Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: January 12, 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction
Paris 1943: Lana Antanova is on her way to see her husband with the thrilling news that she is pregnant. But when she arrives at the convent where he teaches music, she’s horrified to see Gestapo officers execute him for hiding a Jewish girl in the piano.
A few months later, grieving both her husband and her lost pregnancy, Lana is shocked when she’s approached to join the resistance on the French Riviera. As the daughter of a Russian countess, Lana has the perfect background to infiltrate the émigré community of Russian aristocrats who socialize with German officers, including the man who killed her husband.
Lana’s cover story makes her the mistress of Guy Pascal, a wealthy Swiss industrialist and fellow resistance member, in whose villa in Cap Ferrat she lives. Together, they gather information on upcoming raids and help members of the Jewish community escape. Consumed by her work, she doesn’t expect to become attached to a young Jewish girl or wonder about the secrets held by the man whose house she shares. And as the Nazis’ deadly efforts intensify, her intention to protect those around her may put them all at risk instead.
With Anita Abriel’s “heartfelt and memorable” (Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author) storytelling, Lana’s War is a sweeping and suspenseful tale of survival and second chances during some of the darkest days of history.
My Review 💛
Lana's War is a surprisingly light read as far as WWII historical fictions go. Lana joins the French Resistance after her husband is executed by the Gestapo in a brutal and cruel way that had me cringing. Using her high society knowledge, Lana travels to the French Riviera and poses as a mistress to Guy, another person in the resistance, and together they infiltrate the social elite, mingling with high ranking German officers, and gathering pertinent information that could be used to help save lives.
I believe the lightness the reader feels stems from the setting, the magnificent French Riviera. Though the war rages around them, the French Riviera seems hardly touched by it's cruelty, to the social elite anyway, and the descriptions of the breathtaking landscapes, extravagant dinners, parties, and casino nights immerse you in this world of luxury; a stunning mask to the underlying evil lurking below the surface.
Though the reader is seeing the world through Lana's eyes, I fought to connect with her and Guy. They both felt a little one dimensional to me, lacking depth, and making me wonder the entire time why I failed to ally with them, despite my championing them and their missions the entire journey. As far as the relationship between Guy and Lana, I didn't feel like it was organic at all, but instead it felt more forced and rushed, which is a shame, as this intimacy between fellow comrades could've been what positively bent me to these characters.
Lana's War is not overly graphic, as other historical fictions tend to be, but the point is still made perfectly clear: WWII impacted everyone, and touched every single life, in one way or another...just some more than others. War is hard no matter how you look at it and, though fictional, Lana's War was truly WWII from her perspective, and what she did to fight against the vicious war, and not so much on the war itself.
This novel has a wonderful flow, and I was surprised that I finished it as quickly as I did! It is well written, and though not what I was expecting (heavy on relationships; light on the actual resistance work and very little suspense), it was an enjoyable read indeed.
About the Author
Anita Abriel was born in Sydney, Australia. She received a BA in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing from Bard College. She lives in California with her family and is the author of The Light After the War which was inspired by her mother’s story of survival during WWII.
Connect with Anita: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram
*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the publisher through NetGalley. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.
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