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The Ventriloquists
“[A] remarkable saga.... Engrossing.” —
Booklist
, starred review
In this triumphant debut inspired by true events, a ragtag gang of journalists and resistance fighters risk everything for an elaborate scheme to undermine the Reich.
The Nazis stole their voices. But they would not be silenced.
Brussels, 1943. Twelve-year-old street orphan Helene survives by living as a boy and selling copies of the country’s most popular newspaper, Le Soir, now turned into Nazi propaganda. Helene’s world changes when she befriends a rogue journalist, Marc Aubrion, who draws her into a secret network that publishes dissident underground newspapers.
The Nazis track down Aubrion’s team and give them an impossible choice: turn the resistance newspapers into a Nazi propaganda bomb that will sway public opinion against the Allies, or be killed. Faced with no decision at all, Aubrion has a brilliant idea. While pretending to do the Nazis’ bidding, they will instead publish a fake edition of Le Soir that pokes fun at Hitler and Stalin—daring to laugh in the face of their oppressors.
The ventriloquists have agreed to die for a joke, and they have only eighteen days to tell it.
Featuring an unforgettable cast of characters and stunning historical detail, E.R. Ramzipoor’s dazzling debut novel illuminates the extraordinary acts of courage by ordinary people forgotten by time. It is a moving and powerful ode to the importance of the written word and to the unlikely heroes who went to extreme lengths to orchestrate the most stunning feat of journalism in modern history.
In this triumphant debut inspired by true events, a ragtag gang of journalists and resistance fighters risk everything for an elaborate scheme to undermine the Reich.
The Nazis stole their voices. But they would not be silenced.
Brussels, 1943. Twelve-year-old street orphan Helene survives by living as a boy and selling copies of the country’s most popular newspaper, Le Soir, now turned into Nazi propaganda. Helene’s world changes when she befriends a rogue journalist, Marc Aubrion, who draws her into a secret network that publishes dissident underground newspapers.
The Nazis track down Aubrion’s team and give them an impossible choice: turn the resistance newspapers into a Nazi propaganda bomb that will sway public opinion against the Allies, or be killed. Faced with no decision at all, Aubrion has a brilliant idea. While pretending to do the Nazis’ bidding, they will instead publish a fake edition of Le Soir that pokes fun at Hitler and Stalin—daring to laugh in the face of their oppressors.
The ventriloquists have agreed to die for a joke, and they have only eighteen days to tell it.
Featuring an unforgettable cast of characters and stunning historical detail, E.R. Ramzipoor’s dazzling debut novel illuminates the extraordinary acts of courage by ordinary people forgotten by time. It is a moving and powerful ode to the importance of the written word and to the unlikely heroes who went to extreme lengths to orchestrate the most stunning feat of journalism in modern history.
544 pages, Hardcover
First published August 27, 2019
343 people are currently reading
5249 people want to read
About the author
E.R. Ramzipoor
2 books64 followersEvan Roxanna Ramzipoor is a writer based in California. She studied political science at UC Berkeley, where she researched underground literature in resistance movements and discovered the forgotten story of Faux Soir. Evan has given talks on underground literature around the country and has taught writing at UC Berkeley, Hugo House, and The Loft Literary Center. Her work has been featured in McSweeney’s and Salon. The Ventriloquists is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 341 reviews
December 11, 2019
Well, the first thing I'm going to say about this book is that it is long. Too long. About 200 pages too long. Yes, I understand setting the scene, building up to the finale, etc, however this book settled into tedium, and I got bored. So, is it a tale worth telling and reading? Yes, definitely, but it's needs a lot of the superfluous cut out, and it would be a much stronger, tighter read.
The Ventriloquists is set in Belgium during WW2, and follows members of the resistance that decide to play the Nazi's at their own game, by publishing a propaganda newspaper, knowing full well their lives will be forfeit afterwards. Based on a true story, and including many historical figures, this should be a riveting read. And in some places is it, yet in others, snooze...
Don't get me wrong, this book is ok, but it could have been so much better.
My thanks to Harlequin Australia for an uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own.
The Ventriloquists is set in Belgium during WW2, and follows members of the resistance that decide to play the Nazi's at their own game, by publishing a propaganda newspaper, knowing full well their lives will be forfeit afterwards. Based on a true story, and including many historical figures, this should be a riveting read. And in some places is it, yet in others, snooze...
Don't get me wrong, this book is ok, but it could have been so much better.
My thanks to Harlequin Australia for an uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own.
April 13, 2019
The year was 1943. Gruppenfuhrer August Wolff headed the Ministry of Perception Management administered by the Gestapo. Wolff, Germany's book burning crusader, was primarily involved in Black Propaganda. "Propaganda is 'black' if it is supposedly from one side, but is actually from the other." The citizenry of the city of Brussels was dispirited. "When the Nazis invaded Belgium taking our printing presses, our radios, our books...they took our words and thoughts, too..." Le Soir, arguably Belgium's most important newspaper, was turned into "a cheap propaganda machine".
The Front de l'Independance (FI) was a resistance organization that published the infamous La Libre Belgique. The Belgians and the Germans ultimately wanted the same thing, "to sway the public". Before the war, Marc Aubrion was a theater critic and playwright who also wrote newspaper articles. Aubrion, a gifted linguist, used puns and jokes in his writing to entertain and create hope for the downtrodden Belgians.
La Libre Belgique newspaper, published by the FI, was on Gruppenfurer Wolff's radar. Targeting and arresting Aubrion and several of his cohorts, he gave them the choice of death or the impossible task of creating and distributing Le Soir. He demanded that they make it a large propaganda bomb. "...turn all of Europe against the Allies". The Front de l'Independance, with director Rene Noel at the helm and principal writer Marc Aubrion had a plan of their own. Aided by smugglers, saboteurs, counterfeiters, printers, judges and a pyromaniac street urchin, they were determined to produce Le Faux Soir, a four page satire to be distributed at newsstands in lieu of Le Soir. They must raise funds to supplement Wolff's piddly budget offering and comply with his firm publishing deadline of 18 days.
"The Ventriloquists" by E.R. Ramzipoor is an amazing work of historical fiction with a cast of well defined characters. Author notes reveal that Marc Aubrion was indeed the writer of much of the Faux Soir's satire. The "false" newspaper was published by the Independence Front in Brussels on November 9, 1943. One article was titled "Effective Strategy". "...thanks to the autumn campaign, the winter campaign followed the summer campaign...So the course of these three campaigns in order show that the German general staff have not lost at any time control over the sequence of the seasons, an element whose importance should not be underestimated." Author Ramzipoor's tome shined a spotlight on a group of journalists and resistance fighters with the courage of their convictions and the willingness "to die for a joke". An excellent read I highly recommend.
Thank you HARLEQUIN-Trade Publishing, Park Row and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Ventriloquists".
The Front de l'Independance (FI) was a resistance organization that published the infamous La Libre Belgique. The Belgians and the Germans ultimately wanted the same thing, "to sway the public". Before the war, Marc Aubrion was a theater critic and playwright who also wrote newspaper articles. Aubrion, a gifted linguist, used puns and jokes in his writing to entertain and create hope for the downtrodden Belgians.
La Libre Belgique newspaper, published by the FI, was on Gruppenfurer Wolff's radar. Targeting and arresting Aubrion and several of his cohorts, he gave them the choice of death or the impossible task of creating and distributing Le Soir. He demanded that they make it a large propaganda bomb. "...turn all of Europe against the Allies". The Front de l'Independance, with director Rene Noel at the helm and principal writer Marc Aubrion had a plan of their own. Aided by smugglers, saboteurs, counterfeiters, printers, judges and a pyromaniac street urchin, they were determined to produce Le Faux Soir, a four page satire to be distributed at newsstands in lieu of Le Soir. They must raise funds to supplement Wolff's piddly budget offering and comply with his firm publishing deadline of 18 days.
"The Ventriloquists" by E.R. Ramzipoor is an amazing work of historical fiction with a cast of well defined characters. Author notes reveal that Marc Aubrion was indeed the writer of much of the Faux Soir's satire. The "false" newspaper was published by the Independence Front in Brussels on November 9, 1943. One article was titled "Effective Strategy". "...thanks to the autumn campaign, the winter campaign followed the summer campaign...So the course of these three campaigns in order show that the German general staff have not lost at any time control over the sequence of the seasons, an element whose importance should not be underestimated." Author Ramzipoor's tome shined a spotlight on a group of journalists and resistance fighters with the courage of their convictions and the willingness "to die for a joke". An excellent read I highly recommend.
Thank you HARLEQUIN-Trade Publishing, Park Row and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Ventriloquists".
Read
September 15, 2021DNF @ 10%. Not connecting with the writing or storyline.
August 29, 2019
"Still waters are deep" is a saying that I grew up with and it is the perfect analogy for this novel in my mind. In many ways, a reader knows what to expect when picking up a historical fiction novel set during WWII, but this story is unique and differs from most. Its eloquent prose delivers a quiet punch, that's provocative and thoughtful.
The setting in The Ventriloquists is in Belgium in 1943 and tells the story of a brave resistance group set to hold out and conspire against the Germans via a satire paper to be printed and distributed secretly as the 'Faux Le Soir' of the actual 'Le Soir', a Belgian paper at the time. Of course, as with any other media taken over by the Germans, Le Soir is used as a propaganda machine and the Front de l'Independance (FI) plans to create a little propaganda of their own.
"But I could not let them know how dangerous, how different, this operation was. We weren't stealing bread or tankers of gin this time. We were stealing things the Nazi's cared about....."
Gruppenfuehrer August Wolff, stationed in Belgium is of the eccentric kind with a high ego. He has his eyes on the FI and tries to infiltrate the efforts of the paper by capturing and placing journalist Marc Aubrion into the production to manipulate and publish propaganda depicting Allies as monsters.
"Once the German machine put an order in motion, it became an act of God. Only a devil or a miracle could stop it, and the Germans had seen to it that they were the only devils in Europe, the only miracle workers."
Marc Aubrion is trapped and tied between two worlds. He has to keep up a facade and do as he is told by Wolff, and at the same time, risks his life by secretly plotting the paper's content against the Germans.
"When a shiny black boot comes to town, it always steps on words and women first."
With a cast full of characters from different walks of life, prostitutes, journalists, and "Lebenskuenstler", Ramzipoor has created a unique story to be told touching beyond the broadness of the things we know about the ratifications of the German ideals. The Ventriloquist is a story full of persona, beauty, and flaws. It tells about the love between same-sex characters, the endurance, strength and will to be while intrigue and backstabbery happens among the ranks.
This dynamic keeps the novel interesting albeit at some points I had a hard time keeping track of who is using whom to sabotage. The exchange of plot points and chapters changes swiftly and is told in a down count of days till the publication of the Faux Soir. A culminating end of the book is not to be missed as this novel is based on true events.
A debut novel of a different kind that is a promising start to more captivating books to follow by Ramzipoor. I would hope so anyway because I really liked the voice, scope, and vision of this author.
*Quotes are taken from an uncorrected proof of the novel and are subject to change*
I received a digital copy of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publisher. All opinions are my own.
