The Alice Network
Kate Quinn Pages: 503 Published: 2017
The book: London 1915, Eve Gardner is recruited as a spy and sent into occupied France.
1947, Charlie St. Claire and her mother have just arrived in Britain en route to a clinic in Switzerland to take care of a “little problem.” However, Charlie, desperate to find her cousin Rose who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, abandons her mother and heads for London to find someone who might help her locate her cousin.
She finds Eve, now a drunken recluse tortured by the past. What happened in Eve’s past that has left her so bitter and haunted? Will Eve help Charlie? Will Charlie find her cousin Rose?
You might like it because: It’s a thrilling and fast-paced story of bravery, friendship, love, and sacrifice inspired by real-life female spies. I couldn’t put it down.
What did other people say?
“In The Alice Network, the lives of two indomitable women intertwine in a plot crackling with suspense. We root for Charlie and Eve, and cheer when they triumph.” – NPR.org
“Amazing historical fiction ….a must read!” – Historical Novel Society, Editors Choice
Awards & Recognition:
New York Times Best Seller
One of NPR‘s Best Books of the Year
How quickly will you get into the book? I found the first chapter, set in 1947, which is about Charlie, interesting, and wanted to learn more. However, chapter two begins Eve’s story in 1915 and that’s what really grabbed my attention.
You might not like it because: The book flips back and forth between Charlie’s story and Eve’s. However, Eve is by far the most interesting and weighty subject. Some readers may be frustrated by the equal time given to both characters.
If you’re Scottish, the frequently incorrect usage of Scottish words and dialect, together with numerous mentions of a “Scots burr,” might irritate you.
The characters’ dialogue in the book generally sounds more 2018 than 1915 or 1947.
What might you read next?
The Scarlett Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy is mentioned by one of the characters in the book, so you could read that.
Or read up on your WWI history in John Keegan’s The First World War.
For a more humorous take on the spy novel, why not try Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene.
© BookCurious.com 2018