Title: The Lost Girls of Paris
Author: Pam Jenoff
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Date: January 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4328-5877-3
Number of Pages: 384
Geographical Setting: France, England, and the USA
Time Period: Alternates during/after WWII (1943 & 1946)
PLOT SUMMARY:
One morning, in 1946, Grace Healey is re-routed through Grand Central Station due to an accident. While there, she finds an abandoned suitcase which holds mysterious photographs of twelve women. Grace discovers that the suitcase belongs to a British woman named Eleanor Trigg and sets out to find out the truth about Eleanor and the women in the photographs.
Eleanor Trigg is a leader of a women’s unit for the Special Operations Executive (SOE), a secret missions team sent into Occupied Europe during the Nazi regime to help aid in wartime efforts. She has put her loyalty and trust in this group of young women so when twelve of her unit go missing, Eleanor must discover the truth behind their disappearance and learn that you never know who you can trust.
Marie Roux is a single mother trying to survive during the war. When she is recruited as an agent into the SOE, she must find it within herself to use her training to save her own life, and the lives of those closest to her. The stories of these three women collide to create an impactful story of friendship, strength, trust, and betrayal that will leave readers answering the questions: Who can you trust? And how far are you willing to go for your loved ones?
CHARACTERISTICS OF HISTORICAL FICTION:
Frame/Setting: The frame and setting are the most important aspect of Historical Fiction because they provide readers with an accurate historical context of which to place the events and characters. The Lost Girls of Paris features rich details when describing the time period (World War II) and the locations (Occupied Europe, post-war United States and Europe) that puts readers into these places.
Characterization: Wyatt & Saricks (2019), write that in Historical Fiction, “characters may be real or fictional, but they are portrayed in such a way that they fit the times. The historical setting shapes their lives and actions (p. 170).” The author is able to create believable, authentic, and complex characters whose actions and choices are formed by their setting of wartime and post-war. The characters of Grace, Eleanor, and Marie are all women who come to life on the pages and cause the reader to walk alongside them in the trenches of Occupied Europe and the streets of New York City.
Story Line: “Historical fiction can focus on a concentrated set of events, explaining them in detail and using specific actions as a way to offer a broader understanding of history (Wyatt & Saricks, 2019, p. 173).” The Lost Girls of Paris focuses on World War II and the lives of the women who served during wartime, conducting espionage missions for the Allies. This is a section of history that is not extremely popular, so this character-driven and non-linear story of their work is one that opens insight into a lesser-known event during World War II.
FICTION READ-ALIKES
The Alice Network: Kate Quinn
Lilac Girls- Martha Kelley Hall
All the Ways We Said Goodbye- Beatriz Williams
NONFICTION READ-ALIKES
Code Name Lise: The True Story of World War II’s Most Highly Decorated Spy
– Larry Loftis
A Cool and Lonely Courage: The Untold Story of Sister Spies in Occupied France
– Susan Ottaway
The Spy Who Loved: The Secrets and Lives of Christine Granville
– Clare Mulley
BLOGGERS OPINION:
It took me a while to get into The Lost Girls of Paris, but I ended up liking it. I liked how the story alternated between Grace (the New Yorker trying to figure out what the SOE is), Eleanor (the leader of the SOE women’s division), and Marie (an SOE agent). It gave me a lot of insight into what the characters were feeling and what drove their actions. Since there are so many historical facts that needed to be included in order to drive the story, it took a while to get to the meat of the story, but once the setting/frame was established, I was able to enjoy it. I don’t tend to gravitate towards books set during wars, so it was hard for me to absolutely love since this isn’t my era of choice. The book didn’t “wow” me, but it is one that I would still recommend to those who enjoy WWII-era historical fiction and I am glad that I read it.
Resources:
Wyatt, N. & Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction: Third edition. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions.
This is on my TBR list. I really enjoyed Orphan Train by Jenoff. I like that you included some nonfiction read-alikes. Fiction stories about WWII & women spies are a hot topic right now, so what a great opportunity to showcase some true stories as well. It might lure readers into reading nonfiction when they normally don't. Well done on your annotation!
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ReplyDeleteThis is also on my TR list. I love historical fiction and it's my favorite genre. However, I haven't read many related to WWII, but coincidentally my book for this week was also about WWII, but from the Turkish perspective. I love reading about women in positions that make a difference. And Julie is correct in saying that women spies is a very popular topic right now (WWII has always been very popular). I can see this becoming a movie. Thanks for the great annotation. Once my library opens, I'll be checking this out.
ReplyDeleteI love the concluding statement of your summary: "The stories of these three women collide to create an impactful story of friendship, strength, trust, and betrayal that will leave readers answering the questions: Who can you trust? And how far are you willing to go for your loved ones?" It is beautifully written, and makes me want to read the book. It's funny, I never FEEL like I want to read a book about WWII, but I end up reading quite a few of them and always find them very engaging.
ReplyDeleteI love the device of switching back and forth between different character's points of view, which always seems to add to the suspense of a book. This novel sounds like a good blend of historical fiction with mystery, suspense, and adventure and might also appeal to those who enjoy the Adrenaline genres, if they can just get past the slower, world-building beginning to get to the faster paced action that follows.
Maybe this is just my limited exposure to this genre, but I tend to see a lot of historical fiction coalescing around major world events or in times of major strife like wars. Does that match your experience? I wonder if it is just because there is a rich archive of what people went through during those times? That got me thinking about what types of pandemic literature we might see in the future...
ReplyDeleteI love watching historical movies, but you've sold me on considering this book! Your descriptions of the book's characteristics is perfect for giving a clear idea of what to expect from the story. I would enjoying the alternating points of view; adds more depth and perspective to the story. And I'm like you, I haven't read much historical fiction set during wartime, but I have read the YA book "Lovely War" by Julie Berry, which I highly recommend! The nonfiction read-alikes really intrigue me, too!
ReplyDeleteI think this book was already on my to read list but your annotation makes me want to read it even more. Ever since I did my historical fiction annotation, I have a rekindled love for the genre. I really like that this book focuses on female figures. I also enjoy when a book switches perspectives between characters so I will definitely have to give this one a read!
ReplyDeleteThat last comment from Unknown is from me. I was signed in with the wrong Google account!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad someone did a review of this book. I've been toying with trying it but I always have a difficult time getting into historical fiction. Thanks for the great review!
ReplyDeletefantastic annotation! It sounds like you've piqued a lot of your classmate's interests with your excellent summary. Full points!
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