters, which is common with historical books. The author has actually worked there in recent years and learned first-hand about the efforts of librarians and volunteers not only to keep it open during the German occupation of Paris, but to smuggle books to Jews and to allied forces on the front. Did it feel like you were reading a YA novel and a historical novel? Then, what seems like a small conflict elsewhere, suddenly escalates into war. The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles Publication Date: March 1, 2022 Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Atria Books ISBN-10: 1982134208 ISBN-13: 9781982134204 Mikki is a settled-in-her-routines divorced mother of two, happily a mom, gift-shop owner, and co-parent with her ex-husband, Perry. Tough and independent, Sallie refuses to let womanhood limit her ambitions as she earns the nickname Queen of the Kincaid Rumrunners. Did this surprise you? Increasingly angry at his subordinate role to the Nazis and his humiliating tasks, Paul has outbursts of anger directed mainly at French women consorting with German soldiers. The Paris Library. World War II Paris during the German occupation forms the setting for an intelligent and sensuously rich novel of a young woman's coming-of-age. Author Mallery has created a delightful story of friendship between three women that also offers a variety of love stories as they fall in love, make mistakes, and figure out how to be the bestalbeit still flawedversions of themselves. Based on the true Second World War story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris who risked their lives during the Nazi's war on words, The Paris Library by award-winning novelist Janet Skeslien Charles is an unforgettable story of romance, friendship, family, and of heroism found in the quietest of places. When Paris is liberated, Paul and another police officer encounter Margaret on the street. His discontent was seen as he was required to direct traffic and when he was forced to clean up slurs painted on Nazi posters. However, her twin brother, Rmy, with whom shes close, and Paul, her new suitor, are supportive. Do you think Margaret and Odile reconcile eventually? Odile initially blames Bitsi, Rmys love and her friend, for his decision but later repairs the friendship. Bookseller friend of Hugo. More importantly, Odile prevents Lily from ruining a good friendship with Mary Louise, a schoolmate, in a fit of jealousy. Magazine Subscribers (How to Find Your Reader Number), Worth the Wait: New Fiction From 6 Favorites, Hang the Moon Will Be Adapted for TV Series. Among those who do is Rmy, whoto his familys horrorjoins the French army. So how does Odile end up in the tiny town of Froid, Montana, some four decades later, a widow and near-recluse? I think he snapped more out of guilt than anything else. Over the next five years, through the harsh Nazi Occupation of France, the ALPwhich is an actual institution, founded in 1920-- also becomes the main source of Odiles small joys. Based on a true World War II story about the heroic librarians of the American Library in Paris. In Occupied Paris, choices as black and white as the words on a page become a murky shade of grey choices that will put many on the wrong side of history, and the consequences of which will echo for decades to come. This post contains links to products that I may receive compensation from at no additional cost to you. Although pragmatic, street-smart middle child Sallie is his intellectual and emotional heir, the Duke leaves his estate to her emotionally oversensitive half brother, Eddie, because hes the only boy. by In 1983, Lily is an awkward teenager trying to find her place in small-town Montana. Categories: She learned about the history of the American Library in Paris while working there as the programs manager. Atria Books. Janet Skeslien Charles One night in search of lost time. Stephanie I think you see a gradual change in Paul as the war dragged on. Here are a few food ideas from the pages of The Paris Library: Chapter 2 - Lily invites Odile over to learn more about France - chocolate chip cookies - and later, when Lily visits Odile serves her Russian cigarette cookies. Books connect a middle-aged ex-librarian and a schoolgirl, both of whomlong for similar things (Photo: Atria Books). WWII. 823. RELEASE DATE: March 28, 2023. Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris Janet Skeslien Charles's The Paris Library is an unforgettable. Odile begins a romance with Paul and thinks she has it all. Miss Reeder, an American, vows to stay in Paris to direct the Library but must leave when Americas entry into the war becomes imminent. British literature.). by Courtesy of Elizabeth Yoon. Honestly, at times I wondered if Id stumbled onto a YA novel. When she decides to write a report on France, she visits the only French person she knowsher lonely neighbor, Odile. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. One night in search of lost time. Based on the true World War. It includes a letter from me, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club, an author Q&A, delicious French recipes, and some of my favorite French songs. As different as Odile and Lily are, the two are drawn to each other by their similarities outside of a love for books and reading, their heads are full of dreams and they possess a quick wit and instinctive understanding of their surroundings, but they also tend to jeopardise friendships because of their inability to hold their tongues. What do you make of her complicated friendship with Margaret? The readers added a drama that was, I thought, wrong. Although Odiles family and the library staff suffer from hunger and worry, they dont really undergo tremendous hardship. Intellectually curious and socially awkward at times, Lily reminds Odile of her younger self. I think the Montana one could have been fleshed out a bit better. There she meets a young woman who is the same age she was during the war and who badly needs a life coach. The story is told via two parallel narratives. I can see where the groundwork was laid for it but I still thought it was an odd story choice. Apartment building concierge. World War II Paris during the German occupation forms the setting for an intelligent and sensuously rich novel of a young woman's coming-of-age. Oftentimes, its not surprisingfor instance, Kristin Hannahs The Four Winds is currently number one. As I mentioned in the intro, recipes for books about World War II are often a challenge since most countries faced rations, if not starvation. Courtesy of Janet Skeslien Charles All rights reserved. There is an element of predictability in Janet Skeslien Charles The Paris Library from the get-go it doesnt take Sherlock Holmes to figure out what might happen at the end of the book, but I do not say this in a critical manner. Halfway through the book, I would have rated it barely 3 stars. But the twist, agh, the twist was just so bizarre. Their friendship blossoms as they help each other, offering support, hard truths, and loving backup. After all, she loves to read, speaks fluent English, and has memorized the Dewey Decimal system for cataloguing library books. The Paris Library combines a love of literature with an inspirational tale of ordinary people standing up to fight injustice. Book Club Questions for Undaunted by Kara Goldin, Book Club Questions for The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles. Located just two blocks from the Eiffel Tower, the private American Library in Paris has welcomed bibliophiles since 1920. There will be spoilers so for more context about the story, check out spoiler-free review first. Giving her a belt, Margaret tells Odile to remember the meaning of friendship when she wears it. Her friendship with Odile was a strong part but I wasnt so into the teenager angst. Hugo's friend. I was born at the very end of WW II and grew up reading Exodus and The Diary of Anne Frank. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal. Strong and kind women, such as Professor Cohen of the Sorbonne and Library Directress Miss Reeder, are role models for Odile. Very distracting. A Season in Hell by Rimbaud. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal. Surely you know where this is going, by this point? Perhaps because of that, I avoid books about this time, though there have certainly been a plethora of them in recent years.
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