La mensajera de París

by Meg Waite Clayton

Revisiting the dark early days of the German occupation in France in this haunting novel--a love story and a tale of high-stakes danger and incomparable courage--about a young American heiress who helps artists hunted by the Nazis escape from war-torn Europe.

Wealthy, beautiful Naneé was born with a spirit of adventure. For her, learning to fly is freedom. When German tanks roll across the border and into Paris, this woman with an adorable dog and a generous heart joins the resistance. Known as the Postmistress because she delivers information to those in hiding, Naneé uses her charms and skill to house the hunted and deliver them to safety.

Photographer Edouard Moss has escaped Germany with his young daughter only to be interned in a French labor camp. His life collides with Naneé's in this sweeping tale of romance and danger set in a world aflame with personal and political passion.

Inspired by the real life Chicago heiress Mary Jayne Gold, who worked with American journalist Varian Fry to smuggle artists and intellectuals out of France, The Postmistress of Paris is the haunting story of an indomitable woman whose strength, bravery, and love is a beacon of hope in a time of terror.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, World War II, Historical, Audiobook, France, Romance

526 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 30, 2021

About the author

Meg Waite Clayton is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author of 9 novels, including the forthcoming TYPEWRITER BEACH (Harper, July 1) — on Publishers Weekly’s list of 12 fiction “Hot Books of Summer,” which they call, in a starred review, “irresistible… Readers will be riveted.”

Her THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS was a Good Morning America Buzz pick, New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, Costco Book Club pick, People Magazine, IndieNext booksellers, LoanStars librarians, USA Today, Book of the Month Club and Amazon Editors’ pick and Publishers Weekly notable book the San Francisco Chronicle calls "gripping … an evocative love story layered with heroism and intrigue — the film ‘Casablanca’ if Rick had an artsy bent … powerful.”

Her National Jewish Book Award finalist THE LAST TRAIN TO LONDON was praised by Kristin Hannah as “An absolutely fascinating, beautifully rendered story of love, loss, and heroism … A glowing portrait of women rising up against impossible odds.”

Prior novels include the #1 Amazon fiction bestseller BEAUTIFUL EXILES, the Langum-Prize honored national bestseller THE RACE FOR PARIS- and THE WEDNESDAY SISTERS, one of Entertainment Weekly's "25 Essential Best Friend Novels" of all time. Her THE LANGUAGE OF LIGHT was a finalist for the Bellwether Prize (now PEN/Bellwether Prize).

Her novels have been published in 24 languages throughout the world.

She has also written more than 100 pieces for major newspapers, magazines, and public radio. She has participated in the Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman sponsored The Writers Lab for screenwriting, mentors in the OpEd Project, and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the California bar. megwaiteclayton.com

Reviews

[Morgan · Rating 1 out of 5]

My reason for reading this book: According to the author the story is “Inspired by the real life Chicago heiress Mary Jayne Gold, who worked with American journalist Varian Fry to smuggle artists and intellectuals out of France…”

However, the book in no way displays the vital role of the hero Varian Fry or the orginazation he created. Fry’s name does not even appear until page 79. And having an irritating little dog become one of the characters is too much nonsense for the reader to take this seriously.

I can see where anyone who does not know anything about Varian Fry would find this book appealing.
It is clear that the author has no understanding of the very serious and dangerous work carried out by Varian Fry and his orginazion.

From my point of view it is demeaning to Varian Fry and his organization who got over 1,500 people out of France before he was arrested.

The book is slow and filled with rubbish and fluff having nothing whatsoever to do with the suggested plot of the story and almost nothing to do with what Fry accomplished. It does not even do justice to the real Mary Jayne Gold!

Since Varian Fry is a bona fide hero who did remarkable things I urge readers to read “Surrender on Demand” by Varian Fry. Preface by Warren Christopher.

A list of those aided by Fry and his organization can be found on Google.

Varian Fry died alone in Connecticut in September 1967, up to which time he had not yet received one word of recognition for his work. He was 59 years old.

This book has done nothing to honor this hero and the organization he created out of thin air.

Updated **In 1980 Mary Jayne Gold wrote a book of her own: “Crossroads Marseilles, 1940” which I have not read but will likely not be ‘fiction’.

