Betty T. (BettySunshine) - , reviewed on 1/2/2023 + 43 more book reviews

This is the fictional story of Niki Novotna, born in Czechoslovakia, inspired by the life of real-life WII spy Barbara Lauwers.

Niki isn't a particularly likable person. She is a shoot-from-the-hip type of person and acts without thinking of the consequences, especially to those around her. But I did like her creativity and her passion. Despite minimal resources, her team of artists and forgers was successful.

It is obvious that Gable did much research for this novel. I enjoyed reading about the propaganda tactics used in WWII. These tactics proved to be successful in helping bring an end to the war. Niki, being multilingual, creates fake stories and distributes propaganda to lower the morale of enemy soldiers.

While the story is set mostly in Italy, Niki is trying to locate her brother fighting in Czechoslovakia. There is little written about what was going on in Czechoslovakia during the war, so I found the references to it very interesting.

I enjoyed the chapters written from Paloma's viewpoint. Paloma, a prostitute, befriends Niki. It is from Paloma that we learn what WWII life is like for the people of Italy.

The book is also a love story, a story of friendship, and a story of survival. The ending was predictable, but I enjoyed the journey the book took me on. It had its exciting moments that had me on the edge of my seat.

I recommend this book to historical fiction fans.

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