juliettesachet's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
4.5
teachingkids1982's review against another edition
5.0
oh my word this book was beautiful... caused so many emotions!
alliepeduto's review against another edition
5.0
This book perfectly encapsulates what I love about historical fiction. I was completely immersed in the story, so much so that for a little while I forgot about everything but Eve and Charlie, and whether they would both conquer their demons. And that is exactly what a good book should do.
It wasn't until the end of the book that I really thought about the history. Kate Quinn provides some of her resources and outlines the real historical facts, and I was floored to realize "Alice" was an actual historical figure, and she was just as vibrant and brave in her own writings as the author portrayed her on the page. This story was a beautiful mix of funny and sad, scary and uplifting, and I feel it's such a true reflection of life. This story may be mostly fiction, but it brings in a remarkable array of human emotions: helplessness and guilt, as well as love and hope. We may not be able to rewrite history, but we can learn from it, and I feel like this book does a remarkable job of highlighting what's really important.
It wasn't until the end of the book that I really thought about the history. Kate Quinn provides some of her resources and outlines the real historical facts, and I was floored to realize "Alice" was an actual historical figure, and she was just as vibrant and brave in her own writings as the author portrayed her on the page. This story was a beautiful mix of funny and sad, scary and uplifting, and I feel it's such a true reflection of life. This story may be mostly fiction, but it brings in a remarkable array of human emotions: helplessness and guilt, as well as love and hope. We may not be able to rewrite history, but we can learn from it, and I feel like this book does a remarkable job of highlighting what's really important.
claralivesinbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
This was so so good. I was hooked from the beginning and I read this in practically two days. I loved the characters, the two stories and how everything ended. I learnt so much about this war heroines I had no idea about, and I always love learning about new things. I can't wait to read more of Quinn's books.
klizeck12's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.75
brittany_tellefsen's review against another edition
4.0
What a solid, charming WWII historical fiction filled with two strong, stubborn, willful women determined to do whatever it takes to heal their wounds, find answers, and, if necessary, enact revenge.
1915 Eve Gardiner is recruited as a spy in the Alice Network. Though she has a hindering speech impediment that has consistently held her back and causes others to see her as simple and stupid, Eve is anything but. She is fiery and bold, ready to go to great lengths to thwart the German enemy and see France liberated. She ends up going undercover in a France restaurant, covertly spying on German patrons and relaying their information to the spy network.
1947 Charlie St. Clair is determined to find out what happened to her cousin Rose during the Second World War. Like sisters, Charlie grew up in America, Rose in France, and refuses to believe that Rose is dead, even though she and her family have not heard from Rose in several years.
As Charlie and her mother head to Switzerland to "take care of" Charlie's "Little Problem," (unwed and pregnant), Charlie decides she is going to use the opportunity instead to go find answers in London, starting with Eve Gardiner, a woman who may know what happened.
But Charlies is startled to find Eve an old miserable drunk with deformed hands, filled with bitterness and not keen to humor Charlie who is so obviously on a doomed mission. But eventually, the two women's stories begin to intersect, crossing at a common enemy that they will now do everything in their power to bring to justice.
In many ways, this book had a lot of the same fire, spirit, and moxie as The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. It told the story of two women, one who had seen more than her fair share of trauma, one who loved so deeply she was unwilling to let go, and how they find and help each other along the way, not allowing fear to stop them.
What did it matter if something scared you, when it simply had to be done?”
I often enjoy Historical Fictions that take such a deep look into human relationships and character during a time fraught with so much hatred, horror, and ugliness. I find these stories, although fictional, to be true portraits of the resilience, strength, and endurance that most people had to go through during these times. It is heartbreaking, but empowering at the same time. And you absolutely route for these women.
Though Eve's story was far more harrowing and intriguing, I found Charlie's unwillingness to conform to gender roles to be refreshing, especially during the time in which this was written. I wasn't overly interested in Charlie's search for Rose, but I was still along for the ride as the relationship between Charlie and Eve, as well as Eve's driver Finn, became close and fiercely protective while learning about Eve's past and all she went through.
This was my first ever experience with Kate Quinn and I am definitely excited to read more from her in the future. This charmed me from the beginning and I think Eve and Charlie's story will stick with me for some time.
1915 Eve Gardiner is recruited as a spy in the Alice Network. Though she has a hindering speech impediment that has consistently held her back and causes others to see her as simple and stupid, Eve is anything but. She is fiery and bold, ready to go to great lengths to thwart the German enemy and see France liberated. She ends up going undercover in a France restaurant, covertly spying on German patrons and relaying their information to the spy network.
1947 Charlie St. Clair is determined to find out what happened to her cousin Rose during the Second World War. Like sisters, Charlie grew up in America, Rose in France, and refuses to believe that Rose is dead, even though she and her family have not heard from Rose in several years.
As Charlie and her mother head to Switzerland to "take care of" Charlie's "Little Problem," (unwed and pregnant), Charlie decides she is going to use the opportunity instead to go find answers in London, starting with Eve Gardiner, a woman who may know what happened.
But Charlies is startled to find Eve an old miserable drunk with deformed hands, filled with bitterness and not keen to humor Charlie who is so obviously on a doomed mission. But eventually, the two women's stories begin to intersect, crossing at a common enemy that they will now do everything in their power to bring to justice.
In many ways, this book had a lot of the same fire, spirit, and moxie as The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. It told the story of two women, one who had seen more than her fair share of trauma, one who loved so deeply she was unwilling to let go, and how they find and help each other along the way, not allowing fear to stop them.
What did it matter if something scared you, when it simply had to be done?”
I often enjoy Historical Fictions that take such a deep look into human relationships and character during a time fraught with so much hatred, horror, and ugliness. I find these stories, although fictional, to be true portraits of the resilience, strength, and endurance that most people had to go through during these times. It is heartbreaking, but empowering at the same time. And you absolutely route for these women.
Though Eve's story was far more harrowing and intriguing, I found Charlie's unwillingness to conform to gender roles to be refreshing, especially during the time in which this was written. I wasn't overly interested in Charlie's search for Rose, but I was still along for the ride as the relationship between Charlie and Eve, as well as Eve's driver Finn, became close and fiercely protective while learning about Eve's past and all she went through.
This was my first ever experience with Kate Quinn and I am definitely excited to read more from her in the future. This charmed me from the beginning and I think Eve and Charlie's story will stick with me for some time.
nilla_'s review against another edition
2.0
If this had been a shorter book that was just about Eve and her life/narrative, I would have really, really liked it. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. Charlie’s narration bothered me in more ways than one - the primary one is that is broke the cardinal rule of “show, not tell” at basically every opportunity. And her story felt like a contrived parallel to Eve’s for no real reason. It could/should have been done a lot more subtly.
However, I didn’t hate it. Two stars because the third-person half of it is a four-star book.
However, I didn’t hate it. Two stars because the third-person half of it is a four-star book.
rayne31's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
chirokelly's review against another edition
3.0
Lots of sex scene and descriptions of sexual encounters. Also has a ton of language. I thought one of her other books, The Rose Code, was much better.
kdaedwards's review against another edition
4.0
This book made me really think a lot about feminism and how much gender norms and stereotypes have changed over the last century. Reading a book set in wartime is always difficult for me, but the juxtaposition of during WWI and shortly after WWII was the right blend of hard to read about suffering and appreciation for how strong people are as they rebuild. The book was both heart wrenching and incredibly inspiring.