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valpogal's review
3.0
I so wanted to love this book. Instead I found it work; there were too many moments that didn’t hold together. I had to keep referring to the list of characters and their nicknames at the beginning of the novel to know who was who. I questioned how the narrator could know what many of the characters said or felt in moments when she wasn’t present. I became quite confused as to which publication each character was purported to be working on at any given time. The novel earned three stars however: I did love being introduced to an act of rebellion I knew nothing about and I appreciated the authors portrayal of diverse and nuanced relationships. I’m wondering if I would appreciate this more after a second read? Likely, but I didn’t love it enough to invest the time.
hayleyp12's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Suicide
vlwelser's review
adventurous
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
dg_reads's review
4.0
I received an advanced readers edition in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Park Row Books for the chance to read and review!
THE VENTRILOQUISTS by E.R. Ramzipoor is a debut novel of historical fiction based in true events. The story is set in Brussels in 1943 during World War II. The Nazis are taking over the most popular newspaper to put out their own propaganda, but the Front de l'Indépendance is committed to publishing underground newspapers free from Nazi control.
Journalist Marc Aubrion and several of his compatriots are confronted by Nazi official August Wolff and pressed into service to put out a paper which will depict the Allies as the bad guys. Given little choice but to comply, Aubrion comes up with a plan to outwardly do the Nazi's bidding while actually producing a fake edition of the paper that makes Hitler and Stalin the butt of the joke. With just 20 days to figure out how to write, publish and distribute their special edition, there is much to be done and constant danger hanging over their heads.
The story's narrator is Helene who was a twelve year old girl in 1943, passing herself off as a newsboy selling papers when Marc Aubrion recruited her to join the resistance. The novel is told from the modern day as Helene tells her story to a young woman Eliza who has sought her out for just this purpose. Helene tells her own story in the first person and narrates the other characters' parts in the third person, with a little of her own commentary on the goings on mixed in. There are short passages interspersed with conversation about the story between Helene and Eliza.
The conversation and the narrative feel very natural, though I might have wanted to see a little bit more about how Helene came to some of the knowledge she had for portions of the -story where she wasn't a first person observer. Some of this is explained in the narrative, but I feel like there could have been a bit more.
The author uses beautiful, descriptive language and I really enjoyed the writing in this book. The characters were definitely the focus of the story. The characters are very varied and it was interesting to see characters who we might generally only see in hiding or in a concentration camp in World War II fiction in a different setting. I haven't seen a lot of queer representation in historical fiction during this time period, so that was a positive.
There is a lot of World War II historical fiction out there, but I do enjoy finding some that gives a new twist to the story and this was a novel that did just that. As someone with a great appreciation of writing and publishing, getting a story of people trying to get the written word out against all odds was a great new perspective. The characters are under a tremendous time crunch, evidenced by not only the characters' conversations, but the chapter headings which give a countdown to publication day to emphasize the looming deadline.
Overall, I really enjoyed THE VENTRILOQUISTS. For a 500+ page novel, it really was a fast, immersive read and I read through it in a single day. It took me a bit to engage with the story as there are quite a number of characters introduced in a pretty quick sequence in the beginning, but by the time I was about 50 pages in I was hooked and eager to see what would happen next.
If you enjoy historical fiction with a unique look at a well known time period, I would recommend you pick up a copy of THE VENTRILOQUISTS which is out today, August 27, 2019! This was a great debut novel from E.R. Ramzipoor and I will be keeping an eye out for what she comes out with in the future!
THE VENTRILOQUISTS by E.R. Ramzipoor is a debut novel of historical fiction based in true events. The story is set in Brussels in 1943 during World War II. The Nazis are taking over the most popular newspaper to put out their own propaganda, but the Front de l'Indépendance is committed to publishing underground newspapers free from Nazi control.
Journalist Marc Aubrion and several of his compatriots are confronted by Nazi official August Wolff and pressed into service to put out a paper which will depict the Allies as the bad guys. Given little choice but to comply, Aubrion comes up with a plan to outwardly do the Nazi's bidding while actually producing a fake edition of the paper that makes Hitler and Stalin the butt of the joke. With just 20 days to figure out how to write, publish and distribute their special edition, there is much to be done and constant danger hanging over their heads.