More of my reviews here:
https://scarlettreadzandrunz.com/
The setting in The Ventriloquists is in Belgium in 1943 and tells the story of a brave resistance group set to hold out and conspire against the Germans via a satire paper to be printed and distributed secretly as the 'Faux Le Soir' of the actual 'Le Soir', a Belgian paper at the time. Of course, as with any other media taken over by the Germans, Le Soir is used as a propaganda machine and the Front de l'Independance (FI) plans to create a little propaganda of their own.
"But I could not let them know how dangerous, how different, this operation was. We weren't stealing bread or tankers of gin this time. We were stealing things the Nazi's cared about....."
Gruppenfuehrer August Wolff, stationed in Belgium is of the eccentric kind with a high ego. He has his eyes on the FI and tries to infiltrate the efforts of the paper by capturing and placing journalist Marc Aubrion into the production to manipulate and publish propaganda depicting Allies as monsters.
"Once the German machine put an order in motion, it became an act of God. Only a devil or a miracle could stop it, and the Germans had seen to it that they were the only devils in Europe, the only miracle workers."
Marc Aubrion is trapped and tied between two worlds. He has to keep up a facade and do as he is told by Wolff, and at the same time, risks his life by secretly plotting the paper's content against the Germans.
"When a shiny black boot comes to town, it always steps on words and women first."
With a cast full of characters from different walks of life, prostitutes, journalists, and "Lebenskuenstler", Ramzipoor has created a unique story to be told touching beyond the broadness of the things we know about the ratifications of the German ideals. The Ventriloquist is a story full of persona, beauty, and flaws. It tells about the love between same-sex characters, the endurance, strength and will to be while intrigue and backstabbery happens among the ranks.
This dynamic keeps the novel interesting albeit at some points I had a hard time keeping track of who is using whom to sabotage. The exchange of plot points and chapters changes swiftly and is told in a down count of days till the publication of the Faux Soir. A culminating end of the book is not to be missed as this novel is based on true events.
A debut novel of a different kind that is a promising start to more captivating books to follow by Ramzipoor. I would hope so anyway because I really liked the voice, scope, and vision of this author.
*Quotes are taken from an uncorrected proof of the novel and are subject to change*
I received a digital copy of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publisher. All opinions are my own.
More of my reviews here:
https://scarlettreadzandrunz.com/
August 23, 2019
Rating: 2 stars
As much as I love reading historical fiction about little known episodes in history, especially WWII history, this book didn’t hit the mark for me. There were too many characters, and I was unclear who the narrator was most of the time. The story was interesting, but told in a very convoluted way. I felt like the author would gotten the point across better if the plot had been simplified.
This is the story of a group of people in Occupied Belgium who were forced by the Germans to print a copy of a propagandized version of the popular paper, Le Soir. They were instructed to publish propaganda about all the horrible things the Allies would to the population when upon their arrival in Belgium. The theory is that if the Belgians are scared enough, they will fight against the Allies when they arrive to liberate them. This group agrees to print the paper. Note though that their only other alternative was to be executed. Then they decide to ALSO print a parody edition of the paper, a ‘faux’ Le Soir, that will tell paint the Germans in their true light while poking fun at them.
The story of how the ragtag bunch produces both papers is told in a rambling, confusing way. I thought that the story was too long, and often times I didn’t know who was speaking. If the 11-year-old character ‘Gamin’ was speaking as it appeared most of the time, I didn’t understand how she was present for all the conversations. There was too much dialogue which dragged out the story. This book could have benefited from a sharpened and well-used editing pencil. It’s sad to me that the potential was there, but the book didn’t quite succeed as I’d hoped.
‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, Harlequin – Trade Publishing, Park Row; and the author, E.R. Ramzipoor; for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As much as I love reading historical fiction about little known episodes in history, especially WWII history, this book didn’t hit the mark for me. There were too many characters, and I was unclear who the narrator was most of the time. The story was interesting, but told in a very convoluted way. I felt like the author would gotten the point across better if the plot had been simplified.
This is the story of a group of people in Occupied Belgium who were forced by the Germans to print a copy of a propagandized version of the popular paper, Le Soir. They were instructed to publish propaganda about all the horrible things the Allies would to the population when upon their arrival in Belgium. The theory is that if the Belgians are scared enough, they will fight against the Allies when they arrive to liberate them. This group agrees to print the paper. Note though that their only other alternative was to be executed. Then they decide to ALSO print a parody edition of the paper, a ‘faux’ Le Soir, that will tell paint the Germans in their true light while poking fun at them.
The story of how the ragtag bunch produces both papers is told in a rambling, confusing way. I thought that the story was too long, and often times I didn’t know who was speaking. If the 11-year-old character ‘Gamin’ was speaking as it appeared most of the time, I didn’t understand how she was present for all the conversations. There was too much dialogue which dragged out the story. This book could have benefited from a sharpened and well-used editing pencil. It’s sad to me that the potential was there, but the book didn’t quite succeed as I’d hoped.
‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, Harlequin – Trade Publishing, Park Row; and the author, E.R. Ramzipoor; for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 19, 2020
A stunning true story of ordinary people, in Nazi occupied Belgium, fighting back with printed words. As a Communications major in college (many years ago) I found The Ventriloquists to be very intriguing; both the truth and fiction. E.R. Ramzipoor does a wonderful job of breaking down what is true and what is not in her author's note for those whom feel that is important to identify. Additionally the literary style of The Ventriloquists is gorgeous and leads to quotes like:
"The typewriters has gone to sleep for the evening, taking their needful melodies to bed with them. Aubrion hated the silence. Silence reminded him of everything that was frightening in the world: night and death and audiences that didn’t applaud."
Historical Reference
I'm very disappointed with myself (and my education) that I did not know the story of Le Soir or Faux Soir. Thus, I'm very thankful to Ramzipoor that she has brought this intriguing, but also important story to light. Many people today may not realize the resources it took pre-Internet to get a propaganda message out. Between paper, ink, press time, press labour and distribution it was no small feat to print and distribute a daily newspaper. Ramzipoor does a wonderful job of covering off every one of these key pieces prior to Le Soir hitting the streets for public consumption. And while she takes 544 pages to tell the story, I'm not sure I would want a single sentence cut as it all feels so critical to the ending and final piece that was printed and distributed in Belgium.
There are additional little tidbits of information in The Ventriloquists that could be novels all their own. My personal favourite true 'side' story I learned is this one:
"Germans later began shipping little fabric Stars of David to every town in Belgium; when the men and women of the post learned of Stars’ purpose, they took the Stars home and burned them."
Language
I love reading books set in France. Not only for the fact that France always feels like a truly romantic place (I've not been there yet); but also because they speak my favourite language, French. As a born and raised Western Canadian it's a little unusual that I am fluent in both English and French. 99% of French speaking Canadians (francophone) are in Quebec (east) and on the East Coast. Let me clarify that, English is my first language; French is the language I love but am only (at best) proficient in. For me there is something about books where they combine the French phrases that many know (without translation) and English that just makes my heart soar. The mix in The Ventriloquists felt perfect to me. It might be a little bit too much French, that goes untranslated, for some; but in that case I'd encourage readers to 'Google It' for a translation and appreciate the flow and style of the French language (but I'm biased).
Characters
Whether it's the characters that Ramzipoor researched and were real, or people she had to assume existed, each of our POVs and characters feel like real people. You might think that it's easier to narrate from the POV of a person that actually existed, than a fictional one. I have found that is not always the case for many writers. I could not have told you the difference between the characters based on historical record and those that Ramzipoor inserted or assumed into the story. They all feel equally fleshed out. I know many reviewers have criticized the plethora of characters in this story but the reality is that it would take a lot of people to pull off this feat.
I would remiss not to point out my three favourite characters: a boy of about 13 who is the primary POV, a lesbian whom seduces another (high powered) lady, and the star of the story our middle aged male and lead conspirator (real person) Aubrion. However even the side characters are so impeccably done that I can't leave them all out: a gay man who forges letters like no other (and is trapped into working for the Germans to stay alive), the German turncoat, or the man that donates his printing press (at great risk) to produce the final product are all beautifully done. Many of the lovely quotes in the story come from difference characters, including this gem I love:
"An ellipsis is a poor substitute for a period, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise..."
Ending
I've been known to hate a lot of endings. I often wonder if I've liked the ending to even 30% of the books I've read in my life. I dunno what it is but endings make or break stories for me. The Ventriloquist does not let down. From the true events that happen at the climax of the story, to the fictional outcomes for many of our characters; Ramzipoor does a wonderful job of wrapping up the pieces of the story for our many intriguing people in ways that feel balanced (given it's war time and they are all conspirators) and also surprisingly satisfying. A few may (of course) bring you to tears; but there really is no avoiding that when the Nazi's are involved.
"So it was beautiful and you burned it. All of Nazi history written in a single sentence."
Overall
If you have any interest in a small rebellious group, printing of newspapers, propaganda creation and distribution, WWII in Belgium, resilient people or just WWII in general this is a wonderful book to add to your repertoire. It will require some time to read because of it's dense language and length; but I believe the pay-off is well worth the effort. For me, The Ventriloquists easily deserves to be alongside The Tattooist of Auschwitz, and other recently told WWII literary feats, that bring to light some of the billions of stories of those who survived a time most of us can't even begin to relate to. Each one of these amazing stories of resilience and hope help me to remember that it can always get worse; and that if others survived in the past than I should certainly be able to survive today's world.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
"The typewriters has gone to sleep for the evening, taking their needful melodies to bed with them. Aubrion hated the silence. Silence reminded him of everything that was frightening in the world: night and death and audiences that didn’t applaud."
Historical Reference
I'm very disappointed with myself (and my education) that I did not know the story of Le Soir or Faux Soir. Thus, I'm very thankful to Ramzipoor that she has brought this intriguing, but also important story to light. Many people today may not realize the resources it took pre-Internet to get a propaganda message out. Between paper, ink, press time, press labour and distribution it was no small feat to print and distribute a daily newspaper. Ramzipoor does a wonderful job of covering off every one of these key pieces prior to Le Soir hitting the streets for public consumption. And while she takes 544 pages to tell the story, I'm not sure I would want a single sentence cut as it all feels so critical to the ending and final piece that was printed and distributed in Belgium.
There are additional little tidbits of information in The Ventriloquists that could be novels all their own. My personal favourite true 'side' story I learned is this one:
"Germans later began shipping little fabric Stars of David to every town in Belgium; when the men and women of the post learned of Stars’ purpose, they took the Stars home and burned them."
Language
I love reading books set in France. Not only for the fact that France always feels like a truly romantic place (I've not been there yet); but also because they speak my favourite language, French. As a born and raised Western Canadian it's a little unusual that I am fluent in both English and French. 99% of French speaking Canadians (francophone) are in Quebec (east) and on the East Coast. Let me clarify that, English is my first language; French is the language I love but am only (at best) proficient in. For me there is something about books where they combine the French phrases that many know (without translation) and English that just makes my heart soar. The mix in The Ventriloquists felt perfect to me. It might be a little bit too much French, that goes untranslated, for some; but in that case I'd encourage readers to 'Google It' for a translation and appreciate the flow and style of the French language (but I'm biased).
