The Paris Girl

by Francelle Bradford White

Movingly written by her own daughter, this captivating and intimate biography chronicles the astonishing courage Andrée Griotteray, a teenage girl in Nazi-occupied Paris who would become a hero of the French Resistance through her harrowing work as an underground intelligence courier. For readers of Three Ordinary Girls, A Woman of No Importance, Lis Parisiennes, The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line, and the many other untold stories of WWII’s “hidden figures.”

Andrée Griotteray was just 19 when the Germans invaded France and occupied Paris, where she worked as a clerk in the passport office. When her younger brother, Alain, created a resistance network named Orion, Andrée joined his efforts, secretly typing up and printing copies of an underground newspaper, and stealing I.D. cards which allowed scores of Jewish citizens to escape persecution.

Charming and pretty, Andrée nimbly avoided the unwanted attentions of German officers, even as she secretly began working as an undercover courier. Displaying fearlessness in the face of immense pressure, she traveled throughout the county delivering vital intelligence destined for France’s allies—until the day she was betrayed and arrested.

Throughout her ordeal, Andrée stayed composed, refusing to inform on her comrades. Before she was set free, she even duped her interrogators into revealing who had betrayed Orion, and continued her underground activities until France’s liberation.

Weaving in diary entries, letters, and conversations, Andrée’s daughter, Francelle, brings a uniquely personal slant to her mother’s story. The Paris Girl reveals the narrow escapes and moments of terror, the daily acts of bravery and defiance, and the extraordinary courage displayed by Andrée and so many of her contemporaries, that helped turned the tide of war.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, World War II, France, Audiobook, Biography

256 pages, Hardcover

Published December 24, 2024

Reviews

[Christy fictional_traits · Rating 4 out of 5]

'I am nineteen and I want to have fun but we are at war!'

Andrée Griotteray is just nineteen years old and working at Paris's Police Headquarters when the German army parades down the Champs-Èlysèes to claim the city. Everyone is horrified, terrified, so many still have relatively fresh memories of WW1. For the Griotterays though, Andrèe and her brother Alain in particular, there is only one option, 'We have to think of victory and shout 'Vive la France''. Starting, by producing and circulating anti-Nazi news, Andrèe soon utilises her administrative position to steal blank ID cards to help Jews escape. Soon, Andrèe and Alain were asked to recruit even more members to their group, officially becoming known as Orion, so that information could be passed on to the British and Americans. Their teenage efforts lasted the entire war - they lasted the entire war - despite setbacks and betrayals.

'The Paris Girl' is Andrèe's war story, pieced together using snippets of her diary as well as contextual narration formed from conversations with family and other Orion members. What the story really conveys is how a couple of untrained teenagers, with nothing more than a patriotic lineage, and pluck could (and would) become medal-bedecked war heroes. It makes you re-think all the times you tell yourself that a problem is 'too big'.

'It is unbearably hot at the moment. We are leading the most awful life'.

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrée Griotteray was nineteen when the Germans easily invaded France and occupied Paris, here she worked as a clerk at the Police Headquarters. Andrée hated the Germans and so did her younger brother Alain, she typed and printed an underground newspaper for him, they took part in a public demonstration and Alain started a resistance network named Orion.

At the time in Paris, everyone had and carried with them their identification papers, and young men and Jewish people were checked more often. Andrée started taking blank ones from work and to be used to create new identities for people who were in trouble or Jewish.

Andrée was very chic and pretty, she hated it when German officers hit on her and asked her out for dates and had to be very careful how she fobbed them off. Using her age, looks and where she worked as a valid reason, Andrée became a courier for Orion and delivered vital intelligence all over France.

It’s hard to comprehend some as young as Andrée (she’s a teenager) remained so calm and composed, Alain created a code of conduct and had strict rules in the resistance group and this is why it was so successful.

I received a copy of The Paris Girl by Francelle Bradford White from Kensington Publishing and Edelweiss Plus in exchange for an unbiased review.

Using her mother’s diaries, letters and conversations with her and uncle Alain, Andrée daughter writes her mother’s biography and it’s about a brave young woman who loved her country, took part in dangerous acts of defiance and displayed courage beyond her years and it helped France and the Allied forces win.

Andrée Griotteray White was a hero and she was awarded four medals and any money raised from the second reprint and sale of this novel with be donated to the Alzheimer’s foundation, I highly recommend reading this interesting memoir and four stars from me.

