Review: The Paris Library

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received a free ARC from Edelweiss.

I feel like I read a different ARC than everyone else? This is yet another libraries-are-awesome and WWII women-are-heroes novel, and I think I'm just burned out on them. They all start reading the same when you've read a lot of them. I did enjoy Odile's character, but I could have done without the modern day Montana plot line--I didn't think it added any depth. And I didn't understand the odd chapter POV from Miss Reeder when most of the book is from Odile or Lily's POV. This book is complete fodder for librarians who want to hear about how great they are and the depths they will go to in order to help patrons and save the books from bad guys. Lots of quotes in this ARC that librarians will copy and paste all over:

"I was skeptical about soul mates, but could believe in bookmates, two beings bound by a passion for reading." and "Of course, he knew something was wrong, he was a librarian--part psychologicist, bartender, bouncer, and detective."

I guess I'm becoming a cynical librarian in middle age. I wanted tighter editing, too, because it took me a long time to read this book. I kept watching Netflix and the DVR instead, which tells me something. I'm sure public library book clubs will love this title and some librarians will sing its praises. But it's nothing special to me.

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