Janet Skeslien Charles is the author of The Paris Library. This is a wonderful entertaining novel. Though it takes place during the Holocaust and touches on that topic, but this book centers on the American Library in Paris during that time period. The book touches on the horrific happenings that were present in Paris as the Germans invaded France, but the story seems to be a plot about relationships, jealousy, regret, trust and hurt.
The plot centers around the library, where Odile is a new librarian who knows the Dewy Decimal system number for every title and subject. We follow her as she becomes a woman, her relationship to her parents and her twin brother, Remy. We watch her interact and learn as she interacts with the librarians who give her excellent advice. She also is developing a romantic relationship with Paul, a young policeman who works for her father. As she is going through everyday life the war is encroaching on their lives. Odile learns about what her father and Paul are doing thinking they have no choice. She also makes decisions about saving books and lives as she risks her life facing up to Germans as she makes her way around the streets of Paris. Many of the individual character's stories are based on real people who existed in the 1930s in Paris.
Then as a parallel plot line is 14 year old, Lily and her family living in Froid, Montana, next door to an older Odile. Lily reaches out to Odile asking to interview her for a school project. Her friendship with Lily does open the door to her past and causes her to reflect on and maybe see past events in a different light. In the end this is a beautiful story of the connection between generations and how they can help each other in many ways. Odile's life experiences and stories help Lily through her modern day controversies.
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