Characters
Whether it's the characters that Ramzipoor researched and were real, or people she had to assume existed, each of our POVs and characters feel like real people. You might think that it's easier to narrate from the POV of a person that actually existed, than a fictional one. I have found that is not always the case for many writers. I could not have told you the difference between the characters based on historical record and those that Ramzipoor inserted or assumed into the story. They all feel equally fleshed out. I know many reviewers have criticized the plethora of characters in this story but the reality is that it would take a lot of people to pull off this feat.
I would remiss not to point out my three favourite characters: a boy of about 13 who is the primary POV, a lesbian whom seduces another (high powered) lady, and the star of the story our middle aged male and lead conspirator (real person) Aubrion. However even the side characters are so impeccably done that I can't leave them all out: a gay man who forges letters like no other (and is trapped into working for the Germans to stay alive), the German turncoat, or the man that donates his printing press (at great risk) to produce the final product are all beautifully done. Many of the lovely quotes in the story come from difference characters, including this gem I love:
"An ellipsis is a poor substitute for a period, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise..."
Ending
I've been known to hate a lot of endings. I often wonder if I've liked the ending to even 30% of the books I've read in my life. I dunno what it is but endings make or break stories for me. The Ventriloquist does not let down. From the true events that happen at the climax of the story, to the fictional outcomes for many of our characters; Ramzipoor does a wonderful job of wrapping up the pieces of the story for our many intriguing people in ways that feel balanced (given it's war time and they are all conspirators) and also surprisingly satisfying. A few may (of course) bring you to tears; but there really is no avoiding that when the Nazi's are involved.
"So it was beautiful and you burned it. All of Nazi history written in a single sentence."
Overall
If you have any interest in a small rebellious group, printing of newspapers, propaganda creation and distribution, WWII in Belgium, resilient people or just WWII in general this is a wonderful book to add to your repertoire. It will require some time to read because of it's dense language and length; but I believe the pay-off is well worth the effort. For me, The Ventriloquists easily deserves to be alongside The Tattooist of Auschwitz, and other recently told WWII literary feats, that bring to light some of the billions of stories of those who survived a time most of us can't even begin to relate to. Each one of these amazing stories of resilience and hope help me to remember that it can always get worse; and that if others survived in the past than I should certainly be able to survive today's world.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
September 15, 2019
In 1943 Brussels, the Nazis have taken over. Helene is 12 years old. She's an orphan who survives by disguising herself as boy. She sells newspapers. Her life changes when she is drawn into a secret underground network that publishes dissident anti-nazi news. When a high-ranking Nazi officer discovers the group, he demands that they print pro-Nazi propaganda or face death. The group decides to pretend to comply, while actually publishing satire against the Nazi occupation.
While I enjoyed the characters, the history and the premise of people willing to risk their lives to fool the Nazis and resist occupation....this book was a difficult read for me. I just couldn't seem to connect with the story. I'm not sure what caused the disconnect though. The book is well written. The characters are complex. The plot is good. I just....didn't really like this book. I think it's just a case of not every story is for every reader. I enjoy WWII history, both non-fiction and historical fiction. I just didn't get sucked into this story. I read every word.....but it just wasn't a story for me.
I would definitely read more by this author. And I might pick this book up again in the future and see if I like it better after a second read.
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Harlequin via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
While I enjoyed the characters, the history and the premise of people willing to risk their lives to fool the Nazis and resist occupation....this book was a difficult read for me. I just couldn't seem to connect with the story. I'm not sure what caused the disconnect though. The book is well written. The characters are complex. The plot is good. I just....didn't really like this book. I think it's just a case of not every story is for every reader. I enjoy WWII history, both non-fiction and historical fiction. I just didn't get sucked into this story. I read every word.....but it just wasn't a story for me.
I would definitely read more by this author. And I might pick this book up again in the future and see if I like it better after a second read.
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Harlequin via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
January 5, 2019
About three-quarters of the way through this novel, set in World War II Belgium, one of the protagonists spends a fair amount of time moaning that "I probably won't see the Americans join the war." That would be fine... if the book didn't take place in 1943. I reread that section three times to be sure I hadn't misunderstood.
Even before then, though, the book was irritating me, primarily because of the clunky framing device and use of first-person narrative for most of the story. Gamin/Helene, the narrator in question, consistently tells us what other characters were thinking, even during their final moments. Why not opt for third person? Having this character continually tell us things she couldn't possibly know kept taking me out of the story. So did the philosophizing that kept slowing down the action. It's as if the author didn't trust that the story was compelling enough. And that's a shame, because the little-known, true-life Faux Soir escapade that this book details is fantastical in and of itself and does not require such distractions. It's also a shame because the author can definitely turn an evocative phrase.
Thank you, NetGalley and Park Row, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Even before then, though, the book was irritating me, primarily because of the clunky framing device and use of first-person narrative for most of the story. Gamin/Helene, the narrator in question, consistently tells us what other characters were thinking, even during their final moments. Why not opt for third person? Having this character continually tell us things she couldn't possibly know kept taking me out of the story. So did the philosophizing that kept slowing down the action. It's as if the author didn't trust that the story was compelling enough. And that's a shame, because the little-known, true-life Faux Soir escapade that this book details is fantastical in and of itself and does not require such distractions. It's also a shame because the author can definitely turn an evocative phrase.
Thank you, NetGalley and Park Row, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2019
I received a free publisher's advance review copy.
There are so many little-known stories about World War II that now, nearly 80 years after the war began, there are still tales to be told. Ramzipoor writes in her author’s note that she stumbled across the true story behind this novel as she was researching the role of underground publications in resistance movements.
A few copies of the “Faux Soir” of this story still exist, and some facts are known about the personalities involved. Ramzipoor took the facts and built this novel around them.
It’s amazing to think that a small group of Belgians decided to risk their lives to print one issue of a newspaper satirizing the Nazi occupiers, and to get it into the hands of thousands right under the noses of the Nazis by masquerading as the Nazi co-opted paper Le Soir. What a great feat and an amazing premise for a novel.
Unfortunately, Ramzipoor is a debut novelist and it shows. The book has short chapters that jump from one character to another, and there are many characters. This structure makes it hard to get into the story or feel connected to the characters. There is a lot of repetition. Ramzipoor drives the plot with dialog, and it’s not particularly well-written dialog.
I do think this could have been a good piece of historical fiction if Ramzipoor had been taken in hand by an experienced editor. It would have lost 150-200 pages, changed its structure to a more conventional one, lost its clumsy framing device of the present-day lookback, spent more time on the main characters, and just generally been polished to drive the narrative better.
There are so many little-known stories about World War II that now, nearly 80 years after the war began, there are still tales to be told. Ramzipoor writes in her author’s note that she stumbled across the true story behind this novel as she was researching the role of underground publications in resistance movements.
A few copies of the “Faux Soir” of this story still exist, and some facts are known about the personalities involved. Ramzipoor took the facts and built this novel around them.
It’s amazing to think that a small group of Belgians decided to risk their lives to print one issue of a newspaper satirizing the Nazi occupiers, and to get it into the hands of thousands right under the noses of the Nazis by masquerading as the Nazi co-opted paper Le Soir. What a great feat and an amazing premise for a novel.
Unfortunately, Ramzipoor is a debut novelist and it shows. The book has short chapters that jump from one character to another, and there are many characters. This structure makes it hard to get into the story or feel connected to the characters. There is a lot of repetition. Ramzipoor drives the plot with dialog, and it’s not particularly well-written dialog.
I do think this could have been a good piece of historical fiction if Ramzipoor had been taken in hand by an experienced editor. It would have lost 150-200 pages, changed its structure to a more conventional one, lost its clumsy framing device of the present-day lookback, spent more time on the main characters, and just generally been polished to drive the narrative better.
December 31, 2018
This book is the perfect combination of gravitas, humor, and pure, compelling plot. The true story is amazing, and yet the author doesn't just ride the plot like so many historical fiction books do. Each sentence is beautiful. Each character is perfectly lovable, perfectly hatable---or sometimes both. This tale of every day resistance and remembering how to laugh again in the face of oppression is both timeless and (sadly) so very timely. I cannot recommend it enough.
July 2, 2019
I just didn’t get this story and was slogging through 50 pages and decided to give it up. I really never heard of an underground newspaper during WW II and thought this would be an interesting read. It would have been helpful to have the characters developed early in the story. It felt as if the story just took off and left the reader way behind on some important missing details.
Thank you Netgalley and Park Row for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you Netgalley and Park Row for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 25, 2019
The premise of this book is fascinating. A black propaganda exercise of the Nazis turned to the benefit of the Allies. The book starts out interesting, and I waited (and waited) to get invested in the characters. Ultimately, the characters turned too cartoonish and the plot too fantastic (real or not, we missed the motivations) to finish.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 4, 2019
The Ventriloquists is the type of historical fiction that I usually like. Anything WWII always catches my attention. That being said, I didn't care for this story all that much. It's mostly because of the disjointed narrative and character confusion. I didn't know which character I was reading, and I just got lost. I think the premise is unique and intriguing but poorly executed. This story has a lot of potential but missed the mark unfortunately. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2019
Given the wide range of ratings on The Ventriloquists, it appears it's one of those books that you either love or really don't like it.
I was so excited when NetGalley authorized me to read and review this book. I love historical fiction, and when it's based on true events, even better!! Sadly, this book was not a good match for me. It just didn't work for me in so many ways:
- the beginning was very confusing to me. So many characters introduced in a short time span, not making them come alive (yet, or since it was a DNF for me, not sure they ever did).
- I kept having to reread the beginning to try to figure out who was who and what the heck was going on.
- the pace was very slow. I kept waiting for it to pick up, or for me to care about the characters.
When I was still struggling after 100 pages, I just closed it and put it aside.
If the publisher's blurb catches your attention, please don't let my review keep you away from the book. Your experience may be totally different than mine.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin/Park Row for allowing me to read and review this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions here are my own.
I was so excited when NetGalley authorized me to read and review this book. I love historical fiction, and when it's based on true events, even better!! Sadly, this book was not a good match for me. It just didn't work for me in so many ways:
- the beginning was very confusing to me. So many characters introduced in a short time span, not making them come alive (yet, or since it was a DNF for me, not sure they ever did).
- I kept having to reread the beginning to try to figure out who was who and what the heck was going on.
- the pace was very slow. I kept waiting for it to pick up, or for me to care about the characters.
When I was still struggling after 100 pages, I just closed it and put it aside.
If the publisher's blurb catches your attention, please don't let my review keep you away from the book. Your experience may be totally different than mine.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin/Park Row for allowing me to read and review this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions here are my own.
