The Storyteller of Casablanca
- Downloads：1040
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-09-25 08:21:02
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Fiona Valpy
- ISBN：B08V5K7W31
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Karen A Berg
，
A surprise endingI love this author Fiona Valpy。 Her books draw you in and the stories are very well written。 This story is about a young women Zoe finding a young girls diary written in 1941-1942 in Casablanca waiting with her family to go to America after escaping Paris when the Nazi’s invaded France。 The story goes back and forth between 2010 and 1941-1942。 Wonderfully written。 The ending will surprise you for sure。 Worth the read。 I will not go into details and spoil the book。 I so recommend A surprise endingI love this author Fiona Valpy。 Her books draw you in and the stories are very well written。 This story is about a young women Zoe finding a young girls diary written in 1941-1942 in Casablanca waiting with her family to go to America after escaping Paris when the Nazi’s invaded France。 The story goes back and forth between 2010 and 1941-1942。 Wonderfully written。 The ending will surprise you for sure。 Worth the read。 I will not go into details and spoil the book。 I so recommend this book who like to read about WWII and the people whose lives are ever changed during the war。 。。。more
Pat Kahn
，
I won this book on Goodreads。 I don't even normally enter for free anythings and am almost as shocked that I entered as that I won it。 I won't hesitate in future if it ends up giving me a delightful book like this one。 I've read other by the author and always enjoyed them but this is my favorite。 Again a dual timeline with an unhappy woman with agonizing secrets discovering a journal written by a young girl in 1941-1942。 Both timelines take place entirely in Casablanca and show life there during I won this book on Goodreads。 I don't even normally enter for free anythings and am almost as shocked that I entered as that I won it。 I won't hesitate in future if it ends up giving me a delightful book like this one。 I've read other by the author and always enjoyed them but this is my favorite。 Again a dual timeline with an unhappy woman with agonizing secrets discovering a journal written by a young girl in 1941-1942。 Both timelines take place entirely in Casablanca and show life there during both times。 Josie， the young girl， and her family come there from France in order to try to get to America。 The German occupation has little effect at first but they are stuck there for several years trying to get the various passes needed to get out and then when they are close disaster strikes。 Zoe the young wife and mother who is there in 2010 because her husband has taken a post there in order for their lives to start over after some unspoken tragedy which affects her mental health。 It was pretty soon obvious what had happened and was affecting her but her life began to improve just as she was ending the journal。 I did find it hard to believe that she would read the journal piece by piece just as her life was slightly improving rather than in it's entirety early on。 Also the ending was rather contrived。 Still， a great read。 。。。more
Rachel Bridgeman
，
My thanks to Rhiannon at FMcM publicists for inviting me on the tour for 'The Storyteller Of Casablanca' by Fiona Valpy， also the delicious honey and recipe card for an authentic cake， hopefully I will make a batch that tastes， and looks as good as the ones pictured。I absolutely devoured this novel， Fiona has such a way of beckoning you in， whispering that she is going to tell you a tale， and all the world seems to fade away。。。You can dive in to the stories of Zoe and Josie， and relate to them My thanks to Rhiannon at FMcM publicists for inviting me on the tour for 'The Storyteller Of Casablanca' by Fiona Valpy， also the delicious honey and recipe card for an authentic cake， hopefully I will make a batch that tastes， and looks as good as the ones pictured。I absolutely devoured this novel， Fiona has such a way of beckoning you in， whispering that she is going to tell you a tale， and all the world seems to fade away。。。You can dive in to the stories of Zoe and Josie， and relate to them so very much， the feeling of belonging， of what we， the Welsh call 'Hiraeth'， is an intrinsic human want， and need， that every reader can appreciate on so many levels。Zoe， in 2010， is making a fresh start with her baby， Grace， and her husband， Tom， in Morocco。 Something has happened， something which is viewed by the reader as a trauma which she is recovering from， a loss or a grief for something she has lost， or is losing， which exhibits itself in her patterns of hand washing and anxiety。Grace's room has a squeaky floorboard， and， pulling back the carpet， she finds it is loosely fitting， and a perfect hiding place for treasures。 What she discovers is a beautifully carved box， containing a book， recording the thoughts of 12 year old Josie who is in not such a dissimilar position as Zoe。As Zoe， Tom and Grace are looking to start again and have， essentially ， chosen to go to Casablanca， for Josie， this decision was made for her by her parents， to leave Paris in 1941， and make their home in Boulevard de Oiseau， prior to crossing the sea to America。 The trip that they have taken， Josie， her older sister and parents， was made necessary by the increasing danger to them as a Jewish family， even， as Josie says， a not particularly observant religious family。Both Josie and Zoe are outsiders， and I think that speaks so strongly to the human experience of wanting to， needing to belong， but also aware of everything which makes you other， and different。 This is seen when Zoe takes Grace out for a walk and quickly becomes lost amongst the maze of similar looking alleyways。 And when Josie is told to remove her gold star of David necklace before going to the market with her mother， so as not to draw attention to herself。Both these scenes make you feel sad， and also wary， as all Josie wanted to do was hold onto the things which make her， her。 It is nothing she is ashamed of， and yet， she is not allowed to talk about it because they need to maintain their status as temporary dwellers。