The story's narrator is Helene who was a twelve year old girl in 1943, passing herself off as a newsboy selling papers when Marc Aubrion recruited her to join the resistance. The novel is told from the modern day as Helene tells her story to a young woman Eliza who has sought her out for just this purpose. Helene tells her own story in the first person and narrates the other characters' parts in the third person, with a little of her own commentary on the goings on mixed in. There are short passages interspersed with conversation about the story between Helene and Eliza.
The conversation and the narrative feel very natural, though I might have wanted to see a little bit more about how Helene came to some of the knowledge she had for portions of the -story where she wasn't a first person observer. Some of this is explained in the narrative, but I feel like there could have been a bit more.
The author uses beautiful, descriptive language and I really enjoyed the writing in this book. The characters were definitely the focus of the story. The characters are very varied and it was interesting to see characters who we might generally only see in hiding or in a concentration camp in World War II fiction in a different setting. I haven't seen a lot of queer representation in historical fiction during this time period, so that was a positive.
There is a lot of World War II historical fiction out there, but I do enjoy finding some that gives a new twist to the story and this was a novel that did just that. As someone with a great appreciation of writing and publishing, getting a story of people trying to get the written word out against all odds was a great new perspective. The characters are under a tremendous time crunch, evidenced by not only the characters' conversations, but the chapter headings which give a countdown to publication day to emphasize the looming deadline.
Overall, I really enjoyed THE VENTRILOQUISTS. For a 500+ page novel, it really was a fast, immersive read and I read through it in a single day. It took me a bit to engage with the story as there are quite a number of characters introduced in a pretty quick sequence in the beginning, but by the time I was about 50 pages in I was hooked and eager to see what would happen next.
If you enjoy historical fiction with a unique look at a well known time period, I would recommend you pick up a copy of THE VENTRILOQUISTS which is out today, August 27, 2019! This was a great debut novel from E.R. Ramzipoor and I will be keeping an eye out for what she comes out with in the future!
brookerachel's review
4.0
This book was a very interesting twist on other WWII novels I have read. To start, you rarely see a WWII book with only one Jewish character! Each character was written really well, and I enjoyed the short chapters set in the present. They broke up the story nicely. Each persons plight and backstory was unique and intriguing - I was especially drawn to David Spiegelmans story. Don’t let the page count scare you off - though there’s a lot going on, it’s a fairly quick read. The one thing I have to mention is I found one historical inaccuracy and was a bit confused in America’s involvement throughout the story.
Thank you Park Row Books for this ARC.
Thank you Park Row Books for this ARC.
raoionna's review
3.0
This World War II story was a disappointment. I hoped for a book with the magic of Hugo or at least a book with a uniform literary tone. This book felt erratic, with a few great moments, particularly in the dialogue between characters. The book was very challenging to finish, as the writing felt leaden. I wouldn't have finished it if I wasn't committed to writing this review.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Seema Rao Write : Instagram| Blog| Twitter|
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Seema Rao Write : Instagram| Blog| Twitter|
sumaitaah's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The Ventriloquists tells the story of a group in the Belgian resistance who attempt to release a satirical newspaper, a fake edition of a real newspaper, which was a Nazi mouthpiece, all in the course of just eighteen days. It was hoped this would boost Belgian morale and dent that of the Nazis. It is an extremely detailed novel often recounting the events of a singular day in multiple sections - morning, afternoon, evening and night. This serves to make an already long book rather slow going, and despite my interest in the plot and all the logistics of bringing the vision to fruition, my interest did wane at times. I really enjoyed getting to know the fascinating members of this disparate group - a lesbian who ran a brothel and wrote erotica, a female street urchin who disguised herself as a newspaper boy, an actual journalist, a judge, and a gay Jewish man who worked for the Nazis but also supported the Resistance. At many times the plot felt over the top but it is actually based on historical fact, and those unlikely scenes actually occurred.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Antisemitism and Homophobia
abookishtype's review
5.0
There were some moments in E.R. Ramzipoor’s The Ventriloquists when I just had to roll my eyes. Some of the things the characters got up to that are so over the top, so ridiculous that my willingness to suspend disbelief straining. When I got to the Author’s Note at the end—and did a bit of supplemental reading on Wikipedia—those eye rolls turned into the biggest grin I think I’ve ever had at the end of a book. I think my grin would make the actual historical figures behind a forgotten Resistance story glad that they can still make someone laugh...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from this publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from this publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
kirstieellen's review
4.0
4.5/5 stars
Big thank you to Harlequin Australia for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review!