[Thomas George Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true story about a young, French girl who wanted to make a contribution to the war effort in occupied France. While working as a secretary for the French Police, Andree Griotteray was recruited to work under cover for the Resistance.

"The Paris Girl" was an interesting and exciting book to read.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning bio written by the daughter of a brave female French Resistance member. I could not put this down and readers intrigued by WWII won't be able to either. Thrilling!

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Paris Girl
The Young Woman Who Outwitted the Nazis and Became a WWII Hero
by Francelle Bradford White
Pub Date Dec 24 2024
Kensington Publishing |Citadel
Biographies & Memoirs| History


Kensignton Publishing/Citadel and Netgalley provided me with a copy of The Paris Girl for review:


A biography movingly written by Andrée Griotteray’s daughter, The Paris Girl kept me up late at night, unable to put it down.


Through her harrowing work as an underground intelligence courier, Andrée Griotteray, a teenage girl in Nazi-occupied Paris, would become a hero of the French Resistance and a hero of the underground resistance.


Andrée Griotteray was 19 years old when German forces invaded France and occupied Paris, where she worked at a passport office. She secretly typed up and printed copies of an underground newspaper, and stolen I.D. cards that enabled scores of Jewish citizens to escape persecution after her younger brother, Alain, created a resistance network named Orion.


Although Andrée was charming and pretty, she secretly began working as an undercover courier, nimbly avoiding German officers' unwanted attention. While under immense pressure, she delivered vital intelligence destined for France's allies-until she was betrayed and arrested.



Andrée remained composed throughout her ordeal, refusing to reveal the whereabouts of her comrades. In addition to deceiving her interrogators, she continued her underground activities until France was liberated.



Andrée's daughter, Francelle, weaves diary entries, letters, and conversations into her mother's story. This memoir details Andrée's narrow escapes and moments of terror as well as the daily acts of courage and defiance, as well as the extraordinary courage displayed by so many of her contemporaries.


I give the Paris Girls five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the age of 6, Francelle Bradford White, the author, learned why her mother had all those medals. She was a heroine, and at 19 years old, she was working at the police headquarters at the passport office. While growing up Francella continuously learned that while working there her mother, Andrée Griotteray eventually became a member of the Resistance, Orion, that her brother Alain created when the Germans invaded France and occupied Paris. to save as many people as they could. She was an extreme value in helping getting what they needed her to do. Knowing the risks, she did it anyway rarely questioning the idea of the job.

The book has many of her mothers diary entrees, which I enjoyed reading, though I do wish there was more of it to the book. Along with other factual sources she was able to find she learned about all theses spies did to get through this with minimal problems among their little group. Being "naive" made it easier for Andrée to not be suspicious very often. Andrée was recognized for many years afterward and received many many medal, some rarely or never given to a woman yet.

It was a great read, though it does start a little slow.

[Jaime Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

*I received this ARC from Kensington Publishing through NetGalley in return for my honest review. I appreciate the opportunity to provide my feedback.*

At the time of this review, there are only 8 others but I definitely feel like the odd man out. I had such high hopes for this one but it fell really short for me. The author is writing her mother's biography/memoir about the work she did for the French resistance during WWII. I have the utmost respect for these heroes and I deeply admire their courage and strength. With that being said, I could only make it to the halfway point of this book. I really wanted to give it more but it was starting to feel like a chore to pick it up. I just wasn't a fan of the writing style. I really wish that it had been written more like a novel and less like a history lesson. I feel that it could have easily been written like a novel and still held the authenticity of a biography. It just felt so detached. I would have expected more emotion since it was written by Andree's daughter. I had a hard time connecting with the people in the book. I felt that the events were not as cohesive as they could have been and the flow was a little choppy. I did like the entries from Andree's journal but felt they needed to be weaved into the story a little more seamlessly. They felt like they were just chunked out and then randomly thrown into pages. I liked hearing about the events and activities of the resistance group but felt very bored by how they were written. It felt like a textbook and I wanted more of the emotion that comes with a memoir or a novel. Normally, a book I cannot finish gets an automatic 1 star but I do feel that the content was valuable even if I couldn't personally get past the writing style. I'm giving this one 2 stars.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The subject of this book described herself as “only a postman” but if you read this story, you’ll realize how wrong that is. Perfect for people who love WW2 historical fiction except this story is true and probably inspired half the WW2 books out there. Easy 5/5 ⭐️

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredibly detailed account of Andree Griotteray time as a member of the French Resistance during WWII. Highly recommend.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Michelle Ardillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my full review at http://michelleardillo.com/2024/11/21...