February 3, 2019
I was very excited that this was a historical fiction WWII story but I had a very hard time trying to get into it. There were numerous characters and the story line was confusing at times. At the half-way point, I started skimming hoping that it would capture my interest but it did not. I was very disappointed in this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 18, 2020
I do so enjoy stories set during World War II that are not about battles or even soldiers. (One could make the argument, of course, that the people in this tale are soldiers, albeit of a different sort.) The Ventriloquists is a based-on-a-true-story story that will appeal to those of us who believe the pen is mightier than the sword. It’s a story about stories, about writing, about propaganda and other dark arts. E.R. Ramzipoor’s dramatization of an actual event during the Nazi occupation of Belgium brings a potent mixture of inspiration and sorrow, of soaring highs and equally poignant lows. This is a book begging to become a movie. It’s also probably a hundred pages too long.
It’s 1943, and Brussels is Nazi territory for now. Most newspapers have either been shut down or become nothing more than puppet voices for Nazi propaganda. The new Nazi in town captures a select group of resistance fighters and coerces them into preparing the most dastardly, most effective, most convincing propaganda issue of a newspaper ever seen. But this group has a plan to get away with a bait-and-switch. They don’t expect to survive; they don’t even know if what they plan to pull off will have an effect—but they are going to try, damn it!
The Ventriloquists works because none of these characters are heroic, at least not in the melodramatic sense of that word. I’m not going to analyze each player in detail, but whether we’re discussing Marc or Lada or Spiegelman, these characters are people, not heroes. Messy, complicated, conflicted people. Ramzipoor conveys what I can only imagine is the accurate sense of desperation that people in these situations must have felt while occupied during wartime. A strange cognitive dissonance exists, wherein everything is “the new normal” (a phrase I’ve come to loathe during our current pandemic) yet also everything sucks.
I also like how Ramzipoor humanizes our main Nazi antagonist, Wolff, without making him a sympathetic character. This is a tough line to walk. I’m not interested in stories that make me feel sorry for Nazis. Nevertheless, I do think it’s important to explore what motivates an individual within such an incredibly hateful yet efficient organization. Ramzipoor calibrates Wolff’s interactions with Spiegelman and Aubrion in particular to help with this.
I am not as big a fan of the frame story and Helene/Gamin’s arc in general, not because I disliked her, but mainly because it draws out the story without seeming to add much to it. Why do we keep checking in with older!Helene for these little bits of foreshadowing that don’t add much? In general, the way Ramzipoor switches perspectives doesn’t work for me.
The story itself draws out about 14 days into over 500 pages, and there’s probably a case to be made here for some more revision and paring down. However, that’s a stylistic quibble. Ramzipoor creates atmosphere in her descriptions and her characters’ ruminations, and there are times when it works and times when I found myself less interested in returning to the book because I wasn't in the mood to wait another ten pages for something to happen (I exaggerate, I know).
The Ventriloquists is one of those novels where the author’s reverence for the history they’ve studied clearly shines through. I’m glad I read it, because it is engrossing and enthralling in many places. It just doesn’t always keep me on the edge of my seat or quite have a style of storytelling that appeals to me.
It’s 1943, and Brussels is Nazi territory for now. Most newspapers have either been shut down or become nothing more than puppet voices for Nazi propaganda. The new Nazi in town captures a select group of resistance fighters and coerces them into preparing the most dastardly, most effective, most convincing propaganda issue of a newspaper ever seen. But this group has a plan to get away with a bait-and-switch. They don’t expect to survive; they don’t even know if what they plan to pull off will have an effect—but they are going to try, damn it!
The Ventriloquists works because none of these characters are heroic, at least not in the melodramatic sense of that word. I’m not going to analyze each player in detail, but whether we’re discussing Marc or Lada or Spiegelman, these characters are people, not heroes. Messy, complicated, conflicted people. Ramzipoor conveys what I can only imagine is the accurate sense of desperation that people in these situations must have felt while occupied during wartime. A strange cognitive dissonance exists, wherein everything is “the new normal” (a phrase I’ve come to loathe during our current pandemic) yet also everything sucks.
I also like how Ramzipoor humanizes our main Nazi antagonist, Wolff, without making him a sympathetic character. This is a tough line to walk. I’m not interested in stories that make me feel sorry for Nazis. Nevertheless, I do think it’s important to explore what motivates an individual within such an incredibly hateful yet efficient organization. Ramzipoor calibrates Wolff’s interactions with Spiegelman and Aubrion in particular to help with this.
I am not as big a fan of the frame story and Helene/Gamin’s arc in general, not because I disliked her, but mainly because it draws out the story without seeming to add much to it. Why do we keep checking in with older!Helene for these little bits of foreshadowing that don’t add much? In general, the way Ramzipoor switches perspectives doesn’t work for me.
The story itself draws out about 14 days into over 500 pages, and there’s probably a case to be made here for some more revision and paring down. However, that’s a stylistic quibble. Ramzipoor creates atmosphere in her descriptions and her characters’ ruminations, and there are times when it works and times when I found myself less interested in returning to the book because I wasn't in the mood to wait another ten pages for something to happen (I exaggerate, I know).
The Ventriloquists is one of those novels where the author’s reverence for the history they’ve studied clearly shines through. I’m glad I read it, because it is engrossing and enthralling in many places. It just doesn’t always keep me on the edge of my seat or quite have a style of storytelling that appeals to me.
March 9, 2019
This World War II story was a disappointment. I hoped for a book with the magic of Hugo or at least a book with a uniform literary tone. This book felt erratic, with a few great moments, particularly in the dialogue between characters. The book was very challenging to finish, as the writing felt leaden. I wouldn't have finished it if I wasn't committed to writing this review.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Seema Rao Write : Instagram| Blog| Twitter|
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Seema Rao Write : Instagram| Blog| Twitter|
October 20, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were incredibly well developed, and I loved their wit and dry sense of humour. I wasn’t expecting humour like this in a WWII historical fiction novel, but the humour was blended perfectly with the backdrop of the horrific Nazi occupation of Belgium.
I also loved hearing more about the resistance newspapers. It’s a part of WWII that I’ve never thought much about. These journalists literally risked their lives to deliver the ’true news’ to their countrymen, the whole time trying to evade Nazi detection and capture. It also focused on the treatment of homosexuals during WWII, which was basically just as much a death sentence as being a Jew.
But two warnings - it’s long, and the plot is reasonably complex. I recommend reading this book when you have a good chunk of time to dive into this story. A fantastic blend of humour, historical fiction, and tragedy, I highly recommend The Ventriloquists for an informative and moving read.
I also loved hearing more about the resistance newspapers. It’s a part of WWII that I’ve never thought much about. These journalists literally risked their lives to deliver the ’true news’ to their countrymen, the whole time trying to evade Nazi detection and capture. It also focused on the treatment of homosexuals during WWII, which was basically just as much a death sentence as being a Jew.
But two warnings - it’s long, and the plot is reasonably complex. I recommend reading this book when you have a good chunk of time to dive into this story. A fantastic blend of humour, historical fiction, and tragedy, I highly recommend The Ventriloquists for an informative and moving read.
August 29, 2019
Novelists have turned attention in recent years to lesser known but interesting subjects from WW2 and this book is no exception. Inspired by the little known Faux Soir movement and little known resistance heroes, the author creates a book that is described as a combination of a heist tale and historical fiction, a kind of “Ocean’s Eleven” meets “All the Light We Cannot See.” Set in Brussels, 1943, a rag tag band of resistance fighters use their voice and risk their lives to publish a satiric newspaper mocking the Reich and combatting Nazi propaganda to rally the Allies. But when they are captured by the Nazi’s, their choice is to use their voice to paint the Allies as monsters or be killed. The author uses the real life story to illuminate the extraordinary acts of courage by ordinary people whom history forgot.
November 25, 2019
Based on a true story, The Ventriloquists is about a small team of Belgian resistance fighters who embark on a scheme to make fun of the Nazis. That’s their only goal, make fun of the Nazis, make occupied Belgium laugh at the Nazis. Every one of them goes into the caper with the understanding that they will not survive. Except, in the end, some of them do. The lesbians survive.
I should stipulate that this is not the only virtue of The Ventriloquists — far from it. Right before I started reading The Ventriloquists, I was having a conversation with my mum about how I don’t like historical fiction. “It’s so samey,” I said. “I’m tired of reading about Nazis,” she said. “Not all historical fiction is about Nazis,” I said. “OH ISN’T IT?” said my mum, which I had to admit was a compelling counterargument. Then I came home and started reading a book that wasn’t just historical fiction but historical fiction about (resisting) Nazis, and that was the fall (in love) before which pride goeth. Ramzipoor has a wonderful narrative voice, and I was captivated by the story nearly from the first page.
The Ventriloquists is the story of a team of resisters who are tapped (by Nazis) to make a fake version of a Resistance propaganda newspaper that secretly is designed to sap the energy and will of the Resistance. But the resisters, led by the vivid and energetic Marc Aubrion, decide to do a propaganda mission of their own. They will make a spoof version of the Belgian collaborator newspaper Le Soir, which pokes fun at the Nazis, at Hitler, and the whole German propaganda machine. They have nineteen days to do it. At the end of those nineteen days, their newspaper will come out and they will all, presumably, be sent to prison camps and/or killed. Some of the caper crew are figures from real life, like Aubrion. Others, like the queer brothel madam Lada Tarkovich, are Ramzipoor’s inventions.
One of Ramzipoor’s projects in this book is to write queer heroes back into a history that works so hard to erase and deny queerness. The Ventriloquists is very centrally a story about queer resistance, which is another reason I have emphasized the fact that THE LESBIANS SURVIVE. When it becomes apparent that a particular judge, a woman called Andree Grandjean, can help the endeavor, Aubrion urges Lada to go seduce that judge. He says that if she gets Grandjean on their side, then something good will have come from her being queer. But she tells him, sternly, that her queerness is already good; and the book backs her on it. The lie is the bad thing. When Lada decides to seduce Grandjean anyway, and something good comes of it, the good outcome is queer joy, and the bad cause it sprang from was Lada’s intent to deceive — the exact inverse, in other words, of what Aubrion perceived to be valuable / shameful.
(Lada Tarkovich, by the way, is fucking terrific. If I hadn’t loved the tone and writing of this book, which I did, I would have stayed anyway, for Lada Tarkovich. In many ways, Aubrion is the star of this book — vivid, visionary, odd, kind, imaginative — but Lada is the type of character I would die for. She hides her idealism imperfectly, under prickles and pragmatism.)
On the other side of things is a gay Jewish forger, David Spiegelman, who has been forced into service for the Nazis on pain of meeting the same fate as the rest of his family. He works for August Wolff, a Gestapo officer who is responsible for, among other things, overseeing book burnings. Though he has hitherto been a good servant to the Nazi occupiers, Spiegelman secretly casts his lot in with Aubrion and the others, finally discovering a way to use his talents for mimicry in the cause of good rather than evil. He’s serious, and afraid, and angry, and he is trying to find some way — in a world that tells him over and over again that he’s unimportant — to matter.
The Ventriloquists is the story of one of my favorite types of heroism, small compared to the scope of the evil it faces, but shot through with grandeur in its belief that humans can survive and keep fighting, no matter how dark the times. It’s a story about outcasts and queer nerds who act to the utmost of their courage, intelligence, and resource to beat back the darkness for their fellow Belgians. And the lesbians survive.