Zoe just wants to find a community where she can begin to heal， and ， having connected with ex-pat wives， she asks how she will make a quilt， she has some ideas but little to no knowledge on how to bring this vision to life。 Her impression of Casablanca has been framed by the movie and the reality is so very different， the passage of time not withstanding。Can Josie's wide eyed enthusiasm， and different perspective， change the way that Zoe sees her new home？And how she sees herself？As you read， you become so invested in Zoe and Josie and at the same time， dread finding out what happened to both of them。 As tensions and the news of the war filters in from the outside world， Josie becomes so aware of the difference between how different groups of people portray what is actually going on in Europe。There are so many parallels to be drawn between then and now， the sense of 'othering' has never been so visible in that the issue of immigration is a bone which political parties fight over， whilst real， actual people are suffering on a daily basis。 And， with the advent of Brexit， it seems that countries are drawing their drawbridges up and stating what is， and is not allowed。 For all the talk of universal communities， how， really have we move on as a race？ And this is why writers like Fiona Valpy need to keep on telling their stories， from so many perspectives， to raise awareness of the essential humanity of those who are other。 What we can learn from them can change how you see yourself too。 And that can only benefit us all。 。。。more
Keilani Ludlow
，
Heartbreakingly beautiful Again she hits it perfectly with a past/present story; a perfect mix of heartbreak and redemption。 Her stories always make me cry but it’s the right kind of crying。 Love and loss， rebuild and renew in Casablanca， Morocco in the 1940’s during WW2 as well as in 2010。
Marialyce （absltmom， yaya）
，
Told in a dual time line of 1941 and 2011， this story takes us to the city of Casablanca。 It is a story of two woman trying to find a foothold in a world they wish was better。Josie and her family fled to Casablanca hoping for a brief interlude away from the treachery of Nazi Germany。 They escape to a world that excites the twelve year old Josie while the family awaits their clearance to come to America。 Josie decided to write a journal describing her feelings and the love for the city of Morocco Told in a dual time line of 1941 and 2011， this story takes us to the city of Casablanca。 It is a story of two woman trying to find a foothold in a world they wish was better。Josie and her family fled to Casablanca hoping for a brief interlude away from the treachery of Nazi Germany。 They escape to a world that excites the twelve year old Josie while the family awaits their clearance to come to America。 Josie decided to write a journal describing her feelings and the love for the city of Morocco。 Its smells， its exotic nature are an allure to her senses。 It is a world she falls in love with。Seventy years later in a place where Josie resided， Zoe with her family arrives and she is having a difficult time。 Her marriage is failing and she has a new baby daughter。 It's a trying time for her in a city that is so foreign to her。 It's not really the new beginning she was hoping for。 Then she discovers a hidden diary， one that belonged to Josie， and she sees the city as once a young twelve year old viewed it。 Will this new yet old perspective be enough to create a new feeling in Zoe or is her life with a husband doomed to failure？I enjoyed this story with its lovely writing and caution that things can be awful for many and yet happiness can be found。 Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this story recently published。 。。。more
Wynona Lowe
，
Captivating from beginning to end。 A fascinating story！I enjoy the past/present format， the historical relevance twinged with romantic fiction， and the desired， yet unexpected ending！ I would definitely recommend this read to lovers of history and happy endings！
Beccy Thompson
，
An excellent book by this author who never fails to deliver。I loved the premise of the story and the geographical location was brought to life throughout the book by exceptionally descriptive writing。The characters of Josephine and Zoe could not be more different in the face of it but upon inspection there are high links between them。A perfect 5*
Nicola Smith
，
I don't think I've ever read a book set in Morocco before and Fiona Valpy brings Casablanca to life beautifully in this book。 I got a real sense of what it would be like to live there， both in 1941 and in 2010， with the shimmering heat， the warren of streets， the markets， the food， the smells。In 2010， Zoe and her husband， Tom， have just moved to Casablanca。 It's an attempt at a new start for the two of them as it's clear that this is a marriage that is struggling。 One day， Zoe finds a Sandalwood I don't think I've ever read a book set in Morocco before and Fiona Valpy brings Casablanca to life beautifully in this book。 I got a real sense of what it would be like to live there， both in 1941 and in 2010， with the shimmering heat， the warren of streets， the markets， the food， the smells。In 2010， Zoe and her husband， Tom， have just moved to Casablanca。 It's an attempt at a new start for the two of them as it's clear that this is a marriage that is struggling。 One day， Zoe finds a Sandalwood box beneath the floorboards in the attic of their new home。 It contains some treasures and a journal written by Josie， a 12 year old French girl whose bedroom the attic was when her family left war-torn France for Casablanca， with America being the end goal。 Zoe reads Josie's journal and learns the story of her time in Casablanca and it helps her to begin to settle in herself。 I felt that this was a book with two distinct sections。 Not Zoe's story and Josie's story， but more the build up and the denouement。 It's clear that Josie's story， set as it is during wartime， may be quite dramatic and it's also clear that there's more to Zoe and Tom's arrival in Casablanca than the reader is initially privy to。 Much of the book is given over to scene-setting， building up the story and characters， and then along comes the finale with one or two unexpected twists in the tale。 This is a gentle read， one that is quite melancholic and poignant。 I found Josie to be a brave and clever narrator in the face of leaving all she knew behind。 Zoe is more of a closed book and as such it took a little longer to get to know her。 The two stories intermingle well and I thought the author wound up the story as a whole perfectly。 If you want to be transported to Morocco then The Storyteller of Casablanca will take you there。 It's evocative and moving， tender and thoughtful。 。。。more