Initial Thoughts Upon Finishing
I mean, first up, I somehow didn't know until the end of this book that this is actually based off a true story which is AMAZING. I really enjoyed this! We have a beautiful cast of characters with some wonderful personalities that really came to life on the page. It is a bold story and a classic, inspiring tale of war times heroes on the home front.
The Ventriloquists
The Ventriloquists is set in Belgium during World War II. It follows a group of characters involved with a newspaper called Front de l'Indépendance. The Nazis are eager to brainwash the people of Belgium against the Allies by having them portrayed, through propaganda, negatively. So they come up with the idea that they will use these people from Front de l'Indépendance to orchestrate such a feat.
Naturally, none of them is wanting to simply do this and help the Germans out. Our group of characters includes an enigmatic man by the name of Marc Aubrion who is largely credited with pulling off the plan they set in motion. Instead of creating a newspaper that the Germans wanted, they planned to use the time and supplies (all knowing that they would likely be executed at the completion of the mission regardless) to create a joke: a newspaper that looks like Le Soir (the newspaper they were commandeering) but instead, made fun of the Germans and gave the everyday man something to laugh about again.
And so, with the help of many friends and told through the narration of an old lady, many years after the events, in an interview with a young girl, we slowly unravel the story of what actually happened in those 18 days when the team had to work day and night to pull off this feat.
Why I Loved It
I've always been a huge sucker for WWII books that present a new, inspiring story of brave people to me. Often, I've come across books like [b:The Red Ribbon|35681404|The Red Ribbon|Lucy Adlington|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1500127528l/35681404._SY75_.jpg|57157506], [b:The Librarian of Auschwitz|43362414|The Librarian of Auschwitz Based on the True Story of Dita Kraus|Antonio Iturbe|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1545833559l/43362414._SY75_.jpg|21859447] and [b:The Butterfly and the Violin|18850688|The Butterfly and the Violin (Hidden Masterpiece, #1)|Kristy Cambron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1384879230l/18850688._SY75_.jpg|26186487] that have all taught me new things about the concentration camps.
But the thing I really love are books like The Ventriloquists that tell us the unsung stories of the home front - this was as exciting, eye-opening and enjoyable to read as Kristin Hannah's, [b:The Nightingale|21853621|The Nightingale|Kristin Hannah|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1451446316l/21853621._SY75_.jpg|41125521].
The characters in this story are highly likeable, also. Aubrion is a whirlwind of energy that sucks you up and keeps you close until the very last pages. I can't imagine anyone not smiling through his bright moments and all the nonsense he babbles on about.
Lada was also another favourite of mine. A smuggler and a prostitute, she is a fierce and loyal character who really does stand up for what she believes in. Not only that, but she brings in some LGBT+ representation for us and ties us to another strong (although not quite as strong) female character, Andree. It is always inspiring to have both strong men and women standing at the front of a big tale like this one.
Gamin was a really interesting perspective as well. We learn very early on that the old lady being interviewed is actually Gamin and her story is slowly elaborated on throughout the book. It was an interesting voice to add to the mix and it held a surprising amount of weight considering that Ramzipoor knew next to nothing about the real Gamin. The stories that authors can weave into real tales like this one, doing outstanding jobs of complimenting and embellishing what we know without making anything unrealistic, is incredible.
Why You'll Love It
I think the bottom line with this book is simply that it's a very easy read. I wanted nothing more than to curl up with it and a cup of tea after each workday and be re-absorbed back into the story. It's one of those books where you become highly invested in it and just love diving back into.
If you're a lover of Kristin Hannah's works in particular, then I would be highly recommending this book to you. However, I feel that despite being historical fiction (I say that for those of you who may not be so keen on the genre as I am), this is a reader-friendly story that I think many, many people will enjoy. Aubrion's character is so bright and intriguing that if you love quirky characters - especially the ones that tend to crop up in YA fiction - then you'll love this book just for Aubrion alone.
Summary
Evidently, I could sing this book's praises for some time to come. I can't wait to read more by Ramzipoor because this was brilliant story-telling. I enjoyed every page, I lapped up the tension as the deadline crept ever closer for the characters and I felt all the tragic pangs of the heart when tragedy befell any of them. A big thumbs up from me!
