The Little Wartime Library
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
An uplifting and inspiring novel based on the true story of a librarian who created an underground shelter during World War II, perfect for readers of The Paris Library or The Last Bookshop in London.
London, 1944: Clara Button is no ordinary librarian. While war ravages the city above her, Clara has risked everything she holds dear to turn the Bethnal Green tube station into the country’s only underground library. Down here, a secret community thrives with thousands of bunk beds, a nursery, a café, and a theater—offering shelter, solace, and escape from the bombs that fall upon their city.
Along with her glamorous best friend and 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 may come at the price of keeping those closest to them alive.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
This winsome historical novel set in the improvised shelter of Tube stations beneath London during World War II is an engaging, inspiring delight. When librarian Clara Button loses her family during the London Blitz, she responds by throwing herself into her work and becomes a vital part of a thriving community that has drawn together in the relative safety of London’s underground subway system. Author Kate Thompson artfully blends historical detail with engaging characters, fearsome adversaries, and a love for literature. We adored narrator Sarah Durham’s impassioned portrayals of characters striving to create a chosen family in spite of looming danger. The strong community support system and complex friendships amid hardship are akin to Call the Midwife and Lark Rise to Candleford. A charming and occasionally harrowing story full of action and feeling, The Little Wartime Library speaks to the resilience of humanity in even the most challenging conditions.
