I enjoyed reading about the underground community that existed during the Blitz in the Tube. I had no idea that that had happened. The main characters are well written and dimensional. What I did not care for was the plot. At times I felt like I was watching an American soap opera, it was so overly dramatic. If she had tightened up the plot and cut about 50 pages off the book I would give it a higher rating. ( )

http://olvasonaplo.net/olvasonaplo/2023/10/09/kate-thompson-remeny-konyvtara/ ( )

The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson
Historical fiction. Based on a true story of a librarian who created an underground shelter during WWII.
London 1944 is ravaged by war, bombings and limited supplies. Clara, Ruby and their neighbors, turn the Bethnal Green tube station into the country’s only underground library. Down there, a secret community thrives with thousands of bunk beds, a nursery, a cafe, and a theatre - all offering escape from the bombs that fall day and night. As the war continues, Clare and Ruby face numerous issues from an unbending supervisor, homeless orphans and trauma patients from the unending war.

An inspiring story of courage and sacrifice in truly difficult times. Books are a unique escape in good times and bad and it was interesting to read how these librarians used their skills to help their community.
Sad and poignant but also an uplifting story from the dark days in London 1944. ( )

The Little Wartime Library captures the highs, lows and the fighting spirit of local Londoners during the second world war. There is a lot of action packed into this book as well as a lot of history, making it an enjoyable read.

The story is loosely based on true events. After a bomb hit the Bethnal Green library, the library moved into the nearby Underground station where many people also lived during the war. The tube station wasn’t in use, and became its own community of shelter, café, theatre, child care and library. In this fictionalised version, Clara is the librarian managing the library and Ruby is her assistant and best friend. Together they work on a number of initiatives to build morale amongst the community and against a number of forces that don’t agree with their liberal way of educating and entertaining (like romance novels for female factory workers and pamphlets on contraception). Clara and Ruby’s private lives are also dramatic in different ways. Clara’s a war widow who continues to work even though her mother and mother-in-law think it’s scandalous. Ruby has a violent stepfather and uses sex to forget about her sister’s untimely death. But in the underground community, there’s a lot more going on with two young refugees and an absent mother, multiple bombings and women learning to stand up for themselves.

At first, I felt like there wasn’t enough description in the novel. However, I got used to the style which focuses on the characters and the many things that happen to them throughout 1944-45. This is a novel that focuses on the story and there is never a dull moment. Told in alternate chapters by Clara and Ruby in the third person, the women barely have time to rest between family, war issues, difficult managers, friends and potential romance. It is a very enjoyable story of two women who became integral to the community they served not just as librarians, but social workers, counsellors and friends. Thompson weaves a lot of her extensive research into the narrative naturally, so it doesn’t feel like an information dump but rather an extension of the lives the characters were living at the time. The attitudes towards women were also very different from today, being explored through characters who treated women as punching bags or as too naïve to think for themselves. Fortunately, these characters do get what’s coming to them!

I did like even though there is some of the ‘stiff British upper lip’ of ‘keeping calm and carrying on’ that the characters are allowed to feel and be vulnerable. The war has taken an emotional toll on their mental health, with characters responding in different ways to the trauma they’ve experienced. It also makes for some very moving chapters as they are confronted with more destruction and ultimately, some good things too. This was a fresh take on World War II fiction – I hadn’t heard about the underground library before, although interestingly there has just been another historical fiction novel about it released (with different characters of course). Overall, I enjoyed the story and the continuous drama that shows just how important the library was to the community.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com ( )

Happy Publication Day! (U.S.)

“A library is the only place you can go—from cradle to grave—that is free, safe, democratic and no one will try to flog you anything. You don’t have to part with a penny to travel the world. It’s the heartbeat of a community, offering precious resources to people in need. It’s a place just to be, to dream and to escape—with books. And what’s more precious than that? So, here’s to all library workers. We need you.”
-From The Author’s Note, The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson

During WWII, the unfinished Bethnal Green Station not only provided shelter to five thousand people who slept in the bunkers constructed in the tunnels – a safe haven amid the devastation caused by the Blitz but also housed a theatre that hosted opera and ballet, a coffee shop, doctor’s quarters and a wartime nursery and a library.

