The Lost Girls of Paris

The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff is historical fiction that tells the little known story of female agents sent into Nazi occupied France from England during WWII. Jenoff's novel follows the women from 1944-1946 as the tale of their training, bravery and often disappearance unfolds.

A fascinating subject, however this book is more fiction than history. I found the ending improbable and disappointing, but overall an interesting read.

Nine Perfect Strangers

Nine Perfect Strangers is the latest by Liane Moriarty. I've read and enjoyed all her books and I think she is a great writer. Although not my favorite of hers, I could not put this book down, nor will I soon forget it.

Nine people book a ten day cleanse at an exclusive health resort in Australia. The owner is a gorgeous, magnetic, if slightly odd woman. At first all is well, but things get stranger as the book goes on. Told from alternating perspectives, Moriarty keeps the reader captivated throughout; however, I felt dissapointed by the end, especially when comparing this book to some of her earlier novels.

Go, Went, Gone

Go, Went, Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck is a novel about African refugees in Germany. Translated from the German by Susan Bernofsky. A retired professor comes across a group of refugees living in tents in Alexanderplatz and becomes interested in learning more about them. He slowly befriends them and hears their stories.

This is both a beautifully written, poetic novel and a truly heartbreaking one, although ultimately hopeful. It couldn't be more timely as we are faced with decisions of how to treat refugees at our borders. These decisions are usually made with little or no understanding of the people whose lives are unimaginable to most Americans and Europeans. A profound and important book, highly recommended.