Clara Button is no ordinary librarian. While the world remains at war, in East London Clara has created the country's only underground Library, built over the tracks in the disused Bethnal Green tube station. Down here a secret community thrives: with thousands of bunk beds, a nursery, a café and a theatre offering shelter, solace and escape from the bombs that fall above.
Along with her glamorous best friend and library assistant Ruby Munroe, Clara ensures the Library is the beating heart of life underground. But as the war drags on, the women's determination to remain strong in the face of adversity is tested to the limits when it seems it may come at the price of keeping those closest to them alive.
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Heart-wrenching, inspirational, extraordinary.
A beautiful story about courage and hope: at least that's what I thought when I started reading The Little Wartime Library. I can't begin to imagine the terror everyone faced during World War II and having a place where they could escape, even if it was not for long. I have read a lot of historical fiction novels, one of my favorite genres, and a few that dealt with books. But, from all the books I have read in the past, I haven't read anything like The Little Wartime Library, and it didn't take long to become my favorite book of the year. I'm trying to figure out the words to describe how I am feeling right now. This book will make you cry and make you angry, but it will also give you hope and have you smiling. When I came across this book on Netgalley, I wasn't sure what to expect, but both the title and the cover captured my attention, and I'm glad it did.
Clara &Ruby: I loved them both right from the start. If I were asked which of the two were my favorite, I don’t think I would be able to choose. These are fictional characters, but to me, they were real. Both women had courage, with all the bombing and the losses that both had experienced. Despite everything, they kept going, helping others in need. I loved their friendship; everyone should have a friend like the two. Clara and Ruby reminded me of a few of my closest friends, who were there for me every step of the way. I loved that the book was written from Clara and Ruby’s point of view, giving the readers a chance to get to know each of them. When I reached the end of the book, I hesitated to turn the last page because I didn’t want to say goodbye. I believe that Ruby and Clara’s friendship kept them going until the end.
Underground Library that’s such a unique location to have a library. Like Clara, and Ruby, I love books, and libraries are such an important part. I loved how each person in the Library, including the children, and the impact it had on each of them. It was an escape for each of them, and that’s what books are me, a chance for escape into a different world. The description of the Library had me imagine that I was transported into the Library, along with everyone else. It was magical.
There wasn’t a single page in the book where I wasn’t craving more. The Little Wartime Library is the story I will return to. It was hard to read at times, yet I had difficulty putting this book down. Even now, I cannot get this story out of my mind. A story that is worth every single page.
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