A review by alexisdpatt
The Postmistress of Paris, by Meg Waite Clayton

lighthearted tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

“The Postmistress of Paris” by Meg Waite Clayton ⭐️⭐️

TW: SA

I read this book so you didn’t have to, and please, just don’t; don’t waste your time on this. 

“The Postmistress of Paris” follows the story of an American woman, Naneé, as she helps Varian Fry smuggle refugees out of Europe through Vichy France to America. It is weird, however, that half of the book is split between 3 POVs, that of Naneé, a German Jew named Eduard and his daughter Luki. 

This novel was inspired by the work Mary Jayne Gold did during WWII to help refugees escape Nazi occupied Europe, and unfortunately, the novel is so boring, uninspiring and very underwhelming. I honestly think it does a disservice to Gold and the network Varian Fry set up to rescue thousands of Jews from Europe. 

This novel is filled with so much fluff and a boring romance subplot that I cannot help but roll my eyes at. If you want to write a story about a secret network, then write that story. Why is the focus here solely on the escape of one person and not the thousands that Fry and Gold helped? 

I do not like the unnecessary sexual assault that happens a third of the way through. It’s so convoluted because it’s written poorly and should have been axed. The “postmistress” titles is very misleading and I’m quite annoyed with the result. 

Please, I beg you, don’t waste your time.