Jennifer Lara
，
The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy is a story of visitors to a strange city and finding a second chance。 In 2010， Zoe Harris moved to Casablanca with her husband as his company offered him a relocation。 She struggles with the move， her marriage and their baby daughter。 One day she discovers a small wooden box and a diary from the 1940s beneath the floorboards of her daughter’s room。 In 1941， twelve-year-old Josie Duval arrives in Casablanca with her family as France falls to the Nazi o The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy is a story of visitors to a strange city and finding a second chance。 In 2010， Zoe Harris moved to Casablanca with her husband as his company offered him a relocation。 She struggles with the move， her marriage and their baby daughter。 One day she discovers a small wooden box and a diary from the 1940s beneath the floorboards of her daughter’s room。 In 1941， twelve-year-old Josie Duval arrives in Casablanca with her family as France falls to the Nazi occupation。 There they await safe passage to America。 Life there is as intense as the sun with every sight， smell and sound is different and overwhelming。 A world away from the troubles back home and Jose loves it。 As Zoe reads Josie’s diary， she finds herself opening up to her new city。 Seeing the city through the eyes of Josie and finding hope and comfort in the words of a young girl who saw joy and life despite the terror around her。 Can Josie’s story help her mend her broken heart and find life in her new home？ How does Josie’s story end？ The Storyteller of Casablanca was a story I devoured。 From the opening chapter to the final line， the story pulls you in and won’t let go。 Fiona Valpy has written another amazing story。 I loved Josie’s story and eagerly anticipated finding out what happened to her and finding out why her diary was left behind。 Zoe was a character who was hard to figure out， and even sympathize with at certain points， but when the reason behind her broken heart was revealed， her behavior made sense and your heart breaks for her。 I admit that I shed a few tears when she discusses the events around her heartbreak。 I enjoyed the history woven into the story as I was only familiar with Casablanca from the famous 1942 movie with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman。 I wasn’t aware that many Jewish refugees fled there before searching for a safer place to call home。 I also wasn’t aware of the importance of the area during World War II。 I highly， highly recommend The Storyteller of Casablanca。 It is a story that will stay with me for a very long time。 The Storyteller of Casablanca is available in paperback， eBook， and audiobook。 。。。more
Marian
，
What an intriguing book this was。 It did take me a while to get into but the last quarter of the book had my rapt attention。 Once it got there。 the story was full of intrigue and interest， connections and revelations; I was hooked。Set in Casablanca the story is told from the dual perspectives of Josie， an 11-year-old girl in the 1940s， and Zoe who has moved to Casablanca for her husband's work in the present day， After finding Josie's diary in the house that Zoe is renting the two stories are t What an intriguing book this was。 It did take me a while to get into but the last quarter of the book had my rapt attention。 Once it got there。 the story was full of intrigue and interest， connections and revelations; I was hooked。Set in Casablanca the story is told from the dual perspectives of Josie， an 11-year-old girl in the 1940s， and Zoe who has moved to Casablanca for her husband's work in the present day， After finding Josie's diary in the house that Zoe is renting the two stories are told。 Both are dealing with uncertain times and trauma。 To begin with， I found the story simplistic and slow， Josie's diary entries are written from a child's perspective， which was fine， but they seemed a little long-winded at times and I wanted the story to get going。I loved the mix of fact and fiction in the book， both situations and characters， it bought the era during the war to life and I found myself looking up things to get more information。 It was fascinating。 The ending of the story was very clever and I couldn't put it down。 The way the author combined the two stories and rounded them off was very clever。This is an interesting and intriguing story， which I would highly recommend。 This book is definitely worth reading， just make sure you keep going。#TheStorytellerofCasablanca #NetGalley 。。。more
Megan Clemons {kymamareads}
，
*Thank you so much to the publishers for sending me this arc in exchange for my honest review*The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy Pub Date: 9/21/21Morocco， 1941。 With France having fallen to Nazi occupation， twelve-year-old Josie has fled with her family to Casablanca， where they await safe passage to America。 Life here is as intense as the sun， every sight， smell and sound overwhelming to the senses in a city filled with extraordinary characters。 It’s a world away from the trouble back *Thank you so much to the publishers for sending me this arc in exchange for my honest review*The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy Pub Date: 9/21/21Morocco， 1941。 With France having fallen to Nazi occupation， twelve-year-old Josie has fled with her family to Casablanca， where they await safe passage to America。 Life here is as intense as the sun， every sight， smell and sound overwhelming to the senses in a city filled with extraordinary characters。 