I should stipulate that this is not the only virtue of The Ventriloquists — far from it. Right before I started reading The Ventriloquists, I was having a conversation with my mum about how I don’t like historical fiction. “It’s so samey,” I said. “I’m tired of reading about Nazis,” she said. “Not all historical fiction is about Nazis,” I said. “OH ISN’T IT?” said my mum, which I had to admit was a compelling counterargument. Then I came home and started reading a book that wasn’t just historical fiction but historical fiction about (resisting) Nazis, and that was the fall (in love) before which pride goeth. Ramzipoor has a wonderful narrative voice, and I was captivated by the story nearly from the first page.
The Ventriloquists is the story of a team of resisters who are tapped (by Nazis) to make a fake version of a Resistance propaganda newspaper that secretly is designed to sap the energy and will of the Resistance. But the resisters, led by the vivid and energetic Marc Aubrion, decide to do a propaganda mission of their own. They will make a spoof version of the Belgian collaborator newspaper Le Soir, which pokes fun at the Nazis, at Hitler, and the whole German propaganda machine. They have nineteen days to do it. At the end of those nineteen days, their newspaper will come out and they will all, presumably, be sent to prison camps and/or killed. Some of the caper crew are figures from real life, like Aubrion. Others, like the queer brothel madam Lada Tarkovich, are Ramzipoor’s inventions.
One of Ramzipoor’s projects in this book is to write queer heroes back into a history that works so hard to erase and deny queerness. The Ventriloquists is very centrally a story about queer resistance, which is another reason I have emphasized the fact that THE LESBIANS SURVIVE. When it becomes apparent that a particular judge, a woman called Andree Grandjean, can help the endeavor, Aubrion urges Lada to go seduce that judge. He says that if she gets Grandjean on their side, then something good will have come from her being queer. But she tells him, sternly, that her queerness is already good; and the book backs her on it. The lie is the bad thing. When Lada decides to seduce Grandjean anyway, and something good comes of it, the good outcome is queer joy, and the bad cause it sprang from was Lada’s intent to deceive — the exact inverse, in other words, of what Aubrion perceived to be valuable / shameful.
(Lada Tarkovich, by the way, is fucking terrific. If I hadn’t loved the tone and writing of this book, which I did, I would have stayed anyway, for Lada Tarkovich. In many ways, Aubrion is the star of this book — vivid, visionary, odd, kind, imaginative — but Lada is the type of character I would die for. She hides her idealism imperfectly, under prickles and pragmatism.)
On the other side of things is a gay Jewish forger, David Spiegelman, who has been forced into service for the Nazis on pain of meeting the same fate as the rest of his family. He works for August Wolff, a Gestapo officer who is responsible for, among other things, overseeing book burnings. Though he has hitherto been a good servant to the Nazi occupiers, Spiegelman secretly casts his lot in with Aubrion and the others, finally discovering a way to use his talents for mimicry in the cause of good rather than evil. He’s serious, and afraid, and angry, and he is trying to find some way — in a world that tells him over and over again that he’s unimportant — to matter.
The Ventriloquists is the story of one of my favorite types of heroism, small compared to the scope of the evil it faces, but shot through with grandeur in its belief that humans can survive and keep fighting, no matter how dark the times. It’s a story about outcasts and queer nerds who act to the utmost of their courage, intelligence, and resource to beat back the darkness for their fellow Belgians. And the lesbians survive.
August 17, 2023
WW2. One of my favorite subject matters. However, this book was awful. Did not like the characters. The true part of the story itself is interesting. Unfortunately, the things that weren’t really history, were very hard to except that they could’ve taken place during this period. I understand that the Nazis used people even if they were undesirables to them. The amount of respect and concessions that these people were given is a little hard to believe . The book refers that these characters are echoes of the people that were really behind the story. I I have no idea what that actually means. I would definitely not recommend this book.
August 27, 2019
I received an advanced readers edition in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Park Row Books for the chance to read and review!
THE VENTRILOQUISTS by E.R. Ramzipoor is a debut novel of historical fiction based in true events. The story is set in Brussels in 1943 during World War II. The Nazis are taking over the most popular newspaper to put out their own propaganda, but the Front de l'Indépendance is committed to publishing underground newspapers free from Nazi control.
Journalist Marc Aubrion and several of his compatriots are confronted by Nazi official August Wolff and pressed into service to put out a paper which will depict the Allies as the bad guys. Given little choice but to comply, Aubrion comes up with a plan to outwardly do the Nazi's bidding while actually producing a fake edition of the paper that makes Hitler and Stalin the butt of the joke. With just 20 days to figure out how to write, publish and distribute their special edition, there is much to be done and constant danger hanging over their heads.
The story's narrator is Helene who was a twelve year old girl in 1943, passing herself off as a newsboy selling papers when Marc Aubrion recruited her to join the resistance. The novel is told from the modern day as Helene tells her story to a young woman Eliza who has sought her out for just this purpose. Helene tells her own story in the first person and narrates the other characters' parts in the third person, with a little of her own commentary on the goings on mixed in. There are short passages interspersed with conversation about the story between Helene and Eliza.
The conversation and the narrative feel very natural, though I might have wanted to see a little bit more about how Helene came to some of the knowledge she had for portions of the -story where she wasn't a first person observer. Some of this is explained in the narrative, but I feel like there could have been a bit more.
The author uses beautiful, descriptive language and I really enjoyed the writing in this book. The characters were definitely the focus of the story. The characters are very varied and it was interesting to see characters who we might generally only see in hiding or in a concentration camp in World War II fiction in a different setting. I haven't seen a lot of queer representation in historical fiction during this time period, so that was a positive.
There is a lot of World War II historical fiction out there, but I do enjoy finding some that gives a new twist to the story and this was a novel that did just that. As someone with a great appreciation of writing and publishing, getting a story of people trying to get the written word out against all odds was a great new perspective. The characters are under a tremendous time crunch, evidenced by not only the characters' conversations, but the chapter headings which give a countdown to publication day to emphasize the looming deadline.
Overall, I really enjoyed THE VENTRILOQUISTS. For a 500+ page novel, it really was a fast, immersive read and I read through it in a single day. It took me a bit to engage with the story as there are quite a number of characters introduced in a pretty quick sequence in the beginning, but by the time I was about 50 pages in I was hooked and eager to see what would happen next.
If you enjoy historical fiction with a unique look at a well known time period, I would recommend you pick up a copy of THE VENTRILOQUISTS which is out today, August 27, 2019! This was a great debut novel from E.R. Ramzipoor and I will be keeping an eye out for what she comes out with in the future!
THE VENTRILOQUISTS by E.R. Ramzipoor is a debut novel of historical fiction based in true events. The story is set in Brussels in 1943 during World War II. The Nazis are taking over the most popular newspaper to put out their own propaganda, but the Front de l'Indépendance is committed to publishing underground newspapers free from Nazi control.
Journalist Marc Aubrion and several of his compatriots are confronted by Nazi official August Wolff and pressed into service to put out a paper which will depict the Allies as the bad guys. Given little choice but to comply, Aubrion comes up with a plan to outwardly do the Nazi's bidding while actually producing a fake edition of the paper that makes Hitler and Stalin the butt of the joke. With just 20 days to figure out how to write, publish and distribute their special edition, there is much to be done and constant danger hanging over their heads.
The story's narrator is Helene who was a twelve year old girl in 1943, passing herself off as a newsboy selling papers when Marc Aubrion recruited her to join the resistance. The novel is told from the modern day as Helene tells her story to a young woman Eliza who has sought her out for just this purpose. Helene tells her own story in the first person and narrates the other characters' parts in the third person, with a little of her own commentary on the goings on mixed in. There are short passages interspersed with conversation about the story between Helene and Eliza.
The conversation and the narrative feel very natural, though I might have wanted to see a little bit more about how Helene came to some of the knowledge she had for portions of the -story where she wasn't a first person observer. Some of this is explained in the narrative, but I feel like there could have been a bit more.
The author uses beautiful, descriptive language and I really enjoyed the writing in this book. The characters were definitely the focus of the story. The characters are very varied and it was interesting to see characters who we might generally only see in hiding or in a concentration camp in World War II fiction in a different setting. I haven't seen a lot of queer representation in historical fiction during this time period, so that was a positive.
There is a lot of World War II historical fiction out there, but I do enjoy finding some that gives a new twist to the story and this was a novel that did just that. As someone with a great appreciation of writing and publishing, getting a story of people trying to get the written word out against all odds was a great new perspective. The characters are under a tremendous time crunch, evidenced by not only the characters' conversations, but the chapter headings which give a countdown to publication day to emphasize the looming deadline.
Overall, I really enjoyed THE VENTRILOQUISTS. For a 500+ page novel, it really was a fast, immersive read and I read through it in a single day. It took me a bit to engage with the story as there are quite a number of characters introduced in a pretty quick sequence in the beginning, but by the time I was about 50 pages in I was hooked and eager to see what would happen next.
If you enjoy historical fiction with a unique look at a well known time period, I would recommend you pick up a copy of THE VENTRILOQUISTS which is out today, August 27, 2019! This was a great debut novel from E.R. Ramzipoor and I will be keeping an eye out for what she comes out with in the future!
December 29, 2019
Sometimes I receive free copies of a book from the publisher in two formats. I got a digital ARC from Net Galley and a paperback ARC directly from the publisher by mail. I wanted to review this book sooner, but I had so many earlier review commitments and suddenly it's almost the end of December. The Ventriloquists was released at the end of August. I would like to thank the publisher for their generosity.
Although the protagonist is the real historical journalist, Marc Aubrion, my favorite character in The Ventriloquists is the fictional Lada Tarcovich who was a whorehouse madam and a smuggler, but also a great deal more than that. She was a lesbian, a bold activist who knew how to get things done for the Resistance and the character who uttered my favorite remark: "When a shiny black boot comes to town, it always steps on words and women first."
Snark is a wonderful ornament in the context of an unfolding drama. Snarky heroes seem more courageous to me than the grim tight lipped ones. They are also far more entertaining. The suave poetic banter of playwright Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac during his fight scenes is what makes him stand out. I feel that the witty moments of Marc Aubrion and Lada Tarcovich are gifts to the reader.
I've seen criticisms that the book is too long or that the narrative was too scattered. One Goodreads reader was confused about who was narrating at some points. I didn't have these problems. I thought the length was necessary for character development, and that the identity of the narrator was clear to me from context. I am also accustomed to novels that alternate narratives taking place in different periods which have become quite common in historical fiction.
I found The Ventroloquists original because the role of journalists in the WWII Resistance was previously unknown to me. I was glad to learn about the satiric Le Faux Soir, and appreciated how much courage it took to take the necessary risks. I'm glad this book was written and I think that more readers should be aware of this aspect of WWII.
For my complete review see https://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/2...
