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CONTAINS SPOILERS
This book is based on the life of Nancy Wake, an Australian expat who worked as a reporter for Hearst in Paris just before WWII and later as a spy for the British.
Lawhon throws readers into the middle of the action, as Nancy, under the alias Hélène, prepares to parachute from an RAF plane into France to help the Resistance in 1944, carrying in her head memorized lists of vital data, including bridges targeted for destruction and safe house addresses. After she lands, the story flashes back eight years, as Nancy struggles for respect and recognition as a journalist; despite her firsthand observations of Nazi brutality in 1930s Vienna, her editor is reluctant to publish a story about what she's seen.
Frequent jumps in time draw out the arc of Wake's remarkable life; despite her statement early on that women's weapons of warfare were limited to "silk stockings and red lipstick," by the end she's proven herself skillful at physical combat as well.
Heartfelt. Powerful. Thrilling.
There are many other words I could use to describe this remarkable story. I had CODE NAME HELENE on my to-read list for a few months, and because of the long waitlist, I had to wait for a while. I can see why it had a long waitlist, and it was worth the wait. I love historical fiction, and I love books that feature a strong woman. Nancy was one of the strongest women I have read about, to have done what she has done, the sacrifices she had to make. Like Henri, I was worried for her, worried that eventually that she would get caught. I knew that nothing good could come for her if she were caught. I loved Nancy from the start, how she acted, the way that she protected everyone, her friends, her family. Not once did she give up or run away; she kept on going until the end. Nancy was fierce, a fighter, a hero. CODE NAME HELENE was one of the most challenging books to put down because I wanted to see what would happen if she would make it until the end.
I was amazed and fell in love with the book within a couple of first pages. I loved how the story started at the action, making you wonder how she got there and why. I loved the book's timelines, telling Nancy's story, of her and Henri's meeting, and how she joined the Resistance. I fell in love with her and Henri’s story, one of the most significant elements in the story. I am not sure how Henri did it, how he managed to be away from her that way, knowing that she was putting her life in danger every day. All through the book, I was rooting for her, for him, to find their way to one another again, safely. CODE NAME HELENE is one of those books where I am not sure if I can describe all my emotions properly. There was a lot of going on in this book, and I found myself going through the motions that she was going through. I was thinking about this book long after I turned the last page. CODE NAME HELENE is not a book that you will be able to get out of your mind.
The moment I finished the book, I researched Nancy Wake because I was curious. Before reading the book, I wasn’t aware of her. Once I finished, I couldn’t help but do my research. I was engrossed in CODE NAME HELENE . I read this book late into the night few times, as I lost track of time. I couldn’t get enough. This was the first book I have read by ARIEL LAWHON , and now I am eager to check out the rest of her books. I love discovering authors this way. I know this will be the book that I will be recommending to friends and family and re-reading multiple times in the future. CODE NAME HELENE isn’t just story about adventure. It is a story about love, bravery, sacrifice, friendship, and hope. There were few slow parts towards the end. However, most of the book took my breath away. If you love historical fiction, this is the book I would highly recommend.
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