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Author: Ariel Lawhon
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Doubleday Books
Release Date: 2020
Source: Publisher/Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: BASED ON THE THRILLING REAL-LIFE STORY OF SOCIALITE SPY NANCY WAKE, comes the newest feat of historical fiction from the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia , featuring the astonishing woman who killed a Nazi with her bare hands and went on to become one of the most decorated women in WWII.
Told in interweaving timelines organized around the four code names Nancy used during the war, Code Name Hélène is a spellbinding and moving story of enduring love, remarkable sacrifice and unfaltering resolve that chronicles the true exploits of a woman who deserves to be a household name.
It is 1936 and Nancy Wake is an intrepid Australian expat living in Paris who has bluffed her way into a reporting job for Hearst newspaper when she meets the wealthy French industrialist Henri Fiocca. No sooner does Henri sweep Nancy off her feet and convince her to become Mrs. Fiocca than the Germans invade France and she takes yet another name: a code name.
As LUCIENNE CARLIER Nancy smuggles people and documents across the border. Her success and her remarkable ability to evade capture earns her the nickname THE WHITE MOUSE from the Gestapo. With a five million franc bounty on her head, Nancy is forced to escape France and leave Henri behind. When she enters training with the Special Operations Executives in Britain, her new comrades are instructed to call her HÉLÈNE . And finally, with mission in hand, Nancy is airdropped back into France as the deadly MADAM ANDRÉE , where she claims her place as one of the most powerful leaders in the French Resistance, armed with a ferocious wit, her signature red lipstick, and the ability to summon weapons straight from the Allied Forces.
But no one can protect Nancy if the enemy finds out these four women are one and the same, and the closer to liberation France gets, the more exposed she--and the people she loves--become.
My Review: Nancy Wake is one of WWII’s most recognizable spies. There have been movies and television shows based on her. In Code Name Helene , Mrs. Lawhon attempts to retell her story through the four operations she worked with through her code names. Nancy Wake has been under operations using different pseudonyms. Will the enemy ever find out that these four pseudonyms are the same woman?
Nancy Wake is a fascinating historical figure in her own right. She started out as a journalist. Eventually, she became a socialite and a spy for the Resistance. She worked tirelessly to free many allied forces and Jews. She even killed a German with her bare hands. With a larger-than-life historical figure, Mrs. Lawhon certainly had juicy material to work with. Nancy Wake is indeed an admirable protagonist. Mrs. Lawhon proves that she is an incredibly brave and daring woman. She is a woman that fights for justice. She is also independent and can stand on her own against male chauvinism. Through her bravery, she begrudgingly earns the admiration and respect from her male colleagues. Thus, Nancy Wake is a perfect heroine whose only flaw is that she cannot get enough of her red lipstick.
Overall, this novel is about courage, choices, and inner strength. Besides Nancy Wake, I found all the characters, especially her husband, to be flat. I thought the beginning was slow and parts of the novel were drawn out. Therefore, I would have loved it more if it was shorter. I also had a hard time keeping her story together because it was written in a non-linear format. It would have been more comprehensible if the story was told in a linear format. Still, Code Name Helene does justice to a captivating woman! I hope that there will be more books written about her! I recommend Code Name Helene for fans of The Alice Network , Resistance Woman , and Code Name Verity !
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
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Book Review: Code Name Helene
Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon ~ 464 pages ~ to be published 3/31/20 by Doubleday Books
Goodreads Synopsis:
BASED ON THE THRILLING REAL-LIFE STORY OF SOCIALITE SPY NANCY WAKE, comes the newest feat of historical fiction from the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia, featuring the astonishing woman who killed a Nazi with her bare hands and went on to become one of the most decorated women in WWII.
Told in interweaving timelines organized around the four code names Nancy used during the war, Code Name Hélène is a spellbinding and moving story of enduring love, remarkable sacrifice and unfaltering resolve that chronicles the true exploits of a woman who deserves to be a household name. It is 1936 and Nancy Wake is an intrepid Australian expat living in Paris who has bluffed her way into a reporting job for Hearst newspaper. She is fighting to cover the disturbing reports of violence coming out of Vienna and Berlin when she meets the wealthy French industrialist Henri Fiocca. No sooner does Henri sweep Nancy off her feet and convince her to become Mrs. Fiocca than the Germans invade France and she takes yet another name: a code name.
