A review by alana_loves_books
The Indomitable Florence Finch: The Untold Story of a War Widow Turned Resistance Fighter and Savior of American POWs by Robert J. Mrazek

5.0

I confess that I knew very little about WWII in the Asiatic-Pacific theater before listening to this excellent audiobook about a remarkable woman named Florence Finch. In 1915, she was born to an American father and Filipino mother in Santiago, Philippines. After excelling in school, she was excited to begin a career in a U.S. intelligence office. But when the Japanese occupation started in 1942, Finch chose to represent herself as Filipina so that she could aid her countrymen. As the war intensified, she found a job with a Japanese fuel company. Knowing the incredible danger, she collaborated with the resistance movement by helping them obtain fuel and divert supplies meant for the Japanese. She also smuggled food and supplies to POWs including her former employer at the intelligence office. The occupation was terrible, the Japanese military was merciless, and Finch was eventually caught. After spending time in a hard labor camp and finally gaining her freedom, she felt compelled to return. She enlisted in the Coast Guard with hopes of defeating the Japanese. Ultimately she won a Presidential Medal of Freedom. I won’t reveal too much, but if you enjoyed Unbroken (the story of Louis Zamperini), you will enjoy this, too. I sped through it in just a few days and was mesmerized by her courage and bravery. She was a true heroine. The fast pace of Mrazek’s writing was thrilling and kept me on the edge of my seat. The narrator’s rich voice was pleasing to listen to and he moved the story along well. Highly recommend!