[Sandra "Jeanz" · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the introduction, where the author’s parents return from a British Antique Dealers Association ball, and Francelle’s dad is telling her that everyone at the ball had been looking at mummy's cleavage aka actually her war medals that she got for “bashing up the Germans during the war.” (The author was just 6yrs old at this time) From then on, through her childhood, teen years etc her mother used to tell her what she got up to during the war.
I also loved the byline of "The young woman who outwitted the Nazis & became a WW2 hero" after reading the book I think Andree would have found it amusing as she really didn’t see herself as a hero at the time. Rightly so she was awarded war medals for her service and all the risks she took and danger she faced.

To begin with I struggled with the book I found it not personal or humanised enough for me.....it was just a set of facts and felt a little more like a reference book, than the story of a woman who lived in Paris in WW2. Then as the book progressed there were more diary entries used and we got to know Andree more, the book became much more interesting and I became hooked on reading more about Andree and what she did to help the resistance.

Before the war and occupation of France, Andree was working at the Police HQ under the guidance of Monsieur Langeron, and when the Germans invaded all such civil servants were not allowed to resign. Some chose to disappear and escape, leaving France. Some continued to do their jobs keeping their heads down and doing what the Germans told them to, even going so far as to collaborating and giving the Germans information of the whereabouts of Jewish people and those who were helping them. Then there were a few people, like Andree who continued to work at Police HQ and used their position in any way possible to help others and the resistance. She felt somewhat protected by Monsieur Langeron he was sympathetic to the cause, in fact it was Monsieur Langeron that was behind Andree working around all the different departments, so that she had an extensive inside knowledge of how everything worked and therefore she could access an extensive range of documents and information. When Monsieur Langeron was arrested, reinstated and eventually left Police HQ, Andree felt more alone and knew she needed to be even more discreet in what she was doing. In fact, a colleague warned her about taking blank ID cards too often. The colleague had obviously noticed Andree stealing the cards but had turned a blind eye until the point it would personally affect her if Andree was caught, and even then, she just warned Andree and didn’t report her to the Germans. There were those not openly or heavily involved with the resistance but would turn a blind eye if they saw others engaging in activities the Germans would consider as acts against them.

Andree was drawn into the Orion Resistance group by its eventual leader, her brother Alain. It was a risk as resistance members were not meant to associate with each other, never mind be related to each other. I have to say that even had she not joined an organised resistance group, Andree would have found a way to help the Jewish people and hinder the Germans as much as humanly possible. In fact, Andree did small acts of “defiance” like crossing the road to avoid interaction with German Officers. Though she did have an unavoidable friendship with one German Officer due to working at Police HQ which came in very useful later when she needed someone to vouch for her innocence and that she couldn’t possibly be a member of the resistance. I feel at times because Alain trusted Andree so much he would push her to do more and more dangerous missions.

As Andree worked at Police HQ she had access to a fairly plentiful supply of materials to type things up, be that undercover newspapers, leaflets or information to be passed on. At one point Andree’s job gave her access to ID cards so she stole blank ID cards for the resistance to use to help Jewish people. Even when Andree was switched departments, which happened to her a lot, she would return to see her friends and use these visits to gain access to the blank ID cards.
When doing her regular work at the Police HQ grateful clients would gift Andree perfume and cigarettes which she would sell to fund trips she would take.
Andree took many trips with her small suitcase with its carefully designed lining that she could hide documents in. On a later trip she purchased a girdle to sew coins supplied by the Americans to fund the resistance in to smuggle them across the country. Andree used her image of a young, carefree, perhaps somewhat naïve woman to fool the Germans on more than one occasion. On other occasions she channelled her mother’s authorative manner and actually threatened the German Officers and challenged the Gestapo. Andree had many adventures, one of which resulted in her being unable to find a hotel room for the night, approaching the local Police for help and being directed to a brothel to spend the night! Though she didn’t have a great nights sleep there as she woke part way through the night being bitten by fleas!!

