The Alice Network in Around the Year in 52 Books

Jun 04, 2021 Jaime rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, historical-fiction, historical-1930-1950, historical-1900-1915, read-2021, 52-book-club-2021

The Alice Network is a dual-timeline story about two women.

In 1947 we have Charlie, an American college girl who is visiting Europe with her socialite mother in order to get a secret abortion. Except Charlie has other plans. Her French cousin Rose disappeared during World War II, and Charlie is determined to find out what happened to her. All she has to go on is the name of another woman: Eve Gardiner.

In 1915, Eve is a young girl who is recruited to work as a spy for the British in France during ...more

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Jun 23, 2019 Ann rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019-atw-80, 2019-aty-52

Hats off to the writer who got me into historical fiction. This is the second of hers I've read, the first was The Huntress. This was more substantial, despite being longer.
Bonus points for a road trip through France and references to Baudelaire. ...more

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Feb 05, 2018 Nadine in NY Jones rated it really liked it

Shelves: era-world-war-2, womens-day, wouldnt-normally-read, based-on-real-life, fiction, historical-fiction, era-early-1900s, espionage-and-political-thrillers

3.5 stars

“Five minutes!” the conductor bawled. Passengers scurried aboard, hoisting their luggage.

If you don’t go now, you never will, I thought.

So I bought a ticket and climbed onto the train, and just like that I was gone into the smoke.

This isn't what I expectected (based on the cover and the blurb), but I've been pleasantly surprised. I thought this would be rather serious historical lit-rah-chur, but it's really quite chatty, like YA. (This is NOT YA, however!)

This takes place in two ...more

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May 08, 2018 Celeste rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio-book

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this historical fiction that vacillates between World War I and World War II. In this book, the war is a backdrop to a mystery that three people try to help each other navigate. The crass language wasn't my favorite and there's a descriptive torture scene that is upsetting. ...more

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Jan 09, 2022 Clare rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Outstanding! Spy thrillers have not typically been my genre but this book received such acclaim that I decided to give it a whirl and I'm happy I did!

This is more than a spy thriller. It is also a historical fiction piece and women’s literature, too. It’s fascinating to see the role that women played during both World Wars; and they are rarely given their due acknowledgement for their heroism & accompliahmemts.

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. The characters were fascinating - ...more

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Apr 03, 2018 Joan rated it really liked it

Shelves: novels

A fun character driven story with plenty of twists and turns.

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Apr 26, 2018 Missy rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook, audible, fridayreads

While I, too, (like apparently everyone here on GR) initially thought the WWI storyline much more compelling than the post-WWII/unwed mother thread, I came to appreciate Charlie as all the threads came together. Yes, she was a bit much as the book began, but teenagers dealing with grief and guilt and acting out accordingly often are. I'm happy she got her happy ending. ...more

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