[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 inspired by real life stars

These historical fiction books are some of my favorites, inspired by a real person, and infused with rich history and setting. This time we have Nanee, an American who has been living in Paris for a decade and then WWII breaks out. She’s wealthy and beautiful and her US passport makes it easier for her navigate the streets as a “postmistress” delivering packages and messages to those hiding from the Germans.

There are quite a few Surrealist artists featured in this one along with photographer Edouard Moss. Together with another American, Varian Fry, many of those in hiding were spirited away to other countries.

Quite a bit of the book takes place in Marseilles, and I liked that setting for this one. There’s danger and romance and an adorable little girl in this story. I loved this one based on Mary Jayne Gold, and it seems she is a strong woman to admire! She used her personal wealth for the cause and put her life in danger multiple times. Recommended for fans of WWII historical fiction!

Thank you to Harper and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this one.

[Meg Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Postmistress of Paris is officially out a week from today!!!! Here's some of the lovely stuff happening so far, with still a wonderful surprise behind curtain #8 not to be opened until December 1:

• Indie Next Pick – recommended by booksellers across the US
• Publishers Weekly Notable Book for Fall/Winter 2021
• PublishersLunch Notable New Release for November 2021
• Bookbub Best Historical Fiction to Read this Fall
• Publishers Weekly Tip Sheet: What to Read Next
• #2 on the Loanstars list — the most anticipated books as voted by library staff across Canada

“Gripping … an evocative love story layered with heroism and intrigue — the film ‘Casablanca’ if Rick had an artsy bent … powerful.” – The San Francisco Chronicle

“⭐️ Lyrical, thought-provoking prose… This sterling portrait of a complex woman stands head and shoulders above most contemporary WWII fiction.” – Publishers Weekly, in a starred review

“⭐️ A true gem … a testament to the power of good.” – Library Journal, in a starred review

So much gratitude to everyone already reading and giving it such lovely reviews here. I can't wait to share it with the rest of you!

Lots of VIRTUAL events for this one, so please join me from anywhere. Schedule at https://www.megwaiteclayton.com/events/

More about The Postmistress of Paris:

The New York Times bestselling author of The Last Train to London revisits the dark early days of the German occupation in France in this haunting novel—a love story and a tale of high-stakes danger and incomparable courage—about a young American heiress who helps artists hunted by the Nazis escape from war-torn Europe.

Wealthy, beautiful Naneé was born with a spirit of adventure. For her, learning to fly is freedom. When German tanks roll across the border and into Paris, this woman with an adorable dog and a generous heart joins the resistance. Known as the Postmistress because she delivers information to those in hiding, Naneé uses her charms and skill to house the hunted and deliver them to safety.

Photographer Edouard Moss has escaped Germany with his young daughter only to be interned in a French labor camp. His life collides with Nanée’s in this sweeping tale of romance and danger set in a world aflame with personal and political passion.

Inspired by the real life Chicago heiress Mary Jayne Gold, who worked with American journalist Varian Fry to smuggle artists and intellectuals out of France, The Postmistress of Paris is the haunting story of an indomitable woman whose strength, bravery, and love is a beacon of hope in a time of terror.

[Piepie | The Napping Bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be pretty dry -- I expected it to be more than what it originally turned out being. The novel begins with Nanee and her dog flying an airplane... I would have liked more scenes along those lines, I wanted more "stuff" about airplanes. I also would have liked to read more about what the "Postmistress" actually delivered; I wanted more about disguises / spies / secret messages / etc.

There is a thread running throughout of starcrossed lovers and this WWII story ends with hope and the timeless love of a father and his child. There's nothing wrong with this book; maybe I just wasn't in the right mindset for it. Maybe you'll like it better than I did.

Thanks, Netgalley, for my arc.

[Taury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful book. Based WW2 in Paris. Light romance lots of action and adventure!

[MicheleReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Naneé Gold is an American socialite living in Paris among its artists and intellectuals. As the Germans invade France, she could have returned to the U.S. to safety and a life of parties. Instead, she devotes herself to the French Resistance working with journalist Varian Fry, who was sent by the American Emergency Rescue Committee to help members of the art community escape Nazi persecution. She becomes a courier, secretly delivering messages across Paris. Naneé uses her wealth to rent a large villa in Marseilles which becomes a refuge for artists and members of the Resistance. She works to rescue Edouard Moss, a Jewish photographer who is imprisoned at Camp de Milles, an internment camp, and hopes to reunite him with his young daughter, who is being hidden.

