Review by JenGen321 -- Code Name Lily by Julien Ayotte

[JenGen321]

[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, written by Julien Ayotte, opens with the retirement of Antoine Papineau. While Antoine, nicknamed Tony, is finishing up the process of retiring from his dermatology practice, he receives a call from a man who currently resides in his childhood home. The man happened upon a box that belonged to Tony's father, Gerard (or Gerry), while doing work on the house. Gerry passed away when Tony was very young, so Tony never knew much about him. The story truly begins after Tony goes to retrieve the box and opens it. From its contents, Tony learns his father was in the Air Force in World War II. Gerry's plane went down in Belgium and he was helped by local farmers who were working together with others to help soldiers evade capture from the Germans. Of the people who helped him, the one who had the most impact on Gerry was a young woman with the code name: Lily.

Lily, as well as the others who helped Tony's father, were a part of a larger network known as the Comet Line. Established during World War II, the Comet line was made up of kind and courageous people who helped allied soldiers escape through France into Spain (to the British consulate) with the use of safe houses and a long and dangerous trek through the Pyrenees mountains. The stories of several of these people, who established and ran the Comet Line, some of whom helped Gerry, make up many of the chapters in the book. Their inspiring tales are interwoven with Tony's as he learns more about his father's experience with the Comet Line, with a special focus on Lily. The book describes her work throughout her time with the Comet Line, and also includes details of her life after the war ended, up until her death.

What I most enjoyed about Code Name Lily were the stories of the people who worked with the Comet Line: Lily, Dedee and her father, Tante Go, and Fernando, to name a few; as well as Gerry and the other allied soldiers. Each was incredibly inspiring in that they were risking everything to help these men, strangers, who were, in turn, risking their lives by fighting to free them. That something so horrible brought out the best in these people was an amazing thing to read, especially since it is based on a true story. More than entertaining, they inspired me and led me to ask myself what I would have done under those circumstances. All of these individuals are excellent representations of strength and courage as they are true heroes, and their actions further serve as a great source of inspiration to others.

Also, it was clear Ayotte enjoyed writing this book and wanted to showcase the amazing courage these people had in the dark and oppressive times of war. It certainly showed through in his writing and enhanced the experience of reading it. Additionally, I liked how Ayotte included the information about the woman involved in aiding Allied soldiers, Edith Cavell, whose heroic actions occurred years before the Comet Line was established. As she inspired Dedee to create the Comet line, I was happy to learn about her as well as the others. There was nothing I disliked about this book. The only upsetting aspects were the unfair treatment and circumstances of those within the book.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is among the most inspiring books I have read and I would highly recommend it. The ideal audience for Code Name Lily would probably be those who enjoy learning about history. Also, it could be meaningful for someone who had a family member that was involved in World War II or the military (or is in the military themselves). Someone who is simply looking to be inspired should probably be included in the ideal audience as well.

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Code Name Lily
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