anjreading's review
2.0
I would guess readers will be sharply divided on the readability of this book. Yes, Virginia Hall was a remarkable woman, all-around badass, and heroine of WWII. Virginia Hall, the person, gets 5 stars. This super-informal, conversational, swear-laden, highly-speculative-at-times biography of her was refreshing for the first 10 minutes of my listening experience and then quickly veered into a very painful listen. I probably just should have DNF'd it, but it wasn't too long and I was driving for most of it, making it difficult to safely switch to another book. If you want your history/biography in the form of what you would imagine a tween text exchange to be, try this book, you might love it.
cassellwrites's review
5.0
This is a biography that doesn't feel like your typical biography. You feel like you're sitting next to Heather, drinking as she tells you these true stories about an amazing woman: Virginia Hall.
The immense amount of research that went into this book really shows and I especially appreciate that Heather seemed to capture some of Virginia's own tone, voice and unique turns of phrase (Cowardly salad!)
In this book, you'll also explore institutional racism, sexism and abelism in our society.
The immense amount of research that went into this book really shows and I especially appreciate that Heather seemed to capture some of Virginia's own tone, voice and unique turns of phrase (Cowardly salad!)
In this book, you'll also explore institutional racism, sexism and abelism in our society.
faereads's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
3.75
I usually don't like biographies but this one's alright
reesiecup7's review
I really wanted to like this, but the author's very conversational tone, gratuitous use of swear words, and juxtaposition of calling Virgina Hall a badass and a dame/broad at the same time just put me off. Perhaps, listening to the audiobook version intensified these issues, but overall the writing just didn't hold up for me. It felt like the author was pandering to teens and trying too hard to be cool with all her swear words and modern colloquialisms (reg, adorbs, etc). The teens I know would not appreciate this writing style and would have given up long before the end because of it.
Virginia Hall is a fascinating woman, but all of the daring things she did get lost in the writing style.
Virginia Hall is a fascinating woman, but all of the daring things she did get lost in the writing style.
libscote's review
3.0
This one is a 3.5 for me. I definitely think the story of Virginia Hall is worth telling, and very important. I just think that this one has a distinctive enough voice that it won't work for all readers (for me, it started off fun and then wore on me.) Additionally, if someone is going to fun facts or expansions in notes, I much prefer footnotes to endnotes, even if that means the book is longer. So, the actual story is exciting and great, formatting choices didn't work for this reader.
purplepenning's review
4.0
The informal tone may not be everyone's cup of tea (and it may not age well) but this is pretty entertaining and badass history.
mrsjhasbooks's review
5.0
This YA nonfiction read was an incredible chronology of the incredible life of Virginia Hall, an overseas spy during WWII. Her ability to look danger (and potential death) square in the eye to ensure the toppling of Nazi Germany (and later the Soviets) makes her one of the most amazing women I have ever read about.
emonroe26's review
3.0
I really enjoyed learning about this incredible woman in WW2 history that I had never heard of before. I wasn’t sure going in what a YA biography would be like, but it is exactly that: if your best friend in high school was giving you the gossipy scoop about a historical figure. I’m not sure that I am currently (a 25 year old with a doctorate that reads constantly) the target reader, but I know that I would have eaten this up in high school.
trogdor19's review
5.0
Why aren't all history books written like this?
This was rollicking good fun, like sitting around a fire with a bottle of wine and a friend telling you all the craziest stories from history. Virginia Hall's life keeps getting more and more dangerous and thrilling as you get deeper into the book, and it's truly astounding what she was able to pull off. With no training whatsover, she taught herself all manner of sabotage, explosives, jail breaking for dummies, and went on to lead her own unofficial armies. A civilian woman. Leading armies. In the 1940s. I kept having to read one more chapter, then another, then another until I ran out of wars and pages. Wish this was an entire series of lady spies.
This is nonfiction that reads like the most page-turning of novels. If you like tough women taking out Nazis, this is the book for you!
This was rollicking good fun, like sitting around a fire with a bottle of wine and a friend telling you all the craziest stories from history. Virginia Hall's life keeps getting more and more dangerous and thrilling as you get deeper into the book, and it's truly astounding what she was able to pull off. With no training whatsover, she taught herself all manner of sabotage, explosives, jail breaking for dummies, and went on to lead her own unofficial armies. A civilian woman. Leading armies. In the 1940s. I kept having to read one more chapter, then another, then another until I ran out of wars and pages. Wish this was an entire series of lady spies.
This is nonfiction that reads like the most page-turning of novels. If you like tough women taking out Nazis, this is the book for you!