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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
This review is a few days late and for that, I apologize. Life, ya know? Released the 6th, grab this book NOW.
So, when I first started this book I thought, “Ruby has gumption” and wondered if there was a way we could bring that word back (honestly, it’s a gem). And low and behold, that word was used to describe her a few pages later. Clearly, the author does a bang up job of portraying her characters and I got it right.
I love me some historical fiction and was blown away by Runyan’s last book, Daughters of the Night Sky, so I was very excited to read this. I was not disappointed. Runyan writes about girl power in a time that needs it. Her writing fascinates me and her thorough research is clear throughout her stories. This book, Girls on the Line, is based on the Hello Girls of WWI. These ladies made it their duty to connect those on the front lines to those coordinating the battles and beyond. They went through training, they were close to combat, and had to learn and relearn more codes than you or I could ever imagine. I mean, these ladies were bad ass.
The main character Ruby is from a well to-do family of Philadelphia high society and her mother has life preplanned. She is engaged to Nathaniel and will succumb to a life of duty to her husband after the war. But then opportunities arise and (with that gumption), goes for it. And kicks ass.
Not only is Girls fascinating from beginning to end, there is a part of history I never knew about, provided to me within the fictional characters of the story. Runyan even includes a little history and background at the end, which I truly appreciated. I know I’m about to go down some rabbit holes reading up on the Hello Girls!
Girls on the Line is a phenomenal look into WWI history and I highly, highly recommend reading it. You’d be amazed at some of the issues that align with today’s climate.
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are mine.
So, when I first started this book I thought, “Ruby has gumption” and wondered if there was a way we could bring that word back (honestly, it’s a gem). And low and behold, that word was used to describe her a few pages later. Clearly, the author does a bang up job of portraying her characters and I got it right.
I love me some historical fiction and was blown away by Runyan’s last book, Daughters of the Night Sky, so I was very excited to read this. I was not disappointed. Runyan writes about girl power in a time that needs it. Her writing fascinates me and her thorough research is clear throughout her stories. This book, Girls on the Line, is based on the Hello Girls of WWI. These ladies made it their duty to connect those on the front lines to those coordinating the battles and beyond. They went through training, they were close to combat, and had to learn and relearn more codes than you or I could ever imagine. I mean, these ladies were bad ass.
The main character Ruby is from a well to-do family of Philadelphia high society and her mother has life preplanned. She is engaged to Nathaniel and will succumb to a life of duty to her husband after the war. But then opportunities arise and (with that gumption), goes for it. And kicks ass.
Not only is Girls fascinating from beginning to end, there is a part of history I never knew about, provided to me within the fictional characters of the story. Runyan even includes a little history and background at the end, which I truly appreciated. I know I’m about to go down some rabbit holes reading up on the Hello Girls!
Girls on the Line is a phenomenal look into WWI history and I highly, highly recommend reading it. You’d be amazed at some of the issues that align with today’s climate.
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are mine.
I wish I could give this book 10 stars. What an amazing story. Should be a movie.
Girls on the Line is a historical fiction book about the little known "Hello Girls" of WWI. Girls on the Line tells the story of Ruby Wagner who joins the war effort as the Supervisor of a group of telephone operators for the US Signal Corps. These strong and independent women played a vital role in getting communications to the front line. The story is well reached and written. These women helped the suffrage movement and the change in women's roles. I enjoyed this story and highly recommend it. Thank you to Aimie K Runyan, Netgalley, and the publisher for a copy of this book and this is my honest review.
A Tale of Two Times. This book was a fascinating look at how World War One truly marked a demarkation in American history that is often times glossed over between the tumult of the American Civil War and the birth of the modern American Superpower in WWII, though I do not think it quite as glossed over as the author implies in her notes at the end of the book. The story presented here truly examines the author's thesis in detail though, and presents a moving drama within that framework. An excellent book that brings attention to one of the conflict's groups of unsung heroes, this book could well do for the 'Hello Girls' what other recent books did for the ladies of the Apollo program in NASA.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this FANTASTIC book! I think the reason I love historical fiction so much is that I learn something about history that I'd never learned in school.
As the only daughter of a prominent Philadelphia family in 1917, Ruby's life, and future are decided for her.
Ruby would like to make her own decisions about her daily life and her future, and the opportunity comes in the form of putting her life on the line during WWI as a telephone operator in France.
The author does a fantastic job of weaving history in with characters we care about. I loved learning more about these brave women during WWI and their part in helping to win the war.
The most disturbing part was the information in the author's notes about these real women and how it took until 1979 for them to get their just recognition... by that time, only 28 were still alive.
This is a wonderful story about strong women during WWI that I highly recommend!
As the only daughter of a prominent Philadelphia family in 1917, Ruby's life, and future are decided for her.
Ruby would like to make her own decisions about her daily life and her future, and the opportunity comes in the form of putting her life on the line during WWI as a telephone operator in France.
The author does a fantastic job of weaving history in with characters we care about. I loved learning more about these brave women during WWI and their part in helping to win the war.
The most disturbing part was the information in the author's notes about these real women and how it took until 1979 for them to get their just recognition... by that time, only 28 were still alive.
This is a wonderful story about strong women during WWI that I highly recommend!
I received an advanced reading copy of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Although I received an early copy of this book, I waited until the weekend celebrating the anniversary of Armistice Day to read it. I have a kinship with Ruby as I too served in the signal corp. I had not read anything by Runyan before. I now see the error of my ways. Runyan deserves every accolade she receives for this work. We all know the major events of WWI. That is a reason why writing and reading war fiction can be so challenging. This wasn't a novel about what happens and why. Despite the obstacles that the women faced, both on the home front and the war front, the book focuses more on their individual strengths and struggles amidst the male dominant world. This work flows with ease. I can't say that there was ever one culminating event. Like our own lives, Ruby's unfolds before us in the way that one action and decision leads to another. Runyan did an incredible job of weaving together primary sources to ensure that women like Ruby are not forgotten. Bravo!
Although I received an early copy of this book, I waited until the weekend celebrating the anniversary of Armistice Day to read it. I have a kinship with Ruby as I too served in the signal corp. I had not read anything by Runyan before. I now see the error of my ways. Runyan deserves every accolade she receives for this work. We all know the major events of WWI. That is a reason why writing and reading war fiction can be so challenging. This wasn't a novel about what happens and why. Despite the obstacles that the women faced, both on the home front and the war front, the book focuses more on their individual strengths and struggles amidst the male dominant world. This work flows with ease. I can't say that there was ever one culminating event. Like our own lives, Ruby's unfolds before us in the way that one action and decision leads to another. Runyan did an incredible job of weaving together primary sources to ensure that women like Ruby are not forgotten. Bravo!
I wish I could give this book 10 stars. What an amazing story. Should be a movie.
Historically accurate, with a nice love story. Very predictable, but that's okay sometimes. Kept the pages turning.
This book was okay - it did not blow me away. This was one of the books that had been pitched for a book club idea, but I just could not connect with Ruby. Her entire character was to sculpted and just did not feel genuine. The remainder of the book was alright, but definitely not on my "will read again" list.
the history is very interesting. here and there the characters are a little flat, but in general a very good book.