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'the alice network' is a crackling tale of spies and suspense.

Jean Zimmerman

The Alice Network

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"Solve for X." That's the phrase invoked repeatedly by Charlotte "Charlie" St. Clair, the brainy college student at the center of Kate Quinn's exciting new novel, The Alice Network . In the aftermath of World War II, Charlie is thrown together with a veteran female spy from the previous war in a high-stakes journey to locate disappeared figures from the past. Unsolved puzzles and cryptic riddles crop up like weeds in a bomb crater, and as math-whiz Charlie puts it, "There was always an answer and the answer was either right or it was wrong." But her adventures turn out to be messy, non-formulaic and not so black and white, which after all is what makes life — and novels — interesting.

The year is 1947. Charlie's posh Bennington College existence gets derailed by an unwanted pregnancy. Her domineering French mother hauls her off to Europe, heading for a clinic that will take care of her "Little Problem," as she calls her condition throughout the novel. En route, Charlie hatches an alternative plan — to track down her beloved cousin Rose, lost somewhere in France. In Europe, the "hangover of war was still visible in a way you didn't see in New York." Rose is a refugee amid a horde of displaced persons, a single grain of sand on a blasted, nearly obliterated beach, but Charlie is determined to "solve for X" and find her.

Enter Eve Gardiner, a raging, hard-drinking, foul-mouthed WWI espionage agent who just might possess a clue to Rose's whereabouts. When Charlie first comes into her room, Eve cocks a Luger pistol and demands, "Who are you, and what the bloody f--- are you doing in my house?" In alternating chapters with alternating world wars as backdrops, we follow Eve's exploits in 1915 in "the Alice Network," a historically accurate cabal of spies.

Shedding the overbearing chaperone of a mother, Charlie and Eve set off to find Rose in a real beaut of a car, a dark-blue convertible Aston Martin Lagonda. Cherchez l'homme : Serving as their driver is a charming but war-stunned Scotsman, Finn, master of the "one-pan breakfast." In romances and historical novels alike, the word "tousled" is a tell-tale signifier, and it certainly works that way here: "Finn's tousled dark head leaned out the window, and I saw the ember glow of his cigarette," Charlie says at one point. Equipped with Eve's ever-ready Luger, the intrepid trio travel through Lille, Limoge and Grasse, vielle French towns that Quinn renders in exquisite detail. Charlie sponsors the journey by pawning a precious rope of pearls inherited from her grandmere .

Both women experience transformations, Charlie by dumping her New Look full skirts and petticoats for slim black slacks and a Euro-chic striped sweater, Eve by learning to treat her traveling companions with a modicum of respect. Charlie's arrogance doesn't change — "there wasn't a bill anywhere I couldn't tot up faster than an adding machine" — but she lets her guard down enough to find kinship with both Finn and Eve.

And at the heart of Quinn's telling is the true story of the covert Alice Network , through which courageous men and women infiltrated the German lines in rural France. Lili, in the novel the chief handler of the group, is based on a real woman who at the time was called a "regular Joan of Arc." With dozens of operatives under her command, Lili asserts that the Germans will never be able to find her: "I'm a handful of water, running everywhere."

Despite this brand of courageous self-assurance, displayed by all the women in the story, Quinn's novel gives us tragedies, too, both from war and from pursuing the ghosts and demons of the past. But these pains are offset by the invigorating pleasure of the read. In The Alice Network , the lives of two indomitable women intertwine in a plot crackling with suspense. We root for Charlie and Eve, and cheer when they triumph.

Jean Zimmerman's latest novel, Savage Girl, is out now in paperback. She posts daily at Blog Cabin .

Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn is historical fiction novel that is full of adventure and intrigue. The book lived up its hype and more. You must read it!

