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A review by writerrhiannon
Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon
5.0
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I have absolutely loved all of Ariel Lawhon's previous novels and I am lucky enough to have chatted with her a few times at book signings and events. I kept "saving" Code Name Hélène to read and somehow it kept getting pushed back on my reading list. I have finally gotten to it and dare I say...it's her best work yet! I mean, reading about her research experience (included at the end of the book) was as exciting as the novel itself. Yes, Nancy Wake is a legendary and fascinating person but the sheer talent required to present her story so vividly is absolutely mind-boggling.
Australian expat Nancy Wake lied her way into a freelance journalism position with Hearst in Paris and one of her first assignments was to interview the new German chancellor, Adolf Hitler. Shocking? Yes, but that is really just a tiny blip on the radar for Nancy Wake's eye-popping life story. After Germany invades France, Nancy goes on to become a female British operative who obtained weapons and supplies from England for the Maquis, an anti-Nazi outlaw group. She jumped out of planes into enemy occupied countryside, performed insane feats of human endurance, and lead dozens of nail-biting missions. In short...she was badass!
Additional note: Lawhon gives Nancy one of my favorite quotes of all time: "Mine is level of fury that requires two coats of lipstick and a fully loaded revolver." Like, I said...badass.
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I have absolutely loved all of Ariel Lawhon's previous novels and I am lucky enough to have chatted with her a few times at book signings and events. I kept "saving" Code Name Hélène to read and somehow it kept getting pushed back on my reading list. I have finally gotten to it and dare I say...it's her best work yet! I mean, reading about her research experience (included at the end of the book) was as exciting as the novel itself. Yes, Nancy Wake is a legendary and fascinating person but the sheer talent required to present her story so vividly is absolutely mind-boggling.
Australian expat Nancy Wake lied her way into a freelance journalism position with Hearst in Paris and one of her first assignments was to interview the new German chancellor, Adolf Hitler. Shocking? Yes, but that is really just a tiny blip on the radar for Nancy Wake's eye-popping life story. After Germany invades France, Nancy goes on to become a female British operative who obtained weapons and supplies from England for the Maquis, an anti-Nazi outlaw group. She jumped out of planes into enemy occupied countryside, performed insane feats of human endurance, and lead dozens of nail-biting missions. In short...she was badass!
Additional note: Lawhon gives Nancy one of my favorite quotes of all time: "Mine is level of fury that requires two coats of lipstick and a fully loaded revolver." Like, I said...badass.
Come chat with me about books here, too:
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest