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The Lost Girls of Paris: A Novel
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- The Lost Girls of Paris: A Novel
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Top positive review
Honoring the Bravery of Unsung Heroines
November 22, 2018
The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff is a compelling read that transports the reader to the days just before and after the end of WW2. Those who enjoyed the Alice Network, understand the dangers of thwarting the Nazis and are in the mood for another novel emphasizing the bravery and unknown service of women trained as spies to aid the resistance movement in France during the German occupation will find this story of behind-the-scenes radio operatives both nail-biting and sad. Even as Jenoff succeeds in creating a fast-moving tale that is one part mystery and one part investigation, I found that the writer's 2018 sensibilities and modern voice often times inserted themselves where perhaps the voices of the three women and their times should have been sufficient. It seems the modern trend in this sort of literature is to depict the female character as someone on a feminist mission--someone who wouldn't think twice about leaving their jobs or family for a day to march on Washington. The women in this novel are from a different generation--their missions were bigger than personal--so much so that the concept of ME never entered into their decision making.
With that said, the novel tells the story of three different women. Grace from New York during the period after the war before the Nuremburg trials were in full swing. Grace happens upon a valise in the middle of Grand Central Station on a morning when she's hanging her head in a bit of a walk of shame. After opening the bag to find a dozen photographs of young women, her curiosity is piqued, especially after she discovers that the woman who owned the bag was killed in a hit and run accident in the street just outside the station.
The second voice is that of Eleanor, a woman working for the British SOE during the last years of the war. Her job was to train women operatives to go to France undercover in order to transmit detailed information about German troop movement and such to help speed up the D-Day invasion. Eleanor, an immigrant from Eastern Europe wants nothing more than to be a British citizen and help her country fight the Nazi oppression of Europe. Of course, her 'girls' are regarded as secondary to the men who were fighting the war on the ground and in the skies every day and Eleanor feels she must prove their worth to gain them the gravitas their bravery deserves.
The third voice is that of Marie--one of Eleanor's girls. The reader goes through recruitment, training and eventual deployment with this feisty woman who puts everything on the line for her young daughter back in London.
The story is told in an alternative chapter format where each woman is given her time in the spotlight. From Grace's perspective, the reader learns what paperwork and documents reveal and don't reveal; from Eleanor and Marie's, the story's dimension fully fleshes out to reveal the horror and disappointment of playing with danger, being caught, never finding answers and being dismissed--buried under paperwork, red tape and arson and never remembered.
Jenoff makes a point of showing how war is run by governments willing to barter with individual's lives. Two minutes after the armistice is signed, these governments must define new enemies. Ironically, the Russian allies are now Cold War Soviets and the German scientists who once produced gases to promulgate genocide are now wooed to help aid in the new scientist of the atom bomb. Sad, indeed and confusing to those who lost their family members to these changing definitions.
Two of the stories end happily, one does not. Nevertheless, all three women manage to achieve something personal beyond the mere discovery of what happened to Eleanor's girls. These revelations launch each woman into the second half of the 20th century with more nuanced insights.
Bottom line? Even though I liked the Lost Girls of Paris, I found the storyline as well as the character motivations predictable. Of course, the women are going to forge onward dauntless to threat of torture and death--what sort of Wonder Women would we be if we opted for conventional lives? There are countless women--and men--who work toward the common good without needing to be known or remembered on the front page of a newspaper or internet site. Think back to 9-11 when as we all felt that uncertainty, we naturally and instinctually banded together to mourn and work together. I only felt that spirit in this novel once--via the character Josie--a spitfire of a girl who works as part of a team without any need for self-aggrandizement. Nevertheless, I recommend the book as a page-turning read.
With that said, the novel tells the story of three different women. Grace from New York during the period after the war before the Nuremburg trials were in full swing. Grace happens upon a valise in the middle of Grand Central Station on a morning when she's hanging her head in a bit of a walk of shame. After opening the bag to find a dozen photographs of young women, her curiosity is piqued, especially after she discovers that the woman who owned the bag was killed in a hit and run accident in the street just outside the station.
The second voice is that of Eleanor, a woman working for the British SOE during the last years of the war. Her job was to train women operatives to go to France undercover in order to transmit detailed information about German troop movement and such to help speed up the D-Day invasion. Eleanor, an immigrant from Eastern Europe wants nothing more than to be a British citizen and help her country fight the Nazi oppression of Europe. Of course, her 'girls' are regarded as secondary to the men who were fighting the war on the ground and in the skies every day and Eleanor feels she must prove their worth to gain them the gravitas their bravery deserves.
The third voice is that of Marie--one of Eleanor's girls. The reader goes through recruitment, training and eventual deployment with this feisty woman who puts everything on the line for her young daughter back in London.
The story is told in an alternative chapter format where each woman is given her time in the spotlight. From Grace's perspective, the reader learns what paperwork and documents reveal and don't reveal; from Eleanor and Marie's, the story's dimension fully fleshes out to reveal the horror and disappointment of playing with danger, being caught, never finding answers and being dismissed--buried under paperwork, red tape and arson and never remembered.
Jenoff makes a point of showing how war is run by governments willing to barter with individual's lives. Two minutes after the armistice is signed, these governments must define new enemies. Ironically, the Russian allies are now Cold War Soviets and the German scientists who once produced gases to promulgate genocide are now wooed to help aid in the new scientist of the atom bomb. Sad, indeed and confusing to those who lost their family members to these changing definitions.
Two of the stories end happily, one does not. Nevertheless, all three women manage to achieve something personal beyond the mere discovery of what happened to Eleanor's girls. These revelations launch each woman into the second half of the 20th century with more nuanced insights.
Bottom line? Even though I liked the Lost Girls of Paris, I found the storyline as well as the character motivations predictable. Of course, the women are going to forge onward dauntless to threat of torture and death--what sort of Wonder Women would we be if we opted for conventional lives? There are countless women--and men--who work toward the common good without needing to be known or remembered on the front page of a newspaper or internet site. Think back to 9-11 when as we all felt that uncertainty, we naturally and instinctually banded together to mourn and work together. I only felt that spirit in this novel once--via the character Josie--a spitfire of a girl who works as part of a team without any need for self-aggrandizement. Nevertheless, I recommend the book as a page-turning read.
182 people found this helpful
Top critical review
Poor research, sentimental drivel
February 8, 2019
Gooey, sentimental prose that telegraphs the "romantic" denouments a mile away; completely improbable plotting; and sloppy research (there is, for example, no "West River" in New York City). I genuinely disliked this book, and quit reading somewhere in the middle in the firm conviction that life is too short to waste any of it reading sticky nonsense like this. The heroines of WWII deserve better.
110 people found this helpful
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January 29, 2019
Linda Zagon's review Jan 20, 2019 · edit
it was amazing
Lindas Book Obsession Reviews “The Lost Girls of Paris” by Pam Jenoff, Park Row Books, January 29, 2019
Pam Jenoff, Author of “The Lost Girls of Paris” has written a captivating, enthralling, suspenseful, intriguing, intense, emotional, edgy and thought-provoking novel. Kudos to Pam Jenoff for her amazing well written novel that vividly describes the characters and landscape in the story. I appreciate the historical research that went into this story. The Genres for this story are Historical Fiction, inspired by true events, Partial Fiction, Suspense and Espionage. The time-table for this story is 1946, and just during the war and after the war. The author describes her dramatic and colorful cast of characters as complex and complicated.
It is just after the war, and Grace Healey, now a widow has come to live in New York, while dealing with her loss. A tragic car accident forces her to go through Grand Central to get to work. She trips over a suitcase. Grace sees a name on the outside, and curiosity gets the best of her, and she opens it up. She cuts her hand on something and sees that it is an envelope with pictures that are in lace. They are young women , some dressed in uniforms. Grace tries to see if someone is looking for a suitcase or pictures. Short on time, Grace puts the pictures in her pocket-book and heads for work.
Grace learns that the suitcase belonged to a woman named Eleanor Trigg, the leader of recruited females in England used as spies that were sent to France during the war. Twelve of the women disappeared and never came home. Grace, with the help of her deceased husband’s friend start to look for more information.
In the pictures are young women named Marie and Josie, amongst others. They were a group of women operatives working for Britain’s Special Operations during the war, stopping and sabotaging efforts of the German as much as they could. It was extremely dangerous, and could mean these young women’s death. Some handled the radios transmitting information, and others blended into the French countryside getting information. Some would blow up things to stop the Germans.
It seems that these women had a friendship and sisterhood that kept them going. They were brave and courageous. Unfortunately their positions were compromised by betrayal from possibly someone in London. Why are these girls missing?
Grace wants answers as to who, what and why this happened. This novel has twists, and turns. There is danger, murder, betrayals, and heart-break. This is an intense and edgy novel that I would highly recommend for those readers who enjoy a thought-provoking novel. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
6 likes
it was amazing
Lindas Book Obsession Reviews “The Lost Girls of Paris” by Pam Jenoff, Park Row Books, January 29, 2019
Pam Jenoff, Author of “The Lost Girls of Paris” has written a captivating, enthralling, suspenseful, intriguing, intense, emotional, edgy and thought-provoking novel. Kudos to Pam Jenoff for her amazing well written novel that vividly describes the characters and landscape in the story. I appreciate the historical research that went into this story. The Genres for this story are Historical Fiction, inspired by true events, Partial Fiction, Suspense and Espionage. The time-table for this story is 1946, and just during the war and after the war. The author describes her dramatic and colorful cast of characters as complex and complicated.