I’ve always loved history and one of my favorite aspects of reading historical fiction is learning something new about a specific time in the past. Before reading this book, I was not familiar with the real-life Alice Network, the WWI secret female spy ring. Even now, with a simple Google search there’s not much information about the Alice Network, other than the book, of course. So, I very much appreciate that Quinn decided to focus her book on real-life heroes who haven’t received the attention they deserve.

Like many historical fiction books, this is a dual narrative in different timelines. But where this read is different is that the narratives aren’t so far apart, one takes place during WWI and the other right after the end of WWII. This allows the two narratives to eventually come together in a really exciting and interesting way.

The story is about two women—Eve Gardiner, a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and the other, Charlie St. Clair, an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947. Charlie seeks out Eve’s help as they both are trying to locate missing people from the past.

The characters

I loved Eve and Charlie, they’re such well-written characters with plenty of flaws. Eve suffers from a stutter, which becomes an advantage when she’s undercover as no one suspects a woman with a stutter as a spy. When we meet her at the beginning of the book, she has an urge to do something more with her life and the Alice Network grants her that. But working as a spy takes its toll on her and when a betrayal splits apart the Alice Network, she’s becomes a recluse drunk. Until Charlie comes along.

Charlie is so great. She fully admits her mistakes and why she made them and despite it all, she’s still optimistic. For a serious-tone book, she has plenty of humorous observations. And the dynamic between her and Eve and how their relationship develops is so well-done and also authentic. Both characters experience a well-defined character arc.

The other characters are also full of depth. Finn is the Scotsman who works for Eve and joined the two women on their journey but he’s still recovering from the horrors of WWII. Captain Cameron is the one who recruits Eve to join The Alice Network and he’s also experienced the unimaginable in war. But of course, the best character is the real life Louise de Bettignies, known as Lilli in the book, and head of the Alice Network. Lilli is courageous, brave and full of wit, despite dark times.

Women in the war

While there’s countless books, movies and TV shows dedicated to men at war, it’s not the same for women. But luckily, we do have writers like Kate Quinn who bring these war stories about women to life. A major theme in the novel is gender equality. Especially in WW1, women weren’t seen as equals but working in the Alice Network gave some woman a chance to use their skills to help a greater cause. Gender equality issues are still present after WWII when Charlie seeks to get money from her account but because she doesn’t have a husband or father with her, the bank won’t give her the money.

Still, despite society trying to keep them down, these women in the books are smart, capable and strong.

One thing to keep in mind is that the book is set during two wars and there are tragedies that happen. But I think compared to other books about wars, this one is such a joy to read with plenty of suspense and I loved the ending.

Bottom line, you must read this original story about real-life female spies.

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Publisher: William Morrow | Genre: Historical Fiction, World War II

Title: The Alice Network

Author: Kate Quinn

Publisher: William Morrow

Genre: Historical Fiction, World War II

First Publication: 2017

Major Characters: Charlie St. Clair, Rose Fournier, Evelyn Gardiner, Maman St. Clair, Rene’ Bordelou, Finn Kilgore

Theme: Power of Friendship; Forgiveness and Second chances; heroism, revenge, redemption, and courage.

Setting: France & London, England during WWI and WWII

Narrator: Alternating Point of View, The first part is told in the third person, while the second is told in the first person

Book Review - The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Book Summary: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

In an enthralling new historical novel from national bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption.

1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She’s also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie’s parents banish her to Europe to have her “little problem” taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister.

1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she’s recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she’s trained by the mesmerizing Lili, code name Alice, the “queen of spies”, who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy’s nose.

Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn’t heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth…no matter where it leads.

Book Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn reads as a fascinating piece of historical fiction torn between the events of World War I and post-World War II France. Despite a few criticisms, it’s quite a page-turning gem that illuminates the unfortunate German-occupied France time periods with real and historical characters brought to life in a believable fashion. If anyone has read Kristin Hannah’s ‘The Nightingale,’ they will enjoy this book, and vice versa.

