The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff is a mesmerizing contribution to the growing sub-genre of World War II fiction is focused on the contributions of women to the war effort. During the WWII, the British trained women to serve undercover as radio technicians, and then placed them in German-occupied France. Their job was to allow partisans to communicate with London to get supplies and coordinate the partisan effort. Jenoff focuses her story on three women: the woman who headed the project without recognition, one of the radio transmitters, and a woman, who finds a suitcase in Grand Central Station, and uncovers the story of the “lost girls.”
The story is engrossing, and I raced to the end to finally learn the mysterious puzzle of betrayal, bravery, and survival. There were implausible moments along the way, and characters who behaved contrary to their training and values. Nonetheless, what is truly astounding is that unlike their male counterparts, these young women were sent to war as civilians, without military status and the protection of the Geneva Conventions. When their work was discovered, they were betrayed and marginalized in service to a larger plan.
This is a good solid read just for the story of the program and the courage of the young women who served their country. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishers for allowing me to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story is engrossing, and I raced to the end to finally learn the mysterious puzzle of betrayal, bravery, and survival. There were implausible moments along the way, and characters who behaved contrary to their training and values. Nonetheless, what is truly astounding is that unlike their male counterparts, these young women were sent to war as civilians, without military status and the protection of the Geneva Conventions. When their work was discovered, they were betrayed and marginalized in service to a larger plan.
This is a good solid read just for the story of the program and the courage of the young women who served their country. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishers for allowing me to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.