The Invisible Woman
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- Create Date：2021-02-12 04:18:29
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Erika Robuck
- ISBN：9780593102145
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Summary
“If you only read one WWII book this year， make it this one。"—Natasha Lester， New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Orphans
In the depths of war， she would defy the odds to help liberate a nation…a gripping historical novel based on the remarkable true story of World War II heroine Virginia Hall， from the bestselling author of Hemingway’s Girl
France， March 1944。 Virginia Hall wasn't like the other young society women back home in Baltimore—she never wanted the debutante ball or silk gloves。 Instead， she traded a safe life for adventure in Europe， and when her beloved second home is thrust into the dark days of war， she leaps in headfirst。
Once she's recruited as an Allied spy， subverting the Nazis becomes her calling。 But even the most cunning agent can be bested， and in wartime trusting the wrong person can prove fatal。 Virginia is haunted every day by the betrayal that ravaged her first operation， and will do everything in her power to avenge the brave people she lost。
While her future is anything but certain， this time more than ever Virginia knows that failure is not an option。 Especially when she discovers what—and whom—she's truly protecting。
Editor Reviews
★ 11/02/2020
Robuck （The House of Hawthorne） delivers an edge-of-the-seat WWII spy story based on the life of OSS agent Virginia Hall。 In March 1944， the American operative slips into Nazi-occupied France to organize and arm a resistance group called the Maquis before the D-Day invasion。 Ahead of her mission， Virginia， who has a prosthetic leg， is informed by her London-based handlers that her life expectancy is six weeks。 Even so， she must be extra careful。 The Germans have already distributed wanted posters for the “Limping Lady” and have been looking for her for two years， since the Lyon network she headed was betrayed by a double agent。 Now， on her current mission， she has a score to settle with those who plotted to betray her。 The Germans grow more vicious after D-Day， as Allied troops， with help from the Maquis， liberate French towns。 Robuck vividly captures Virginia’s internal struggle over her obligation to help win the war and her desire for revenge。 Skillfully weaving events from the agent’s past with the tension-filled days and nights of 1944， Robuck creates an indelible portrait of an unforgettable hero。 Agent: Kevan Lyon， Marsal Lyon Literary Agency。 （Feb。）
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Chapter 1
21 March 1944
Brittany Coast， France
Seas are rough and mortally cold and， though she surely approaches her death， Virginia Hall can't row fast enough。 France is within sight。
The warnings of her superiors echo in her mind。
"As a wireless operator in fully occupied France， you'll have six weeks to live。"
Good， she'd thought。 Six weeks。 Forty-two days。
One day for each of those brave men and women she'd abandoned during her first mission in Lyon。 If they're still alive， they surely languish in prisons and concentration camps， yet she escaped。 The thought nearly chokes her， as it has every day for the last eighteen months， but she shoves it aside。 She will go on。
In spite of the frigid night， Virginia sweats。 The British gunboat only took the agents so far。 They have to use a dinghy the rest of the way。 She can feel the sting of blisters forming， and her partner Aramis-they are trained to use only code names-is too tired to continue。 At sixty-two， he's old for a secret agent。 As much as Virginia hates traveling with another， it will only be for a little while。 His mission is confined to setting up safe houses and gathering intelligence in Paris， while Virginia's will take her to the outskirts of the city and then on to the mountain region of the Haute-Loire。 She'll coordinate supply drops to help arm and organize Resistance forces， the Maquis， to prepare them to rise up and fight when the Allies finally land。 Any reporting she can do on Nazi activity won't go amiss， either， and Virginia is itching to help rain terror on their heads。
Still， the Haute-Loire seems remote， unimportant， and far from action， but Vera Atkins， a high-ranking intelligence officer with the SOE， is adamant that Virginia covers it。 One thing is sure: Remote or not， Virginia will never again abandon France。 Even if it means defying orders。 This time she will stay until the liberation。
Hoping to discourage her from returning to France， Vera gave Virginia the grim details of the fates of all the wireless operators they'd lost in recent months。
"You can't bring them back by going and getting yourself killed，" Vera had said。
"No， but I can help win the war。"
"A noble motivation，" Vera said。 "Are you sure that's the only reason you want to return？"
It isn't。 But Virginia didn't share that with Vera。
"You're a superwoman， just as the rumors said，" says Aramis。 "If your prosthetic leg weren't such a topic of conversation， I'd never have guessed。 What's it they say you named it？ Herbert？"
Cuthbert， she thinks， clenching her teeth。
Because the Gestapo took to calling her "the Limping Lady" when they started hunting her in Lyon， what she had once kept secret was exposed。 As if she needed another reason to hate the Nazis。 She's weary of people making a fuss about her leg， and most of all she's weary of this man。 He has been talking since they met less than twenty-four hours ago， including telling her his real name， his day job， and details about his actual family。 Most secret agents sneaking into Nazi-infested France might stay a little quieter， but Aramis is undeterred。
"With any luck， we can get you a stiff drink once we land，" he continues。 "Maybe the safe house will have a wine cellar they'll be happy to share for a small fee。"
When he reaches across the dinghy to pat the concealed money bags at Virginia's hips， she drops the right oar， grabs his arm， and twists it。
"Never touch me again。"
His eyes grow wide behind his spectacles。 After a moment， she releases his arm and returns her hand to the oar。 During the mere seconds she wasn't rowing， the dinghy turned， and a swell knocked the thirty-pound wireless suitcase into her good leg。 Cursing her temper， she struggles to turn the vessel to cut the waves head-on instead of running parallel to them。 Aramis picks up his set of oars to help her。 They're soon on track， and in the silence between them， Virginia can no longer ignore the throbbing in her jaw。
Just last week， she'd sat in recovery from the sadistic dentist who had replaced her American fillings with gold， in the French way。 Secret agents had to become their parts down to the last painful details。 Vera had stood over her in the recovery room。
"Your first mission was a tea party compared to what now awaits you，" Vera said。
Vera helped recruit Virginia for the SOE early in the war， before the US had been involved， when Virginia could use her cover as an American journalist to travel freely。 Vera had formed and tested her， and continued to do so at every opportunity， even now that Virginia transferred to the OSS under American general William J。 Donovan。 With a price on Virginia's head， Vera didn't think it wise for Virginia to return to France。 "Wild Bill" Donovan had overridden Vera， however-the grin he'd given Virginia reminiscent of the one her father gave when overriding her mother-and Vera never missed an opportunity to remind Virginia of the danger she faced。
"The new collaborator militia of thugs， the Milice，" said Vera， her eyes intense on Virginia's， "are just as dangerous as the Nazis。 In fact， more so。 As native French， they understand dialect， know who's an outsider， and take delight in hunting the Resistance。"
Virginia's mouth went dry。 On her first mission， a year and half earlier， she didn't have to worry about her American accent。 Now， since the US was in the war， and the Gestapo had plastered wanted posters of Virginia's face all over France， she knew she'd have to go undercover， but it hadn't yet dawned on her that she would need to be so careful when speaking。
"Finding the Maquis and getting them to trust you will be a challenge，" said Vera。 "But you must if we are to unleash hell on the Nazis once Operation Overlord begins。"
"D-Day，" Virginia said。
"D-Day。 Which will just be the beginning。"
"The beginning of the end。"
"We hope，" said Vera。 "After D-Day， if you've had success finding Maquis groups， we'll drop in officers to take command in your wake as you move toward the Haute-Loire。"
"Do you have the official date？"
"That's not yet for you to know，" said Vera。 "You must await the signal。"