Chapters alternate between Eve Gardiner in 1915 and Charlie St. Clair in 1947. Eve, recruited into an English led spy network operating against the Kaiser and Germany, has the more enjoyable story-line, in part due to the raw and gripping events she faced as a spy and woman in German occupied territory. The characterization of her stutter and venerability make her enduring to the reader, and as her story progresses in both timelines you can’t help but admire and root for her.

Charlie, while admirable in some respects, isn’t quite the heroine Eve is made out to be. The story begins with her and her mother travelling to Switzerland via the United States looking to remedy an unplanned pregnancy that Charlie has found herself in, and on the stop in England, she runs away to London to the doorstep of Eve, who 30 years after the events in 1915 has become a confrontational alcoholic shocked by her time in the spy network.

“Hope was such a painful thing, far more painful than rage.”

Charlie seeks Eve out due to the notion that Eve may have a lead about her French cousin Rose, who mysteriously disappeared during WWII. Annoying isn’t always the word to describe Charlie, but her jaded aspects, socialite type ignorance, and the fact that she consistently refers to her early pregnancy as the “little problem” gets old at times. She does have admirable aspects, like her knowledge of mathematics and drive for a career, which at that time wasn’t expected for a woman, but she doesn’t come close to the Eve and her incredible story arch.

What Kate Quinn does particularly well in The Alice Network besides writing a convincing story and characters is how she highlights the little known history of female spies during WWI. Some people may be familiar with the SOE during WWII, but the espionage during WWI is just as exciting and heroic if lesser known. As a character, Charlie St. Clair represents the American ignorance of the sorrow and devastation that countries like France faced during WWI, which was eerily similar to Nazi-occupied France 20 years later. As Charlie gets to know Eve and her story, her knowledge of just how tragic that time period was comes to fruition. It’s quite an interesting piece of historical fiction, and one worth reading.

“Poetry is like passion–it should not be merely pretty; it should overwhelm and bruise.”

I found this book to be completely immersive. Charlie is very annoying at times but she is a true to type and such a wonderful contrast to the acerbic Eve, it is a fluff versus steel relationship. It is a serious story but with moments of fun. If you are a fan of historical fiction then this is the perfect book to get your hands on. To discover after reading this book that the spy network was real and that Eve and Lilli were based on fact was fascinating. The danger and threat these people faced at all times must have been horrific. It is said they saved the lives of over 1000 troops.

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The alice network: a review.

August 4, 2017

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Genre: Historical Fiction

In this page-turner, a courageous female spy (Eve) who was recruited to work in the real-life Alice Network in France during World War l, and a young American college girl and socialite (Charlie) who is searching for her cousin after she disappeared in World War ll, join forces in 1947 to find revenge, redemption, truth, friendship, and a bit of romance. As present-day Eve and Charlie search for truth, the story alternates between two time periods (1915 and present-day 1947). In this complex and multi-layered narrative, the reader learns about Eve’s backstory as a spy right under the enemies’ noses and Lili, the “Queen of Spies,” who manages the spy network. In the present day, Charlie deals with a grieving and angry Eve and an unplanned pregnancy as they search for the truth in Eve’s past and the whereabouts of Charlie’s cousin, Rose.

Amazon rating (August): 4.7 stars

My Thoughts:

The Alice Network is a continued focus on female authors writing about strong female protagonists. The Alice Network is receiving a lot of buzz (as evidenced by Amazon ratings of 4.7) and it’s currently on the must-read list of many readers who love a plot-driven, fast-paced story filled with drama, intrigue, and suspense.

I would categorize this story as moderate intensity as compared with other historical fiction selections (placed between intense reads such as Lilac Girls , T he Nightingale, Salt to the Sea, Underground Railroad, and Between Shades of Gray and lighter reads such as The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir and Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society ). My reason for rating it moderate intensity is because there’s one section that’s difficult (emotionally) to read and I chose to skim over; whereas, in more intense reads there are multiple sections that are difficult (emotionally) to read.