Orion Agents had no formal training, it was set up & managed by French men & women living in their own country familiar with their surroundings. The Orion group never used radio transmitters Alain thought them too risky, it was too easy for the Germans to pick up on radio frequencies. They may have used other resistance operatives & British & US Intelligence service radios but they never had their own. Alain insisted that if a courier was in danger they were to destroy whatever information they were carrying and try to lose whoever was tailing them, but not to lead them to their home or the home of other members. They were not to socialise with other members of the group, in fact the least they knew of each other the better. That way if they were ever caught and tortured, they could not reveal a lot of information. It was later after Alain’s training with the intelligence services that they were issued with cynanide capsules to take if absolutely necessary. Orion’s main instructions came from the “top, top man” Henri d'Astier de la Vigerie and were to make contacts & gather information that may be of use to intelligence services. On the whole Orion was quite successful but it mustn’t be forgotten is caught they would inevitably be tortured and either sent to the camps or simply shot. Orion only lost 2 of its 18 full time agents. These agents were young people. Alain was the youngest resistance group leader and all but 4 of his agents were still under the age of 24yrs at the end of the war. There were only 2 women in Orion, Andree Groitteray White & Margit Ehrart Hutton. Though other women did help Orion they were not full time members.
It was thought at the time that the Germans were less suspicious of women which is why the resistance recruited them, though they were still in as much danger and at times more danger than male recruits. There was always the threat of moles reporting them to the Gestapo, or Vichy. It could be a concierge at the building they lived in who reported them, a work colleague, a double agent or even a “friend”. There were roughly 2,500 German agents, 6,000 French agents and an estimated 24,000 people informing on their neighbours, colleagues and even their friends. These groups such as Orion were not really linked to other resistance groups and there were many such groups however, they did support and work with the SOEs. In comparison to the “untrained” Orion Agents, the SOE Agents received 6 months intensive training in the UK before being parachuted or travelling by sea into France. The SOE sent in 470 Agents - 118 did not return. Of the 470, 39 were female agents, 13 of those died in action. Wireless operators had a life expectancy of 6 weeks!!

I found the initial 20% or so hard going which annoyed me as I so wanted to read about this amazing young French woman & her brother who were part of the Orion resistance. Then as more and more of Andree’s own words are used within the book from her own diary entries made at the crazy dangerous time, I became more and more absorbed. The thing is Andree doesn't believe herself a heroine she sees herself as a normal French woman so doing what she can to help rid her country of unwanted invaders. I found reading about what “normal” life in Paris under the German rule interesting too. On one hand people were starving, yet on the other there were restaurants and hotels that still offered extravagant food. It was interesting to read about Andree’s family life, the way her mother knew her daughter was taking part in dangerous work being a courier of information yet they didn’t openly talk about it. Again it was better that the rest of the family knew no details of operations.
Though it was Alain and Andree that were deeply involved in the resistance they and their family had to know if they were caught that there would be serious repercussions for the whole family. It was amazing to read of the French citizens who all played a small part in the greater goal of the resistance.

Andree’s daughter Francelle, the author of this book used her mother’s diaries, spoke to other resistance members and her Uncle Alain as well as the memories of the stories her mother had told her. Francelle continues Andree’s legacy of helping others as the proceeds from this book are being donated to an Alzheimers & Dementia charity set up in her mothers name.

Summing up, I found the book intriguing, informative and fascinating. I think the word I’d use to describe how the book is presented/put over is pragmatic....... ”pragmatic” the way Andree had to be to survive. Andree didn’t think herself special or a heroine, she was just doing what she could to help the Jewish people and help to get the invading Germans out of her home country.

[Sharyn Stieglitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Paris Girl was a story about Andrée Griotteray, a teenager at the time Germany occupied France in the early 1940's, who worked for the French Resistance, written by her daughter, Francelle Bradford White.

As a Jewish woman who grew up learning about World War II, it was interesting to read this book from the diary of a French woman, who resisted German occupation, and sought to help the Jews, and others in need. Andrée worked for the passport office, and would try to help give ID cards, with a different name on them, to those in need. She also worked with the Orion network, which was founded by her brother, to help get intelligence to other allies as well.

Andrée had several close calls with the German army and police, but thanks to her work at the passport office and work within the Orion Network, she knew to stay calm, and only share a small amount of information.

Through the years after the war, Andrée was hailed a heroine, and rightfully received many awards and accolades in association with her war efforts.
Her daughter did her story and honor justice in keeping her memory, and the story of the French Resistance, alive in this book.

[Jay Paine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bradford White ties together her mother’s journal and diary entries along with information gained from conversations to craft a detailed biography of Andrée’s resistance work during WWII. I found this biography to be especially informative, as it gave me additional context for understanding works of historical fiction that focus similarly on the French resistance movements, like Lubuske’s The Librarian of Burned Books and Kristen’s Nightingale.