The poem。 Verlaine's "Chanson d'automne。" Autumn song。 She had to memorize it。 The broadcast of the first stanza by the BBC will signal invasion is imminent。 The second stanza will announce its commencement。
"Once I get the Maquis armed，" Virginia said， "holding back men and women who've been waiting to avenge their losses will be like trying to stop a dam from breaking。"
"But you must，" said Vera。 "Once D-Day comes， and the fighting is in the open， you know how the Nazis will respond。"
No。 None of them knew。 But they could all imagine how a rabid beast would strike back once cornered。
Vera had pulled out a small brass container from her jacket pocket engraved with an L。 Lethal pill。 In case of capture。
"Do you want it this time？" Vera asked。
"You know the answer to that question。"
Vera stared at Virginia a long moment before sliding the container back into her jacket， and， after checking Virginia's pockets to make sure there weren't any London bus ticket stubs or American playing cards， Vera grasped Virginia's coat lapels and looked into her eyes。 Her face softened。 She became the old Vera， before all the war losses。
"Don't put yourself in unnecessary danger。 Change safe houses frequently。 Don't get attached。 When this is all over， I want to toast our success， not fly to the states to give your mother the bad news。"
"At least she'd be gratified to know she told me so。"
Vera frowned。
"This war has made us all so cold，" Vera said， almost to herself before adding one more thing。 "In your final region， there's a remote village at its heart: Le Chambon-sur-Lignon。 Protecting it must be your highest priority。"
"Why is it so important？"
At that， Vera had released Virginia's lapels and returned to her rigid posture。
The shore is now upon Virginia and Aramis。 The fog conceals the rocks， and they sharply navigate a turn so they don't crash。 The edge of the dinghy is clipped， and while Virginia is able to steady herself， Aramis goes overboard。 He sputters， trying to stand while the surf pounds him。 Virginia beaches the dinghy， disembarks， pulls the boat farther ashore to ensure it doesn't wash away before they can empty it， and turns to take in the view。
France。
If she were still able to cry， she would。 She inhales the air， filling her lungs。 Unbidden， the memory rises of her father whispering her awake and carrying her through the darkness to watch the Paris sunrise， but she pushes it aside。 She knows that-like her father-that version of France is gone。 As much as she would love to savor this moment， the clock is ticking。 She turns her attention back to Aramis， who moans in the sand。
"My knee。"
She swears under her breath and shushes him for his complaints。 Working quickly， she lifts their bags from the rubber dinghy， uses her knife to slice holes in it， and heaves a small boulder inside the boat to sink it。 Once she's sure the vessel is fully submerged， she returns to Aramis。 She pulls his strappy valise over her shoulders， gives him her lighter clothing suitcase， and carries the wireless suitcase in her other hand。
They spot the path that will lead to the farm where they'll spend the night。 An icy rain falls， and by the time they arrive at the barn an hour later， they're both shivering， exhausted， and starving， with only an hour to sleep before they have to catch their train。 Aramis snores within minutes， but Virginia cannot。 As it has every night since Lyon， the image of a pair of cold blue eyes and a sinister smile plays in her mind as she stares through the dark。
Six weeks to live， they told her。 She has much to accomplish in that time。
Chapter 2
As sunrise breaks over the frosty March morning， shafts come in the barn through holes， reminding Virginia of her childhood farm in Baltimore， the place her late father taught her to hunt and hike and row and skin a rabbit。 The last time she was at Box Horn Farm， seven years ago， she'd taken her six-year-old niece， Lorna， sledding。 Up and down the hill behind the barn， over and over。 Each time they got to the bottom， Lorna shouted， "Again， Aunt Dindy！ Again！" No matter how badly her knee stump ached， Virginia would climb the hill with the child and sled back down until the night forced them to stop。
Again。 Keep going。
In spite of what lies ahead， and what drags heavy behind her， these memories give her the strength to rise。
Virginia paints gray dye on her auburn hair， uses icy water from the pump outside to wash the dye through， and combs her wet hair into a severe bun。 Then she smudges kohl under her brown eyes， draws wrinkles on her forehead and cheeks， plumps her slender frame with layers of old-woman's clothing， and puts on a pair of fake eyeglasses。 When she awakens Aramis， he's shocked at the transformation that has aged her several decades beyond her thirty-seven years。 Without speaking， she passes him a packet of biscuits from her stash， sits next to him on the dirt while he eats， and stitches the tear in his pants。 When she finishes， he stares at her with gratitude。
"Come， husband，" she says in French。 "We have a train to catch。"
Frustrating as it is for her， Aramis must accompany her to Crozant， where her first contact will provide her safe lodging for wireless transmission。 His escort is necessary so he knows Virginia's place in the circuit， and so he can talk for them if they're stopped。 Her French is plagued with the American accent she can't shake-a reality that tortures her。 If she and Aramis make it， she needs to check in with HQ as soon as possible to get their pins on the map of agents。 If she doesn't make contact within two weeks， she will be assumed captured or killed， and another wireless operator will have to be sent in her place。
At the busy hub of a train station， Nazis swarm。 They shove batons in her chest， demand papers， push her and Aramis roughly along from one checkpoint to the next。 Identity card。 Proof of residence。 Travel permit。 Ration book。 She and Aramis produce the forged documents with their fake identities， certain that each stop will be the one that catches them。 Virginia hadn't fully appreciated what her superiors told her to expect in France。 She didn't comprehend the potency of full Nazi occupation， how it pollutes the air and poisons those who breathe it。
They make it through， but as she climbs aboard the train behind Aramis， Virginia stumbles on the step。 A young woman with red hair and green eyes is at her arm， giving her assistance。 Virginia can't help but wonder if the young woman is one of the Resistance or a collaborator-everyone must choose。 Virginia gives a curt nod of thanks before continuing。
She and Aramis struggle to find seats in the heartbreaking crush of hungry， hollow-eyed， weary people。 When they find a spot， the young woman squeezes in next to her at the window。 Heat emanates from the woman like a flame， bringing the exotic scent of her perfume to Virginia's nose。
Guerlain's Vol de Nuit。 Night flight。
It was the perfume Virginia's fiancé， Emil， had given her， a lifetime ago， when she was whole and alive。
Flinging all thought of Emil away with a shake of her head， she threads her arm through Aramis's。 When the whistle finally blows， she jumps in her seat。 This distresses her because she has never been jumpy。 Jumpiness makes one a target。 Perhaps Vera was right to worry that Virginia had no business returning。
The young woman touches her arm and offers a smile of reassurance。 Ignoring her and calling upon her training， Virginia stares out at the station clock to regulate her breathing by the second hand。 She'd been instructed at a series of manor houses throughout Britain in everything from hand-to-hand combat， to sabotage， to interrogation。 Psychological evaluations were a critical part of the process。 Virginia always received the highest marks in her ability to keep cool。 But now， something she sees nearly undoes her。
It's a sketch of her own face staring back at her。
Her wanted poster。
la dame qui boite-The Lady Who Limps， Most Dangerous of Allied Spies。
Reviews
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 Erika Robuck has written a fascinating book about Virginia Hall， who was an American that was part of the French Resistance in WWII。 Virginia Hall was a real person so Ms。 Robuck did a lot of research in order to bring her to life and all the people that she met along her journey。 Virginia was tasked with going into worn torn France with D-Day coming soon to assist the French Resistance in receiving supply drops from England and keeping them apprised of the Allies movement into France。 I am always fascinated by the WWII stories and this was a story I had not known about。 The book is beautifully written setting up the scenes and the people that Virginia encounters。 Virginia is depicted as the woman she most likely was， a complex woman with the determination and grit needed to survive。 This book is one that will stay with you long after you read the last page。