In my opinion, The Alice Network includes several gimmicky or coincidental similarities between Eve and Charlie and some less than smooth transitions between the two storylines. Overall , though, I loved the active role of Eve in both storylines and that it was a gripping, suspenseful, and engaging page-turner featuring two courageous women. All the drinking and smoking while pregnant was disturbing….but perhaps this was accepted in 1947? As with all historical fiction, I enjoyed the knowledge gained…in this case about female spies in WW1.

I recommend The Alice Network for fans of historical fiction who are looking for a plot-driven, page-turning, gripping, suspenseful, and engaging story about strong, independent women and a spy network.

Content Warning: some violence, a brief torture scene

My Rating: 4 Stars

The Alice Network Information

Meet the Author: Kate Quinn

Kate Quinn is a native of southern California. She attended Boston University, where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. A lifelong history buff, she has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga and two books in the Italian Renaissance, before moving to the 20th century with the “The Alice Network.” All her books have been translated into multiple languages. Find out more here.

Please share your reflections on The Alice Network in the comments section. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

It sounded like something that would be right up my alley, but for some reason it just didn’t scream ‘read me’ even though I had it sitting in my Kindle library for months. Part of me was worried about the hype and another part of me just wasn’t into reading a war time friendship story as I prefer war time romances generally.

However, this last month on the #historicalfix chat on Twitter, this was the featured book and there was a Q & A with Kate Quinn and after following along with the chat I was curious and eager to check this book out after all this time.

1915 . A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she’s recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she’s trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the “Queen of Spies”, who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy’s nose.

Ok let’s first just say wow. This was a fantastic novel but because it was so fantastic I find that I want to talk about every little detail and examine precisely what worked and what didn’t.

This story was innovative and unique. I loved that it spread across both wars, because of that I thought that it demonstrated how very similar both wars were. I think it’s easy to separate WWI and WWII into two very different wars—when in fact many of the lingering animosity from the first WW carried over and impacted WWII. Having this book set in both periods really drove that point home.

The angle of the story…..marvelous. I loved the two heroines and their two alternating perspectives. Eve was simply a badass brazen bitch who was kicking ass and taking names. Truly no fear. Where as Charlie was more of the strong silent type in many ways. She was held down by her family and situation and really came into her own and found her voice in this book—where as Eve was the fearless heroine who was ready to sacrifice everything not just for her country but for her friends.

To be honest, I liked Eve substantially more than I liked Charlie. How could you not admire someone that was so bold? Now that said, I don’t know that the alcoholic angle worked for me. I understand why the author went this route—-it’s logical and makes sense given the period and it worked better than an opium addict, however I felt like Eve had been through so much and was so stoic in the beginning that I almost had a hard time believing that she was this maniac alcoholic ready to off her self at various points. I understand the reasoning behind it but it doesn’t mean that I liked it. Did it fit within the period and the circumstance? Yes but I don’t know that it entirely fit her character for me.

Charlie was brave in her own ways and I liked her story line, I just felt like Eve’s overshadowed hers. Charlie’s demons were different and I liked the modernness of her demons. I also liked the romantic story between her and Finn, however I think the author needed to really play up Finn’s troubled past. Finn was the most flat character of all and maybe it was meant to be that way but the fact that he was featured so heavily in the story made me need to see more development in his story or background. Half the time I was wondering why he was even here other than as a romantic interest for Charlie. Finn fell short compared to the other two principal characters. I also found myself wondering if the romance was even necessary for this novel.

I mean I liked the romance just fine—I am the persons who loves war romances so I should be really into the Charlie and Finn romance and Eve’s romantic angles. However I just wasn’t into Charlie’s romance. Eve’s was fine because the romance didn’t eclipse her character. With Charlie I felt like too much of her character was wrapped up in the romance. Maybe what I am trying to say is, I basically just wanted to read Eve’s story. While I liked the two merging plots of Eve and Charlie—ultimately I was way more invested in Eve’s story and just wanted to read about her.