[Olivia Finlayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story telling

The changing back and forth between letters and then the author directly speaking to the reader was a new experience for me.

The concept that she “wrote” in her diary but in all actuality didn’t record anything that could have been used against her is again something different. I didn’t expect her to keep such records. It was interesting to have the details then filled in by the author of what was actually going on during the times of her entry’s.

I think it’s very sweet that the author is the women’s daughter and part of the sales of the book went to dementia research.

The fact that the book is true is crazy to me! She lived to be 96 years old.

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Francelle Bradford White's "The Paris Girl" promises to be a captivating addition to World War II literature, offering readers a glimpse into the extraordinary life of a young woman in Nazi-occupied Paris. Set to be released on December 24, 2024, this biography brings to life the courage and resilience of its protagonist against the backdrop of one of history's darkest periods. My thanks to Kensington Publishing Corp for an advance copy to review! The book is somewhat of a continuation or companion to White's previous work, "Andree's War," which received high praise for its meticulous handling of primary sources and its ability to weave past events with more recent recognition of the subject's heroic deeds. “The Paris Girl" likely follows in this tradition, offering readers a well-researched and emotionally resonant account of life in the French Resistance. White's storytelling prowess shines through in her ability to balance historical accuracy with personal narrative. The author's careful treatment of primary sources suggests that "The Paris Girl" will provide an authentic voice to its subject, allowing readers to connect intimately with the experiences of those who lived through the occupation. At its core, "The Paris Girl" appears to explore themes of selflessness and the human capacity for bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. The protagonist's willingness to risk her own safety for the greater good is likely to be a central focus, offering readers inspiration and a profound reflection on the nature of heroism. While the market for World War II literature is saturated, "The Paris Girl" promises to offer a fresh perspective by focusing on the often-overlooked role of young women in the Resistance. This unique angle, combined with White's acclaimed writing style, positions the book as a potentially significant contribution to the genre. As we anticipate its release, "The Paris Girl" stands poised to be a compelling read for history enthusiasts and general readers alike. Its blend of personal narrative, historical detail, and themes of courage and sacrifice suggests a work that will not only inform but also deeply move its audience, cementing its place in the canon of World War II literature.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Francelle Bradford White's mother, Andrée Griotteray, was a courageous and fearless young lady living in Paris when War War II swirled all around her. She kept journals detailing her daily life including her disgust at the German soldiers marching in, her brother's escape to North Africa, food queues, wondrous meals and horrendous meals, theatre, curfews, dates she went on, clothing, antisemitic laws, scarlet fever, her job and work with the Orion Resistance group (in which she exercised journaling restraint). She worked in various departments at the Police Headquarters but the longer she was there the more incensed she became as she felt her workplace was full of corroborators. But her youth and naivete contributed to her bravery and she thought nothing about risk and danger. Her Médaille de la Résistance and the Croix de Guerre were well deserved. Andrée was a true heroine...what a privilege to learn more about her and her family. Kudos to the author for telling this story, her meticulous research and translating the journals. I imagine she is very proud of the work her family did to help persecuted Jews.

This story gripped me and captivated me so thoroughly I carried the book around wherever I went. Not only does the reader catch personal glimpses into war before from Andrée's perspective before, during and after the war but the author's extensive and impassioned notes are fascinating and important.

My sincere thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this utterly engrossing book.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this beautiful, brave, and brilliant biography of Andree Griotteray, a member of the French resistance during the German occupation of France in World War II, her daughter Francelle Bradford White brings Andree and the challenges and dangers of resistance work to life in this incredible biography. Focusing on her work as an undercover courier for the Orion network (founded by her brother Alain) and as a clerk in the passport office under German eyes, readers will discover the risks that everyday people took to free their country from the Nazis eighty years ago. Bringing Andree’s diaries, letters, and conversations with Bradford White into this biography, Francelle Bradford White has created an incredible tribute to her mother’s work for the resistance in this book. With so much historical detail and incredible information present throughout this book, readers will be immersed in the atmosphere and danger of World War II France in this book thanks to Bradford White’s research into her mother’s story. With a fascinating personal slant to this biography and constantly thwarting the odds, this is a powerful, moving, and thrilling new biography of the women of the French resistance that World War II historians and women’s historians will absolutely devour.

Thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and Citadel for the advance copy.