A riveting story about a remarkable woman。 The strength， resilience and compassion of people never fails to amaze me。 This is the fictional story of a real lif hero Virginia Hall。 Virginia was an American working for the UK as an ally spy at the end of WWII。 Working behind enemy lines in France helping get supplies and weapons to the French resistance。 The story was informative， compelling， and heartbreaking。 The bravery and tenacity of the French people was commendable。 Whenever I read a story A riveting story about a remarkable woman。 The strength， resilience and compassion of people never fails to amaze me。 This is the fictional story of a real lif hero Virginia Hall。 Virginia was an American working for the UK as an ally spy at the end of WWII。 Working behind enemy lines in France helping get supplies and weapons to the French resistance。 The story was informative， compelling， and heartbreaking。 The bravery and tenacity of the French people was commendable。 Whenever I read a story like this I always question how I would behave in the same situation。 Would I have the same strength and resilience as the characters in this book？ Virginia lived a comfortable life in Baltimore， what drove her to sacrifice her life for the French people？ She knew going in the average lifespan of an ally spy in France was six weeks。， And yet that did not deter her。 Virginia was hard to get to know both by the reader and those around her。 She took her job extremely seriously as I would imagine was necessary for survival。 She never let anyone too close and never showed anything in the way of emotion。 And yet you just knew she had a big heart by the way she connected with the other characters in the story， especially the other women and the children。 If you are like me and a little burned out on WWII stories I strongly recommend you pick this one up。 I learned so much I did not previously know and appreciated that not only Virginia but most of the other characters were based on real life people。 Well researched and well told。*** Big thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy of this book。 All opinions are my own。 *** 。。。more
Wow。 This was an emotional story。 Fans of Codename Helene will want to read this book。 I love that the stories of these brave women are finally being told。 Full review soon。
Spies behind Nazi lines in France were lucky to live six weeks。 Still， American Virginia Hall eagerly accepts a second assignment behind enemy lines。 Not only does she want to help defeat the Nazis， Virginia wants to avenge the captured and killed members from her first network who were betrayed by the unlikeliest suspect。 Despite her courage， competence， and skills， she faces threats from the Nazi officers and French collaborators who seek her seek her arrest as well as from French resistors wh Spies behind Nazi lines in France were lucky to live six weeks。 Still， American Virginia Hall eagerly accepts a second assignment behind enemy lines。 Not only does she want to help defeat the Nazis， Virginia wants to avenge the captured and killed members from her first network who were betrayed by the unlikeliest suspect。 Despite her courage， competence， and skills， she faces threats from the Nazi officers and French collaborators who seek her seek her arrest as well as from French resistors who don’t want to answer to a woman。 With danger around every corner， Virginia copes by focusing on her orders。 Yet， as she and her network eagerly await D-Day， the stakes become higher even as the Nazis edge closer to her and her associates。Based on a real though little-known World War II heroine， 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 by Erika Robuck is extensively and carefully researched and offers an intriguing fictionalized account of the harrowing conditions， overwhelming emotions， and fascinating procedures experienced by agents of the SOE and OSS。 The book shows the evil deeds inflicted by the Nazis and why Virginia and people like her we’re so important to the war effort。 While I appreciated the historical accuracy and how much I learned， I also thought it was a great story。 In one flashback， Virginia reflects on escaping over the Pyrenees， revealing the physical exertion， the cold， and hunger。 Her determination and courage is inspiring， but secondary characters were equally courageous and willing to risk death for freedom。。𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎， 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚆𝚆𝙸𝙸 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔？Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
The Invisible Woman adds a critical narrative to the WWII historical fiction canon。 Author Erika Robuck’s impressive research about the life of Virginia Hall， France’s first female spy， is a profile in courage。 Many thanks to NetGalley， Robuck， and the publisher for sharing this book with me。 All thoughts are my own。
<> The Invisible Woman - Erika Robuk | 365p。 @prhglobal 5⭐。。Virginia Hall é uma mulher corajosa。 Depois de perder a perna em um acidente， ela volta a França para ajudar os Aliados a vencerem a guerra。 Assim como muitos outros que lutaram bravamente， Virgínia ajudou uma rede de espiões a levar suprimentos， armas e remédios para os franceses que estavam cercados por nazistas。 Essa é uma história real， que vai te fazer torcer e ficar com o coração partido por tantas perdas que ocorreram durante ess <> The Invisible Woman - Erika Robuk | 365p。 @prhglobal 5⭐。。Virginia Hall é uma mulher corajosa。 Depois de perder a perna em um acidente， ela volta a França para ajudar os Aliados a vencerem a guerra。 Assim como muitos outros que lutaram bravamente， Virgínia ajudou uma rede de espiões a levar suprimentos， armas e remédios para os franceses que estavam cercados por nazistas。 Essa é uma história real， que vai te fazer torcer e ficar com o coração partido por tantas perdas que ocorreram durante esse período。。。Histórias sobre a Segunda Guerra Mundial são além de necessárias， me parece imprescindível que de tempos em tempos é necessário lembrar que há menos de um século pessoas que se achavam melhores， mais patriotas e importante dizer， de direita， exterminaram milhões de pessoas e fizeram coisas inimagináveis。 Lembrar é importante para nunca deixar que esse horror se repita novamente。。。Esse livro mexe com a gente de diversas formas。 Virgínia conseguiu coisas que poucos conseguiriam。 Por ser mulher e estar sob disfarce， ela conseguiu passar desapercebida e organizou uma enorme rede de espiões， além de ajudar a resistência francesa a lutar por seu país。。。Confesso que ainda estou tentando digerir o final dessa história， principalmente por torcer para que todos ficassem bem e descobrir que muitos dos bravos personagens morreram tão jovens em campos de concentração， que tantas crianças ficaram órfãs e tantas outras morreram de inanição ou em câmaras de gás。。。Com certeza é um livro que vai te fazer refletir。 Thanks for the free book， @PRHGlobal/@prhinternational。。#ResenhasLeD #partner #prhglobal 。。。more
I can’t give this book anything less than five stars。 I was captivated by the main character， Virginia Hall， as well as everyone who became part of her group。 She cared for others in a way that would be difficult for the average person to understand。 She was in a position to help in the war efforts in ways that most of us could never fully understand， however， that meant asking those she came to care for， to do things that put them in danger。 Not everyone would survive and everyone knew that。Vir I can’t give this book anything less than five stars。 I was captivated by the main character， Virginia Hall， as well as everyone who became part of her group。 She cared for others in a way that would be difficult for the average person to understand。 She was in a position to help in the war efforts in ways that most of us could never fully understand， however， that meant asking those she came to care for， to do things that put them in danger。 Not everyone would survive and everyone knew that。Virginia Hall’s character is based on the real-life hero of WWII。 She was placed in France so that America could aid in the fight against Hitler from the inside （per se）。 I was drawn into the story immediately and found myself wanting to reach inside the pages and pull them all to safety。 The author definitely knows how to craft fully developed characters and how to plot and pace a story so that the reader is forced to continue reading until the end。 I could feel the tension， the heartache， the pain， and the relief of wins throughout the entre novel。Erika Robuck is an incredible author and I cannot recommend this book enough。 Everyone should have the honor of meeting Virginia Hall。 I will never forget this story。I want to thank Berkley and Netgalley for allowing me to read The Invisible Woman for my honest review。 。。。more