So where does that leave us review rating wise? This is an easy 5 star review. While there were elements that weren’t my favorite and things I would have changed, it wasn’t substantial enough for my to rate it lower than 5 stars. This was a fantastic novel and I would highly recommend it—especially for book clubs. I thought Eve’s profession and choices would make for a great group discussion.

Challenge/Book Summary:

Book: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Kindle Edition, 528 pages Published June 6th 2017 by William Morrow Paperbacks
Review copy provided by: Personal collection

This book counts toward: NA

Hosted by: NA
Books for Challenge Completed: NA

Recommendation: 5 out of 5

Genre: Historical fiction

Memorable lines/quotes:

There are two kinds of flowers when it comes to women…the kind that sit safe in a beautiful vase, or the kind that survive in any conditions…..even in evil.

2 thoughts on “ Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn ”

Reblogged this on Rafaelle and commented: I read The Alice Network last month and I loved it! Check out this great review to get a feel of what it’s all about.

Pingback: Review: The Rose Code by Kate Quinn – The Lit Bitch

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Book Review: “The Alice Network” by Kate Quinn

Posted at 3:15 am by laura , on june 22, 2017.

Publisher: William Morrow Published: June 2017 Genre: historical fiction ISBN: 9780062654199 Rating: ★★★★★

1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She’s also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie’s parents banish her to Europe to have her “little problem” taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister. 1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she’s recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she’s trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the “Queen of Spies”, who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy’s nose. Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn’t heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth …no matter where it leads.

Eve Gardiner’s stutter has held her back for ages. Everyone assumes she’s a half-wit — except for one man who can tell she’s sharp, cunning, and intelligent. She’s recruited to work as a spy in a restaurant run by a collaborator in France, and trained alongside Lili, who manages an entire network of secret agents. Thirty years later, Charlie St. Clair is on a mission to find her missing cousin, and runs away from her mother and their travel plans to get rid of her Little Problem in Switzerland. Recruiting Eve’s assistance, Eve and Charlie work together to find Charlie’s cousin, come to the truth of the disbanding of the Alice Network, and seek revenge on the man who brought these ladies together across the years.

All the stars. All the awards. I haven’t read historical fiction like this in a long time. The voice, the plot, the structure, the characters…oh my goodness.

Quinn’s novel is written in parallel narratives across two timelines and in two perspectives. That, I think, is what kept the pages turning and the investment in the characters so deep. There are several parallels between the two wars already, so writing Eve’s storyline in third person and Charlie’s in first person helped differentiate the stories. Eve was also such a firecracker, and Charlie was breaking out of her socialite shell and into who she really is. These women were ahead of their time, and all it took was support and confidence from another encouraging person to help them become their true selves.

Eve is intelligent and cunning, and utilized her stutter in such a brilliant way as she spied on the German patrons of her creepy boss’s restaurant. The things she went through to pass on messages to Lili and Uncle Edward (the code names of her spy network’s superiors) is just…remarkable. And frightening. To know that so many women in history were spies and did these things and experienced this is just mind-boggling. I cried. Quite often.

Charlie is a brilliant mathematician, but no one will take her seriously as a single woman. She’s constantly thwarted in her efforts without a husband by her side. After meeting Eve and working alongside her in her mission to find her beloved cousin, Charlie musters up the courage to forge her own path in life, consequences, leaps of faith, and all.

What struck me most about this novel was the power of female bonds. So many fierce women are in here, and while they do not all get along with one another, they understand how difficult it is (especially in this time in history) to simply live life as a woman. The consequences of speaking one’s mind or standing up for oneself, dealing with abuse or torture or pregnancy, and being used or abandoned are some of the issues all women faced. Women, in history and now, understand this unspoken bond of sisterhood through adversity. It was powerful. This novel made it all the more moving.

If you love WWI and WWII stories about fierce women facing all sorts of hardship and adversity and rising above it all , this is for you.

