It’s told in alternating chapters from the viewpoints of Ruby, Charlotte, and Thomas so it allows us to watch the war progress from three very different perspectives, which I thought really gave the story a lot of depth.Īs much I enjoyed the story overall, I still had a few issues with it. The way Harmel structured the novel also appealed to me. They go from being mere neighbors to practically being like sisters, and their bond is wonderful to watch, especially since it contrasted so much with all of the tumult and danger that surrounded them. I also loved how close Ruby and Charlotte became as the novel progressed. I was especially drawn to Charlotte since, as a Jew, she was taking even more of a risk than Ruby was by putting herself out there. They are fiercely, independent women who want to do their part to fight Hitler in any way they can, even though all of the men they encounter want to push them aside and tell them it’s too dangerous and that it’s man’s work. In addition to that, I also really loved the characters of Ruby and Charlotte. In many ways the Escape Line reminded me of the Underground Railroad with its many stops at different safe houses along the way and I just found it so inspiring that so many citizens were willing to risk their lives to work as part of the Resistance. The purpose of the Escape Line was to locate downed Allied pilots before the Nazis could get them and then provide them safe passage over the mountains and into Spain where they could then be sent back to rejoin their units and continue the fight against Hitler. The spirit of those people were what really made the book for me, especially those who worked on the “Escape Line” that is featured prominently throughout the novel. My favorite part of The Room on Rue Amelie was its focus on all of the regular citizens of Paris and surrounding areas and the subtle and not-so-subtle ways that they defied Hitler and the Nazis. I was drawn to The Room on Rue Amelie primarily because the synopsis indicates it would be a great read for fans of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and Martha Hall Kelly’s The Lilac Girls and in many respects, I was not disappointed with the comparison. The Room on Rue Amelie is a riveting story about resistance, courage, and defiance in the face of seemingly impossible odds, and it’s also a moving story about love, fate, family, and the sacrifices we’re willing to make for those we love. The unexpected connection he makes with them reignites his will to fight and he’s more motivated than ever to defeat the Nazis. That is, until he meets Ruby and Charlotte. He has joined the RAF because he wants to protect England from Hitler and the Nazis but when his mother is killed in the Blitz, Thomas begins to doubt that anything he is doing is making a difference and questions whether it’s worth it to keep fighting. Thomas Clark is a British Royal Air Force Pilot. Soon after, Charlotte and her family realize that all of the rumors they’ve been hearing about Hitler and the Nazis are true, as mass deportations begin and their lives are torn apart. Sure enough, as soon as the Nazis enter Paris, they begin imposing restrictions on the Jewish people, forcing them out of work and also requiring them to sew yellow stars on all of their clothing. They have been hearing rumors about what the Nazis are doing to Jews throughout Eastern Europe. Next door to Ruby and Marcel live Charlotte Dacher and her family, who are Jewish. When Marcel is unexpectedly killed, Ruby discovers what he has been so secretive about. The tension and the secrecy begin to take a toll on their marriage. Her dreams are soon shattered, however, as the Nazis invade France and everything changes, including Marcel, who becomes secretive and who also disappears for days at a time, only to come back and refuse to tell Ruby where he has been or what he is up to. She and Marcel move to Paris and Ruby dreams of walking hand in hand in the most romantic city in the world. Kristin Harmel’s The Room on Rue Amelie takes place in Nazi-occupied Paris in WWII and follows the lives of three people whose lives unexpectedly cross paths during the course of the war: Ruby Benoit, an American woman living in Paris, Charlotte Dacher, a Jewish teen who lives next door to Ruby, and Thomas Clark, a British RAF pilot who is flying missions over France.Īs the novel opens, Ruby meets and marries the man of her dreams, Marcel, a handsome Frenchman. Published by Gallery Books on March 27th 2018įTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. Also by this author: The Forest of Vanishing Stars
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