"The Alice Network," by Kate Quinn

When my friend F. suggested that I would probably like the book “The Alice Network” (William Morrow, 2017), by Kate Quinn, I hesitated a bit, because I understood it to be about spies during World War I, and spies are not a major interest of mine. But I trust F.’s judgment, and the main spy in question was a woman who was recruited rather than choosing the “job,” so I decided to at least look at it. Well, you can see where this is going: I started reading and got completely caught up in the story. The plot has two parts and two heroines. Eve is the spy, and we see her in 1915 and then again in 1947, when she meets a young American woman named Charlie in London. We soon find that there is a connection between these two women. But first a mystery has to be disentangled. Along the way, we learn much about the two women’s lives and relationships. And yes, we learn much about the particular network of spies in German-occupied France, and I found this more interesting than I expected to, as well as inspiring; these were immensely courageous women. These women, led by the titular “Alice,” are amazing, and risk their lives over and over again to save many lives. But there is misunderstanding and unfinished business, and this is what we start to understand when Eve and Charlie come together. This book appeals on many levels, and I appreciate F.’s recommending it to me.