Advanced
Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan - Available

The Underground Library

A Novel

by Jennifer Ryan
Fenella Woolgar
Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
2 of 2 copies available
When the Blitz imperils the heart of a London neighborhood, three young women must use their fighting spirit to save the community’s beloved library in this novel based on true events from the author of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir.
When the new deputy librarian, Juliet Lansdown, finds that Bethnal Green Library isn’t the bustling hub she is 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 the library, especially when a confrontation with her past threatens to derail her?
Katie Upwood is thrilled to be working at the library, although she is 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 destroys 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?

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    March 12, 2024

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780593822890
      • File size: 369405 KB
      • Duration: 12:49:35

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      London's historical Bethnal Green Library comes to life as the WWII Blitz turns every day into a fight for survival. Fenella Woolgar narrates with a comforting British accent, immersing the listener in the stories of three courageous women who are dedicated to the library and its community. Juliet Lansdown, the newly arrived deputy librarian, speaks with determination as she fights to make the library the supportive hub of the community. Young Katie Upwood's voice gradually gains strength as she faces family turmoil and a beau who is lost at the front. Sofie Baumann, a young Jewish refugee, has inconsistent traces of her native German accent. She finds confidence and community while coping with an abusive employer, fear about the fate of her family, and her need for a place to belong. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      May 31, 2024

      Juliet Lansdown arrives in London at the beginning of the World War II Blitzkrieg to be the new deputy director of the Bethnal Green Library. Her boss wants to close the library, but Julia has other ideas. She establishes a book club, a newsletter, and a social gathering place for the community. As the Blitz begins, underground subway stations become bomb shelters. Julia brings books from the library to help keep people occupied, eventually moving the whole operation underground when the library is destroyed in a bombing. Julia holds a live reading event every evening, aided by library assistant Katie Upwood and Jewish refugee Sofie Baumann, and camaraderie blooms during their long hours in the underground. Narrator Fenella Woolgar performs an excellent array of voices and accents, communicating the characters' hopes, strength, and sense of community. VERDICT Fans of World War II fiction should enjoy Ryan's (The Childbury Ladies' Choir) well-researched novel, which is based on actual events. Recommended for readers of library-centered historical fiction, such as Kate Thompson's The Little Wartime Library or Brianna Labuskes's The Librarian of Burned Books.--Joanna M. Burkhardt

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading