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jac_85's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Lilac Girls meets Alice Network (with a bit of The Huntress given the Nazi hunting) thoroughly enjoyed
cathy1969's review
medium-paced
4.0
Although The Golden Doves is a dual timeline story, the times are close together. It centers around two main characters, Josie & Arlette, who become known as the Golden Doves for their spy work during WWII.
They are eventually captured and taken to Ravensbruck along with Arlette's son and Josie also finds her mom there. The crux of the story is of the Doves looking for Snow, who was in charge of the concentration camp, years later as well as Arlette's son who was taken from her at camp.
The two women are courageous in many different ways and always seem to have each other's backs as the struggle to figure out who Snow is and put the pieces of their own lives back together.
I do think it was a little wordy at times, but definitely a worthwhile read.
They are eventually captured and taken to Ravensbruck along with Arlette's son and Josie also finds her mom there. The crux of the story is of the Doves looking for Snow, who was in charge of the concentration camp, years later as well as Arlette's son who was taken from her at camp.
The two women are courageous in many different ways and always seem to have each other's backs as the struggle to figure out who Snow is and put the pieces of their own lives back together.
I do think it was a little wordy at times, but definitely a worthwhile read.
jenny10309's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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
4.5
candacesiegle_greedyreader's review
5.0
“The Golden Doves” is by far the strongest of Martha Hall Kelly’s novels, grappling with one of the most disturbing aspects of the post WWII world—the recruitment of Nazi doctors and scientists by both the US and Russia.
The novel is set in 1952 as well as during the war. Arlette LaRue and Josie Anderson meet in the Resistance, roles neither of them had ever intended to take. Arlette is French, raised by a nasty aunt and pregnant at 17 by a German soldier. Her aunt sends her to a hospital where pure Aryan children are taken from their mothers to be raised by Nazi families. Josie’s mother is French and her father a US diplomat. He was unable to arrange for both his Jewish wife and her mother to be repatriated to the US, and so the three women wait in increasing poverty and fear for him to come through. Josie and Arlette turn out to have the magic touch—two teens able to gather a remarkable amount of information and pass it along to London, earning the nickname the Golden Doves.
In 1952, a physically and emotionally damaged Arlette works in a cafe with other survivors of Ravenbruck concentration camp.Her child disappeared, but she holds hope that he is still alive. Josie is in Texas, part of a good ol’ boy CIA unit, which is competing Russia to recruit Nazi doctors and scientists. She’s given the opportunity to return to Europe to bring back Dr. Snow, a physician who experimented on women at Ravensbruck. It’s her chance to show she’s part of the team if she brings the doctor back as opposed to committing murder.
So, they’re searching for Arlette’s son and someone they’d prefer to kill rather than bring to the US. Arlette gets a lead of where her son might be and follows that lead to French Guiana. Kelly explores the ratline, elaborate schemes to get Nazis to safety in other countries, usually in South America.
The stakes could not be higher—a missing child and a mass murderer. Arlette and Josie are deep and well-drawn characters you will root for and worry about. Kelly has done her research, especially about the ratline and how mass killers found safety and comfort all over the world. A few storylines are lost but that’s okay, you’ll hardly notice in all the exciting stuff going on.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this novel for review purposes. It is really great!
The novel is set in 1952 as well as during the war. Arlette LaRue and Josie Anderson meet in the Resistance, roles neither of them had ever intended to take. Arlette is French, raised by a nasty aunt and pregnant at 17 by a German soldier. Her aunt sends her to a hospital where pure Aryan children are taken from their mothers to be raised by Nazi families. Josie’s mother is French and her father a US diplomat. He was unable to arrange for both his Jewish wife and her mother to be repatriated to the US, and so the three women wait in increasing poverty and fear for him to come through. Josie and Arlette turn out to have the magic touch—two teens able to gather a remarkable amount of information and pass it along to London, earning the nickname the Golden Doves.
In 1952, a physically and emotionally damaged Arlette works in a cafe with other survivors of Ravenbruck concentration camp.Her child disappeared, but she holds hope that he is still alive. Josie is in Texas, part of a good ol’ boy CIA unit, which is competing Russia to recruit Nazi doctors and scientists. She’s given the opportunity to return to Europe to bring back Dr. Snow, a physician who experimented on women at Ravensbruck. It’s her chance to show she’s part of the team if she brings the doctor back as opposed to committing murder.
So, they’re searching for Arlette’s son and someone they’d prefer to kill rather than bring to the US. Arlette gets a lead of where her son might be and follows that lead to French Guiana. Kelly explores the ratline, elaborate schemes to get Nazis to safety in other countries, usually in South America.
The stakes could not be higher—a missing child and a mass murderer. Arlette and Josie are deep and well-drawn characters you will root for and worry about. Kelly has done her research, especially about the ratline and how mass killers found safety and comfort all over the world. A few storylines are lost but that’s okay, you’ll hardly notice in all the exciting stuff going on.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this novel for review purposes. It is really great!
rspinniken's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
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? No
3.75
kleonard's review
3.0
A decent thriller about women who worked in the French Resistance in WWII, were captured and sent to Ravensbruck, and are now back in the game, willingly and unwillingly. The various plots stretch the willing suspension of disbelief some, and the entire Fleur plotline could have been removed, moving its important details into the main narrative, but otherwise this will appeal to fans of historical fiction.
ali_runs_and_reads's review against another edition
4.0
🎧 The Golden Doves by Martha Hall Kelly
4⭐️
This was a really unique take on WWII. Told both during World War II and after it’s the story of two female spies, who end up in the infamous all women’s concentration camp Ravensbrück. Their paths cross again after the war is over when Arlette is searching for her son and Josie is working for the Americans hunting down Nazis, who escaped prosecution for their crimes. Overall, it was a very good story. it definitely made me want to learn more about what happened at Ravensbrück. I feel like the stories from Ravensbrück our under represented in WWII books. Apparently, this is somewhat a sequel to the Lilac Girls, which I have not read. I think The Golden Doves stands alone just fine. The ending was a little weird. It’s like the author left it open for a sequel which I don’t really care for. Overall, it was a good listen.
allisunjo97's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mjsmilliken's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0