Loved this book about books
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own. This book has all the good things: A book about a library. About people who love books. Saving books during the London Blitz. People who come together around this makeshift underground library and form a community despite the dangers of war. Of course I wanted to read this one! And it checked all the boxes – heartwarming, friendships, historical fiction, books and book lovers, a bit of romance, and based on actual events. Many of the characters were endearing, engaging, and resourceful. Main plot, sub plots, and all threads tied up happily at the end. A satisfying, well-researched read that left me more knowledgeable about this time period and wartime in London. And I appreciated how the characters expressed their love of books throughout the novel. I enjoyed and agreed with so many comments of the characters expressing their thoughts about books and libraries and their importance in their lives. Here are a few quotes: “To Juliet, a library was more than just a repository for books. It was a spiritual and intellectual adventure, a place to delve into the rich treasure trove of life.” She explains to a friend: “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. Sometimes all I need is to see my battered copy of Pride and Prejudice to know that the characters are there inside me, warming my spirit, telling me to live life on my own terms, comforting me that everything will be all right in the end. Books are the only thing that keep me going, a kind of home inside my heart.” I loved the way author Jennifer Ryan was able to show how the books, and the underground library, had created a community during this extremely stressful and dangerous time. Friendships and romances were formed, families were reunited, and people developed courage and strength – all from the books and the library. After I began reading “The Underground Library” I noticed this novel’s premise of Bethnal Green Library being bombed and relocating to the nearby underground tube station was the same as "The Little Wartime Library" by Kate Thompson but with a different fictional deputy librarian and a new cast of readers and volunteers. They’re each great novels, different enough that they complement one another, and you’ll be glad you read them both!