I thought I had it all where WWII was concerned but Erika Robuck has introduced me to another part of the war that intrigues me。 Virginia Hall has made herself invisible and takes that skill to help defeat the Nazi’s。 She goes to places that most men would not want to go to， she sees things that causes nightmares for many， and she does it without worry of her own wellbeing。Everything about The Invisible Woman is intriguing。 From the different locations that Virginia is needed， the amazing heroe I thought I had it all where WWII was concerned but Erika Robuck has introduced me to another part of the war that intrigues me。 Virginia Hall has made herself invisible and takes that skill to help defeat the Nazi’s。 She goes to places that most men would not want to go to， she sees things that causes nightmares for many， and she does it without worry of her own wellbeing。Everything about The Invisible Woman is intriguing。 From the different locations that Virginia is needed， the amazing heroes that she meets along the way， the horrific Nazi’s she has to be fearless of， and the communities that she helps as she stays in the various safe house; there is so much history yet it did not feel like I was reading a history lesson。 I was reading about a person， place， and war as if it was fiction but there was so much fact。 。。。more
I highly recommend this compelling， dangerous， and deeply personal， WWII novel inspired by the real-life American intelligence agent， Virginia Hall。 What an incredibly courageous woman。 Set in France during the Nazi occupation， and impeccably researched by author Erika Robuck， THE INVISIBLE WOMAN immersed me into the world of undercover agents and everyday French citizens putting their hopes， their dreams， and their lives on the line to save their beloved country。 I couldn't put it down。*ARC rec I highly recommend this compelling， dangerous， and deeply personal， WWII novel inspired by the real-life American intelligence agent， Virginia Hall。 What an incredibly courageous woman。 Set in France during the Nazi occupation， and impeccably researched by author Erika Robuck， THE INVISIBLE WOMAN immersed me into the world of undercover agents and everyday French citizens putting their hopes， their dreams， and their lives on the line to save their beloved country。 I couldn't put it down。*ARC received for fair and unbiased review*More detailed review posted at The Romance Dish Blog 。。。more
The Invisible Woman Happy Pub Day Author: Erika RobuckPrior to this year I didn’t read historical fiction。 Despite the fact that I love history the WWII books always missed their mark so I gave up。 I turned to my tried and true thrillers and mysteries。 Well in 2021 I said I would read more historical fiction and I have and I am thoroughly enjoying it。 Many thanks to @berittalksbooks and #berkleybuddyreads for this opportunity to expand my horizons。 Here are the reasons that I enjoyed The Invisib The Invisible Woman Happy Pub Day Author: Erika RobuckPrior to this year I didn’t read historical fiction。 Despite the fact that I love history the WWII books always missed their mark so I gave up。 I turned to my tried and true thrillers and mysteries。 Well in 2021 I said I would read more historical fiction and I have and I am thoroughly enjoying it。 Many thanks to @berittalksbooks and #berkleybuddyreads for this opportunity to expand my horizons。 Here are the reasons that I enjoyed The Invisible Woman so much: Virginia Hall was a real person！ An American that didn’t want to sit at home and be average， instead she became the first female agent in France working against the Nazis。 Virginia was extremely intelligent and learned multiple languages which allowed her to become a diplomat while being educated in France。 Though she faced rejection many times over， she was persistent。 She fled France to Britain and met a spy that forever changed her life。 Prior to moving abroad， Virginia shot off her foot In a hunting accident and had to wear a prosthetic during period when prosthetics were crude at best。 I am amazed at her ability to rise above her injury and still fight a war， undercover with secret missions that could have killed her at any moment。 She posed as a reporter and took on multiple personas to shield her identity and the the risk to her life。 Her missions were countless and dangerous but she persisted knowing that D Day would soon arrive。 Virginia was strong， brave， and heroic， but could be brash， and harsh when necessary。 In order to get men to take her seriously she had to be ALL of these things and so much more。 The thing I loved most about this book， it was well researched。 Well written and taught me so much about a woman who was such a hero， one I may never have known about。 Thank you to @berkleypub for my advanced digital copy of the book。 。。。more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 "I could kill you now。。。the music of the choir will drown out the sound of your struggle。。。I know what you've done。 And I will be watching you until I decide to administer the justice you deserve。"。。。She leaves the confessional， ducking into the crowd filing in， and slipping out to the streets of Paris。 Invisible。How could we not know about the bravery of the American spy Virginia Hall？ The above scene is her in a church confessional confronting a priest who has taken the sacred confessions of N "I could kill you now。。。the music of the choir will drown out the sound of your struggle。。。I know what you've done。 And I will be watching you until I decide to administer the justice you deserve。"。。。She leaves the confessional， ducking into the crowd filing in， and slipping out to the streets of Paris。 Invisible。How could we not know about the bravery of the American spy Virginia Hall？ The above scene is her in a church confessional confronting a priest who has taken the sacred confessions of Nazi resistors to the Gestapo for his own gains。 Virginia has no patience for traitors。 I am now able to respect and admire her thanks to the creative and intense research displayed in The Invisible Woman by Erika Robuck。Virginia was a Maryland native who found herself in Paris just as Germany invaded it。 Through a series of events， including her own fortitude， she becomes a spy for the OSS in France。The writer has given us a heroine who is overdue for accolades and gratitude from the U。S。 and her allies during WWII。 We become a part of her very dangerous missions， including one where she is horribly betrayed。 We see through flashbacks how this betrayal influences all her future assignments。Though there is often a clinical tone in the story it is necessary to the seriousness in which Virginia approached this life。 The author's Afterword is recommended for details。There is also a beautiful true love story with Virginia and her husband Paul。 He gives her the emotional reprieve she needs from such a stressful life。 I read many WWII historical fiction novels but this one made me especially proud and emotional as a woman and an American。I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley as part of a contest win for a fair and honest review。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Virginia Hall never wanted to stay home in Baltimore with the other girls， wearing dresses and going to balls。 A life abroad in Europe was what she wanted， and all was well there， until it wasn't。 Thrust into the middle of the Second World War， Virginia joins up with the British Secret Operations Executive。 Life as a spy is difficult， and a botched operation haunts her as the war progresses。 Returning to her duties in France in March of 1944， Virginia's role is to be an undercover "pianist，" a p Virginia Hall never wanted to stay home in Baltimore with the other girls， wearing dresses and going to balls。 A life abroad in Europe was what she wanted， and all was well there， until it wasn't。 Thrust into the middle of the Second World War， Virginia joins up with the British Secret Operations Executive。 Life as a spy is difficult， and a botched operation haunts her as the war progresses。 Returning to her duties in France in March of 1944， Virginia's role is to be an undercover "pianist，" a person sending encoded messages back home to coordinate supply drops for the French rebellion force called the Maquis。 While most pianists only stay alive for less than two months， Virginia is determined to defy the odds， confound the Nazis' plans， and not let anything， even her prosthetic leg， stop her from fueling the resistance until the day of liberation。Reading about unsung heroes of World War II is always interesting for me。 Virginia Hall was an amazing， real woman who was very crafty， resourceful， and sincerely wanted to do the right thing。 She wonders about the nature of humanity， and does her best to help others while also trying to stay alive。 Most of the story is about her work as a message-sending pianist， but her failed mission is also experienced through flashbacks over time。 It was inspiring to read about the Maquis （"thicket" or "the bush"）， and how otherwise ordinary people did extraordinary things to escape forced labor， save children， or sabotage the Nazi occupation。 I enjoyed the small touches such as Virginia giving her prosthetic a name， or the seemingly mundane （yet very cool） way that messages would be received back from the Allies。 Virginia thoroughly disappeared into her role， and that is how she stayed alive， yet the nature of such competent undercover work is that it often isn't recognized。 I'm glad to have read Virginia's story， to have felt some of the tension and heartbreak she must have felt， and to know about yet another remarkable woman accomplishing tremendous things against impossible odds。 Stories about World War II are common， but I recommend this one as an uncommonly great account of a tireless unsung hero。Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with a free digital copy of this book to read and review。 。。。more