It’s a world away from the trouble back home—and Josie loves it。Seventy years later， another new arrival in the intoxicating port city， Zoe， is struggling—with her marriage， her baby daughter and her new life as an expat in an unfamiliar place。 But when she discovers a small wooden box and a diary from the 1940s beneath the floorboards of her daughter’s bedroom， Zoe enters the inner world of young Josie， who once looked out on the same view of the Atlantic Ocean， but who knew a very different Casablanca。It’s not long before Zoe begins to see her adopted city through Josie’s eyes。 But can a new perspective help her turn tragedy into hope， and find the comfort she needs to heal her broken heart？The descriptive lyrical prose by Valpy is truly what makes this novel a work of art。 You are transported to Casablanca and can almost smell your surroundings。 The characters and the sweepings tales of friendship and hope will keep you turning for more！ 。。。more
Mel Pretorius
，
I took a punt on "The Storyteller of Casablanca" by Fiona Valpy as it isn't my usual type of read。 However I am pleasantly surprised。 The story is split into Josie's of 1941/1942 told via the medium of a diary which Zoe finds in the house in 2010。 The more recent part is told via Zoe and how she adjusts to life in Casablanca as an ex-pat。 I can't comment too much as it may give parts of the plot away but what is most beautiful is the subplot of the crafting of the patchwork quilts - such strong I took a punt on "The Storyteller of Casablanca" by Fiona Valpy as it isn't my usual type of read。 However I am pleasantly surprised。 The story is split into Josie's of 1941/1942 told via the medium of a diary which Zoe finds in the house in 2010。 The more recent part is told via Zoe and how she adjusts to life in Casablanca as an ex-pat。 I can't comment too much as it may give parts of the plot away but what is most beautiful is the subplot of the crafting of the patchwork quilts - such strong symbolism on many levels。 。。。more
The happy bookgeek
，
‘Papa says kindness is one of the most important things in the world but a lot of people seem to have forgotten that nowadays’So many beautiful and insightful quotes in this book that I couldn’t possibly write them all on here for you to read， I have written them in my journal though， for inspiration when I feel I need some mental peace and guidance。 Ive recommended a few books this year but if you were to buy one book that Ive recommended to you， it has to be this one。 It’s beauty and brillianc ‘Papa says kindness is one of the most important things in the world but a lot of people seem to have forgotten that nowadays’So many beautiful and insightful quotes in this book that I couldn’t possibly write them all on here for you to read， I have written them in my journal though， for inspiration when I feel I need some mental peace and guidance。 Ive recommended a few books this year but if you were to buy one book that Ive recommended to you， it has to be this one。 It’s beauty and brilliance shines through and you can’t help but gravitate back into the world Fiona Valpy has written about in this book。 The fact that the books is partially based on actual events in history makes you feel even more tenderness for 12 year old Josie and her family who have fled France due to the Nazi’s invading their home country in 1941。 Josie and her family flee to Casablanca and have to await their papers coming through before they can leave for America。 But the journey isn’t an easy one， leaving emotional scars for Josie and with the advice from her father， she writes down her journey and feelings into a diary which she leaves under the floorboards of their temporary home。 The diary is found seventy years later by Zoe， an expat， newly living in Casablanca。 She is struggling with the adjustment of living in a city very different to how she had pictured it in her mind along with caring for her young child， meeting new friends and struggling in a marriage to a man she is no longer close to。 His work being the reason they’ve moved to Casablanca， Zoe knows she has to try and adapt to her new surroundings。 When she finds the diary of a young girl， under the floor boards of her own daughter’s bedroom floor， it opens up a new world for her and helps her to see the beauty of Casablanca and helps heal her own broken heart。 The story is told on a dual timeline， with Josie’s journey being told through her Diary， read by Zoe。 With many dual timelines， I find I sway and prefer one more than the other; but with this one， both timelines were fantastic！ Both of the main characters are so warm and richly written that I felt as if I personally knew them and truly wanted the to succeed on their paths to happiness and feeling safe。 I love how the author sets the scene in which Zoe sits and prepares herself to read the diary she has just found。 It’s cosy， comforting and very familiar to us readers who love to get ourselves in a comfy position， ready to start a new adventure through the pages of a book。 Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review。 If I could sum up this book quickly it would be to say ‘An enthralling， addictive read which captures the importance of storytelling and searching for the light at the end of the tunnel’ 。。。more
Cynthia
，
To me this was a multi demential read， first about Josie and her journey and seventy years later Zoe。 Leaving the only country you have known to find a home in a new country is very emotional， the unknown is so scary。 This was a very well written book where I felt all Zoe’s emotions。 。This is a must read and I’m sure I will enjoy reading this a second time。
Eileen
，
