Sixteen-year-old Alice is spending a summer in Paris, but it’s not your typical European
vacation. Her grandmother (Chloe), who passed away just recently, left her an apartment there
that no one has used since the time of WW2. Since her grandmother never mentioned her family,
and there’s no outside context about the apartment, Alice is curious to see what she can learn
from investigating the apartment. But, she quickly discovers a shameful secret that is better left
hidden. With the help of a Parisian student, Paul, she attempts to piece together the story of her
family during WW2. Because there’s more to the story than she could’ve imagined.
Adalyn and her family are forced to adjust to a new life under German Occupation in France.
Long gone are the days where life was a pleasure; now, it’s simply something to get through.
Nazis have invaded the streets of Paris. Adalyn refuses to accept this new reality, and decides
that she wants to resist. When she meets Arnaud (a member of a resistance group), and then Luc
(the leader), her efforts are taken to a new level, as she works as an undercover socialite. But as
the war rages on, Adalyn is forced to make difficult choices when it comes to protecting herself
and her loved ones.
This book, as you can probably imagine, is told in dual POV.
I liked the characters in this book, especially Adalyn, because of how hardworking and
passionate (about her cause) she was. Her story was tragic, but the author did a good job in
writing a realistic portrayal of her future. Alice was an okay character, not particularly
interesting, but I like her determination in uncovering the truth. Luc was a wonderful character,
and highlighted the toll that war will take on someone. His story was incredibly sad as well.
Paul’s character was also okay, as I didn’t think he added too much to the story.
Although it felt a bit unnecessary, I love how the author handled the storyline with Alice’s mom,
as it made for a more realistic subplot. The entire plotline was well thought-out. The end was
expected, but it was still incredibly sad to read. I felt bad for the sacrifices Adalyn had to make,
but also proud of her actions. I liked the romance between Adalyn and Luc, but the romance
between Alice and Paul felt entirely extra. Alice spends a bit too much time worrying about
whether or not Paul likes her, and I think the author just added that because Alice’s story was
going a bit too fast (as compared to Adalyn’s). On a more positive note, I appreciated how
impactful and eye-opening this book was, and it taught me something new.
I would recommend this book to those that are interested in historical fiction, but keep in mind
that it does deal with hard topics like war, torture, violence, and depression. This book was rather
interesting, and incredibly impressive for a debut novel. Overall, 3.5/5, rounded to ⅘.