Working in what could only be described as a man’s world and wearing her signature Chanel red lipstick, Nancy ultimately commands respect from all of those around her, even those who initially refuse to accept the authority of a woman in a war zone. She’s fearless, brash, resourceful, and has a take-no-prisoners attitude. It is fraught with danger and suspense at every turn, and I just found myself more and more inspired by Nancy’s formidable presence and spirit. I was completely riveted by Nancy’s journey from start to finish. As Madam Andre, this final mission is to do whatever it takes to arm the French Resistance and drive the Germans out of France. Knowing she is in imminent danger, Nancy flees France and begins training with the Special Operations Executive where she earns a new code name, Hélène, and is air dropped back into France with a new mission. When the Nazis learn of Nancy and quickly become frustrated by her uncanny ability to evade capture, they nickname her ‘The White Mouse” and put a steep price on her head. We get to see Nancy in action as an oblivious mistress, Lucienne Carlier, as she smuggles documents and people across borders to safety. I was also a big fan of the way the author delivers Nancy’s story to us, using several interweaving timelines, one for each of the code names Nancy acquired through her work for the Resistance. I had never heard of Nancy Wake and was fascinated to learn what a huge part she played during the war. When the war breaks out, however, Nancy finds her true calling as a spy and ultimately becomes one of the leaders of the French Resistance. When we first meet Nancy, she is working hard, trying to be taken seriously as a journalist in a man’s world. Set in Europe during World War II, Code Name Hélène follows the adventures of Nancy Wake, an Australian-born socialite who is living in Paris when World War II breaks out.
Such is the case with Ariel Lawhon’s latest novel Code Name Hélène.
One of the things I love about reading historical fiction is that I often learn of important historical figures that were previously unknown to me. Published by Doubleday Books on March 31, 2020Īmazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book DepositoryįTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.
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