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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Great WWII story with a duel timeline. Everything gets wrapped up in a neat little bow at the end, almost too much so. But I thoroughly enjoyed the book overall.
mysterious
sad
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
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
That was a captivating read! Definitely a treat for HF readers around WWII, even better if you are into art!
It’s 2017, in London Aurelia inherits her grandmother’s apartment in Paris and is flabbergasted to unearth all its hidden treasures of art, clothes and most importantly its secrets. She enlists the help of Gabriel Seymour to restore the artwork & trace its origins.
In the Nazi ruled Paris of 1942, Estelle Allard enjoys a glamourous world of her own. Yet, she is contributing to the resistance efforts in her own efficient way, risking everything to help Sophie, a British agent, in her mission.
As Gabriel & Lia begin to seek answers to the mystery of this apartment, they go on to reveal shocking past histories & connections between their own families.
The opening was a bit confusing with a lot going on & too many introductions. But slowly the clarity improved & the plot went onto become highly gripping. The author’s descriptions of the apartment, its opulence & elegance, the stories behind each of the paintings it housed, evoked a sense of genuine intrigue & awe.
The best part as with any good historical fiction, @kellybowen09 derives inspiration from real people & events. Fueling her imagination with them, she gives us a beautiful story to spotlight the invaluable contribution of women like Estelle & Sophie to the war efforts. Her research & style of writing are truly commendable.
Estelle & Sophie are the epitome of grit, intelligence, presence of mind & extraordinary problem solving abilities that were vital to the Resistance network. The sacrifices, struggles, challenges & some heart-wrenching tragedies they would have to endure, deserve all the recognition & respect.
Though the ending gives most of the answers the readers are desperate to find, it does not feel rushed, but well thought out & comes together seamlessly. However a few things felt too good to be true, but that did not hamper my satisfaction or joy!
It’s 2017, in London Aurelia inherits her grandmother’s apartment in Paris and is flabbergasted to unearth all its hidden treasures of art, clothes and most importantly its secrets. She enlists the help of Gabriel Seymour to restore the artwork & trace its origins.
In the Nazi ruled Paris of 1942, Estelle Allard enjoys a glamourous world of her own. Yet, she is contributing to the resistance efforts in her own efficient way, risking everything to help Sophie, a British agent, in her mission.
As Gabriel & Lia begin to seek answers to the mystery of this apartment, they go on to reveal shocking past histories & connections between their own families.
The opening was a bit confusing with a lot going on & too many introductions. But slowly the clarity improved & the plot went onto become highly gripping. The author’s descriptions of the apartment, its opulence & elegance, the stories behind each of the paintings it housed, evoked a sense of genuine intrigue & awe.
The best part as with any good historical fiction, @kellybowen09 derives inspiration from real people & events. Fueling her imagination with them, she gives us a beautiful story to spotlight the invaluable contribution of women like Estelle & Sophie to the war efforts. Her research & style of writing are truly commendable.
Estelle & Sophie are the epitome of grit, intelligence, presence of mind & extraordinary problem solving abilities that were vital to the Resistance network. The sacrifices, struggles, challenges & some heart-wrenching tragedies they would have to endure, deserve all the recognition & respect.
Though the ending gives most of the answers the readers are desperate to find, it does not feel rushed, but well thought out & comes together seamlessly. However a few things felt too good to be true, but that did not hamper my satisfaction or joy!
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
This book has a dual timeline with one in 2017 and one in 1943. In historical fiction dual time lines, I often find more compelling and vital than the other and usually it is the historic timeline is the stronger. In this book, the two timelines are much more evenly matched, although I still found the 1943 timeline to be the more interesting.
In 2017, Lia inherits an apartment in Paris from her grandmother. There are two major issues with this. First, her grandmother never told anyone about the apartment and when Lia enters the apartment, it is as if someone just stepped out for a minute in 1943 and no one has been there since. It is filled with couture clothes, books, magazines and cosmetics all originally dated from 1943. And there is a hidden compartment filled with art that may be Nazi stolen plunder. There is also a hidden room that would be perfect to hide people. There are photographs and materials that would imply that Lia’s grandmother may have been Nazi collaborator.
However, in 1943, Estelle is a member of a resistance cell that specializes in helping downed airmen or captured soldiers escape from France and return to England. Sophie is agent sent to collect intelligence on the advanced stream cipher machine known as “Tunny” (Lorenz a super-Enigma model). Circumstances throw the two women together forcing them to learn to respect and depend on each other.
I am a compulsive reader of WWII Historical Fiction and this is one of the best I have ever read. It’s a gripping suspenseful telling of the WWII story of two extraordinary women.It is richly detailed; the characters are well developed; and the ending is a surprisingly well done resolution of all of the plot lines. I would happily recommend it to readers of historical fiction. Interestingly there is a true story of an abandoned apartment which was uninhabited for over 70 years