Set in 1944, The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson follows twenty-five-year-old Clara Button, a young widow working as a librarian in the underground library in the Bethnal Green Tube Station and her close friend and assistant Ruby Munroe. Widowed after losing her husband in Dunkirk, Clara is the heart and soul of the library and friend to its patrons- the children, factory workers and those sheltering underground to whom reading provided an escape from the reality outside. Clara’s job isn’t easy, having to deal with misogyny, censorship and petty politics, and her personal losses but she is determined to help everyone who needs her assistance including evacuees fleeing their homes, women facing abusive relationships, those working multiple jobs just to provide for their loved ones and those needing the sanctuary of the library to cope with everything that is happening on the outside. Both Clara and Ruby have much to deal with on the personal front - for Clara it is the loss of her husband, the secrets she harbors and her conflicted feeling for an ambulance worker she meets when he saves her from being attacked outside her home and Ruby is dealing with the tragic death of her elder sister and domestic violence at home with her abusive stepfather’s violence directed toward her mother. As the narrative progresses, we see how both Clara and Ruby not only stand up for their friends and family but are also compelled to make choices that would significantly impact their own stories.

Narrated from the perspectives of Clara and Ruby in alternating chapters, The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson is a beautifully written story that combines fact and fiction while touching upon themes of war, loss, hope and survival, and the significance of libraries and librarians in our communities, especially during difficult times (the author also incorporates a discussion on present times and the need for libraries in the context of the pandemic). The author writes with compassion capturing the life and times of wartime Britain – the loss, death and destruction caused by the war, and the hope and resilience of those trying to make the most of what they have. The author incorporates real events such as the Bethnal Green Tube Disaster of 1943 and the Hughes Mansions Tragedy of 1945 into the narrative. I loved learning about the subterranean community and found the Author’s Notes at the end of the book extremely informative. The historical context and the stories of libraries destroyed during the Blitz (with stock images) make this story come to life. I love how the author based some of the characters in this story on actual people who lived down in the bunkers of Bethnal Green Station during those difficult times. I also loved learning about the books that were popular during the war years. The author does a brilliant job of not only painting a realistic picture of life in wartime Britain but also gives us an insight into societal changes during those times that also impacted reading habits and preferences, especially among women.

Informative and enlightening, heart-wrenching yet hopeful, this is a story that will stay with me. Fans of historical fiction and stories revolving around libraries would certainly enjoy this novel.
Many thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this exceptional novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

“We have lost so very much, but we have not lost heart nor hope. Books help to keep us human in an inhumane world. Don’t you agree?” ( )

Amazing book with a wonderful story about a library and a community underground during the war. A story I did not know. Also great characters and a marvelous epilogue. ( )

Als 1944 London immer wieder bombardiert wird, suchen die Menschen Schutz in den U-Bahn-Stationen, so auch in der U-Bahn-Station Bethnal Green. Unterirdisch entsteht dort eine Parallelwelt mit Kindergarten, Theater und einer kleinen Bibliothek. Diese wird von Clara Button und Ruby Munroe betreut. Die Bücher verschafft den Menschen in dieser schwierigen Zeit Ablenkung. Doch der Krieg dauert an und die Lage spitzt sich immer mehr zu.
Diese Geschichte beruht auf wahren Begebenheiten. Der Erzählstil ist packend und einfühlsam. Ich konnte mich in die Situation der Menschen hineinversetzen und mit ihnen fühlen. Clara und Ruby tun alles, um es den Menschen ein bisschen leichter zu machen, dabei haben sie such ihre eigenen Probleme. Sie sind beide wirklich sympathisch. Aber auch die anderen Charaktere sind gut und authentisch dargestellt. Manche drohen unter der Last der Umstände zu zerbrechen, andere begegnen den Widrigkeiten mit großer Stärke. Aber für keinen ist es leicht.
Mir hat dieser Roman gut gefallen. ( )

This was a heartwarming story that I highly recommend. I keep telling myself I’ve read enough World War II novels which take place in Britain, Paris, Italy, or even the US, but when it’s about a library, how could I resist? Well, I’m glad I listened to this one calling to me. In addition to being about a library and books, this captivating story is based on actual events and real people. It’s a story about friendship, determination, loss, and healing.