4。5 starsI enjoyed this book， and I especially liked the ending， because we were kept in the dark about why Zoe was struggling so much with her husband。 In retrospect， I should have guessed what was going on with her， especially because I've read other books with a similar premise。 But the truth is that I didn't figure it out and when it was revealed， a bunch of things fell into place and I liked that。 The dual timeline was nothing unusual， but I loved how the author made the connection between 4。5 starsI enjoyed this book， and I especially liked the ending， because we were kept in the dark about why Zoe was struggling so much with her husband。 In retrospect， I should have guessed what was going on with her， especially because I've read other books with a similar premise。 But the truth is that I didn't figure it out and when it was revealed， a bunch of things fell into place and I liked that。 The dual timeline was nothing unusual， but I loved how the author made the connection between the two people， Josie and Zoe。 There were times when the story got bogged down， but the ending really lifted the entire book up for me and I could definitely see myself recommending this。 I really enjoy historical fiction and I find myself drawn to WWII books， especially when the focus is about the people， which this is。 But this was new to me because I have read very few situated in Africa （one or two）， but definitely none in Casablanca。 And I loved the connection with Josephine Baker！ I also found all of the resistance stuff really interesting and I liked how Josie was able to take part in it with her school project。 I also loved all the stuff about quilts， although I disagree with the author about how quilts were used in the underground railroad， although it certainly makes a nice story。 Two of my students and I read several papers about this topic and while I know there is some disagreement about this， most believe it's more fable than truth。 Still， I did like how the author tied it in with the women refugees and what they were going through。 If you like historical fiction， WWII stories， or realistic fiction and you're looking for something a little different， you should definitely check this out。 I received an advance review copy for free， and I am leaving this review voluntarily。 。。。more
Carolyn Huckfield
，
The storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona ValpyGoing to Casablanca with her husband’[s work Zoe finds it hard to fit in。 The weather is so hot and she struggles to fit in with the city。 Luckily she finds an old diary written by Josie Duval during the Second World War。 Josie and her family are waiting to get permission to go to the USA after living in Paris。 At this point she manages to help her father who is doing undercover work for the American government。 It is a very dangerous time to survive i The storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona ValpyGoing to Casablanca with her husband’[s work Zoe finds it hard to fit in。 The weather is so hot and she struggles to fit in with the city。 Luckily she finds an old diary written by Josie Duval during the Second World War。 Josie and her family are waiting to get permission to go to the USA after living in Paris。 At this point she manages to help her father who is doing undercover work for the American government。 It is a very dangerous time to survive in Europe as Josie discovers as her mother is Jewish and her father gets into trouble with the authorities。The diary helps Zoe get to grips with the city as she follows in the footsteps of Josie。 Zoe even manages to get involved with refugees from Africa who is stuck in Casablanca。 This is a moving part of the story。There are many surprises in store for both the readers and Zoe。 The baby she talks about is in fact the reason she and her husband went to Casablanca to start a new chapter in their lives。 The answer to the baby’s life is a shock to both the readers and even Zoe herself。She decides to look for Josie and find out what happened to her and her family。 There is another shock in store for Zoe as her local home helper can answer many of her questions。 This is a very well researched book and beautifully told。 It is both a shocking and moving story and is one of the best novels I have read this year 。。。more
Kelly Heslip
，
Fiona Valpy is an excellent storyteller。 In this story， she shares how an uncomfortable woman in Zoe is trying to adjust to life in Casablanca as a wife and mother to an infant。 She discovers a journal in the floorboards of their rented house that belonged to a young girl in the 1940's during World War 2 named Josie。 She becomes engrossed in Josie's story as， she too， was adjusting to life after fleeing France from the Germans。 The reader is pulled into the two stories and how they navigate thei Fiona Valpy is an excellent storyteller。 In this story， she shares how an uncomfortable woman in Zoe is trying to adjust to life in Casablanca as a wife and mother to an infant。 She discovers a journal in the floorboards of their rented house that belonged to a young girl in the 1940's during World War 2 named Josie。 She becomes engrossed in Josie's story as， she too， was adjusting to life after fleeing France from the Germans。 The reader is pulled into the two stories and how they navigate their own difficulties。 It was interesting to get a glimpse into how refugees lived during the war and experience their journey of escaping the Nazis。 Valpy has a knack for capturing sights， sounds， and emotions to pull you deep into the lives of her characters。 She also is wonderful at describing the struggles that families experienced during the war and how they persevered。 I highly recommend this novel and any of the other Fiona Valpy novels you can get your hands on。 You won't be disappointed！Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC。 The opinions expressed are my own， 。。。more
BHK
，
Such an outstanding novel！ I loved the Dressmaker's Gift so much， that I knew I had to read this new book by Fiona Valpy， and it did not disappoint！ A beautiful， engaging， and well written story makes you feel like you're a real part of the novel。 Such detail and description went into writing this， you won't regret this read！ Such an outstanding novel！ I loved the Dressmaker's Gift so much， that I knew I had to read this new book by Fiona Valpy， and it did not disappoint！ A beautiful， engaging， and well written story makes you feel like you're a real part of the novel。 Such detail and description went into writing this， you won't regret this read！ 。。。more
Debbie Lesley
，
