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bronsonmh's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
Wow, I thought this was a great book. I loved the characters and plot of the story. I loved how we got letters the girls sent home along with story. I love historical fiction that is based on a true story. I didn’t know about the women from Smith college went over to France during the war to help villages rebuild.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Medical content, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
kitkatkick's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow, I loved this book. It’s rare that I fall so strongly for a story I just stumbled across, but Lauren Willig has spun such an incredible story and created such dynamic characters that I felt as though I grew into their unlikely sisterhood right alongside them.
Fictional novels based on real people are usually hard for me. Making such big assumptions about the thoughts and feelings of an actual person feels like it borders on disrespectful, but Willig did such a good job of it that I didn’t even question which characters were real or imagined until the author’s note at the end of the book. She takes the original women’s accounts into consideration and weaves them into supporting characters, but creates the three main characters through whom we watch the story unfold. Kate, Emmie, and Julia are each wonderfully unique, and their relationships and stories are captivating. Watching all fifteen major characters navigate their places within the group and feelings about each other, and then further their roles in the efforts of the entire war, was never forced or boring. When adding all of this to Willig’s skill for describing a war zone setting without either romanticizing it or making it off-puttingly gory, you end up with this wonderfully heartfelt novel that I will be recommending to anyone with a soul for the rest of forever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual harassment, and Classism
emileereadsbooks's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-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? Yes
4.25
Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Audio, and William Morrow books for the free review copy.
Based on a real group of Smith college alumni, I read this whole book anticipating the author's note to find out what was real and what was fiction. So much of the things I was sure were fiction turned out to be based on the author's research and really happened! This book is about more than just a group of privileged American women going to provide relief to some poor French citizens in the wake of WWI, it is a book about loyalty, dedication, and not judging circumstances until you know all the facts.
I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into another part of history and getting to meet this real group of women through this compelling fictional tale.
Julia Whelan does an excellent job with the narration. Even in the author's note, Willig admits there are a lot of characters in this book to remember, and Whelan does such a good job giving distinctive voices to each that I was never confused.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Medical content
Minor: Rape