📚 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 / 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝗪 📚Title: #TheInvisibleWomanAuthor: Erika RobuckPublisher: @berkleypubPub Date: 1/9/21Type: #eBook （thanks @netgalley）Genre: #HistoricalFictionMust Read Rating: ⭐⭐⭐𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘴:𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐫， 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧。。。𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝗪𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝗪𝐚𝐫 𝐈𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥， 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐰𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦， 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝟷𝟿𝟺𝟺。 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 📚 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 / 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝗪 📚Title: #TheInvisibleWomanAuthor: Erika RobuckPublisher: @berkleypubPub Date: 1/9/21Type: #eBook （thanks @netgalley）Genre: #HistoricalFictionMust Read Rating: ⭐⭐⭐𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘴:𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐫， 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧。。。𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝗪𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝗪𝐚𝐫 𝐈𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥， 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐰𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦， 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝟷𝟿𝟺𝟺。 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦--𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘬 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴。 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥， 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦， 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘢𝘳， 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵。𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘺， 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨。 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥， 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘭。 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯， 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵。𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯， 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯。 𝘌𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵--𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮--𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨。𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:Despite my best efforts， The Invisible Woman just wasn't for me。 I found the book to be very slow paced and the flashbacks were distracting and a bit confusing at times。 I am clearly the odd one out， as most review sites list this as 4。4 stars and above， but sometimes a book just doesn't work out for you and that's ok！ I have been reading a lot of this genre lately and I think I am experiencing some historical fiction fatigue。 Virginia， the main character， is a definite hero and I did appreciate the theme of trust and friendship woven throughout the story。 Anyone that is a fan of strong female characters in a HF novel may love this one， it just didn't hit the mark for me。 。。。more
"It's not the fists alone that win the fight。"I love historical fiction about women doing amazing things and this story is about a remarkable woman that it's a shame most people have never heard of。 Virginia Hall was a socialite from Baltimore who lost part of her leg in a hunting accident and still went on to become a spy for the Allies during WWII。 She was such a pivotal part of the French Resistance that was hunted by the Nazis who called her "the lady who limps。" She crossed the Pyrenees， sp "It's not the fists alone that win the fight。"I love historical fiction about women doing amazing things and this story is about a remarkable woman that it's a shame most people have never heard of。 Virginia Hall was a socialite from Baltimore who lost part of her leg in a hunting accident and still went on to become a spy for the Allies during WWII。 She was such a pivotal part of the French Resistance that was hunted by the Nazis who called her "the lady who limps。" She crossed the Pyrenees， spent time in a Spanish prison， trained and armed French militias and worked as a "pianist，" someone who sent coded messages to England via wireless， a job so dangerous it was said the pianists only had six weeks to live doing it。 How she is not a household name for her heroism is unbelievable。Robuck tells Virgina's story in a briskly-paced and wonderfully suspenseful way that's so detailed it almost feels like a memoir。 We follow her on what will be her last mission in France in the weeks leading up to D-Day with flashbacks to her previous experiences that show how she ended up where she did and why she's especially wary of all those around her。 The secondary characters - from fellow spies to ordinary French citizens aiding the resistance， almost all of whom were real people - are as interesting as Virginia and what they're all willing to risk to win the war is stunning。 Even though I know how things ended， I still could not put the book down， worried for characters I had come to love and anxious to see what would happen next。 Kudos to Robuck for bringing this woman who spent so much of her life being invisible into the spotlight she so deserves。Thanks to Berkley Publishing and the author for a copy to review。 。。。more
Master historical fiction writer Erika Robuck is back with this epic story， inspired by true events， of Virginia Hall， the American woman who overcame great odds to serve as an Allied spy during World War II。
La Dame Qui Boite--The Lady Who Limps， Most Dangerous of Allied SpiesImagine seeing your own face staring back at you from a wanted poster as you try to slip past Nazis who are swarming the busy hub of a French train station。 Will they see past the gray dye that hides your auburn hair， the wrinkles drawn on your forehead and cheeks， the fake eyeglasses， and the layers of clothing that make you look so much heavier？ Will they recognize that you are the 'limping lady' who has become a thorn in the La Dame Qui Boite--The Lady Who Limps， Most Dangerous of Allied SpiesImagine seeing your own face staring back at you from a wanted poster as you try to slip past Nazis who are swarming the busy hub of a French train station。 Will they see past the gray dye that hides your auburn hair， the wrinkles drawn on your forehead and cheeks， the fake eyeglasses， and the layers of clothing that make you look so much heavier？ Will they recognize that you are the 'limping lady' who has become a thorn in their flesh， the dangerous lady spy that they are determined to capture and eliminate？This scene near the beginning of The Invisible Woman sets the stage for a thrill-packed story that often took my breath away。 Author Erika Robuck weaves fictional details with historical facts and the resulting story is one that I won't soon forget。 As I read the amazing feats of OSS agent Virginia Hall， I concluded that she could have also been called a wonder woman as she feverishly worked to aid the war effort while wearing a prosthetic leg she had named Cuthbert。 Hall was the ultimate spy and freedom fighter， the only civilian woman to ever be given the United States Distinguished Service Cross。， and a CIA operative after the end of WWII。I love a book that entertains as it enlightens and this book certainly delivers。 Robuck stirred my emotions as I was plunged into a world of spies， war， and the uncertainties of justice versus revenge。 The Invisible Woman is exceptional historical fiction！I received a copy of this book from the publisher。 There was no obligation for a positive review。 These are my own thoughts。 。。。more
