1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she's recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she's trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the "Queen of Spies", who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy's nose.
Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn't heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth...no matter where it leads.
REVIEW:
The Alice Network is a fictional account strongly rooted in history. This story of women and war is an eye-opening reminder of man's inhumanity to man, and the far-reaching impact of that violence. Both Charlie and Eve carry the scars of war, and finding out how those scars are connected is the central premise of the story. I enjoyed very much the interactions between these two generations of women, and found those the strongest part of the novel. I did feel that the knowledge of what exactly happened to Eve took so long to emerge that its impact was blunted by the rapidly approaching denouement. I found the final confrontation unsatisfying because I felt it wrapped things up rather abruptly. That said, I did appreciate the fast-forward at the end to see how Charlie and Eve were faring in the future. All in all, an enjoyable read. 4 stars.
2 comments:
I listened to this last year and found it really interesting. I do still need to read more from her.
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