Author: Laura

2 thoughts on “ book review: “the alice network” by kate quinn ”.

June 24, 2017 at 12:27 am

I’ve been seeing rave reviews of this one, but I didn’t realize one of the main characters had a stutter. Being a speech-language pathologist, I’m even more interested now to check this one out! Plus, I am all about stories of women triumphing over adversity, especially set in WWI/II settings. Clearly I am going to have to get my hands on this one!!

July 8, 2017 at 8:50 am

It’s AMAZING! I hope you’re able to read it soon!

Hello, I’m Laura!

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★★★ — It’s good ★★★★ — It’s great ★★★★★ — OMG LOVE!!!

Book Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

There have been quite a few novels telling the story of World War II female British agents dropped into France, and their resistance fighter counterparts, and they often make good reading. It was a time for women getting to do some gutsy jobs, involving danger and cunning – not the usual ‘keep the home fires burning’ roles they were often accustomed to. But what about the earlier war? Kate Quinn puts us in the picture with one particular network run by Alice Dubois (real name Louise de Bettignies) in German occupied France during the First World War.

Although The Alice Network is partly written through the eyes of a fictitious character – Evelyn Gardiner, a British spy (code name Marguerite Le Francois) – Dubois and her network of spies are also incorporated into the story. We first meet Eve years later as an ageing drunk with deformed hands, a bad temper and a tendency to wave her Luger around, firing off a round when startled.

It’s an evening in 1947 when nineteen-year-old New Yorker, Charlie St. Clair, hammers on Eve’s door demanding to be let in. It’s pouring with rain, and Charlie has escaped her mother during a visit to Europe for a completely different purpose. Charlie is determined to track down a long lost French cousin, Rose, angry that no one has found out what happened to Rose in the recent war. Without a death certificate or witness statement, she still hopes Rose is alive. Eve, working at a bureau that helped locate refugees, had corresponded with Charlie’s father about Rose giving no reason for hope.

That’s not the only problem for Charlie – she’s three month’s pregnant and was supposed to be going to a clinic for an abortion. But Charlie needs to track down Rose before it’s too late and take control of her own life. Eve is set to turn Charlie out into the street, but a new lead sparks her curiosity. Before long they form an unlikely alliance, heading to France with Eve’s Scottish hired help, Finn Kilgore, in his ageing Lagonda. Finn also has his own war story, which eventually emerges, but the narrative is mostly Eve’s and Charlie’s, flipping between WWI and 1947 to fill us in on the story of the Alice Network, and Charlie’s journey of discovery.

This is a nicely paced novel. The story of Eve’s war is a grim one, unfolding to reveal how women spies picked up gems of information about troop movements and planned attacks. Eve, with her stutter, looks naive and youthful, but as a waitress in the only decent restaurant in Lille, is an ideal spy with her ease in both French and German. There’s lots of tension here and the sudden switches to Charlie’s story give a bit of light relief. Although her’s is a sad story too, there’s a bit more fun in the way the three travellers interact and develop a grudging respect for each other. Things simmer between them until the past finally catches up with the present and everything comes to a dramatic finish.

I enjoyed the novel immensely as an escapist read, but was also really interested to learn more about the spy-ring run by Alice Dubois and the fate of those who were captured. Remembering that this is a time before women had the vote in Britain, it’s remarkable how these female agents were allowed to take on dangerous missions behind enemy lines. The execution of Edith Cavell, a nurse shot for aiding the escape of Allied soldiers, is a stark reminder that this wasn’t a game.

The characters of our three main players are both interesting and engaging, and the cliff-hanger chapter endings keep you racing through the story. It’s not surprising this novel has been extremely popular and well-recommended, and many will be eager to read Quinn’s new book: The Rose Code. The Alice Network is a four out of five read from me.

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2 thoughts on “ Book Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn ”

I enjoyed your review. Have you read The Rose Code, the author’s new novel? I really love it.

