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rachf_77's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
lil_t3a's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Another quick read by Soraya. I enjoyed it mostly, even if the ending did seem superficial.
farmfreshlisa's review
4.0
Another inside look into the lives of women serving during the war. This time the women participating in the French Resistance.
I’d love to have this book as a movie...
I’d love to have this book as a movie...
ladyamay's review
3.0
I'm rounding this up to a three from two point five.
It looks like I am in the minority with my opinion on this book. I really was excited for this book. Just finished this as a listen on Audible. I was looking for another narrative having to do with the SOE and how women contributed to the resistance during WWII but something seemed to have gotten lost between the lack of character development, the intertwining of their story lines, and the almost too neat and tidy ending.
The author takes us back and forth between Sophia the German recruit, Hazel from Brian and of course Rose who hails from France. The characters were almost difficult to distinguish perhaps due to pacing or since details and descriptions were lack luster and superficial.
I recently finished The Lost Girls of Paris and I much preferred the novel to this one. Maybe I just prefer Pam Jenoff's style of writing over that of Soraya M. Lane? I will, of course give her another chance. Maybe this time with a traditional book copy (the narration could have distracted me?).
It looks like I am in the minority with my opinion on this book. I really was excited for this book. Just finished this as a listen on Audible. I was looking for another narrative having to do with the SOE and how women contributed to the resistance during WWII but something seemed to have gotten lost between the lack of character development, the intertwining of their story lines, and the almost too neat and tidy ending.
The author takes us back and forth between Sophia the German recruit, Hazel from Brian and of course Rose who hails from France. The characters were almost difficult to distinguish perhaps due to pacing or since details and descriptions were lack luster and superficial.
I recently finished The Lost Girls of Paris and I much preferred the novel to this one. Maybe I just prefer Pam Jenoff's style of writing over that of Soraya M. Lane? I will, of course give her another chance. Maybe this time with a traditional book copy (the narration could have distracted me?).
jacki_f's review
2.0
I enjoy books set during WW2 about the Resistance - but not this one. It was so formulaic and superficial. It's about three Resistance workers in France who become close friends. The chapters move between the perspectives of Sophia (who is German), Hazel (who is English) and Rose (who is French), but they are so poorly characterised that they all felt like the same person. I read an online interview with the author that she spends one month doing research...which is not a lot, and it shows. It doesn't ever feel real or credible.
Moreover, the writing is so clunky and wooden! Here are some examples:
- "What are you most looking forward to, once this is over?" Hazel asked. Rose wasn't sure. She honestly wasn't sure. "I don't know"...she sighed.
- She hated the feeling of being a sitting duck, as if they were inviting the enemy to find them by staying in the same place for too long.
- Hazel tripped on a tree root or something sticking out of the ground.
Time and again, people say things like "the night I lost my unborn baby feels like a lifetime ago" - nobody talks like that!
All that this book did for me was to remind me of similar books that are so much better: [b:The Girl Who Fell From The Sky|12243540|The Girl Who Fell From The Sky|Simon Mawer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327763109s/12243540.jpg|18161766], [b:Code Name Verity|11925514|Code Name Verity (Code Name Verity, #1)|Elizabeth Wein|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388161911s/11925514.jpg|16885788] or [b:Restless|72148|Restless|William Boyd|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1330951946s/72148.jpg|865487].
Moreover, the writing is so clunky and wooden! Here are some examples:
- "What are you most looking forward to, once this is over?" Hazel asked. Rose wasn't sure. She honestly wasn't sure. "I don't know"...she sighed.
- She hated the feeling of being a sitting duck, as if they were inviting the enemy to find them by staying in the same place for too long.
- Hazel tripped on a tree root or something sticking out of the ground.
Time and again, people say things like "the night I lost my unborn baby feels like a lifetime ago" - nobody talks like that!
All that this book did for me was to remind me of similar books that are so much better: [b:The Girl Who Fell From The Sky|12243540|The Girl Who Fell From The Sky|Simon Mawer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327763109s/12243540.jpg|18161766], [b:Code Name Verity|11925514|Code Name Verity (Code Name Verity, #1)|Elizabeth Wein|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388161911s/11925514.jpg|16885788] or [b:Restless|72148|Restless|William Boyd|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1330951946s/72148.jpg|865487].
bellebookblog's review
3.0
Interesting book. Very intriguing. Loved the story. The author was new to me
miaev's review against another edition
4.0
Good but not one I enjoyed as much as some of her other novels.
wellingtonestatelibrary's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this audiobook. I'm used to reading more historical fiction than I have been lately, and I miss it.