The Paris Library: A Novel

Why does the Dewey Decimal System intrigue Odile? What does this interest say about Odile? How does Odile invoke that system beyond the world of books?

How significant were the American Library’s acts of resistance during the Nazi occupation? How did its acts benefit others and challenge Nazi ideology?

Despite the vastly different context of the 1980s from that of World War II, Odile draws on her life experiences to guide Lily through her teenage years. What lessons does Odile teach Lily? What do they say about human nature?