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Thanks, Joyce. I haven’t read The Rose Code yet, but it’s on my list.

Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Posted May 25, 2017 by Stephanie in 5 Stars , Historical Fiction , Kate Quinn , Review , The Alice Network / 5 Comments

Title: The Alice Network Author: Kate Quinn Publication: June 6th 2017 by William Morrow Paperbacks Genre: Historical Fiction Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Play | Kobo Rating: 5/5

In an enthralling new historical novel from national bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption. 1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She’s also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie’s parents banish her to Europe to have her “little problem” taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister. 1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she’s recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she’s trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the “Queen of Spies”, who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy’s nose. Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn’t heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth…no matter where it leads. “Both funny and heartbreaking, this epic journey of two courageous women is an unforgettable tale of little-known wartime glory and sacrifice. Quinn knocks it out of the park with this spectacular book!” —Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author of America’s First Daughter

I’ve only read the author’s books set in ancient Rome so I was a tiny bit sceptical about her newest book that alternates between World War I and 1947. I haven’t actually read a lot of books that are set in these times. But then I started the book and ended up being hooked from page one and now it’s my favorite book of 2017. Kate Quinn just never disappoints. In 1915 Eve Gardiner enters the Crown’s service during World War I as a spy and is send to France. And in 1947, Charlie St. Clair who’s pregnant and unmarried is determinded to find out what happened to her cousin who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France. When circumstances throws them together, along with Finn Kilgore and his Lagonda LG6, they’re going on one hell of a roadtrip to discover the truth that Eve and Charlie desperately are looking for. I absolutely loved reading about Eve, Charlie and Finn. These three made quite the trio. I also loved the chapters set in 1915 because I was very much intrigued by Eve as she started spying with the help of “Queen of Spies” Lili, who was also a really outstanding character, which I can only applaud the author for. As a Belgian this book resonated pretty deeply with me, obviously. I even shed a few tears at some parts. But I thought the book was quite witty at times as well. The humor versus the parts that were pretty terrible to read about at times were very well balanced, in my opinion. And also, so many emotions went through me with the story. It was really amazing! Overall, The Alice Network by Kate Quinn was simply phenomenal. It just touched me to the core. I cried and laughed and devoured the story page by page. I would highly recommend to more than any other book I’ve read this year so far. I absolutely loved it!

Kate Quinn is a native of southern California. She attended Boston University, where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. A lifelong history buff, she has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance detailing the early years of the infamous Borgia clan. All have been translated into multiple languages. Kate has succumbed to the blogging bug, and keeps a blog filled with trivia, pet peeves, and interesting facts about historical fiction. She and her husband now live in Maryland with two black dogs named Caesar and Calpurnia, and her interests include opera, action movies, cooking, and the Boston Red Sox. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

5 responses to “ Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn ”

This sounds utterly brilliant — and I'd never heard of the Alice Network before. It sounds absolutely intriguing!

It's so worth a read!

Glad you had a great time with this one 🙂

It was everything I'd hoped for!

I haven't read too many books set during WW1, because most of them focus on WW2. I actually find WW1 just as intriguing of a time period and I know a lot about the course of the war because of studying in history. I am glad this was such a wonderfully written book!

Book Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

I love historical fiction that is set during WWI and WWII, so Kate Quinn’s The Alice Network was the best of both worlds for me as it has a dual time line, one of which takes place during WWI while the second takes place a couple of years after WWII. What an incredible read this was! And the fact that the story is based on an actual real life women’s spy network that was active in France during WWI? Amazing! How did I not even know there was such a thing?

The Alice Network follows the story of two women, Charlie St. Clair and Eve Gardiner, and what happens when their lives unexpectedly cross paths.

