Review: Code Name Sapphire

Why, yes, I am here with another review of another historical fiction novel set during World War II! I’ve been chasing the high Pam Jenoff gave me with The Lost Girls of Paris since I read it back in 2019 (review here). I was hopeful Code Name Sapphire, which was published back in February, would live up to my high expectations but I was just a wee bit let down. I definitely enjoyed the read but it won’t be one I remember for a long time.

Here’s the book’s description:

1942. Hannah Martel has narrowly escaped Nazi Germany after her fiancé was killed in a pogrom. When her ship bound for America is turned away at port, she has nowhere to go but to her cousin Lily, who lives with her family in Brussels. Fearful for her life, Hannah is desperate to get out of occupied Europe. But with no safe way to leave, she must return to the dangerous underground work she thought she had left behind.
Seeking help, Hannah joins the Sapphire Line, a secret resistance network led by a mysterious woman named Micheline and her enigmatic brother Mateo. But when a grave mistake causes Lily’s family to be arrested and slated for deportation to Auschwitz, Hannah finds herself torn between her loyalties. How much is Hannah willing to sacrifice to save the people she loves?

I really enjoyed reading about another resistance network during World War II. One would think I would get tired of it but that hasn’t happened yet! I’m here for the abundance of WWII novels but I’m also here for the ones that give me something a little unexpected. Did this book give me something unexpected? I’m not totally sure. I think I liked having a viewpoint from a city other than London or Paris. I don’t forget, exactly, that other countries would have been involved in the war. I am well aware that “world” is in the descriptor for this particular war. But so much of the media I tend to consume (books, movies, TV) focuses on a small portion of the affected countries so areas like Brussels and what those residents had to deal with aren’t top of mind. It’s a sobering reminder that there weren’t many countries that escaped unscathed from WWII.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: not all historical novels with more than one point of view are created equal. Some have multiple characters who all add their own important piece to the overall narrative. And some…well, some feel like there’s not enough story for one character to stand on their own so a second (or third) character is created and their story is mashed in wherever it can fit. Sometimes that can work. I didn’t really find that it did with Jenoff’s latest novel, which was disappointing. Hannah’s storyline was the strongest but Micheline’s was the more intriguing one. Lily’s POV served to show how easy it would have been for the average citizen to bury their head in the sand during the war and not realize (or want to realize) what was happening all around them. It’s frustrating to read but partially because who can say for sure what they would do in that kind of situation? As I said, Micheline’s storyline was the one I was a little bit more interested in but there wasn’t as much to her POV as I would have liked. Perhaps it’s because there’s not as much research on women resistance leaders, particularly in Belgium, and Jenoff didn’t want to take too many liberties with historical fact? Even though I didn’t love the tri-POV, I can see what Jenoff was trying to do and I do think I got a slightly better grasp on what it would have been like for many different women in Brussels during the war.

Sure, I wanted to like Code Name Sapphire more than I did but I still think Pam Jenoff has written an interesting historical fiction tale. The true stories that inspired her are fascinating and make me want to read and watch more about it. I still consider that a win for a historical novel!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HTP/HarperCollins Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Paris Apartment

If you asked me what I like to read about in World War II era historical fiction novels I would answer: Bletchley Park, the Special Operations Executive, and stolen art being returned to the rightful owners. The Paris Apartment included ALL THREE. I was in book heaven as I read Kelly Bowen's latest novel and was completely swept up in the story she told. 

Here's the book's description:

2017, London: When Aurelia Leclaire inherits an opulent Paris apartment, she is shocked to discover her grandmother’s hidden secrets—including a treasure trove of famous art and couture gowns. One obscure painting leads her to Gabriel Seymour, a highly respected art restorer with his own mysterious past. Together they attempt to uncover the truths concealed within the apartment’s walls.
Paris, 1942: The Germans may occupy the City of Lights, but glamorous Estelle Allard flourishes in a world separate from the hardships of war. Yet when the Nazis come for her friends, Estelle doesn’t hesitate to help those she holds dear, no matter the cost. As she works against the forces intent on destroying her loved ones, she can’t know that her actions will have ramifications for generations to come.
Set seventy-five years apart, against a perilous and a prosperous Paris, both Estelle and Lia must unearth hidden courage as they navigate the dangers of a changing world, altering history—and their family’s futures—forever.

The synopsis doesn't fully cover all that this book is. You're drawn in at first with the mystery of the untouched apartment but there are many, many layers to that apartment and the lives it touched. It's hard to get into most of it because Bowen has weaved a story rich in history (as well as family secrets) and I don't want to give anything away. I'd rather you enjoy the reveals as I did. 

There were four different perspectives in this novel which, for the most part, worked really well. I was most drawn to Estelle's storyline and it seemed to me like the others were just supporting characters, even though they were all important to the overall story. Estelle's timeline features Sophie and the actions of the two women were inspiring. I'm glad novels and movies are starting to showcase more of brave acts women did during WWII because a lot seems to be unknown about the female spies and resistance fighters. Estelle's granddaughter, Lia, and Gabriel, the art restorer she contacts, both tell the "present day" storyline. I use quotes because we'll find more and more that the present day is actually a few years ago, 2017 in this instance. This is because those who were adults during WWII are dying and soon there will be no one alive who fought in the war. So much information, such as what surrounds Bletchley Park and the SOE, is only just starting to come to light and I'm sure we're never going to be able to have a full picture. There are still lots of first person accounts that a lot of novelists reference so I think I'm going to have to dive into the non-fiction realm soon to get some more information myself. 

I found there were a few instances where there was some Big Reveal - perhaps about a character's true intentions or how they were connected to the full storyline - that didn't have as much of an impact as I would have thought. Perhaps because I expected the revelations? Saw them coming? I didn't need them to be super obvious but sometimes it seemed like Bowen dropped in some information and then swiftly moved onto something else before fully explaining the importance of said information. 

For anyone keeping track, this is my third "The Paris Something" novel I've read in the last few months. First I read The Paris Secret (review here), which I adored. Then it was The Paris Library (review here). All three were set during WWII and they all had dual timelines and multiple characters. Two took place in Occupied Paris and two had SOE spies. I've never been to Paris in person but thank goodness for books like this that still capture the magic of the city even during times of war. 

This was Bowen's first foray into dramatic historical fiction, having written numerous historical romances in the past. I'm really looking forward to the next drama she writes and will definitely be looking into her romances, too.

I was totally captivated by Kelly Bowen's novel The Paris Apartment. Not only was the historical aspect incredibly fascinating, but the characters and their motivations were incredible and awe-inspiring. This novel is a must read for historical fiction fans.

*An egalley of this novels was provided by the Canadian distributor, HBG Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*