The Postmistress of Paris was inspired by the remarkable, true story of Mary Jayne Gold. The book includes many of the actual people she worked with during WWII including Fry and Daniel Bénédite along with real-life figures from the surrealist art movement Max Ernst and André Breton. Author Meg Waite Clayton presents the danger and terror of the war through the eyes of a small circle of people including one very courageous young woman. Just when I thought I’d read enough books about the French Resistance to last me for a while, I was pleased to read Clayton’s new, well-researched historical novel, which is a moving story with strong, brave characters. And a little romance too.

Rated 4.25 stars.

Review posted on MicheleReader.com.

[Debra · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was listening to the audiobook and just could not finish it. I got about 1⁄3 through and gave up. The narrator was horrible. The writing was light and fluffy. For example she kept talking about the stupid dog Which didn't seem to have anything of substance to do with the story line. I I don't understand all the 4 and 5 star reviews of this book.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many historical fiction books are based on real people - usually women who have been forgotten over time. Many of these woman were brave beyond words and helped to defeat the Germans in many different ways. This new book by Meg Waite Clayton is based on Mary Jayne Gold, an American heiress whose bravery inspired Naneé, the main character in this book.

Naneé was an American heiress who loved Paris and had spent so much time there that she felt she was a Parisian. She's a social butterfly and very interested in the arts - painting, writing, etc. She meets Edouard at a party. He has escaped Germany and is trying to keep he and his daughter, Luki, safe in France even though the Vichy government is rounding up Jewish people and sending them to camps. She starts working with the Resistance to help artists and painters get out of the country. One part of the book that was filled with tension happened when Luki was sent to Paris with friends and her father was supposed to follow her the next day but the police took him to jail for a month. After he was released, he was unable to find his beloved daughter and he didn't know if she was safe. Naneé started working with the Resistance to send messages to people who were in hiding and to get the proper paperwork so they could get out Paris to safety in America.
Her bravery helped many people escape but it put her in danger. Will she be able to get out of France when the Gestapo is looking for her?

This is another fantastic book based on real people who put their lives at risk to help people escape from the danger in World War II. If you enjoy historical fiction from this time period or enjoy books about brave women who make a different in the lives of others or just want to read an exciting book- you don't want to miss this one. Once again this author gives her readers a well written and well researched story with characters that will be difficult to forget.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot, two to three books a week. I have read many of the novels relating to work by varying resistance groups in Europe during World War II. Honestly, I thought I was over saturated, but Good reads was kind enough to send me a copy of The Postmistress of Paris, so I felt like I should read it. Oh, my GOSH. Oh, my gosh, this is a fabulous read. It is honestly one of the best books I have read all year. It is from a different point of view, focusing on getting Jewish artists out of Nazi occupied areas, but it is also incredibly suspenseful. You know that feeling when you can't read anymore, because you are afraid of what might happen, yet you can't put the book down? Well, that is this book. It is also a very beautifully written story of the generosity and bravery and love that can come out of a horrible situation. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I promise you will be so glad that you didn't let this one slip past you.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and I was excited to receive this from a Goodreads giveaway.
The character of Nanee was inspired by Mary Jane Gold, an American heiress who risked her life to aid refugees escaping France.
Nanee left her privileged life in America to make her home in Paris. There she befriends intellectuals and the Surrealist artists, who push the boundaries of propriety. Their freedoms are now threatened by Hitler's rise to power as their art is considered immoral. They flee Paris to seek safety in the French Free Zone, which then becomes more and more dangerous under the Vichy authorities. Nanee finds her embedded with a group extracting those in danger to find freedom, at great cost to herself.
An inspiring novel of courage, love, family and community. I always enjoy when I learn about another facet of WWII history I was unfamiliar with encapsulated in a wonderful story.

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a book that promises so much and delivers so little.

First, the title is misleading. Almost none of the book takes place in Paris and there are only two scenes in which we see Naneé, the title character, performing the role. She’s also referred to as a female pilot, but there’s only one scene where she flies her plane and then never goes up again. So much more could have been done with these two plot points.

I felt nothing but disdain for Naneé. To me, she just came off as a spoiled rich girl with an American Passport that she proclaimed (ad nauseum) would allow her to go anywhere, do anything and never be questioned.

