A review by nschenke
Code Name Sapphire by Pam Jenoff

5.0

Hannah Martel, a German Jew, must escape the country once her fiancé is killed by the Nazis who discover their underground newspaper printing equipment. After her ship is denied entry to North American and Cuban ports, she must return to Europe and goes to live with her cousin Lily and her family in Brussels. Still needing to leave an occupied country, Hannah joins the resistance in hopes of finding a way out. She carries out tasks for the Sapphire Line run by secretive Micheline and her brother Matteo. In the course of an operation, Hannah makes a major mistake, causing Lily and her family to be arrested, sent to a prison camp and slated for deportation to Auschwitz. Hannah must then decide where her priorities lie and the extent of danger and sacrifice she is willing to endure and make.

Pam Jenoff has written another excellent book focused on resistance workers during WWII. The book drew me in from the very first page. It explores myriad relationships and presents the characters with numerous difficult decisions, giving us insight into their personalities and loyalties and their struggles to do the right thing. At times heart wrenching, the book was a satisfying exploration of the resilience of the human spirit.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to review an ARC copy of this book.