At a glance
The Underground Library
Historical fiction
The Underground Library
In 1940 London, deputy librarian Juliet Lansdown hopes to modernize Bethnal Green Library despite resistance from her traditional superior. She befriends Sofie Baumann, a Jewish refugee from Berlin, and Katie Upwood, a young library assistant carrying a private worry. When bombing damages the library, they help move its books and services into the underground station where neighbors shelter from the Blitz. Hopeful and book-centered, this novel suits readers who enjoy wartime London, resilient librarians, interwoven women's lives, and true-history-inspired stories about maintaining community under bombardment.
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No surprises at chapter twelve
Content notes
World War II bombing and death; a descriptive post-bombing scene; sexual exploitation references; alcohol abuse; antisemitism and sexism; unplanned pregnancy and abortion discussion; closed-door romance and kissing.
Alcohol-Free Pour
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Velvety chocolate suits an unhurried afternoon between the pages.
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Blackberry Mule
For adults of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.
Blackberry and lime meet spicy ginger beer in this bright, bubbling mule.
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- Fill a mule mug or highball glass with ice. Add vodka, blackberry syrup, and lime juice; top with ginger beer and stir gently.
- Garnish: Blackberries and lime wedge.
- Glassware: Mule mug or highball glass.
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