It’s very clear that the author did a great deal of research before writing this book. And I applaud her for it. Unfortunately, she seemed more interested in name dropping and sharing bits of minutiae she learned in her research than in developing the actual story. So much was made of her dog (who cares?), the Exquisite Corpse game (somewhat important to the plot, but mentioned too often in other contexts), the goings on at parties and salons etc. These all took away from the story, adding nothing to it.

I found the actual story to be contrived and very underdeveloped. So many things that would have fleshed out the story were barely mentioned, simply glossed over. And then, the ending…WTAF?

This book was a complete waste of my time. I cannot believe all the 4 and 5 star ratings. Kudos to this author’s agent for snowing so many people into recommending this book (I’m talking to you GMA and Jenna Bush Hager) then making ordinary, everyday readers like me think it’s fabulous and a must-read. The only saving grace is that I’m motivated to find out more about Valarian Fry, whom I had never heard of before reading this book.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meg Waite Clayton is an author that is hit or miss for me. Unfortunately, this book was a miss. Part of this was due to the fact that I recently read THE FLIGHT PORTFOLIO, a book that was about Varian Fry and his crew in Marseilles, trying to rescue artists and get them out of France in WWII. Beyond that, though, I wasn't caught up in the stories or the characters. I was bored and it was too long and didn't keep my interest at all.

[Raven · Rating 2 out of 5]

WW2 historical fiction books are usually one of my favourite genres to read however this book has missed the mark for me.
This book starts off quite messy and disorganised which whilst I’m sure it was to reflect the atmosphere in France at the time of the Nazi takeover, it made the book very hard to get into.
There was also more focus on the plotting side of things and their day to day lives in Villa Air-Bel rather than actually helpings others which lessened the emotional impact of the book and makes me feel that the title of the book is very misleading as Nanée only delivers about 2 messages. This is unfortunate as one of the main aspects of historical fiction that engages me is seeing this emotion and the hardships of the past so it did reduce my enjoyment. I ended up spending most of the time wishing that I had finished the book already.
Also every time that there was a tense scene, there was a time jump in the next chapter where the problem would have been solved and everyone had moved on.
I wish that I had put this book down earlier rather than forcing myself to finish it but I kept feeling that the book was going somewhere until it reached the climax and then fell flat; repeatedly. I just wanted this book to show more of the work that these people did during WW2 rather than having the characters constantly debating whether they should leave France or not.
Just not for me I’m sad to say.

[Lucia Nieto Navarro · Rating 4 out of 5]

i algo me gusta de los libros de ficción histórica es que se basen en personas o en hechos reales , y la autora lo ha vuelto hacer, en los dos libros que he leído, ambos están basados en mujeres importantes y olvidadas.
.
En este caso, Mary Jayne Gold, una mujer estadounidense, inspiró a Nanee, el personaje principal de la novela.
.
Nanee ama París, y siempre ha estado interesada en el arte y en una fiesta de artistas conocerá a Edouard, artista judío que ha escapado de Alemania para salvar a su hija Luki y que no los manden a los campos de concentración…
.
Nuestra prota comienza a trabajar en la resistencia para ayudar a todos estos artistas a escapar del país…
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Una historia bastante trepidante , en la que estás en tensión continua por la supervivencia de todos los personajes, un libro que emociona solo por pensar todo lo que hicieron algunas personas , arriesgando sus vidas por ayudar a otras…
.
Añadir que muchos de los personajes que salen en esta novela, son personajes reales, cosa que hace más interesante la historia… todos van a encantarte…
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Con un final magnífico , cerrado y todo bien hilado y como no puede faltar la nota de la autora que fue el broche final.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Meg Clayton writes to explore the early days of the German occupation of France and highlights a young American heiress who has come to help artists escape.

I loved the adorable dog and a strong, brave protagonist as much as I loved learning about the photographer, Eduard Moss and his cute daughter. I really enjoy a book that inspires me to search out the story behind the novel. In this case, Chicago heiress, Mary Jayne Gold and Varian Fry were the real-life heroes who smuggled artists out of France.

The sense of adventure, the sweeping romance, and the glamour Nanee brings to her mission hooked me. Clayton has truly honoured this indomitable woman whose bravery was a beacon of hope in wartime.

