Review by rhendel -- Code Name Lily by Julien Ayotte

[rhendel]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Code Name Lily" by Julien Ayotte.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Code Name Lily by Julien Ayotte is a historical fiction novel based on the true story of Micheline Dumon and her role as part of the dangerous, yet heroic, Comet Line during World War II. The Comet Line was a form of the Belgian and French civilian resistance to Nazi Germany, intending to rescue downed and injured Allied soldiers and provide them safe passage back to Great Britain. The book also focuses on the story of Gerard Papineau, a fictional character meant to represent many US soldiers, who meets and falls in love with Micheline after his plane is shot down by the Nazis.

I loved reading this book and have already recommended it to several friends and family members. The story was engaging and suspenseful, but not unnecessarily drawn out or detailed. The mixing of fiction and non-fiction was seamless and illustrated the true danger of the characters’ actions and the horrific events that occurred during that time. I also enjoyed learning about a lesser-known resistance that took place during War World II, particularly within countries that were occupied by Nazis. I loved that the story focused on a female heroine, who was brave and strong even when faced with imprisonment and death. While many books about World War II focus primarily on the Nazis or Allied soldiers, it was interesting to read a story focused on how civilians stepped up to make an impact as well.

I’ve noticed in other historical fiction books that the characters based on real people are typically more developed than the fictional characters. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that was not the case in Code Name Lily. In fact, it was often difficult to determine which characters were real and which were fictional. All of the characters were complex and easy to connect with, which made me feel invested in the outcome of each individual. While it was sometimes confusing to keep all of the Comet Line members straight due to having real names and code names, there was a guide at the end of the book that helpfully explained who everyone was.

There wasn’t much I disliked about this book, except that I would have liked the ending to have lasted a bit longer. While the first three-quarters of the book were so engaging and emotional, the end of the book didn’t seem to do them justice. I would have liked some more detail at the end, for instance how witnessing such tragedies and being in danger so consistently had an impact on the rest of Micheline’s life. There was also a large gap in Gerard’s life between returning to the US and his death. I would have liked to know more about his life with his family post-war, how he became sick, and what he was thinking about when he was dying.

Overall, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The story was suspenseful and engaging which made it impossible for me to put down. The characters were well-developed which helped me feel invested in the outcome of their stories; however, it was sometimes confusing to keep track of the code names. This book seems professionally edited since I only noticed one typo. I’d recommend Code Name Lily to readers who enjoy historical fiction, strong female heroines, or stories about World War II. There are some descriptions of torture and death, so readers who are sensitive to those situations may not enjoy this book.

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Code Name Lily
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