As LUCIENNE CARLIER she smuggles people and documents across borders under the guise of an oblivious mistress. Soon enough the Gestapo hears of a female operative with a remarkable ability to evade capture, and Nancy earns a new nickname: THE WHITE MOUSE . But this one carries with it a five million franc bounty on her head. Forced to escape France and leave Henri behind for the safety of both of them, Nancy enters training with the Special Operations Executives, who transform her into Hélène . Finally, with mission in hand, Nancy is airdropped back into France as the deadly MADAM ANDRÉ . She soon becomes one of the most powerful leaders in the French Resistance, known for her ferocious wit, her signature red lipstick, and her ability to summon weapons straight from the Allied Forces. But no one can protect Nancy if the enemy finds out these four women are one and the same, and the closer to liberation France gets, the more exposed she–and the people she loves–will become.
What I Thought:
*I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
Wow! This is such an amazing book! I went into Code Name Helene , honestly, just expecting another typical WWII historical fiction novel. This was totally fine with me because I love historical fiction. What I got was an absolutely amazing heroine who, bonus, was a real-life lady who was (pardon my French) a complete and total bada**! Nancy Wake is my newest role model, and I am never turning back!
Seriously, how in the world have I never heard of this woman?? She was an Australian immigrant who decided to join the French resistance when her French husband was called to the front. Even after he returned home, she kept smuggling Jews out of the occupied territories. She escaped when the Gestapo started to try to come after her. Then, she went back into France to work with the French resistance for a second time, with more than 7,000 men under her command. I mean, you can’t make up a woman who is more amazing, and she actually existed !!
Okay, now that I am done fan-girling about Nancy Wake, let me talk about Lawhon’s writing style. She really likes to use interesting timelines. In her novel I Was Anastasia , she wrote in two different timelines: one went forward in typical fashion, the other started at the end of the story and worked its way backwards, so that the two storylines met at the end of the novel. It was a bit confusing, but very intriguing.
Code Name Helene has two timelines, both moving forward in time. You get Nancy from the beginning of the war and see her evolution into the woman she is in the second timeline, which begins after she goes back to France to lead the army of resistance fighters. It was so much fun to discover things as the story progressed that were talked about in the other timeline. It was such intricate storytelling, and I am now really jazzed to pick up more of Lawhon’s books.
When you can’t stop thinking about a book and want to shout it’s praises from the rooftops, you know you have a great read! I cannot wait for the world to get their hands on this book. Nancy Wake deserves to have her story heard!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I gave Code Name Helene 5 STARS ! This is a fantastic book for anyone who loves WWII history, as well as learning about amazing women in history.
Are you interested in learning more about this book? Check out the links below!
Ariel Lawhon’s Website
Ariel Lawhon’s Twitter
Code Name Helene on Goodreads
Pre-order Code Name Helene on BN.com
Are you a fan of historical fiction? Have you ever heard of Nancy Wake? What other books about amazing women in history would you recommend? Let’s talk in the comments!
Love and happy reading,
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Review: Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon
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Literary morning.
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Book Review | Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon
28 december 2020.
Historical nonfiction might be my favorite genre of literature. I mean, a book that reads like a novel but is about stuff that actually happened? Yes, please. It does seem like a lot of "strong, female" characters in historical settings seem to have the same fierce, snarky internal dialogue. Which, I agree, is unrealistic. The meaning of the term "feminist" (or its historical equivalent) has changed a lot over time, and to make a woman in historical times react to things the same way a modern woman would, is not accurate in my opinion. I Was Anastasia sounds like a good book. I might have to check it out :D I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day! ~ Scarlett | An Attempt at Authenticity https://a4andme.blogspot.com/
I'm so glad you understand where I'm coming from with that critique! I was worried people wouldn't understand what I was talking about. But yes, I Was Anastasia is amazing!
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