Although the protagonist is the real historical journalist, Marc Aubrion, my favorite character in The Ventriloquists is the fictional Lada Tarcovich who was a whorehouse madam and a smuggler, but also a great deal more than that. She was a lesbian, a bold activist who knew how to get things done for the Resistance and the character who uttered my favorite remark: "When a shiny black boot comes to town, it always steps on words and women first."
Snark is a wonderful ornament in the context of an unfolding drama. Snarky heroes seem more courageous to me than the grim tight lipped ones. They are also far more entertaining. The suave poetic banter of playwright Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac during his fight scenes is what makes him stand out. I feel that the witty moments of Marc Aubrion and Lada Tarcovich are gifts to the reader.
I've seen criticisms that the book is too long or that the narrative was too scattered. One Goodreads reader was confused about who was narrating at some points. I didn't have these problems. I thought the length was necessary for character development, and that the identity of the narrator was clear to me from context. I am also accustomed to novels that alternate narratives taking place in different periods which have become quite common in historical fiction.
I found The Ventroloquists original because the role of journalists in the WWII Resistance was previously unknown to me. I was glad to learn about the satiric Le Faux Soir, and appreciated how much courage it took to take the necessary risks. I'm glad this book was written and I think that more readers should be aware of this aspect of WWII.
For my complete review see https://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/2...
August 28, 2019
I’ll be honest, I don’t typically go for WWI or WWII historical fiction since it’s not a point in history that I particular gravitate towards. I’m typically either Tudor/Victorian or ancient history. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
Set in the backdrop of Brussels in 1943, Marc Aubrion, renowned journalist of Le Soir, is captured by Nazi August Wolff and given the “choice” to publish Le Soir with the Nazi agenda. While convincing Wolff that he will, Aubrion and a ragtag team of resistance fighters and journalists decide they are going to use this opportunity to print a fake edition that makes fun of Hitler and Stalin.
There were several points that this book reminded me of Inglorious Basterds because of the absurd situations the team puts themselves in to pull off this plot. The characters are all incredibly entertaining and watching them come together in order to pull off this risky operation was pretty incredible.
My one critique with this story is that at one point, the characters claim the war will end once the Americans decide to join the war. The book takes place in 1943…Pearl Harbor took place in 1941 🤷🏽♀️
Thank you to Park Row Books for providing an ARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Set in the backdrop of Brussels in 1943, Marc Aubrion, renowned journalist of Le Soir, is captured by Nazi August Wolff and given the “choice” to publish Le Soir with the Nazi agenda. While convincing Wolff that he will, Aubrion and a ragtag team of resistance fighters and journalists decide they are going to use this opportunity to print a fake edition that makes fun of Hitler and Stalin.
There were several points that this book reminded me of Inglorious Basterds because of the absurd situations the team puts themselves in to pull off this plot. The characters are all incredibly entertaining and watching them come together in order to pull off this risky operation was pretty incredible.
My one critique with this story is that at one point, the characters claim the war will end once the Americans decide to join the war. The book takes place in 1943…Pearl Harbor took place in 1941 🤷🏽♀️
Thank you to Park Row Books for providing an ARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
November 7, 2021
Summary: This was incredible! Great characters, a little poignant, but felt like a fun heist story and surprisingly rooted in fact.
Well, this book was such a pleasant surprise! The story is about a bunch of clever revolutionaries, captured by the Nazis and kept alive to write their propaganda. Instead, they decide to write a fake edition of the Nazi newspaper, making jokes at the Nazis expense to give people hope. They do this knowing that it will almost certainly lead to their death. To me, that seemed like a pretty depressing premise! Instead, it ended up feeling poignant, but hopeful. I really loved it and I'm excited to tell you why.
First, the characters were wonderful. We got a good amount of backstory for each. They all had exciting roles to play in making the fake newspaper and interesting personal arcs as well. The banter between the characters helped keep the story feeling light. The characters' optimism, appreciation of the written word, and dedication to their cause were also inspiring. Knowing their caper came with constant risk and a certain end date did make everything feel poignant, but not tragic. The countdown to publication date also helped give the story a sense of urgency.
Second, between the banter and the group work to make the impossible happen, this felt like a heist movie. It was delightful. I loved seeing how the characters worked together to try to pull this off. What made this even more incredible was the author note at the end explaining how much of this story was true. You'll have to read yourself to find out exactly how much was true, but it was so much more than I expected. As fiction, this story was incredible. The part that was true is just awe-inspiring.
Last but not least, I liked the technical decisions the author made. I liked that the author just dropped us into this world. I liked the initial rapid jumps between character perspectives and the jumps between both characters and present/flashbacks later on. I like a story that trusts that reader to figure things out and maybe makes you work at a little too. The poetic, clever writing and vivid, sensory descriptions were also deeply enjoyable. I know some of these elements won't work for everyone (see mixed goodreads reviews), but I loved everything about this book and it will definitely be making my favorites list at the end of the year.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey
Well, this book was such a pleasant surprise! The story is about a bunch of clever revolutionaries, captured by the Nazis and kept alive to write their propaganda. Instead, they decide to write a fake edition of the Nazi newspaper, making jokes at the Nazis expense to give people hope. They do this knowing that it will almost certainly lead to their death. To me, that seemed like a pretty depressing premise! Instead, it ended up feeling poignant, but hopeful. I really loved it and I'm excited to tell you why.
First, the characters were wonderful. We got a good amount of backstory for each. They all had exciting roles to play in making the fake newspaper and interesting personal arcs as well. The banter between the characters helped keep the story feeling light. The characters' optimism, appreciation of the written word, and dedication to their cause were also inspiring. Knowing their caper came with constant risk and a certain end date did make everything feel poignant, but not tragic. The countdown to publication date also helped give the story a sense of urgency.
Second, between the banter and the group work to make the impossible happen, this felt like a heist movie. It was delightful. I loved seeing how the characters worked together to try to pull this off. What made this even more incredible was the author note at the end explaining how much of this story was true. You'll have to read yourself to find out exactly how much was true, but it was so much more than I expected. As fiction, this story was incredible. The part that was true is just awe-inspiring.
Last but not least, I liked the technical decisions the author made. I liked that the author just dropped us into this world. I liked the initial rapid jumps between character perspectives and the jumps between both characters and present/flashbacks later on. I like a story that trusts that reader to figure things out and maybe makes you work at a little too. The poetic, clever writing and vivid, sensory descriptions were also deeply enjoyable. I know some of these elements won't work for everyone (see mixed goodreads reviews), but I loved everything about this book and it will definitely be making my favorites list at the end of the year.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey
July 30, 2020
One of those astonishing acts of courage (and humor) almost forgotten is brought to life in this novel about WWII Belgium. The Nazis had already taken over Le Soir, Brussel's most popular newspaper, turning it into a propaganda rag, but members of the Belgian Resistance decided to put out an alternative version of the paper on November 9, 1943, giving a nod to the 25th anniversary of the German defeat in World War 1. The idea of an anti-Nazi issue morphed into creating a satirical paper filled with typical Brussels humor--the Faux Soir.
To make this happen, an unlikely gang of Resistance members gather to create this bright moment in the lives of worn-out citizens. There are challenges with sourcing enough paper, ink, and setting up distribution. All of this the group takes on with audacity and, yes, humor, even though none of them expect to survive.
E.R. Ramzipoor gathers historical figures and creates new characters to step in for people whose names are not known. All are bright, well drawn figures who will win your loyalty. One especially, the man who is a "ventriloquist": someone who is able to recreate the writing style of absolutely anyone or thing. In this case, it's Nazi propaganda.
Not to spoil the outcome, but it is completely satisfying, even if the result of that outcome is heartbreaking. Ramzipoor has an engaging writing style and captures the character of exhausted Brussels after years of Nazi rule. There are almost too many details, but the bravado and poignancy of people literally risking their lives to make their sad nation laugh makes a wonderful read.
~~Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader
To make this happen, an unlikely gang of Resistance members gather to create this bright moment in the lives of worn-out citizens. There are challenges with sourcing enough paper, ink, and setting up distribution. All of this the group takes on with audacity and, yes, humor, even though none of them expect to survive.
E.R. Ramzipoor gathers historical figures and creates new characters to step in for people whose names are not known. All are bright, well drawn figures who will win your loyalty. One especially, the man who is a "ventriloquist": someone who is able to recreate the writing style of absolutely anyone or thing. In this case, it's Nazi propaganda.
Not to spoil the outcome, but it is completely satisfying, even if the result of that outcome is heartbreaking. Ramzipoor has an engaging writing style and captures the character of exhausted Brussels after years of Nazi rule. There are almost too many details, but the bravado and poignancy of people literally risking their lives to make their sad nation laugh makes a wonderful read.
~~Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader
January 26, 2019
A powerful novel based on an fascinating true story set in WWII-era Belgium. The characters are richly developed and memorable. Among the many elements of this book that I enjoyed is that this book presents a different way to engage in everyday resistance to power. While bravery and hope are of course important, the Ventriloquists also demonstrates how humor can be a mighty force, against even the most powerful of enemies.
May 14, 2020
Met dank aan Uitgeverij De Fontein voor dit recensie-exemplaar.
Brussel, 1943: De nazi’s bezetten België en de kranten worden door hen gecensureerd. De twaalfjarige Hélène doet zich voor als een jongen om op deze manier te overleven op straat en verkoopt dagelijks kranten in een kiosk. Op een dag koopt Marc Aubrion een krant van haar en ze raken bevriend. Marc is lid van het Front L’indépendance (een Brusselse verzetsbeweging) en journalist van een verzetskrant. Maar dan wordt Marc samen met enkele andere leden van het Front opgepakt door August Wolff van de SS. Ze krijgen van August de keuze, ofwel helpen ze hem mee om nazipropaganda te schrijven ofwel worden ze opgepakt en veroordeeld in Fort Breendonck. Wat dan ook betekent dat ze het niet zouden overleven.
Aanvankelijk gaan ze hiermee akkoord, maar dan heeft Marc een briljant idee om onder het toeziend oog van de nazi’s een krant te drukken die de draak steekt met Hitler, het Duitse regime en de SS. Le Faux Soir, zoals ze hun krant zullen noemen, zal de Belgen een hart onder de riem steken en hen weer moed geven. Marc en zijn team zien het als een grap (een “zwanze” zoals ze dat in het Brusselse dialect zeggen), maar wel eentje dat hen het leven zal kosten en dat beseffen ze ook. Ze hebben maar 18 dagen de tijd om de krant te drukken en te verspreiden. Het wordt een race tegen de tijd om geld in te zamelen voor hun stunt, artikelen te schrijven, de krant te drukken en ze te verspreiden.
Vrije woorden is het debuut van Evan Roxanna Ramzipoor en wat voor een! De auteur studeerde Politieke Wetenschappen en tijdens haar onderzoek naar ondergrondse literatuur voor haar thesis vond ze een exemplaar van Le Faux Soir. Het verhaal fascineerde haar en ze besloot er een roman over te schrijven. Ik heb het meestal niet op met Amerikaanse auteurs, maar was wel benieuwd naar wat zij van een Europese gebeurtenis (en dan nog wel een Belgische) zou maken.