[Marloes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parijs, 1938. De Amerikaanse pilote en rijke erfgename Nanée Gold droomt van een vrij en avontuurlijk leven. Ze woont al jaren in Parijs, samen met haar hond Dagobert, en veel van haar vrienden zijn kunstenaars. Op een tentoonstelling ontmoet ze Edouard Moss, een Joodse fotograaf en weduwnaar die Duitsland moest ontvluchten omdat hij Hitler zowel met zijn journalistiek als met zijn kunst tegen zich in het harnas had gejaagd. Ze voelen meteen een klik, maar hij vertrekt de volgende dag met zijn dochter Luki naar het zuiden, waardoor ze elkaar uit het oog verliezen.

Wanneer de oorlog uitbreekt, wordt Edouard al snel opgepakt en vastgezet in het interneringskamp Camp des Milles, zijn dochter wordt verborgen bij vrienden. Hij is vastbesloten om Luki terug te vinden en samen te ontsnappen uit Frankrijk, maar hij weet niet hoe hij dat voor elkaar moet krijgen.

Nanée weigert te vertrekken uit Frankrijk, in Amerika heeft ze immers ook geen echt thuis meer, en ze sluit zich aan bij het verzet in Marseille. Als aantrekkelijke, schijnbaar onschuldige en jonge vrouw met een Amerikaans paspoort zal ze zich relatief gemakkelijk door Frankrijk kunnen verplaatsen, om zo veel vluchtelingen te helpen. Al snel staat ze bekend als de postbezorgster, ze brengt belangrijke boodschappen over en haar missies worden steeds gevaarlijker. Maar haar grootste missie moet nog beginnen: ze wil Edouard bevrijden.

Door de wisselende perspectieven leer je verschillende kanten van het leven tijdens de oorlog kennen. Nanée is een dappere, strijdbare vrouw die staat voor haar idealen en niet bang is om haar eigen leven op het spel te zetten voor de goede zaak. Edouard moet onder barre omstandigheden proberen te overleven, gaat gebukt onder schuldgevoel en hunkert naar een hereniging met zijn dochter. Vooral het perspectief van de kleine Luki is ontroerend: ze is bang maar sterk, voelt zich alleen maar houdt hoop dat ze haar vader ooit weer zal zien, ze past zich aan en verwerkt verschillende gebeurtenissen en emoties door met en voor haar knuffel te praten.

Het verhaal komt wat traag op gang door gedetailleerde beschrijvingen en de emoties van de personages liggen niet direct aan de oppervlakte, waardoor het eerst lastig is om een echte connectie met hen te krijgen, maar ze gaan steeds meer leven naarmate het verhaal vordert. Sommige gebeurtenissen gaan wat snel terwijl bij andere verhaalelementen langer wordt stilgestaan, zo had ik graag nog meer willen lezen over de werkzaamheden van Nanée en het verleden van de personages en wellicht iets minder over bepaalde interacties tussen de kunstenaars, al vindt de auteur zeker in de tweede helft van het boek een mooie balans, leest het geheel vloeiender en wordt het steeds lastiger om te stoppen met lezen.

Dit is een indrukwekkend verhaal over kracht, moed, moeilijke beslissingen, rouw, constante dreiging, doorzettingsvermogen, hoop en hulp, vriendschap, kunst, liefde en licht in de duisternis. Een bijzonder oorlogsverhaal dat gebaseerd is op ware gebeurtenissen!

3.5-4⭐️

[Paulien · Rating 2 out of 5]

Historische fictie is één van mijn favoriete genres en boeken gesitueerd in WOII vind ik normaal gesproken mooi of vermakelijk om te lezen. Daar hoort dit boek niet bij, terwijl het best veel potentie heeft.

Laat ik beginnen met de titel en cover van het boek. Ik heb nog nooit een boek gelezen met zo'n misleidende titel en cover:
1. De eerste paar hoofdstukken spelen zich af in Parijs, daarna raakt Parijs compleet buiten beeld en speelt het boek zich hoofdzakelijk af in Marseille.
2. De postbezorgster (hierna: Nanée) bezorgt door het hele boek maarliefst 2(!) keer een boodschap, verder dus he-le-maal niet meer.
3. Nanée heeft gedurende het boek niet eens de beschikking gehad over een fiets, laat staan dat ze die heeft gebruikt.
4. De Eiffeltoren komt er niet in voor.