During the bombing of London, the Bethnal Green tube station was transformed into an underground library after the aboveground one was destroyed. This “little library” became a sanctuary for an entire community, which also provided sleeping quarters for thousands, a nursery, a café, and a theater. This is all true and was the basis for the novel.

The poignant story inspired by the library is told alternately by two friends. Clara Button is the young, widowed librarian who finds solace in the library. Her best friend, Ruby Munroe, is loud and raucous as she attempts to cover her grief at losing her sister in a tragic accident. These two women pull together to create a refuge through books. I was impressed by the number of twists and turns in the plot. Just when I thought it was complete, the story would take another direction and we’d be off again.

Author Kate Thompson weaves fact and fiction to create a well-researched wartime tale of bravery, romance, and resolve. I encourage you to make time to read this memorable World War II novel about strength and sisterhood. ( )

The subject matter was interesting and I liked the characters, but something about the writing style didn't work for me... I can't quite put a finger on it, but I can see why others would love this book. It just won't make my list of books to recommend to others. ( )

https://www.historiamag.com/bethnal-greens-underground-wartime-library/
Nach einer wahren Begebenheit, sehr berührender Roman, der mich sofort gefangen nahm. "Freundlichkeit, Geduld und Bücher sind alles, was Kinder brauchen." (Nanny Maureen, Lesepatin in den Havering Libraries)

04/23

The Bethnal Green tube station has become a secret community for many displaced persons. The Blitz has ravaged London and these people are just trying to survive. The library in which Clara Barton is in charge of becomes the saving grace for so many! The only underground library in London helps so many through a terrible time in their lives.

What makes this book so special is how it makes you feel. Nostalgic is just one of the many feelings I experienced. I loved thinking back to the library of my youth. And don’t think I did not turn around and add the “bodice ripper” novel from the 40’s to my wish list. Forever Amber is still in print so I am going to give it a try!

There are so many wonderful and terrifying situations in this tale. I love how the author weaves them together to create this remarkable story about a true place. Talk about well researched! I love learning something new and this book definitely introduced a new part of WWII for me!

Need a book which gives you all the feels….THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest opinion. ( )

England, librarian, library, WW2, friendship, London, loneliness, historical-figures, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, history-and-culture, photographs, interviews, The Blitz, grief, grieving, tunnel, disaster,*****

This book is a love letter to libraries and librarians. The story is based on interviews with those who lived through The Blitz in the tunnel at Bethnal Green tube station where they lived and slept and carried on as best as they could, but mainly about the library that served them all and the librarians who were so important to so many in their wartime library. It also pays deference to the Bethnal Green tube disaster during The Blitz when 173 people were crushed to death and the survivors lived with the grief and horror of that day for the rest of their lives. The epilogue, notes, acknowledgements and more after the fictional tribute are all the more moving and important. Especially with its referencing the problems of libraries everywhere during the quarantines of the Covid pandemic. I am a library addict and bookaholic since forever, so I highly recommend this book to all who are blessed with the ability to read.
L requested and received an EARC from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley. Thank you!! ( )

First sentence: An old woman walks up the westbound platform of Bethnal Green Underground Station, moving painfully slowly on account of her arthritis.

Premise/plot: A book about libraries and books set during the Second World War??? YES please. That was my initial first impression.

The novel has a framework--for better or worse. The opening and closing chapters readers meet an elderly woman and her two daughters. The rest of the novel is set in London's East End during the Second World War. It alternates between two librarians (or one librarian and one librarian assistant). Clara Button is a widow who before the war was a children's librarian. During the war she is managing an underground--literally--library. Bethnal Green tube station is serving many functions these days--including a temporary library structure. She works closely with all classes, all ages. Ruby Monroe, her assistant, is a fiery/feisty vixen who loves living life big--living for today, throwing all caution [and morals] to the wind. She is carrying a burden, though she hates to let it show to just anyone. She encourages Clara, always, to take chances.

Ruby meets an American soldier, Eddie, with whom she has a whirlwind romance. He is smitten. She's less so, but, wouldn't it be lovely to dream of flying away to America after the war and starting over.

