Review: Liberation

Title: Liberation

Author: Imogen Kealey

Publisher: 31st March 2020 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 370 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

The must-read thriller inspired by the true story of Nancy Wake, whose husband was kidnapped by the Nazis and became the most decorated servicewoman of the Second World War - soon to be a major blockbuster film.

To the Allies she was a fearless freedom fighter, special operations super spy, a woman ahead of her time. To the Gestapo she was a ghost, a shadow, the most wanted person in the world with a five-million Franc bounty on her head.

Her name was Nancy Wake.

Now, for the first time, the roots of her legend are told told in a thriller about one woman's incredible quest to save the man she loves, turn the tide of the war, and take brutal revenge on those who have wronged her.

My Thoughts

‘No wonder they’d sent her. German soldiers might stop and stare at her, but they’d never believe she was a spy. The best disguise we have is the assumptions other people make about us. Nancy knew that better than anyone.’

Imogen Kealey (Imogen Robertson) (Darby Kealey) have done a fabulous job in my opinion of co-writing this book. Being Australian, I am familiar with Nancy Wake and I found this account to be action packed and fast moving. Together, these two authors regale some of the heroic events that Nancy was involved in, taking place in France during WWII. Nancy was quite the heroine with many courageous acts in her efforts to defeat the Nazis. 

It is first interesting to consider a woman not only being sent out on these missions for the French Resistance in the first place, but also having men listening to and responding to her orders is quite something. That in itself is remarkable. Such strength of character to never cower from her attempts to liberate the French from occupation. 

This book gives a fast, action packed account of some of her exploits. Some readers found this interpretation to be too movie-like, but I really didn’t mind it. Being well written it was exciting and there were a range of characters that were well represented. Although literary liberties may have been taken to make for better reading, there is definite research undertaken here and all is accounted for in the Authors Note at the conclusion. So this is most definitely a fictionalised account of events as the ‘White Mouse’ (aka Nancy Wake) as she seeks to cause havoc among the Nazis. 

Being based on truth makes events truly inspirational in the face of such atrocities. This is  a well paced book and truly heartbreaking at times. I defy any reader not to get behind this eclectic group of resistors, being empathetic to what drove them to face the onslaught of Hitler and the Gestapo. If you enjoy tales set in World War II, would love to learn about a courageous Aussie who sought to assist in the liberation of occupied France, then this action packed, riveting account will surely entertain and educate. 

‘Did he really expect her to back off now? Start quivering in her shoes and leave it to the men to fight back? The Nazis had torn her life apart. It was a life she had fought hard to make and she loved it, and France and Henri, with her gut and her soul. They wanted her just to sit there and wait for someone to fetch it all back for her while she kept herself busy with a bit of typing?’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.