Dat alleen al voor de titel en de cover. Normaliter heb ik niet zoveel moeite om verschillende personages uit elkaar te houden. Maar in het boek worden in het begin al direct zoveel personages geïntroduceerd dat ik het spoor bijster raakte. Ook verwarrend dat een hond de ene keer Dagobert wordt genoemd en vervolgens Daggy. Deze afwisseling gaat het hele boek door. Ook wordt een personage geïntroduceerd met de naam T. Nergens staat de volledige naam van T, waardoor dit toch wat onnatuurlijk aanvoelt.

Er zat zeker wel potentie in het plot, maar voor mij komt het niet lekker uit de verf. Het duurde voor mijn doen ook lang voordat ik het boek uit had.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fictional history at its best .. Meg Waite Clayton’s Postmistress of Paris took me, the reader, on an incredible world wide journey. This beautiful novel is set in the dark early days of the German occupation of France .. what an adventurous love story! I fell in love with the precious characters & can highly recommend, especially to book review clubs with so many discussion themes. Brava!

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lyrical writing. Equal turns touching & riveting. A story of courageous people inspired by their real-life counterparts. My favorite part--the beautiful father/daughter relationship. So glad I chose this as my audiobook for commuting back & forth to school this week!

[Nainika Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't that bad! I actually really liked it, and I think the way that it was written was fantastic. I especially loved Luki because she, to me, was the epitome of a child lost in WWII. She really shone through the book, surpassing Nanée and Edouard, surprisingly. Although, their love story was really cool, and I loved the way that Nanée still fulfilled her destiny. Overall, tender, sweet, and historically accurate!

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited when I began this book. The summary end them words written about it gave me an impression. It was truly a classic. It was OK, not a classic.

Luki, T and Nanee who are all memorable characters who injected energy into the story. However, I needed a little more energy and a little more action.

I don’t recommend this book.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any book that leaves me with a lump in my throat the size of a grapefruit deserves five stars. In the beginning I didn’t think that would be the case, but the further I got into this beautiful, and at times, tents story I was more drawn in. I am interested in stories centering around the German occupation of France in early World War II and this one is at the top of the list for me. I loved the characters and this historical fiction account of this time, even though I didn’t love all of them. There are many characters based on actual people that made it even more interesting to me. In my opinion, this book deserves more five star ratings.

[Kate Eminhizer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is deeply thought provoking. While it provides a glimpse of the sacrifices people made for the French Resistance it also seems to focus on coping mechanisms, personal identity, and relationships. Clayton draws the reader in so subtly. Her characters wrap the reader into their fold and one cannot help but feel their sorrows, regrets, determination, courage, and love. Theirs is not a story of defiance, just simply of survival. They wished not just for survival of their person but also survival of their culture. Clayton superbly uses art as means to reflect the hope and despair of the world. A wonderfully crafted story that provides another view of the French Resistance during WWII.

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

While a beautifully written book, I had a hard time connecting with this story. I thought this would develop the more I read, but it's something unfortunately never really developed.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't quite care for this one. I wasn't all that engaged, and I found the whole thing rather traumatic.

[Rita Tomás · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5*

Uma história sobre coragem e determinação, baseada em factos verídicos.

Protagonizado por uma personagem feminina forte, recebe ainda pontos extra por abordar a arte como forma de escape ao sofrimento e o esforço levado a cabo para fazer sair da França ocupada vários artistas de renome, um tema pouco abordado dentro do universo da 2ªGM.

A Mensageira de Paris foi a minha segunda leitura da autora, contudo, apesar de ter gostado, não foi a que mais me encheu as medidas.

[Luanne Ollivier · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 There are many, many WWII novels written from a woman's perspective and/or featuring a role in the war performed by women. Bombgirls, landgirls, codebreakers and more.

Meg Waite Clayton's new novel, The Postmistress of Paris is part of that more, bringing in another perspective. Her main character is Naneé, a wealthy American living in Paris who decides to join the French resistance. Her wealth and American passport allow her to move about freely, delivering messages to those in hiding. She's a great lead character - brave, daring and charming with a strong sense of right and wrong and duty.

She meets photographer Edouard and his young daughter Luki at a gathering of artistes. Edouard has escaped from Germany, but still must try to hide from the Vichy government. It is after this meeting that Naneé decides she must help artistes to escape and to preserve their work.

Now, here's the really neat part - Naneé is based on the life of Mary Jayne Gold, a Chicago heiress, who helped American journalist Varian Fry smuggle well-known artists and intellectuals out of France.