This novel based on the true story of American spy Virginia Hall drops you right away into WWII action。 I couldn’t put this book down; it’s one of the very best WWII stories I’ve read lately。 It’s fast-paced with no slow moments， short chapters， and memorable characters based on real people that Virginia interacted with and worked with。 The author herself interviewed Virginia’s niece， and the result is a beautiful offering that’s the perfect follow-up after reading A Woman of No Importance and o This novel based on the true story of American spy Virginia Hall drops you right away into WWII action。 I couldn’t put this book down; it’s one of the very best WWII stories I’ve read lately。 It’s fast-paced with no slow moments， short chapters， and memorable characters based on real people that Virginia interacted with and worked with。 The author herself interviewed Virginia’s niece， and the result is a beautiful offering that’s the perfect follow-up after reading A Woman of No Importance and other recent WWII novels。 The Invisible Woman is not to be missed。 Thank you， NetGalley， for this ARC。 。。。more
3。5 stars。 Fantastic historical fiction novel based on the true story of World War II heroine Virginia Hall。 What a courageous and amazing woman！ I'm so glad to have learned more about Virginia Hall's contribution as an Allied spy。 The story is truly 5 stars。 I did struggle a little with the pacing of the book， it felt uneven at times。 If you loved The Alice Network or The Nightingale， I think you'd love this one as well。 The descriptions of the Pyrenees in any WW2 book is always so interesting 3。5 stars。 Fantastic historical fiction novel based on the true story of World War II heroine Virginia Hall。 What a courageous and amazing woman！ I'm so glad to have learned more about Virginia Hall's contribution as an Allied spy。 The story is truly 5 stars。 I did struggle a little with the pacing of the book， it felt uneven at times。 If you loved The Alice Network or The Nightingale， I think you'd love this one as well。 The descriptions of the Pyrenees in any WW2 book is always so interesting to me and the difficulties that one had to endure to take that route sounds like it tests the bounds of human endurance and the description in this book also portrays those challenges so vividly。 Thank you to Berkley Publishing for an advance reader's copy of this book。#BerkleyBuddyReads#BerkleyWritesStrongWomen 。。。more
I highly recommend The Invisible Woman。 It gets all the stars！ This novel is based on a little-known socialite turned British Special Operations Executive named Virginia Hall。 She played an instrumental part in the French Resistance during World War II by facilitating supply drops and sabotage。 The story focuses on the last years of the war。 As the story progressed my admiration of the main character grew。 Through flashbacks， we learned that she was betrayed on a previous mission。 This helped me I highly recommend The Invisible Woman。 It gets all the stars！ This novel is based on a little-known socialite turned British Special Operations Executive named Virginia Hall。 She played an instrumental part in the French Resistance during World War II by facilitating supply drops and sabotage。 The story focuses on the last years of the war。 As the story progressed my admiration of the main character grew。 Through flashbacks， we learned that she was betrayed on a previous mission。 This helped me understand her character better。 The bravery of those involved was extraordinary！ I flew through this book in two days。 I also liked the last section of the book where the author tells what happened to some of the real people we meet in the story。I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or stories with a strong female lead。 Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ecopy of this book。 。。。more
Virginia is an Allied spy helping with the French liberation。 She goes to France with the knowledge that the normal operator only lasts six weeks。 The novel is based on the real life of a war hero that defied odds and built friendships along the way。 It is a story of war， faith and resilience told in a captivating way。 This one is similar to The Lost Girls of Paris and The Huntress。 Thank you William Morrow Books and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review。
Robuck’s writing had me hooked from the first page。 The excitement as the French resistors awaited the arrival of DDay was palpable。 When the June 5， 1944 finally came， I couldn’t help but cry my eyes out （and then I cried again typing that）。 The relationships she built were so touching。 I admittedly had a bit of a harder time following the second half with all of the traveling and new people， but I still found myself flying through the pages to see what would happen next！ I am seriously so grat Robuck’s writing had me hooked from the first page。 The excitement as the French resistors awaited the arrival of DDay was palpable。 When the June 5， 1944 finally came， I couldn’t help but cry my eyes out （and then I cried again typing that）。 The relationships she built were so touching。 I admittedly had a bit of a harder time following the second half with all of the traveling and new people， but I still found myself flying through the pages to see what would happen next！ I am seriously so grateful that historical fiction is a genre。 Of all the things to read about WW2， my favorite is the spy networks， especially the women。 You could see the massive amount of research it took to tell a fictional story based so closely on Hall’s real life experiences。 There is no way to better describe Hall than a total bad ass。 I’m obsessed with her courage， strength and dedication to the most important of causes。 I was hooked on learning about her and spent a lot of time googling more information when I was done reading！ Thank you @berkleypub for the #gifted copy in exchange for my honest review！ 。。。more
*** Many thanks to Stephanie @Berkley for providing review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 ***The Invisible Woman was brilliant biographical historical fiction that was based on a real and very famous American woman who played heroical role in history。 It was about war， how people and agents worked for liberation， getting back what was taken by enemy， courage， resilience， survivor guilt， PTSD， redemption， getting over guilt， justice， keeping faith， and finding h *** Many thanks to Stephanie @Berkley for providing review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 ***The Invisible Woman was brilliant biographical historical fiction that was based on a real and very famous American woman who played heroical role in history。 It was about war， how people and agents worked for liberation， getting back what was taken by enemy， courage， resilience， survivor guilt， PTSD， redemption， getting over guilt， justice， keeping faith， and finding hope and light even after facing and seeing endless darkness。 Writing was emotive， engaging， vivid and steady paced。 It was third person narrative from Virginia’s perspective， set during the WWII that started with Virginia’s third mission as American spy in France that covered most important journey of Virginia Hall’s life。All the descriptions of characters， Nazi infested France， horrors of war， human capacity for evil， and how people worked in big or even smallest way for resistance and kept the faith and hope was truly great throughout the book。 Best thing about the book was， it wasn’t just about liberation of France but， in a way， it was Virginia’s own liberation- freedom of getting her identity back， romancing France without fear， redemption from guilt， and learning to live life once again。 But throughout the book what didn’t change in Virginia was her love for France which was another best thing。Overall， The Invisible Woman was inspiring， emotional， raw， gritty， well researched and well written biographical historical fiction about extraordinary American spy of the history。Read full review by following this link- https://booksteacupnreviews。com/2021/。。。 。。。more
This was my first book by Erika Robuck and will not be my last。 I look forward to many more。My favorite line from this book is: "My name is Virginia Hall。"WOW！ This book was so good。 I've not read a historical fiction book like this before。 It has enough truth in it to make it great and enough fiction to work its magic。 Though it is very sad in parts it's also very inspiring。 The main character， Virginia， is a very strong female。 