Al vanaf de eerste pagina is het duidelijk dat de auteur een aparte schrijfstijl heeft. Het is rijk, omschrijvend en doordrenkt met suggestieve effecten. Niet alleen schrijft ze over die Brusselse “zwanzen”, ze maakt er zelf ook gebruik van in haar boek, waardoor het geheel een deugddoende humoristisch toets krijgt.
Evan brengt met Vrije woorden historische fictie die gebaseerd is op waargebeurde feiten. Eén verteller zal vanuit het perspectief van zeven andere, bijzondere personages, het verhaal brengen. Dit zorgt voor veel verschillende perspectieven en in het begin is dit toch wel even wennen. Je weet immers nog niet wie wie is. Maar als het verhaal wat vordert en je hen leert kennen, word je meer en meer in het boek gezogen en kan je het ook niet meer opzij leggen. Deze personages zijn allen excentriek en doordat zij zelf aan het woord zijn, leren we hen zeer goed kennen. Op deze manier is er veel diepgang in het verhaal, maar de Faux Soir blijft het hoofdthema en blijft ook door het ganse verhaal heen centraal staan.
De tijdsgeest wordt goed in beeld gebracht en er wordt aandacht besteed aan heel wat details zonder dat het te veel wordt en begint te vervelen. Bovendien worden er verschillende sociale thema’s uit de oorlogsjaren aangekaart zoals biseksualiteit, armoede, wezen. De auteur heeft grondige research gedaan naar Brussel en Le Faux Soir. Opmerkelijk hierbij is dat zij extra aandacht heeft besteed aan het specifieke taalgebruik in het Brusselse dialect. Bepaalde termen die uit het dialect komen, gaat ze niet vertalen door Engelse woorden, ze zal deze letterlijk gebruiken met een korte verklaring erbij zodat iedereen het kan begrijpen. Meestal wordt dit niet gedaan en ik erger mij er vaak aan, omdat bepaalde termen en uitdrukkingen nu eenmaal onvertaalbaar zijn. Ik vind het dan ook zeker positief dat de auteur Brusselse termen en uitdrukkingen onvertaald heeft laten staan. In een nawoord verduidelijkt de auteur welke personages gegroeid zijn uit haar fantasie en wie er effectief heeft meegewerkt aan Le faux Soir. Ook op haar eigen website gaat zij dieper in op het echte verhaal en staat er een foto van de echte Faux Soir. Wie Vrije woorden leest, raad ik dan ook zeker aan een bezoekje te brengen aan deze site (http://www.erramzipoor.com/about/ ).
De originele titel van Vrije woorden is The Ventriloquists. In het boek wordt er dieper ingegaan op wat een ventriloquist betekent en wordt het ook niet vertaald naar een Nederlandstalige uitdrukking. Gezien de auteur in Vrije woorden bepaalde uitdrukkingen uit het Brusselse dialect ook niet vertaald, vind ik het zonde dat voor de Nederlandstalige versie van het boek de originele titel in het Nederlands een andere betekenis heeft dan de originele titel. Dit past niet bij de sfeer die Evan in het boek heeft gecreëerd. Bovendien is de link tussen de inhoud en de titel groter in de originele versie met The Ventriloquists dan met de Nederlandse titel Vrije woorden.
Vrije woorden is een bijzonder boek over een stukje geschiedenis die we niet mogen vergeten. De auteur heeft het verhaal op een mooie manier gebracht en verdient alle lof. In het begin is het wat moeilijk te volgen gezien het wat wennen is aan de bijzonder stijl van de auteur, maar het is een schitterend debuut en dat belooft veel goeds voor haar volgende boeken waar ik al benieuwd naar ben. Vier sterren voor Vrije woorden.****
http://perfecteburenleesclub.blogspot...
Brussel, 1943: De nazi’s bezetten België en de kranten worden door hen gecensureerd. De twaalfjarige Hélène doet zich voor als een jongen om op deze manier te overleven op straat en verkoopt dagelijks kranten in een kiosk. Op een dag koopt Marc Aubrion een krant van haar en ze raken bevriend. Marc is lid van het Front L’indépendance (een Brusselse verzetsbeweging) en journalist van een verzetskrant. Maar dan wordt Marc samen met enkele andere leden van het Front opgepakt door August Wolff van de SS. Ze krijgen van August de keuze, ofwel helpen ze hem mee om nazipropaganda te schrijven ofwel worden ze opgepakt en veroordeeld in Fort Breendonck. Wat dan ook betekent dat ze het niet zouden overleven.
Aanvankelijk gaan ze hiermee akkoord, maar dan heeft Marc een briljant idee om onder het toeziend oog van de nazi’s een krant te drukken die de draak steekt met Hitler, het Duitse regime en de SS. Le Faux Soir, zoals ze hun krant zullen noemen, zal de Belgen een hart onder de riem steken en hen weer moed geven. Marc en zijn team zien het als een grap (een “zwanze” zoals ze dat in het Brusselse dialect zeggen), maar wel eentje dat hen het leven zal kosten en dat beseffen ze ook. Ze hebben maar 18 dagen de tijd om de krant te drukken en te verspreiden. Het wordt een race tegen de tijd om geld in te zamelen voor hun stunt, artikelen te schrijven, de krant te drukken en ze te verspreiden.
Vrije woorden is het debuut van Evan Roxanna Ramzipoor en wat voor een! De auteur studeerde Politieke Wetenschappen en tijdens haar onderzoek naar ondergrondse literatuur voor haar thesis vond ze een exemplaar van Le Faux Soir. Het verhaal fascineerde haar en ze besloot er een roman over te schrijven. Ik heb het meestal niet op met Amerikaanse auteurs, maar was wel benieuwd naar wat zij van een Europese gebeurtenis (en dan nog wel een Belgische) zou maken.
Al vanaf de eerste pagina is het duidelijk dat de auteur een aparte schrijfstijl heeft. Het is rijk, omschrijvend en doordrenkt met suggestieve effecten. Niet alleen schrijft ze over die Brusselse “zwanzen”, ze maakt er zelf ook gebruik van in haar boek, waardoor het geheel een deugddoende humoristisch toets krijgt.
Evan brengt met Vrije woorden historische fictie die gebaseerd is op waargebeurde feiten. Eén verteller zal vanuit het perspectief van zeven andere, bijzondere personages, het verhaal brengen. Dit zorgt voor veel verschillende perspectieven en in het begin is dit toch wel even wennen. Je weet immers nog niet wie wie is. Maar als het verhaal wat vordert en je hen leert kennen, word je meer en meer in het boek gezogen en kan je het ook niet meer opzij leggen. Deze personages zijn allen excentriek en doordat zij zelf aan het woord zijn, leren we hen zeer goed kennen. Op deze manier is er veel diepgang in het verhaal, maar de Faux Soir blijft het hoofdthema en blijft ook door het ganse verhaal heen centraal staan.
De tijdsgeest wordt goed in beeld gebracht en er wordt aandacht besteed aan heel wat details zonder dat het te veel wordt en begint te vervelen. Bovendien worden er verschillende sociale thema’s uit de oorlogsjaren aangekaart zoals biseksualiteit, armoede, wezen. De auteur heeft grondige research gedaan naar Brussel en Le Faux Soir. Opmerkelijk hierbij is dat zij extra aandacht heeft besteed aan het specifieke taalgebruik in het Brusselse dialect. Bepaalde termen die uit het dialect komen, gaat ze niet vertalen door Engelse woorden, ze zal deze letterlijk gebruiken met een korte verklaring erbij zodat iedereen het kan begrijpen. Meestal wordt dit niet gedaan en ik erger mij er vaak aan, omdat bepaalde termen en uitdrukkingen nu eenmaal onvertaalbaar zijn. Ik vind het dan ook zeker positief dat de auteur Brusselse termen en uitdrukkingen onvertaald heeft laten staan. In een nawoord verduidelijkt de auteur welke personages gegroeid zijn uit haar fantasie en wie er effectief heeft meegewerkt aan Le faux Soir. Ook op haar eigen website gaat zij dieper in op het echte verhaal en staat er een foto van de echte Faux Soir. Wie Vrije woorden leest, raad ik dan ook zeker aan een bezoekje te brengen aan deze site (http://www.erramzipoor.com/about/ ).
De originele titel van Vrije woorden is The Ventriloquists. In het boek wordt er dieper ingegaan op wat een ventriloquist betekent en wordt het ook niet vertaald naar een Nederlandstalige uitdrukking. Gezien de auteur in Vrije woorden bepaalde uitdrukkingen uit het Brusselse dialect ook niet vertaald, vind ik het zonde dat voor de Nederlandstalige versie van het boek de originele titel in het Nederlands een andere betekenis heeft dan de originele titel. Dit past niet bij de sfeer die Evan in het boek heeft gecreëerd. Bovendien is de link tussen de inhoud en de titel groter in de originele versie met The Ventriloquists dan met de Nederlandse titel Vrije woorden.
Vrije woorden is een bijzonder boek over een stukje geschiedenis die we niet mogen vergeten. De auteur heeft het verhaal op een mooie manier gebracht en verdient alle lof. In het begin is het wat moeilijk te volgen gezien het wat wennen is aan de bijzonder stijl van de auteur, maar het is een schitterend debuut en dat belooft veel goeds voor haar volgende boeken waar ik al benieuwd naar ben. Vier sterren voor Vrije woorden.****
http://perfecteburenleesclub.blogspot...
July 12, 2019
“Ventriloquists” was a different type of historical fiction, which had an interesting Tarantino-esque quality to the narration. It tells a seemingly dramatic story, most of which is based on true events, but transforms it into something entirely different with timely placed sardonic remarks and sometimes comical situations. One would not expect comical from anything WW2-related but gallows humor does work in this case and brightens up what otherwise would have been a devastating story.
The characters and their character arcs were remarkably different and real (which is not surprising since most of them are also based on real people) and I really enjoyed virtually "getting to know" them and watch them transform from ordinary people into true heroes as the plot moved forward. Apart from Marc Aubrion, I particularly enjoyed reading about David Spiegelman and the transformation he ultimately undergoes despite coming off as perhaps the weakest and the most indecisive character of them all. The Spiegelman that he becomes in the final chapters and his brave actions demonstrate a truly remarkable character development, which is not easy to write and which I greatly appreciated.
Gruppenführer Wolff was also a very interesting type and I was grateful to the author for not writing him as a typical Nazi antagonist. He definitely undergoes quite a powerful moral transformation as well but, unlike Spiegelman, he doesn’t have enough strength to liberate himself, or perhaps he does in the only way he’s familiar with - no spoilers here but you’ll see what I’m talking about after you read the story.