The book's opening chapters introduce us to the two main players, the sparks that fly between them, as well as the artistic setting/element of the book. I must admit, I did find this went on a bit too long for me. I wanted to dive right into the 'action' of the book. The hiding, the subterfuge and the danger. That does come, but Waite Clayton also stops along the way to explore other themes such as the love between a parent and child, the loss of loved ones and the sacrifices made. Different views are provided with Luki having her own chapters, as does Edouard. There are many supporting players, all just as determined with the same goal. I did find one character to be quite detestable as he plays 'games' at the house that the group shares. I thought there would be a reason he was included, but never found a meaning for his inclusion and ugliness. But he is tempered with the addition of a dog to the tale - named Dagobert.

A good addition to the WWII fiction list. Waite Clayton is a talented wordsmith and I did enjoy this novel. However, I did find it to be a bit of a slow burn for me and it felt a repetitive at times.

I chose to listen to The Postmistress of Paris. The readers were Imani Jade Powers and Graham Halstead. Powers has such a rich, melodious, honeyed tone to her voice. It's very pleasant to listen to and easy to understand. The voice for Naneé, absolutely captured the character as I had imagined her. Her speaking speed was just right. There are many French language bits to the story and I found both her pronunciation and accent to be believable. Her performance did justice to Waite Clayton's book. I've also listened to Graham Halstead in the past. He has a very resonant tone to his voice that draws the listener to him. He too speaks clearly and is easy to understand. I like his voice very much, but it wasn't quite what I imagined for Edouard. I had a softer, more continental voice in mind. That being said, he does do a fine job with his narration. Length is 13 hours, 10 minutes.

[Vannetta Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored this book. The characters came alive for me, and I was instantly transported to German-occupied France. I know there have been a lot of books written on this time period, but Meg Waite Clayton tackles the surrealist art community and the attempts to rescue artists that were being targeted by the Gestapo. In doing so, she naturally lands on the theme of art, what art means to us, how it connects us to one another, how it re-emphasizes our humaneness.

Well done. Recommended for fans of Nightingale.
Note: This is mainstream fiction, as such there are some deftly handled adult scenes.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS
Meg Waite Clayton

This historical fiction is set in Paris just before and after the occupation or collaboration with Nazi Germany. The main character is a young American woman, Naneé, who has lived in Europe for a decade and taken up with a resistance group formed to assist artists and others to escape the impending Nazis. The plot has a split storyline, one following Naneé and the other trailing a photographer Edouard Moss who has taken some subversive photos. This has of course made him fairly unpopular with the established governments and he ends up interned in a French labor camp. The issue is that his young daughter was traveling with him and has been taken on by a friend, but Edouard has no idea where she really is, but he does know that he must find her.

The members of the resistance group are aware of his plight and make arrangements to attempt to free him while he is still in French custody. They chose Naneé to make the attempt. She has been working as an information courier and delivering information to those attempting to flee that sometimes is less than what they want to hear. Her identification is the Postmistress. Although she is able to sway the camp commander to release Edouard, he has gone by then.

The book is loosely based on the life of Mary Jayne Gold, Miriam Davenport, and the group run by Varian Fry that worked to help intellectuals escape.

I found the book quite interesting despite being a bit slow and fluffy in places. It was after all a romance story set in a historic time period. I was surprised that it had not made a bigger splash on Goodreads than it has.

4 stars

Happy Reading!

[SOS · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy WWII novels crafted with excellent writing, complex characters, and an intriguing storyline, then this is likely the right book for you. It contains a powerful story about people caught in an untenable situation. They are helped by those who don’t have to help them, people putting their own lives at risk, because it was the right thing to do. Those people go to extraordinary lengths to outwit and defeat evil.

I loved this book. I think it was the characters who made me love it. Luki is such an endearing child, Nanée an amazing and brave woman, and Edouard, interesting and talented. This is a book about loss and trust and love – not just romantic love, but the kind of love people create for those who care about them; how they use that kind of love to form their own chosen family.

This book is almost guaranteed to break your heart and then stitch it back together The last few chapters were so hard to read because I worried so that something terrible was about to happen. It did, and it didn’t. I can’t share more than that. Read the book, it’s definitely worth your time.

I received an e-copy of this book through Netgalley. I thank all involved for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.