She takes nothing from anyone if she can help it。 She's fierce and This was my first book by Erika Robuck and will not be my last。 I look forward to many more。My favorite line from this book is: "My name is Virginia Hall。"WOW！ This book was so good。 I've not read a historical fiction book like this before。 It has enough truth in it to make it great and enough fiction to work its magic。 Though it is very sad in parts it's also very inspiring。 The main character， Virginia， is a very strong female。 She takes nothing from anyone if she can help it。 She's fierce and a force in the job she does。 She demands respect and gets it。 She radiates strength。 Even with one leg。。。。This book starts out with a group of young women about to start college。 It is light hearted and grabs you。 It then jumps to the war and all that is happening in the country Virginia loves。 Though she is from America， she loves France。 She considers it her home。 Her heart。 She will and does do anything and everything she can to make it safe again。 As a resistance fighter， Virginia becomes a fast and strong woman。 She fights for what she believes in and takes not prisoners so to speak。 She goes through a lot and does all she can to help the people in her care。 From each place she is sent she makes friends。 She is well respected and loved by these people she is leading to freedom。 Bringing them supplies and teaching them so much。 I admire this woman and what she goes through。This book brought me to tears in many places。 It also added a few chuckles along the way。 But most of all it had me in awe。 I was fully in awe of the resistance fighters in this story。 What they did to help。 The many ways they fought to bring the Nazis down。 This book just made me see things that I forgot about learning in school。 The sadness in hearing about the many people who were almost dead from starvation。 From being kept in prison camps。 Though this book did not go into that a lot it did touch on it and it's awful what happened。 I hope people learned from this war。 I hope they won't ever let this history be repeated。 From the towns and streets of Paris to the hidden areas in the middle of a wooded area you will find out things that happened。 How people banned together to stop a group of horrible Nazis。 This story is told in a way that will keep you turning the pages long into the night。 One you will not want to put down。 The "afterword" and the "What became of Virginia's Network" are very interesting also。 Be sure and read that at the end。 So much is told in those few paragraphs。 Some of it made me break down again as I felt like I knew these people。 They became like friends in many ways。 Relatable and real。 The descriptions are so well written that you will have many feelings。 Such a good book！！Thank you to #NetGalley， #ErikaRobuck， #BerkleyPublishingGroup， #PenguinRandomHouse， #TheInvisibleWoman for this ARC。。。 These are my own true thoughts about this book。5/5 huge stars and a very high recommendation。 。。。more
I love books about real people and events。 I love learning things from them that I never knew before。 Prior to reading this book， I had no idea who Virginia Hall was or that she was a pioneering agent of the United Kingdom's Special Operations Executive。 She was an American who became the first female agent to take up residence in France。 A young woman from Baltimore who found her calling as an Allied Spy working to stop the Nazis。The Invisible Woman tells her story and those she worked with。 Sh I love books about real people and events。 I love learning things from them that I never knew before。 Prior to reading this book， I had no idea who Virginia Hall was or that she was a pioneering agent of the United Kingdom's Special Operations Executive。 She was an American who became the first female agent to take up residence in France。 A young woman from Baltimore who found her calling as an Allied Spy working to stop the Nazis。The Invisible Woman tells her story and those she worked with。 She was brave and took many risks。 She was incredible brave and cunning。 The research that went into the writing was extensive and impressive。 The reader will come away both educated and enlightened。 Virginia Hall is yet another example of a person rising above shining。 She was an ordinary person doing the extraordinary。 Reading about her had me wondering， would I have been that brave？ Could I have been a spy？ Where does someone find it inside of them， to look danger in the face and keep going。 Fans of historical fiction and war books will enjoy this book。 Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 All the thoughts and opinions are my own。 。。。more
The Invisible Woman is based on the unforgettable， true story of famous World War ll spy Virginia Hall; also known as The Limping Lady， Diane， and Artemis。 Virginia was an American， educated in Europe and had always dreamed of becoming a diplomat。 After several rejections due to her disability， Virginia was noticed by Vera Atkins， a high-ranking intelligence officer with the British Special Operations Executive， or SOE。 The SOE formed in 1940， aided Resistance groups， participated in espionage a The Invisible Woman is based on the unforgettable， true story of famous World War ll spy Virginia Hall; also known as The Limping Lady， Diane， and Artemis。 Virginia was an American， educated in Europe and had always dreamed of becoming a diplomat。 After several rejections due to her disability， Virginia was noticed by Vera Atkins， a high-ranking intelligence officer with the British Special Operations Executive， or SOE。 The SOE formed in 1940， aided Resistance groups， participated in espionage and sabotaged freight lines; anything to slow down the advance of the Nazis。 The SOE joined forces with the American Office of Strategic Services， or OSS， established later in 1942。 Their mission， reportedly issued by Winston Churchill， was to “set Europe ablaze。” Erika Robuck’s prologue reveals Virginia’s American debutante upbringing and background， before fast forwarding， plunging readers into her return mission to France late in March 1944。 Virginia， in her grey wig and old lady disguise and a price on her head， is only projected to survive for six weeks on this return mission。 Each account of a “drop” or wireless transmission is filled with nervousness and anticipation of success or doom， exhilaration or death。 The many villagers that participate in the Resistance， offering protection by way of a barn or shed in the woods， become a part of the family; another member to worry and pray and fret over！ Readers are guaranteed a ticket and papers to “travel” the secret underground and listen for key messages in radio broadcasts， as Virginia and her teams navigate France in the attempt to defeat the Nazis。 Erika Robuck’s The Invisible Woman shines a well-earned glaring light on Virginia Hall and the brave， resourceful men and women involved in the Resistance。 The Author’s Note is equally enthralling and compelling as the timelines and fates of characters are revealed。 Five “Very Visible， Very Important Stars！” 。。。more
This was an incredible and fascinating historical fiction read。 Set in France during WWII， this novel tells a fictional story of real-life Virginia Wolf， an ally spy and resistance fighter。 I was really captivated by the book。 I’ve read a lot of WWII fiction， but nothing that was set in France。 I appreciated this setting and the different perspective this story was able to provide。 I also really enjoyed learning about Virginia Hall。 It was also really cool that she is actually a real person and This was an incredible and fascinating historical fiction read。 Set in France during WWII， this novel tells a fictional story of real-life Virginia Wolf， an ally spy and resistance fighter。 I was really captivated by the book。 I’ve read a lot of WWII fiction， but nothing that was set in France。 I appreciated this setting and the different perspective this story was able to provide。 I also really enjoyed learning about Virginia Hall。 It was also really cool that she is actually a real person and the events of this book are based on her life。 I really admired Virginia as a character。 She is a strong woman who is able to compartmentalize and focus on the bigger picture。 She also able to overcome many of the obstacles she faced。 She is so courageous and admirable。I really enjoyed the part of the book that Virginia spent in Le Chambon。 This was a village that sort of served as a refuge for Jewish children that had somehow escaped the Nazis。 This was something I had never heard of before and something I hope to learn more about。 Overall， this novel was a great introduction to one of the many heroes of WWII。 I also appreciated TBR author’s note at the end that have more context。 I am excited to learn more about Virginia and her activities to help the allies in WWII。 。。。more