Clara meets an ambulance driver, Billy, who is hot and cold. She sometimes gets the strongest impressions that he loves her truly and deeply, that this relationship is going somewhere. Other times, he acts like a complete stranger who couldn't care less if he ever sees her again.

These two meet plenty of people--all ages, all socioeconomic classes, different races. But Clara becomes especially fond of a handful of children. Sparrow, a young boy, whom she is teaching to read. Beatty and Maria, two Jewish refugees from Jersey.

My thoughts: My first impression was YES PLEASE. It just sounds like it would be an amazing fit for me. Set during the Second World War. A Book about librarians making a difference. BOOKS changing lives. Books as a way to make connections.

But....this one, sadly, wasn't for me after all. I didn't enjoy the framework, not really. I almost wish we'd had Beatty's perspective in the past too. It was an odd switch, for me, to spend 95% of the book with Clara and Ruby's perspective--all very adult and adult-oriented. And then throw in the bits at the beginning and the end that are from Beatty's perspective seventy plus years later. The past flashbacks contain things that Beatty could not have actually known.

I felt that the novel was TOO busy. There are a million story threads. A story thread might sit vacant for a hundred plus pages only to suddenly make a reappearance. There is so much telling and not showing. And there were literally pages--sometimes whole chapters--that were just info dumps.

The characters. It makes sense that there would be personal tensions. But why did this story need SO many villains???? So many characters that are one-dimensional and "evil" "mean" "cruel" "vindictive" "callous" "despicable" for literally no reason whatsoever. Two people can disagree on something--even strongly--and not have to be downright EVIL.

For example, the EVIL man who is out to get Clara Button fired. I can see two librarians--especially at the time--having differing opinions. She wants to serve EVERYONE in the community. She wants the library to be a safe place regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, social class, education, etc. He doesn't. Libraries are for refined folks of a certain class or distinction. She wants the library to have ALL the books, and offer information freely. He wants the librarian to be a gatekeeper of morals and virtues. She believes that knowledge is power and that the more you know, the better informed you'll be when it comes to making decisions--big or small. He believes in withholding knowledge/information to maintain the status quo. They have completely different philosophies on HOW a library should operate. His ideas alone would make him a despicable character with modern readers. [I'm not arguing that]. But why did he have to be portrayed as extra-super-exceedingly evil on top of that????

The undercurrent of this one is that Ruby and Clara are fighting against the system, a system that wants to hold women down and deny them. A system that protects rapists and wife-beaters and blames women for daring to speak up. A system that thinks women shouldn't be allowed to read, encouraged to read.

So much of this one was just ugly. I may not have liked the super-villain-y-villains, but I didn't really like Clara and Ruby either. The writing style just felt hammer-like; let's hit readers over the head for the entire novel to make sure they understand that anyone who would limit access to books is evil. ( )

A story set in wartime in a library…..my kind of book. The Little Wartime Library is an absolute joy to read, a beautiful, moving and uplifting book that I loved.

The year is 1944 and Clara Button is a librarian in Bethnal Green. This is no ordinary library though. When the area's library was bombed, Clara took it underground to the unused Bethnal Green tube station. She found herself with a captive audience as thousands of people had to live in the station due to the housing crisis caused by the blitz and other bombing campaigns. It's a terrible situation but a great sense of friendship and camaraderie develops down there.

I loved this book so much. It's full of the stoicism of life at war. Clara faces obstacles every way she turns but she makes the best of it. I loved Clara for her love of books, her care for people, her nurture of children, the way she had a knack of guessing people's favourite books, and her gentle and lovely personality. Working alongside her best friend, Ruby, she transforms lives with her little library. Ruby is fantastic too, sexy, raunchy and feisty, she's the antithesis of Clara's quiet fortitude.

This is my first Kate Thompson book and I have no idea why as she writes exactly the kind of books I enjoy. There are some delightful touches in this book, like using real librarian's quotes at the beginning of each chapter and then weaving that quote into the story. It's based around true events and the author blended fact and fiction perfectly so it never felt forced.

The Little Wartime Library gave me all the feels. It made me smile, it made me laugh long and hard in a couple of places, and I found it touching and heart-breaking. It's a wonderful book. ( )