[Royal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Francelle Bradford White’s The Paris Girl is a historical account documenting Andree’s (the author’s mother) role as a courier for the French Resistance during World War II. This book is truly a labor of love, as the author pieces together her mother’s stories, diary entries, and interviews with people who were involved in the war effort.

There are a lot of different characters introduced, so we don’t always get a full background of their role (and honestly, it was naturally harder for me to follow all of the individuals mentioned). However, because this novel is telling a story of something that is not as commonly known and Andree’s work impacted a lot of people and brought her into contact with many, I can understand the author’s decision to lay down all the details and stories to ensure that the story is told as accurately as possible.

We definitely need more stories to be told about feminine heroes and activists, especially during difficult times in history.

Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing a complimentary eARC for review.

[Linda Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a true story, as told by Andrée’s daughter. Andrée was still a teenager when she started working at Paris Police Headquarters, just before the Germans captured Paris. Her younger brother, Alain, set up a Resistance group. Both of them were very brave in their roles within the Resistance. The story is well written and very informative. Compelling reading. There’s such a wealth of information. Andrée’s journal/diary gives a first hand account of what they lived through during World War Two. Fascinating!

[Cheryl Sokoloff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a biography Andrée Griotteray, who, together with her younger brother Alain, joined the French resistance almost immediately following the German occupation of Paris. The author is Andrée’s daughter and she used her mother’s diaries to write this book, as well her Uncle Alain’s books and much research to write this.

I actually found this SO interesting because it really helps the reader understand the depth and breath of the French resistance.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As well, the author donates all profit to Alzheimer’s research, the disease that ultimately took her mother’s life.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A worthy non-fiction history of young Parisians, for the most part, bravely participating in the Resistance, a term that some maintained they never heard until well after World War II. Andrée Griotteray, not yet 20 years old, and her brother Alain were important participants in the years' long civilian actions against the occupying Germans. The book was s=written by Andrée's daughter and relies in part on Andrée's pre- and wartime diaries.

Andrée had, at the start of the War and through it, a job in the passport office at the Paris Police Headquarters, a position that put her into proximity with information and materials that were valuable, exceedingly so. It enabled her to filch blank ID documents that could be used for forged identity papers to facilitate people escaping the country. She kept her eyes and ears open for information that could be useful to the Allies, assuming it could be transported - not transmitted - to them. Young but courageous, clever, and shrewd Alain helped to create a pod of people, Orion, that knew only one's single connection, not the rest, so as to limit damage if discovered. Andrée, in her role as an undercover courier, took many trips on trains from Paris to the south of France in order to hand deliver important documents, a feat in which she admirably succeeded perhaps from pluck, youth, and good fortune.

A lot of interesting history from a very personal perspective, and a good addition to the body of literature I've read about the Second World War.

[Gwyneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Paris Girl is a fascinating account of young Andrée Griotteray, a French Resistance fighter (and the author’s mother). Documentation through diaries, letters, conversations and interviews provide the details and historical record of Andree. Ms. Griotteray was honored with many awards from France over the decades for her work in the Resistance. Many Resistance fighters and leaders, including her younger brother, are included and the roles they played. There is an entire chapter devoted to the politics and history of France during World War II.
The story is captivating as we follow Andree who is a young nineteen year old at the beginning of the German take over of Paris. Many descriptions of meals at hotels and at home are detailed. The effort to find food supplies to make these meals emphasizes how challenging the day-to-day life was for the Parisians. Andree, despite the depressing circumstances, manages to have a life with music, theater, dates and vacations out of Paris. Her actual job, working for the Paris Police Administration, provides many opportunities to assist the Resistance with special passes for travel, amongst other things. Her job in the Resistance was primarily that of a courier. However, that position became much more dangerous as the war continued. She was actually captured and interrogated at one point.
I highly recommend the fascinating book, The Paris Girl, by Francelle Bradford White.

[Kaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m currently in a WW2 special interest era so I was really interested in this book. It’s a pretty amazing story of a woman who worked in the French Resistance during the war. However, while the story is inspiring, I found this book pretty tough to get into, especially at the beginning. It’s pretty slow to start and took me until about halfway through to really pick up. I just wasn’t really a fan of the way it was written. Andrée Griotteray's real journal entries are woven in with the narrative, which I was initially excited about because it made the whole thing more personal. Unfortunately I thought it felt pretty haphazardly done. Instead of letting the journal entries really tell the story or add extra context, it just made it feel repetitive, re-stating things that were already said from another perspective. I wanted more emotion out of it as well, especially since the author is the heroine’s real life daughter. It felt a little textbook-y and dry and I think it could have been written a bit more novel-like without taking away from the real story.