Big thank you to Harlequin Australia for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review!
Initial Thoughts Upon Finishing
I mean, first up, I somehow didn't know until the end of this book that this is actually based off a true story which is AMAZING. I really enjoyed this! We have a beautiful cast of characters with some wonderful personalities that really came to life on the page. It is a bold story and a classic, inspiring tale of war times heroes on the home front.
The Ventriloquists
The Ventriloquists is set in Belgium during World War II. It follows a group of characters involved with a newspaper called Front de l'Indépendance. The Nazis are eager to brainwash the people of Belgium against the Allies by having them portrayed, through propaganda, negatively. So they come up with the idea that they will use these people from Front de l'Indépendance to orchestrate such a feat.
Naturally, none of them is wanting to simply do this and help the Germans out. Our group of characters includes an enigmatic man by the name of Marc Aubrion who is largely credited with pulling off the plan they set in motion. Instead of creating a newspaper that the Germans wanted, they planned to use the time and supplies (all knowing that they would likely be executed at the completion of the mission regardless) to create a joke: a newspaper that looks like Le Soir (the newspaper they were commandeering) but instead, made fun of the Germans and gave the everyday man something to laugh about again.
And so, with the help of many friends and told through the narration of an old lady, many years after the events, in an interview with a young girl, we slowly unravel the story of what actually happened in those 18 days when the team had to work day and night to pull off this feat.
Why I Loved It
I've always been a huge sucker for WWII books that present a new, inspiring story of brave people to me. Often, I've come across books like [b:The Red Ribbon|35681404|The Red Ribbon|Lucy Adlington|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1500127528l/35681404._SY75_.jpg|57157506], [b:The Librarian of Auschwitz|43362414|The Librarian of Auschwitz Based on the True Story of Dita Kraus|Antonio Iturbe|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1545833559l/43362414._SY75_.jpg|21859447] and [b:The Butterfly and the Violin|18850688|The Butterfly and the Violin (Hidden Masterpiece, #1)|Kristy Cambron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1384879230l/18850688._SY75_.jpg|26186487] that have all taught me new things about the concentration camps.
But the thing I really love are books like The Ventriloquists that tell us the unsung stories of the home front - this was as exciting, eye-opening and enjoyable to read as Kristin Hannah's, [b:The Nightingale|21853621|The Nightingale|Kristin Hannah|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1451446316l/21853621._SY75_.jpg|41125521].
The characters in this story are highly likeable, also. Aubrion is a whirlwind of energy that sucks you up and keeps you close until the very last pages. I can't imagine anyone not smiling through his bright moments and all the nonsense he babbles on about.
Lada was also another favourite of mine. A smuggler and a prostitute, she is a fierce and loyal character who really does stand up for what she believes in. Not only that, but she brings in some LGBT+ representation for us and ties us to another strong (although not quite as strong) female character, Andree. It is always inspiring to have both strong men and women standing at the front of a big tale like this one.
Gamin was a really interesting perspective as well. We learn very early on that the old lady being interviewed is actually Gamin and her story is slowly elaborated on throughout the book. It was an interesting voice to add to the mix and it held a surprising amount of weight considering that Ramzipoor knew next to nothing about the real Gamin. The stories that authors can weave into real tales like this one, doing outstanding jobs of complimenting and embellishing what we know without making anything unrealistic, is incredible.
Why You'll Love It
I think the bottom line with this book is simply that it's a very easy read. I wanted nothing more than to curl up with it and a cup of tea after each workday and be re-absorbed back into the story. It's one of those books where you become highly invested in it and just love diving back into.
If you're a lover of Kristin Hannah's works in particular, then I would be highly recommending this book to you. However, I feel that despite being historical fiction (I say that for those of you who may not be so keen on the genre as I am), this is a reader-friendly story that I think many, many people will enjoy. Aubrion's character is so bright and intriguing that if you love quirky characters - especially the ones that tend to crop up in YA fiction - then you'll love this book just for Aubrion alone.
Summary
Evidently, I could sing this book's praises for some time to come. I can't wait to read more by Ramzipoor because this was brilliant story-telling. I enjoyed every page, I lapped up the tension as the deadline crept ever closer for the characters and I felt all the tragic pangs of the heart when tragedy befell any of them. A big thumbs up from me!