Oh my goodness。。。。。what can I say to make you read this book？ Told through a dual timeline of WWII 1940s and 2010 Casablanca， this was another of those WWII stories about which I knew basically nothing。 The only other book I had read that dealt with people escaping WWII in Europe by traveling through Africa was the story of H。 A。 Rey and his wife （Curious George authors） as they escaped and when I read it， I did not realize how many people escaped in the same manner。While this book is made up of Oh my goodness。。。。。what can I say to make you read this book？ Told through a dual timeline of WWII 1940s and 2010 Casablanca， this was another of those WWII stories about which I knew basically nothing。 The only other book I had read that dealt with people escaping WWII in Europe by traveling through Africa was the story of H。 A。 Rey and his wife （Curious George authors） as they escaped and when I read it， I did not realize how many people escaped in the same manner。While this book is made up of many fictional characters， there are some real people including entertainer Josephine Baker， who was actually a spy during the war。 Casablanca was in the path of freedom for many fleeing countries， especially those of Jewish heritage， in Europe in an attempt to get to America。 However， just making it to Casablanca was not a guarantee that one would make it to America; it was the another beginning of the process。The story told through Josie's journal from 1940s and Zoe's life there in 2010 is woven together so magically。 Zoe finds Josie's journal in the attic bedroom belonging to her daughter and becomes deeply involved in the story to the point it overtakes her life。 She wants to know what happens to Josie and her family especially as the journal end suddenly。 With the journal， hidden in the floorboards， was a wooden box of treasures that so many children would have， and still do。We see Zoe struggling with the move to Casablanca and realize her marriage is on the rocks。 She is OCD and must constantly wash her hands to the point her hands and raw with open sores。 However， slowly she makes connections with a few people in Casablanca and begins to venture out and help others。。。others who are refugees much like Josie and her family were in the 1940s。 （As the author notes tell us， Casablanca is still a place for refugees on their path to freedom。） Yet， the stuggle to connect with her husband remains throughout the story and she is convinced he is having an affair。As the story nears the end， the reader is given a subtle hint of a twist that might come， but honestly， I thought since this was an ARC， it was just an editing error that would be corrected before publishing。 There are not many books that get me as this did。 As the ending came， some of it was expected but oh wow， some was not！ If this author writes this well in other books， I must read her work。As a teacher， I am often asked by NetGalley if I would use this book in school。 I think， if I taught high school history， it would be a good recommendation for student reading for this side of the war that is often unknown。 I still see a need for assigning book reports even in history classes to show students the real human side of historical events。 In a writing or English composition class， this book is excellent for showing a really good example of a dual time line and how to write a great surprise ending#TheStorytellerofCasablanca #NetGalley 。。。more
Shaz Goodwin
，
https://www。jerasjamboree。co。uk/book-。。。The Storyteller of Casablanca is a little different to anything I’ve read before。 In my experience with two timelines， there’s a familial connection。 The connection with these timelines is ethereal …Zoe’s narration in 2010 shares Josie’s narration from the 1940’s through her journal that is found under the floorboards in their house in Casa。 There are similarities in both timelines – the culture and customs， of course the house in Casa they shared but also https://www。jerasjamboree。co。uk/book-。。。The Storyteller of Casablanca is a little different to anything I’ve read before。 In my experience with two timelines， there’s a familial connection。 The connection with these timelines is ethereal …Zoe’s narration in 2010 shares Josie’s narration from the 1940’s through her journal that is found under the floorboards in their house in Casa。 There are similarities in both timelines – the culture and customs， of course the house in Casa they shared but also displacement。 Zoe is in Casa through husband Tom’s job relocation and trying to find her way through the expat life。 She’s just passing through。 And for Josie and her family， fleeing from occupied France and the Nazi persecution of the Jews， they are refugees in Casa which is a temporary stopover on their way to America。 Josie’s life， despite the wait and frustration for visas， is full of adventure and colour。 A chatty 12 year old， she leaves nothing out of her journal （sibling rivalry with Annette is entertaining）！ The treats that housekeeper Kenza makes sound delicious。 I brought a little bit of Moroccan magic into my kitchen with her Ghoribas recipe （you’ll find the recipe in the book – I recommend you give it a go！ yum！）。Moroccan cookies， Ghoribas on a wire rackSadly， not all Josie’s experiences are joyful。 Not all is at it seems on the surface。 I was desperate to find out what happened to her。In comparison， I felt Zoe’s life was melancholic and coloured grey and black。 She is on the Hermit’s journey （archetype from the major arcana）。 I loved how she unintentionally draws a community together … I’ll never look at a piece of fabric the same way ever again！There’s a deep emotional connection they share， even though many decades have passed。 I had guessed something pivotal but was surprised at how emotional I was when it was actually revealed。 These characters felt real to me and I was totally invested in their lives。Fiona Valpy’s writing drew me into the settings too。 Whether that was experiencing modern Casa or in the past， I was there， experiencing the sights and the sounds， the smells and the tastes， the people and their culture。The characters are all vibrant – whether heroine/hero or villain。 I love that real people inspired some of the characters in this fictional story。The Storyteller of Casablanca is a hauntingly beautiful story。 It explores the shadows but also shows us the possibilities of acceptance and hope for new beginnings。 It’s very moving and will stay with me for a long time。 。。。more