I did enjoy the narrator though - really easy to listen to and I enjoyed her French accent for the journal entries to distinguish the source. Really great content but I wasn’t a fan of the execution, so not my favorite. I give it a 3.5.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ARC.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Written by the daughter of a woman, Andrée, who was living in Paris with her family, when World War II started. Her younger brother became a leader in one of the French Resistance groups, and recruited Andrée, among others. She recounts, through excerpts from her mother’s journal and diary, discussions with her mother, uncle, and other relatives and fiends, of her mother’s involvement. Andrée worked in the police department which was taken over by the Germans when Paris came under German rule. She became a courier of information that would be shared with the Allied forces. She typed and copied an underground newspaper her brother wrote—while she was at work! She was even arrested and interrogated by the gestapo for allegedly being a spy. She had no evidence on her, and the charges were miraculously dropped. Her daughter explains the dangers of what she and her brother were doing. She also describes the living conditions in Paris during the war—lack of food, coal for heat, lack of money to buy clothing, lack of freedom. Andrée was a courageous young woman who eventually was awarded several medals for her heroism. Highly recommend for both the historical background, and Andrée’s personal story.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it a struggle to get through the first of The Paris Girl with such minute details. Once the actual resistance activities of Andree Griotteray and her brother Alain, for the four years of German occupation of Paris and France, the book became hard to put down. The author is the daughter of Andree and when awards began to flood Andree 50 years after the war ended, Francelle wanted to learn more. Walking the streets of Paris and the various escape routes the Resistance used brought a great impact to the author and the readers.

This book was originally written to raise money for Alzheimer's patients and research. Being reissued on 2024 facts have been verified over the decade and the amazing life of Andree (& Alain) is extraordinary.

I volunteered to read an ARC through Net Galley

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Andree and her family is inspiring, especially when you recognize that this is not just a story written as historical fiction. Just 19 when the war impacted her hometown, she navigated the challenges deftly, forming alliances and bravely defying the Nazis. I enjoyed reading about her and her friends, but wish the chapters didn’t jump so much. Sometimes, it seemed like there wasn’t a smooth segue between one section to the next, and the many names introduced throughout the book also caused a little confusion.

A great read albeit dense, well-documented, and simply motivational. I’m glad Andree’s story has been preserved!

Thank you to Kensington Books for sending along a complimentary copy to read.

[T. Rash · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the true story of an amazing young women and her actions during the war. I loved the excerpts from her diary and the little tidbits in the footnotes that brought her to life.

There is also lots of factual information to pull them together and explain what is occurring that would be very interesting to those who like the history. As I’m more into the emotional side of why the characters did certain things and how they felt afterward, these sections drug a little for me and read more like a textbook — though I realize they were a very important part of the story.

I agree with the author that this would make a great movie!

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy a WWII story and as usual I admired the bravery of those portrayed in The Paris Girl. The main character Andrée Griotteray was a hero, for sure, but as this story is based on her diaries it emphasized how young and naive she was or appeared to be. I had some difficulty with her writings of food, including her extravagant dinners while in Paris and her purchase of shoes while with her brother on one of her missions. It seemed that she did not truly understand the gravity of those around her, but this may have been my interpretation. She and her brother Alain did put their lives on the line for the cause of liberating many and in the end defeating the Germans.

[Rhoda Saatela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. As the daughter of a soldier who fought his way through the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge I’m fascinated by stories of the men, women and children who laid their lives on the line in the fight for freedom and equality for all.

Unfortunately, this book was hard to read. Information bounced from one place to another, sometimes out of chronological order. The writing was factual, with little emotion reflecting Andree’s movements about the country which were surely wrought with danger.

I applaud the author, however, on her research and the support of Alzheimer’s research with the proceeds of this book’s sales.

[Judith Rozarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great memoir, written using diaries, journals and historical information. A young woman and her brother become members of the Resistance during the occupation of Paris by the Nazis. While I've read about these brave souls before, this was quite different. It included the emotional connections as well, some of what is often not said in these memoirs. The young woman is the center, however her brother plays such a large role as well as several others. Thank you for putting the words down, and helping us to understand what people did, without a second thought in most cases. Bravery is too rare today.