Female Spies: Revenge and Redemption
Back in December, our English department had a little Christmas party right after school. Per tradition, we each brought a book or two that we loved to exchange. In exchange for one of the books that I brought, I received a copy of The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. It came highly recommended from one of my fellow English teachers.
This week I finally got around to reading it and I am so grateful that I did! This book is an excellent example of well-written historical fiction.
The Alice Network focuses on Evelyn Gardiner, with her journey as a spy in France during WWI, as well as Charlie St. Clair, a young American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947. When their paths cross years after Eve's experiences as a spy are over, they come together on a mission to try to find the truth about what has happened to both of them and find redemption.
Redemption has always been one of my favorite themes...It is something that all of us seek when we feel we have done something wrong. It can be so satisfying when characters receive redemption!
One of the things that makes this book really fascinating is the back and forth that happens between 1915 in the Great war and 1947, a few years after WWII. The flashbacks and flash-forwards help move the action forward and start connecting the pieces of the puzzle between the two women.
The characters themselves of Evelyn and Charlie are both really lovable, once you get over Eve's exterior, hardened by war. The secondary characters--other spies, Eve's driver, even the cousin they are looking for, all bring additional intrigue and really draw the reader in.
I will warn that there is some language in this book as well as some instances of sex. As a married woman, I didn't find the scenes distasteful. They were necessary for the plot and the circumstances of what happened so it didn't turn me off from the book! But I definitely wouldn't recommend this book for teens.
One thing that I really loved about this book is that it had a happy ending, which is such a great relief after hearing about some of the really hard, terrible things that both women went through during both of the World Wars. It made it all worth it in the end!
Another thing that made this book really amazing, is that it is based on the real life Alice Network, run by Louise de Bettignies, code name Alice Dubois. The Alice Network was made of many sources based in the Lille area of France where they reported on the German front that allowed British intelligence and military to fight back.
That aspect of reality in this fictional story makes it an even more interesting read. This is the type of historical fiction that I love!
This week I finally got around to reading it and I am so grateful that I did! This book is an excellent example of well-written historical fiction.
The Alice Network focuses on Evelyn Gardiner, with her journey as a spy in France during WWI, as well as Charlie St. Clair, a young American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947. When their paths cross years after Eve's experiences as a spy are over, they come together on a mission to try to find the truth about what has happened to both of them and find redemption.Redemption has always been one of my favorite themes...It is something that all of us seek when we feel we have done something wrong. It can be so satisfying when characters receive redemption!
One of the things that makes this book really fascinating is the back and forth that happens between 1915 in the Great war and 1947, a few years after WWII. The flashbacks and flash-forwards help move the action forward and start connecting the pieces of the puzzle between the two women.
The characters themselves of Evelyn and Charlie are both really lovable, once you get over Eve's exterior, hardened by war. The secondary characters--other spies, Eve's driver, even the cousin they are looking for, all bring additional intrigue and really draw the reader in.
I will warn that there is some language in this book as well as some instances of sex. As a married woman, I didn't find the scenes distasteful. They were necessary for the plot and the circumstances of what happened so it didn't turn me off from the book! But I definitely wouldn't recommend this book for teens.
One thing that I really loved about this book is that it had a happy ending, which is such a great relief after hearing about some of the really hard, terrible things that both women went through during both of the World Wars. It made it all worth it in the end!
Another thing that made this book really amazing, is that it is based on the real life Alice Network, run by Louise de Bettignies, code name Alice Dubois. The Alice Network was made of many sources based in the Lille area of France where they reported on the German front that allowed British intelligence and military to fight back.
That aspect of reality in this fictional story makes it an even more interesting read. This is the type of historical fiction that I love!
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