The story is definitely meticulously researched but my only criticism is Martin Victor’s scenes. “In February of 1940, Victor left for Katowice, and then for Auschwitz” after receiving the reports from the Comité de Défense des Juifs (it was actually founded in September of 1942 after the deportation of the French Jews and didn’t exist in 1940) concerning the atrocious treatment of Jews. I admit I did a double take when I read the very first chapter in which his investigative trip to Auschwitz is mentioned because… Auschwitz, the concentration camp, didn’t even exist in February of 1940 and there certainly couldn’t have been any reports of any atrocities perpetrated against the Jews, and definitely, there couldn’t have been any mention of the gas chambers that early on (“They are being killed, sent to the gas chambers. The bodies are being burned, not too far from here,” one of the locals says. The first people killed by this method were Soviet POWs killed in September of 1941. The systematic murder of the Jews only began in 1942). Rudolf Höss, the future commandant of Auschwitz only arrived in Auschwitz in May of 1940 with the first 30 prisoners, all of which were Germans; the first train with inmates only arrived in June of 1940 and those were all of the Polish descent. The purpose of the camp was to hold political prisoners from Poland and later, Soviet POWs, and only in autumn of 1941 did Himmler tell Höss that he had chosen his camp as one of the sites where the final solution would be implemented. The first transport with Jewish prisoners arrived in Auschwitz in February 1942. The question how could Martin Victor see any atrocities in early 1940 and suffer from PTSD due to it made me scratch my head each time I read his scenes. Being the nerd that I am, I did research the man who gave the name to the character of Martin Victor and found that he did make an investigative trip to the Auschwitz area but that happened only in 1943 - which definitely makes much more sense. I don’t see why there would be any need to change the timeline as it would have worked perfectly well even with Victor traveling to Auschwitz in early 1943 and later dealing with his trauma as the main events occurred in October-November of the same year rather than have him have flashbacks to the non-existent events of 1940? Whenever I read those 1940 chapters, it jerked me out of the narration and came off as false and improbable and that’s something that historical fiction shouldn’t do. I personally think the story would benefit much more from leaving everything true to the fact without any changes to the timeline.
Overall, it was definitely different, well-written and - the best part - mostly based on true events. If you love historical fiction with some gallows humor, you should enjoy this. A refreshing take on the past.
The characters and their character arcs were remarkably different and real (which is not surprising since most of them are also based on real people) and I really enjoyed virtually "getting to know" them and watch them transform from ordinary people into true heroes as the plot moved forward. Apart from Marc Aubrion, I particularly enjoyed reading about David Spiegelman and the transformation he ultimately undergoes despite coming off as perhaps the weakest and the most indecisive character of them all. The Spiegelman that he becomes in the final chapters and his brave actions demonstrate a truly remarkable character development, which is not easy to write and which I greatly appreciated.
Gruppenführer Wolff was also a very interesting type and I was grateful to the author for not writing him as a typical Nazi antagonist. He definitely undergoes quite a powerful moral transformation as well but, unlike Spiegelman, he doesn’t have enough strength to liberate himself, or perhaps he does in the only way he’s familiar with - no spoilers here but you’ll see what I’m talking about after you read the story.
The story is definitely meticulously researched but my only criticism is Martin Victor’s scenes. “In February of 1940, Victor left for Katowice, and then for Auschwitz” after receiving the reports from the Comité de Défense des Juifs (it was actually founded in September of 1942 after the deportation of the French Jews and didn’t exist in 1940) concerning the atrocious treatment of Jews. I admit I did a double take when I read the very first chapter in which his investigative trip to Auschwitz is mentioned because… Auschwitz, the concentration camp, didn’t even exist in February of 1940 and there certainly couldn’t have been any reports of any atrocities perpetrated against the Jews, and definitely, there couldn’t have been any mention of the gas chambers that early on (“They are being killed, sent to the gas chambers. The bodies are being burned, not too far from here,” one of the locals says. The first people killed by this method were Soviet POWs killed in September of 1941. The systematic murder of the Jews only began in 1942). Rudolf Höss, the future commandant of Auschwitz only arrived in Auschwitz in May of 1940 with the first 30 prisoners, all of which were Germans; the first train with inmates only arrived in June of 1940 and those were all of the Polish descent. The purpose of the camp was to hold political prisoners from Poland and later, Soviet POWs, and only in autumn of 1941 did Himmler tell Höss that he had chosen his camp as one of the sites where the final solution would be implemented. The first transport with Jewish prisoners arrived in Auschwitz in February 1942. The question how could Martin Victor see any atrocities in early 1940 and suffer from PTSD due to it made me scratch my head each time I read his scenes. Being the nerd that I am, I did research the man who gave the name to the character of Martin Victor and found that he did make an investigative trip to the Auschwitz area but that happened only in 1943 - which definitely makes much more sense. I don’t see why there would be any need to change the timeline as it would have worked perfectly well even with Victor traveling to Auschwitz in early 1943 and later dealing with his trauma as the main events occurred in October-November of the same year rather than have him have flashbacks to the non-existent events of 1940? Whenever I read those 1940 chapters, it jerked me out of the narration and came off as false and improbable and that’s something that historical fiction shouldn’t do. I personally think the story would benefit much more from leaving everything true to the fact without any changes to the timeline.
Overall, it was definitely different, well-written and - the best part - mostly based on true events. If you love historical fiction with some gallows humor, you should enjoy this. A refreshing take on the past.
April 18, 2019
A young woman named Eliza, knocks on the door of an old woman living in Engheim in Brussels. At first, the old lady won’t let her in, and then Eliza mentions a name. A name the old woman had only ever heard in another life.
Through Eliza and her notebook, Gamin is transported back to wartime Brussels, where he is an orphan at eight and a successful criminal, pickpocket and soldier for the Resistance at age twelve.
Gamin tells Eliza, bit by bit, of the most splendid farce ever committed against the Germans. The greatest joke ever played. Gamin and his sidekicks – The Lost Boys and Peter Pan, never grew up. If they had, Le Faux Soir probably would never have happened. I’m glad they didn’t because Belgium laughed. Sixty thousand people laughed then, a lot more are laughing now.
It was dazzling. A ventriloquist sat with a puppet on her knee, her face told one story, while the puppet told another. It was a simple story. Ordinary people living in horrendous, times that made them become magnificent or appalling.
And, she has skills, there are many parts of RAMZIPOOR’s book that I’m going to quote, they are timeless and exquisite, expressing slices of life, love and everything else in easy to grasp, yet poetic perfection. (And poetic punctuation perfection.)
I was captivated from the first page, and not freed from my captivity until I had read the author’s note. To conceive a story so singular is in itself a mark of a talented author. To read a story so singular from all the others about WWII, and then breathe life back in to it, that is the mark of a gastromancer. Thank you MS RAMZIPOOR for not letting Le Faux Soir be a footnote in history. Now it has a paragraph (at least), on a page.
I loved every character; I forgave Professor Victor, heck I came close to granting Wolff another chance to prove his humanity. I laughed. I laughed at the humor, I laughed at the satire, and I laughed and cried at the many ironies.
There is a war going on, but this is not about war, this is about people. RAMZIPOOR has a tremendous story telling gift, she draws the reader into a picture colored with her words, a picture that looks like an old photo, except you can still smell the people in the photo, you can still hear them, and if you reach out, you can touch them. There is enough vagueness about the realities of war, that one is not blunted by that fact, so much so - that nothing else matters.
In the years following the war, the Resistance has for the most part been romanticized, thank you MS RAMZIPOOR for reminding me that there is nothing romantic about burning yellow cloth stars at the bottom of your garden. Thank you for reminding me what a real hero is: Not a general, just you being a bigger hero than your neighbor is. (Perhaps that gratitude should be directed at Marc Aubrion)
I like the idea that one can find a flower even on a garbage heap, but then I look at YouTube videos of POW’s being released from the Hanoi Hilton and I know for certain, that flower is only an illusion.
As a literary piece, this book deserves 5 stars. It was written with Peter Citizen in mind, but hidden under layers of entertaining story is a novel full of metaphor and contrast, with excellent sequencing and superb dialogue, with more than enough on each page to entertain an academic (and they say kids are getting dumber!) Plot progression at the end was the only thing that upset me.
I must end this with a quote from the book. “It is not enough to say that Aubrion merely smiled at me, for while that is accurate, it is not true. Aubrion smiled at me, yes, but like he knew me, all of me – the parts that hurt, the bits that faltered, the things that were laughable or strange, the patches that tried valiantly to cover the scars. If that is what it means to smile, so be it, but I will never see another smile as long as I am alive.”
Through Eliza and her notebook, Gamin is transported back to wartime Brussels, where he is an orphan at eight and a successful criminal, pickpocket and soldier for the Resistance at age twelve.
Gamin tells Eliza, bit by bit, of the most splendid farce ever committed against the Germans. The greatest joke ever played. Gamin and his sidekicks – The Lost Boys and Peter Pan, never grew up. If they had, Le Faux Soir probably would never have happened. I’m glad they didn’t because Belgium laughed. Sixty thousand people laughed then, a lot more are laughing now.
It was dazzling. A ventriloquist sat with a puppet on her knee, her face told one story, while the puppet told another. It was a simple story. Ordinary people living in horrendous, times that made them become magnificent or appalling.
And, she has skills, there are many parts of RAMZIPOOR’s book that I’m going to quote, they are timeless and exquisite, expressing slices of life, love and everything else in easy to grasp, yet poetic perfection. (And poetic punctuation perfection.)
I was captivated from the first page, and not freed from my captivity until I had read the author’s note. To conceive a story so singular is in itself a mark of a talented author. To read a story so singular from all the others about WWII, and then breathe life back in to it, that is the mark of a gastromancer. Thank you MS RAMZIPOOR for not letting Le Faux Soir be a footnote in history. Now it has a paragraph (at least), on a page.
I loved every character; I forgave Professor Victor, heck I came close to granting Wolff another chance to prove his humanity. I laughed. I laughed at the humor, I laughed at the satire, and I laughed and cried at the many ironies.
There is a war going on, but this is not about war, this is about people. RAMZIPOOR has a tremendous story telling gift, she draws the reader into a picture colored with her words, a picture that looks like an old photo, except you can still smell the people in the photo, you can still hear them, and if you reach out, you can touch them. There is enough vagueness about the realities of war, that one is not blunted by that fact, so much so - that nothing else matters.
In the years following the war, the Resistance has for the most part been romanticized, thank you MS RAMZIPOOR for reminding me that there is nothing romantic about burning yellow cloth stars at the bottom of your garden. Thank you for reminding me what a real hero is: Not a general, just you being a bigger hero than your neighbor is. (Perhaps that gratitude should be directed at Marc Aubrion)
I like the idea that one can find a flower even on a garbage heap, but then I look at YouTube videos of POW’s being released from the Hanoi Hilton and I know for certain, that flower is only an illusion.
As a literary piece, this book deserves 5 stars. It was written with Peter Citizen in mind, but hidden under layers of entertaining story is a novel full of metaphor and contrast, with excellent sequencing and superb dialogue, with more than enough on each page to entertain an academic (and they say kids are getting dumber!) Plot progression at the end was the only thing that upset me.
I must end this with a quote from the book. “It is not enough to say that Aubrion merely smiled at me, for while that is accurate, it is not true. Aubrion smiled at me, yes, but like he knew me, all of me – the parts that hurt, the bits that faltered, the things that were laughable or strange, the patches that tried valiantly to cover the scars. If that is what it means to smile, so be it, but I will never see another smile as long as I am alive.”
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