Fiona Mummery
，
Another excellent story from Fiona Valpy。 I received my kindle copy from NetGalley。 The history of WW2 continues to release it’s forgotten stories。 A number of books I have read recently have taught me things about this war that I had never previously heard。 The war story of Casablanca and its Jewish and French refugees is another of those unknown stories brought to life in this novel。 In my opinion this is more an Young Adult / a early Teen read as so much of the book is a diary of a 13yo Frenc Another excellent story from Fiona Valpy。 I received my kindle copy from NetGalley。 The history of WW2 continues to release it’s forgotten stories。 A number of books I have read recently have taught me things about this war that I had never previously heard。 The war story of Casablanca and its Jewish and French refugees is another of those unknown stories brought to life in this novel。 In my opinion this is more an Young Adult / a early Teen read as so much of the book is a diary of a 13yo French girl。 I can’t write too much more without giving away the story apart from saying it was a very enjoyable and educational read covering a number of topics。 Zoe was a character I won’t easily forget。 。。。more
Eileen
，
Set in modern day Casablanca we meet Zoe， who with her husband Tom and baby daughter Grace try to settle into their new life after Tom gets a five year posting to this exotic port。 While trying to settle into her new home Zoe comes across a little wooden box hidden beneath the floorboards。 Inside the box is a diary and some bits and pieces。 The diary is from 1942 and belongs to Josie， a young girl who， with her family have fled to Morocco from Nazi occupied France hoping to secure passage to Ame Set in modern day Casablanca we meet Zoe， who with her husband Tom and baby daughter Grace try to settle into their new life after Tom gets a five year posting to this exotic port。 While trying to settle into her new home Zoe comes across a little wooden box hidden beneath the floorboards。 Inside the box is a diary and some bits and pieces。 The diary is from 1942 and belongs to Josie， a young girl who， with her family have fled to Morocco from Nazi occupied France hoping to secure passage to America。 What follows is the story of both， young Josie’s experiences of her life there and Zoe’s struggles as she tries to adjust to her new surroundings。 This is a wonderful book， I felt like I was walking through the streets of both modern day Casablanca and wartime Casablanca。 This for me is a 4⭐️ Book and I loved it。 Many thanks to #NetGalley for an advanced ARC of this book。 #TheStoryTellerofCasablanca #Historicalfiction #Casablanca 。。。more
BookReadingJenn
，
It was absolutely exquisite。 This book is a mosaic of 2 stories of characters in dual timelines， living in Casablanca， woven seamlessly together。 One story is set during WWII， and the other in modern day 2010。 When Zoe comes to Casablanca in 2010， she discovers a box and journal beneath the floorboards of her new home。 It is through her reading of that journal that we learn Josie’s story of her time in Casablanca。 As their lives unfold through the pages of this book you are transported to a mult It was absolutely exquisite。 This book is a mosaic of 2 stories of characters in dual timelines， living in Casablanca， woven seamlessly together。 One story is set during WWII， and the other in modern day 2010。 When Zoe comes to Casablanca in 2010， she discovers a box and journal beneath the floorboards of her new home。 It is through her reading of that journal that we learn Josie’s story of her time in Casablanca。 As their lives unfold through the pages of this book you are transported to a multi-cultured world of colors and heat， sights and smells， sounds and textures， love and fear， heartbreak and healing， hope and friendship。 The imagery is breathtaking。 The telling of the stories in the ways of various cultures is mesmerizing: reading books， oral tradition， dreams， art and fabric。 I found the tradition of telling a story through quilting to be particularly poignant。 This book， with its beautiful cover， was so much more than I expected。 The characters are people I am not yet ready to let go of。 I highly recommend this novel。I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley for an honest review。 。。。more
Alayne Emmett
，
I enjoyed this story but， at times it was a little slow。 I liked the setting of the story and the dual time-line but， the characters annoyed me。 Some were so weak and others too controlling。 This is my first book by Fiona and I will try another one of hers in the future as she has a good reputation。 My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review。
Lesa Young
，
Another wonderful story from Fiona Valpy。 A beautiful tapestry of two stories woven together of two women， a generation apart， two different worlds within the same city， yet years apart。 A story of love， loss， redemption， and recovery that leaves the reader with a sense of hope。 #TheStorytellerofCasablanca #NetGalley
Juliet Bookliterati
，