A well-crafted detail of an impenetrable female agent during WWII that is rich with emotion and relationship。Robuck impressively put together an account of Virginia Hall - code name Diane or La Madone: an American female agent largely based in France for this book who was notoriously known and whose identity continued to be kept secret even after the war。 Through the book we not only get glimpses of her past work and connections in Lyon， but the author moves us through 3 different regions and mi A well-crafted detail of an impenetrable female agent during WWII that is rich with emotion and relationship。Robuck impressively put together an account of Virginia Hall - code name Diane or La Madone: an American female agent largely based in France for this book who was notoriously known and whose identity continued to be kept secret even after the war。 Through the book we not only get glimpses of her past work and connections in Lyon， but the author moves us through 3 different regions and missions。 At first， I felt it skipped a bit quickly， but I was eventually so drawn in to this stoic and stubborn woman and the depth of familial connection she finds with the people in each region she’s assigned to。 Diane/Virginia’s main purpose in the book is to assist rag tag Marquis groups （civilian Frenchmen hiding out and preparing to retaliate or sabotage the Germans） with covert airplane drops from London， sending much needed supplies and weapons。 The behind the scenes of these missions were fascinating and her expertise with the radio transmissions （a rare talent at the time） was also fun to read。 There is so much heart in this book and even a bit of a love story at the tale end。 Highly recommend for historical fiction lovers - and make sure to read the Afterword for the historical connections and truth behind much of it！Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for the advanced e-copy！ 。。。more
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 All opinions are my own。 The premise of The Invisible Woman intrigued me， especially the fact that it was inspired by the life of a real person， one who I had lamentably not heard of。 I was fascinated to learn about the inner workings of the intelligence network at that time， and how Virginia Hall really put her life on the line for the sake of securing an Allied victory。 I love how the story really emphasized h I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 All opinions are my own。 The premise of The Invisible Woman intrigued me， especially the fact that it was inspired by the life of a real person， one who I had lamentably not heard of。 I was fascinated to learn about the inner workings of the intelligence network at that time， and how Virginia Hall really put her life on the line for the sake of securing an Allied victory。 I love how the story really emphasized her contributions， especially since they were previously unknown to me， and possibly to many others。 But there is also a deeply personal element to it， with her dealing with betrayal and the way it impacts her psychologically。 It is well conveyed through the form of flashbacks， although I can see why it can be jarring for some。 The pacing is also a bit rough at times， sometimes feeling a bit too brisk， and sometimes feeling like a big of a slog。 However， it is otherwise a more or less effective book。 This book is a wonderful portrait of an inspiring and courageous woman who deserves to be recognized for her contributions to the war effort during World War II。 It’s an absolute must-read for historical fiction fans。 。。。more
Set in France during World War II， 37 year old Virginia Hall is determined to join the Special Operations Executive （SOE）。 First， however， she must prove she has not only the grit needed， but also that her prosthetic leg won't slow her down。 At last， Virginia is granted a position as a secret agent coordinating supply drops to arm， feed， and organize the Resistance。 Along with each and every drop， she also provides them with much needed HOPE。"It's not the fists alone that win the fight。"Once pla Set in France during World War II， 37 year old Virginia Hall is determined to join the Special Operations Executive （SOE）。 First， however， she must prove she has not only the grit needed， but also that her prosthetic leg won't slow her down。 At last， Virginia is granted a position as a secret agent coordinating supply drops to arm， feed， and organize the Resistance。 Along with each and every drop， she also provides them with much needed HOPE。"It's not the fists alone that win the fight。"Once planted in the field， agents of her caliber typically only have six weeks before they are captured or killed。 Will Virginia （nicknamed the "limping lady" for her distinctive gait） outlive and outlast the odds？ Even though this story was often heavy， I much appreciated the brief one-liners of humor that made me laugh out loud while also bringing much-needed levity to the serious and tense situations。Every time I read a new WWII book， I am amazed by how many different stories there are to share。 Yes， this was similar in some ways to many Resistance-themed books I've read （too many to name） and yes， I've read about female spies in The Alice Network （4 stars） by Kate Quinn， but yet， this one still managed to bring so many new elements into the mix。 Lastly， the fact that it's based on the real heroine Virginia Hall who really did have a prosthetic leg makes me love it even more。 What a brave， courageous， and TOUGH woman。。。 and a beautiful， unforgettable story！"You're still in there， she thinks。 But， for now， you must remain invisible。"Location: 1944 FranceI received an advance copy of this book。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
This was an incredible story of an unbelievably strong and resilient American woman， who was well educated and went to study in Paris before world war 2 broke out and the nazis invaded France。 When she was younger， she had an accident which left her with a prosthetic leg in a time when they were cumbersome and complicated but she never let that hold her back。 She was forced to flee France and went to Britain where she met a spy and took on different jobs and appearances in order to protect herse This was an incredible story of an unbelievably strong and resilient American woman， who was well educated and went to study in Paris before world war 2 broke out and the nazis invaded France。 When she was younger， she had an accident which left her with a prosthetic leg in a time when they were cumbersome and complicated but she never let that hold her back。 She was forced to flee France and went to Britain where she met a spy and took on different jobs and appearances in order to protect herself and those she was working with in order to fight the nazi regime。 She worked with and protected many men and women， using safe houses and a communication system made from a bicycle all the way up until the liberation at D Day。 This was a fascinating version and although it is fictional， the author really did her research into Virginia Hall and her life。 Thanks to netgalley for this arc in exchange for my review。 。。。more
"Was that killing justice， or did it add to the scale heavy with humanity's sins in this war？ Will there ever be enough good deeds to balance the sin？" This book wasted no time getting started。 Instead of explaining what life was like before the war， this book started during the war。 That helped quite a bit with pacing。 Virginia was an amazing woman。 She was selfless， strong， and determined。 She may have come off as cold-hearted， but her job was not to be liked。 What her and her friends did was "Was that killing justice， or did it add to the scale heavy with humanity's sins in this war？ Will there ever be enough good deeds to balance the sin？" This book wasted no time getting started。 Instead of explaining what life was like before the war， this book started during the war。 That helped quite a bit with pacing。 Virginia was an amazing woman。 She was selfless， strong， and determined。 She may have come off as cold-hearted， but her job was not to be liked。 What her and her friends did was not light。 It weighed heavily on them and the author did a great job portraying that。 I love the way the characters were fleshed out in this story。 I felt like I knew all of them and my stress was high with each risk。 Erika Robuck did so much research to write this beautiful book。 It paid off because this book was a stunning story。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Invisible Woman
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Invisible Woman&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Invisible Woman&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0