Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

The dual timeline here:

1944: Helene (aka Nancy) finds herself being flown back into France, under the cover of night. From the get-go, she learns that the “rules” don’t count here on the ground and survival is what is of the utmost importance. That and arming, feeding, clothing, and paying the Resistance fighters she is here to safeguard.

1936: Nancy Wake her younger self, one who has boldly talked her way into a job as a journalist (no formal training), one of her first interviews having been with a then little-known, arrogant and aloof politician named Adolf Hitler. Soon after, we are with her as she bears witness to the evil work of his disciples, torturing Jews in a characteristic gruesome fashion in a public square in Vienna. She is immediately spurred on to do something, anything, to fight against this evil force. At the same time, she also attracts the gaze of one of France’s elite and most eligible young men. So as Europe gears up for war, Nancy is falling in love.

This is another magnificent work of historical fiction from the author of The Frozen River (reviewed here relatively recently). We follow larger-than-life Nancy Wake, an Australian national who lived in Paris before the war, just long enough to be tutored by her best friend in the language, the look, and the poise of the French. But Nancy’s accomplishments were all her own. She proved herself in the early days of the occupation by the Nazis, enough to be noticed by the right men in the right positions. Most impressive was the fact that Nancy was able to garner the respect, loyalty, and support of the thousands of men she led in their unofficial battalions of the French Resistance. It was a testament to her courage, bravado, and willingness to put herself in harm’s way for those fighting for justice.

This is most definitely a MUST READ, not only because it is an utterly addictive novel, replete with emotion and suspense, but because it is our duty to honor individuals (and particulary women, who are so often ignored in war stories) who fought so bravely for justice, civility, and democracy.

All The Ways We Said Goodbye by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Three women in three different time periods: Aurelie in 1914, Daisy in 1942, and Barbara (“Babs”) in 1964 – all connected through unknown ties at The Ritz in Paris. Each trying to survive the havoc that has been wreaked upon their lives because of war and keeping safe an heirloom that is thought to bring safety to France. Each trying to find her place in the world. And each finding that love wins out every time.

If you’ve read any of my posts, you know that I am a HUGE fan of Beatriz Williams’s books, and this older one of hers is no exception. While these characters are not quite as snarky as hers usually are, they are still sharp, kind, and utterly likable. We are caught up in each of their stories, puzzling how they’re connected, and rooting for them as they each battle their challenges. And as each story builds in tension, the switch to the alternate plot line serves to both relieve tension when it becomes taut. But switching also builds suspense, as we must wait further to learn the fate of our beloved characters. Nevertheless, the connections and the intersections gradually come to light, and we get the very satisfying “aha” moments we crave.

As usual, for this author – and her co-authors – this novel is masterfully constructed, artistically drawn, and hard to part with when it ends. Once again, I am in awe of her writing and can’t wait to read the next one!

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

The dust has barely settled and wounds have certainly not yet healed from the second world war when Charlotte finds herself dragged by her mother across the Atlantic on the way to take care of her “Little Problem” in a clinic in Switzerland. While her mother is determined to erase this “stain” on Charlotte’s reputation, Charlotte has a very different mission in mind. While here in Europe, she sees an opportunity to uncover the whereabouts of her beloved cousin Rose, who has been missing and presumed dead since returning to France just before the German occupation. With the name and address of Eve Gardiner which she has scribbled on a small piece of paper, she unlocks an adventure that leads her to discovering much more than just what happened to Rose. She discovers a network of brave women who risked their lives for their countries and she uncovers her own inner strength as well.

The Alice Network is another suspenseful novel by the author of the Rose Code (see my prior entry), which will similarly have you on the edge of your seat as you turn each page. There is a great deal of historical fact woven into the fiction here, as Quinn celebrates the unsung female heroes of the first and second world wars.  We learn of the undercover spies that wore skirts and makeup instead of slacks and blazers. They were often ignored because they were “just women,” which sometimes enabled them to sneak through borders undetected, but sometimes led to them being ignored even when they carried valuable information that might have saved hundreds of lives. 

The writing here is crisp, acerbic and intricately plotted. We float back and forth between Charlotte’s pursuit in 1947 and Eve’s back story (WW I). The characters are, each of them, hardened and broken, wounded in one way or another by war. When we meet Eve, for example, she is in a drunken rage, threatening Charlotte with a Luger in her face and trying to send her away.  She is emotionally and physically crippled by her experience in her war.  We see so starkly how women were affected by our wars – whether working under cover, nursing, or being on the front lines in other ways – and their wounds are obviously just as deep. 

I highly recommend this novel – it is historical fiction at its best. 

Seven Days in May by Kim Izzo

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

seven days in may

This is a gorgeous work of historical fiction that is a new addition to my “Must Read” list.  Isabel is a woman hell-bent on reinventing herself as a decoder for the war effort for Britain during the second World War.  Across the ocean, Sydney begins as a headstrong suffragette, much to the chagrin of her sister, Brooke, who just needs Sydney to tone it down so as not to scare away Brooke’s fiancee Edward.  They are all entwined by the voyage of the Lusitania, which is to carry Brooke, Sydney and Edward to England where Brooke and Edward are to marry.  Will the Lusitania make it through war zone waters safely?

This is a beautifully orchestrated novel, with suspenseful subplots and many amusing and colorful characters that draw the reader in and keep the pages turning.  Both Isabel and Sydney are strong protagonists, each with complicated pasts but each also very forward-thinking.  The reader cannot help loving both of them for their idealism and their honesty.  I imagine some of the scenes as being beautiful, by the descriptions of the elegant rooms on the ship, the gowns that the sisters wear, the view from the ship – I can easily picture a filming of this book.

But the real beauty lies in the suspense that builds throughout the story, both in the various sub-plots as well as in the overall big story.  There is a battle between the sisters that must be overcome.  There is someone who might jeopardize all that Isabel has worked so hard to achieve.  And will the Lusitania actually defy the Germans and cross to Liverpool safely?  This is a page-turner that will bring tears to your eyes, that you will read late into the night, and that will stay with you after putting it down.