I am lucky enough to have read a couple of Fiona Valpy’s previous novels so I was excited to be part of the blog tour for her new book The Storyteller of Casablanca。 The stories of Josie and Zoe may seem at first diverse， as they are of very different ages and of different time periods， but there are also many similarities。 Josie， her older sister Annette and her parents arrive in Casablanca， escaping the Nazi occupation of Paris， hopefully on their way to America。 Josie has a confidence about h I am lucky enough to have read a couple of Fiona Valpy’s previous novels so I was excited to be part of the blog tour for her new book The Storyteller of Casablanca。 The stories of Josie and Zoe may seem at first diverse， as they are of very different ages and of different time periods， but there are also many similarities。 Josie， her older sister Annette and her parents arrive in Casablanca， escaping the Nazi occupation of Paris， hopefully on their way to America。 Josie has a confidence about her， and a zest for life， making the most out of the situation。 She makes friends with Felix， whom she met in the refugee camp when she first arrived in Casablanca， and with Nina， the housekeeper’s daughter。 The three maybe from very different backgrounds， with different futures but they form a strong bond built over the love of books and stories。 Zoe’s arrival in Casablanca is supposed to be a new start for her and husband Tom。 There is obvioulsy trouble in their marraige which stems from an unknown event， but the trauma has caused her to develop OCD， with her constantly wanting to wash her hands， leaving them red and painful。 Zoe also makes friends with other expat wives，and gives herself the project of making a quilt， to help her OCD and aslo to occupy her long days， but it is Josie’s story that gives her the momentum to see Casabalnca in a different light。 Zoe feels a connection with Josie that sees her visit some of the same places and find out about Casablanca in the war years。 The two storylines are compelling in their own right and I was completely immersed and invested in both of their lives， and yes at times it was heartbreaking， but there was also hope and optimism。Fiona Valpy is a masterful storyteller， drawing the reader in， making them feel they are invested in the lives of her characters and having a wonderful way with words。 Her historical research is always impeccable and I do love the inclusion of real factual characaters as well as those of her imagination; I certainly didn’t know that Josephine Baker helped with the resistance movement in Casablanca。 Casablanca was a French colony so there was also german soldiers there， so it wasn’t a completely safe refugee for the Jewish community， but it was the first step on getting to America and safety。 One of the imporant themes I took from this book was the importance of telling stories， to help build bridges， to keep old stories alive， to bring people together and to simply entertain and make people feel better， feel connected。 I loved the idea of the Moroccan culture having designated storytellers in their communities， who would enact the stories they told adding to the drama， keeping the stories of they culture， the folklore alive for a new generation。 Fiona Valpy also shows how these stories do not necessarily have to come from a book， but for centuries stories have been told though quilting， embroidery on scarves， clothing， and henna designs， dependent on culture。 Also highlighted is the stories of refugees today， what they are running from， the problems they face and the slums they live in， it was hard to read in parts， but it is important to remember the plight of these people and the horrors they have seen， and their strength and the importance of who they are。Fiona Valpy has written another stunning novel with The Storyteller of Casablanca。 The stories of Josie and Zoe show how remarkable they were， in the face of adversity they kept going， and still managed to try and help others。 The wonderful descriptions of Casablanca， the different areas of the city， the sights and smells， the fabulous food， and their culture were fascinating to read about， with the city becomaing a character in her own right。 This really is a extraordinary story in all senses and one I highly recommend; immersive， engaging and breathtaking！！ 。。。more
Laura Mooney
，
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- {THE STORYTELLER OF CASABLANCA - Fiona Valpy}Young Josie and her family have fled France due to Nazi occupation and have made their way to Casablanca to await safe travel to America。 They are wealthy enough to be able to stay in a beautiful home and enjoy some of the finer things the city’s rich culture has to offer。 But there is still danger lurking in the shadows for her Jewish family as German soldiers slowly start making their presence known and the anxieties of applying and wait ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- {THE STORYTELLER OF CASABLANCA - Fiona Valpy}Young Josie and her family have fled France due to Nazi occupation and have made their way to Casablanca to await safe travel to America。 They are wealthy enough to be able to stay in a beautiful home and enjoy some of the finer things the city’s rich culture has to offer。 But there is still danger lurking in the shadows for her Jewish family as German soldiers slowly start making their presence known and the anxieties of applying and waiting for their paperwork to go through causes uneasiness amongst them。 70 years later Zoe and her husband move into the very same house looking for a fresh start to reset their struggling marriage。 While exploring their new home， Zoe stumbles across a raised floorboard in the attic thats hiding Josies old diary and keepsakes。 Zoe is captivated from page one （much as I was with this novel） and falls in love with the brave little girl as she shares struggles as well as triumphs during the war。💭 I really enjoyed every second of this beautiful novel。 Fiona paints a vivid picture of Casablanca and effortlessly transports you to that time in history。 I love that she wrote in duel timelines， it kept me anxiously turning the pages to continue back to each storyline。 I was not expecting such a surprising and emotional ending but my goodness was I moved！ Cannot recommend this book enough to any historical fiction fan！！ 。。。more
Tillymintball
，
This is a wonderful book。 The dual timeline takes us between a Jewish family in 1941 and a struggling woman in 2010 with such rich characterisation that it brings both families alive。 The thread of a long forgotten diary makes this an easy read with fascinating historical detail。 Highly recommended。 Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review。
Lisa Konet
，
This was better than I thought it was going to be and my first time reading from this author。 Dual timelines added to the story but it became a bit predictable。 Still a decent read。 Recommended。Thanks to Netgalley， Fiona Valpy， and Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review。Available: 9/21/21
Susan Peterson
，