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A review by brittany_tellefsen
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
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.