It is just after the war, and Grace Healey, now a widow has come to live in New York, while dealing with her loss. A tragic car accident forces her to go through Grand Central to get to work. She trips over a suitcase. Grace sees a name on the outside, and curiosity gets the best of her, and she opens it up. She cuts her hand on something and sees that it is an envelope with pictures that are in lace. They are young women , some dressed in uniforms. Grace tries to see if someone is looking for a suitcase or pictures. Short on time, Grace puts the pictures in her pocket-book and heads for work.
Grace learns that the suitcase belonged to a woman named Eleanor Trigg, the leader of recruited females in England used as spies that were sent to France during the war. Twelve of the women disappeared and never came home. Grace, with the help of her deceased husband’s friend start to look for more information.
In the pictures are young women named Marie and Josie, amongst others. They were a group of women operatives working for Britain’s Special Operations during the war, stopping and sabotaging efforts of the German as much as they could. It was extremely dangerous, and could mean these young women’s death. Some handled the radios transmitting information, and others blended into the French countryside getting information. Some would blow up things to stop the Germans.
It seems that these women had a friendship and sisterhood that kept them going. They were brave and courageous. Unfortunately their positions were compromised by betrayal from possibly someone in London. Why are these girls missing?
Grace wants answers as to who, what and why this happened. This novel has twists, and turns. There is danger, murder, betrayals, and heart-break. This is an intense and edgy novel that I would highly recommend for those readers who enjoy a thought-provoking novel. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
6 likes
February 8, 2019
This book, just like the other books by this author, was researched. The characters were believable, most likable and were heroes . To think that these young women put their lives on the line for the greater good was remarkable. Miss Trigg was a force and the true champion of these young women. I'm glad that Grace looked into the suitcase. By doing so there was a small amount for justice to Miss Trigg and the girls. This book reminded me of the Alice Network.
February 3, 2019
Amazing story with strong and brave characters that became an integral part of the resistance in WWII. A new prescective of the part women played in the war effort. The words of the characters were so strong, I felt as if I were with them.
February 6, 2019
A twisty turney tale of the brave women who undertook the mission to help the French Resistance. It is less action, but more an examination of the mental fatigue of SOE.
Grace finds a “lost” suitcase 🧳 in Grand Central Station, NYC. It launches an investigation of what happen to twelve women who were missing in action. A final investigation that reveals the dark side of war, men and women.
Grace finds a “lost” suitcase 🧳 in Grand Central Station, NYC. It launches an investigation of what happen to twelve women who were missing in action. A final investigation that reveals the dark side of war, men and women.
June 15, 2019
4.5 out of 5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed this intriguing World War II novel set during the war in England & France and post-war in the US. Based on the real SOE female spies who helped the French Resistance, the story is revealed by three women: Marie, a spy for the British SOE, Eleanor the SOE recruiter/head of the women’s division, and American widow Grace, who longs to know what happened to the SOE agents upon finding a suitcase containing their photos. The transitions between the war and post-war time frames flowed smoothly. The descriptive writing made the characters and the action come to life. I could feel the tension in the book during several situations and liked being on the edge of my seat. I was pleasantly surprised that I had not figured out the mystery part in the book. I would recommend this to anyone interested in WW2 fiction and think this would make a really good, action packed movie.
May 16, 2019
Fabulous book about women working as spies during WWII in France and their leader from England. The story was so interesting that I did further research into the real life of Vera Atkins, which the book is based on. The young women after training were dropped in France and did different jobs but mostly radio operators right under the Germans.
May 25, 2019
Captivating story about Grace who sees a suitcase underneath a bench in the park. She opens it and sees a ladies’ contents with 12 pictures of young ladies. She takes the pictures then embarks on a path to discover who the girls are! Through an amazing set of coincidences she discovers that they were radio operators in WW II. With a leader named Eleanor. She keeps digging and finds out they are dead, but young ladies! She keeps pushing to discover how they got captured and how they died. She eventually gets to a German officer and learns a lot. But does not believe that Eleanor was a traitor. She continues and the story is unweaven beautifully! I highly recommend this book!
March 13, 2019
I listened to this book on Audible and fell in love with the writing and beautiful accent of the narrator. Immediately I was drawn into the lives of the SOEs, female spies sent to France during WW2, brought to life by way of Grace Healey, a young widow who finds their pictures in an abandoned suitcase. Readers will find themselves quickly drawn into the rich history and the courageous spirit of a band of remarkable women. A meaningful tale of love, friendship, and fortitude.
May 19, 2019
I rated this a 4 not a 5, because it took too long for the book to really take off, at least for me. In the 15th chapter a new twist enters into the story, which made the book hard to put down. Excellent historical fiction! If you like World War II history, you will love this book. It focuses on a covert British organization called SOE (Special Operations Executive). This Jenoff book compelled me to doing more reading on the subjects presented, which is always the sign of a good historical fiction book. Good read...
February 16, 2019
I loved every minute of this book. WWII historical nonfiction as well as fiction are my all time favorites to snuggle into a comfy chair with my feline sweetheart and read. This was one I could hardly put down, yet feared the ending. It was very well worth the read! I highly recommend it...T. White
