Meg Waite Clayton

I don't much like reviewing things that didn't do much for me, and am hoping the author and narrator don't read this. Goodreads doesn't seem to have the audio format that I listened to (B013PVQRKW), narrated by Jennifer Ikeda, so I'll use this record.
The first several chapters felt especially contrived -- pulled together perhaps out of various article clippings and photos--it felt removed and, perhaps due to the narration, whimsically nostalgic--the tone was like someone reminiscing about "the good ol' days", which felt miss-placed, given the topic. I liked though, this unique perspective--getting an idea of the monumental risks required from as yet unknown female journalists/photojournalists if they weren't to be completely shut out from covering the war.… (more)

I wanted to like this book. Interesting topic, based on a real-life heroine who spent ww2 using her obscene wealth to get people out of occupied France, save them from the Nazis, etc, but I could not warm to the main character. As the author described her she comes across as soulless, caring most for her dog of all the other characters.
The author’s created characters also seem oddly unemotional. The situation they are in is frequently dire and yet the tension only raises once during their escape- there is never any doubt that with the heroine’s money and American papers all will come
To right.
Tiny bit annoying to have everyone say how she was safe because she has those US papers, like everyone involved genuflected at anyone who said they were American. And of course the American woman was more competent than all of the other women who didn’t have the magic papers and yet did the same or more dangerous work.
There’s a stuffed kangaroo that is inserted for increased twee. And the male hero insists on carrying his films with him everywhere despite the danger to him and his child if he does so.
A story of the privileged during ww2, living in chateaus and hosting parties. It galled a bit with the backdrop of the bombing of Ukraine.… (more)