Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Antonia Forrester, an English nurse, is nearly killed while trying to save soldiers fleeing at Dunkirk. Embittered, she returns to occupied Brussels as a British spy to foment resistance to the Nazis. She works with urban partisans who sabotage deportation efforts and execute collaborators, before résistante leader Sandrine Toussaint accepts her into the Comet Line, an operation to rescue downed Allied pilots. After capture and then escape from a deportation train headed for Auschwitz, the women join the Maquis fighting in the Ardenne Forests. Passion is the glowing ember that warms them amidst the winter carnage until London radio transmits the news they've waited for. Huddled in the darkness, they hear the coded message, "the long sobs of the violins" signaling that the Allied Invasion is about to begin.

 

Book Review

This was a thrilling, charming, and heartrending trip back in time to the early years of World War II and the active resistance enclaves. This story primarily takes place in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, after Belgium has surrendered to the Nazis. There are many heartwarming, amusing, and debilitating tales of life in an occupied country. However, what is so dramatically different than today is the limited communication along with the complications that made reaching out or getting current news so constricted, difficult, and dangerous at that time. With our current world overflowing with social media avenues and instantaneous broadcasting of events, it is a harsh and stark contrast to be presented with the minimal links to news avenues that existed in the early 1940s. Stunning and eye-opening!

Antonia Forrester with her undercover name of Sophie Lajeune was initially a nurse, a member of the Queen Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps. She is recruited for a new, highly secret infiltration operation based on her early education and skill. She readily accepts and will be trained as soon as she has recovered from her injuries from the Dunkirk disaster. She has a complicated time connecting with her primary Brussels linkup and then is knocked for an erotic charge upon finally meeting her contact. I totally adored and rooted for Antonia. Intriguing and delightful!

Sandrine Toussaint becomes the de facto head of the 'Comet Line' after the previous leader is captured. This organization evacuates downed pilots and other undocumented folk out of Belgium to Spain or Switzerland. Finally having proof that London will provide replenishments and funds via airplane drops to the Comet Line, Antonia gets to meet Sandrine and establish a partnership. This is the beginning of a really beautiful, expansive, and eventually extended relationship that provides a core essence to live for and prevail. Sandrine is a survivor and I adored that. Beautiful!

The detail and the intensity definitely elevated this book above a simple historical tale. Additionally, the slow but passionately evolving relationship between Antonia and Sandrine added a marvelous heat and tender personal touch, that put faces and hearts on the courageous people attempting to resist the horror all around them. This was very moving yet rather an enjoyable read, re-acquainting and re-educating me with this global tragedy. Very fine!

By the way, there are several low level references to violins in this story. Sandrine's brother played the violin. Sandrine went to a violin concert with General Rommel, who also played the violin. However, the BBC makes a reference to a concert that will be performed on June 5th, 1944 and they included a line from a poem that was to be the signal that the invasion had started. Les sanglots des violons d'autumne translated means the long sighs of the violins of autumn.  Every operative had been waiting for that signal a long, long time. I think that locks in the meaning of the title of this wonderful book!

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Bold Strokes Books for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 312 pages/97031 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	01-March-2014
Price	$9.99 ebook, $16.95 paperback, $19.99 bundle
Buy Link	http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com/9781626390928e.html