Nineteen year old Charlie St. Clair is pregnant and unmarried. The year is 1947, so as you can imagine, Charlie’s parents have deemed her situation a “problem” and so are shipping her off to a clinic in Switzerland so that it can be taken care of low-key so as not to ruin Charlie’s reputation at home. Charlie makes the trip with her mom, and when they have a layover in England, Charlie runs away because she is on a mission of her own: to find out what happened to her cousin Rose who had been living in Nazi-occupied France and disappeared during WWII. Her family has presumed she is dead, but Charlie is convinced that she is still out there somewhere. She only has one lead at this point, an address in London and a name, Evelyn Gardiner. She has no idea who Evelyn Gardiner is or how she can possibly help her find Rose, but she is determined to follow this lead wherever it takes her.

Enter Evelyn, or Eve as she is known, Gardiner. I’m not sure what Charlie expected when she first knocks on Eve’s door, but a snarky, stuttering, gun-toting drunk with horribly disfigured hands was probably not it. At first Eve barely even listens to Charlie’s story about her cousin Rose and has no interest at all in helping her. That is, until Charlie mentions Le Lethe, which was the name of the restaurant where Rose was working at just prior to her disappearance, and Monsieur Rene, the owner of the restaurant. As soon as Eve hears those names, her whole attitude abruptly shifts and she decides to help Charlie.

As Eve sets out to help Charlie, we are also taken on a second journey, this time back to 1915, where we follow Eve and see how she has ended up the way she is when Charlie meets her in 1947. In 1915, Eve is working as an administrative assistant at a law firm in England, but she desperately wants to do something more important. Specifically, she wants to join the action in WWI fighting against the Germans. She unexpectedly gets her chance when a visitor to the law firm, notes that Eve has qualities that would ideally suit her to working as a spy. Namely, she appears to remain calm, cool, and collected no matter what is going on around her, and she is able to lie with a straight face. Those qualities, coupled with a horrible stutter that make others assume she’s a bit dim-witted and therefore underestimate her. Because of these qualities, the visitor recruits her to become a part of The Alice Network, an all-female spy network that was operating in France, right under the German’s noses. Eve is eager to join and so we follow her through her spy training, to her primary assignment in enemy-occupied France during the war and all of the dangers it ensues, all the way through to why the names Le Leche and Monsieur Rene struck such a chord with her so many years later when Charlie St. Clair mentions them. Eve’s journey is equal parts riveting and horrifying, and 100% life-changing.

I love when a dual timeline narrative is handled well and author Kate Quinn does a marvelous job presenting both Charlie and Eve’s stories in The Alice Network . The chapters alternate between the 1915 and the 1947 timelines so Eve’s backstory is presented a little at a time as is Charlie’s mission to find out what happened to her beloved cousin. Both stories are so compelling that I found myself easily pulled along, particularly because I really wanted to know what happened to turn Eve from spy extraordinaire to a bitter, disfigured woman with a major drinking problem. I also wanted to see how exactly Eve was supposed to be the key to helping Charlie find Rose, not to mention I really wanted to know if Rose was still alive, and if so, why has she gone two years without trying to contact her family.

I also think that part of the reason the dual timeline works so well in this story is the active presence of Eve in both timelines. She is such a fascinating and complex character, both in her younger days where she so desperately wanted to fight against the Germans and as we see her in 1947, where she is ready to take her Luger and blow the head off of anyone who so much as looks at her funny. I adored Eve’s bigger-than-life personality and the way it just fills the pages of this story. She made me laugh, she made me cry, and she had me scared to death for her at so many points throughout the story.

Charlie is very likeble as well, but in a different way, since we only see her at age 19. What I liked about Charlie was her spunk and her determination, as well as her absolute devotion to her cousin, who was more like a sister to her. Charlie’s youthful enthusiasm, combined with Eve’s fierce snark, makes them a pretty formidable team as they journey together to find Rose.

Kate Quinn also does a brilliant job of depicting the settings, both in 1915 with enemy-occupied France and then 1947, with both the French countryside and with London. The sights and sounds felt authentic, and Quinn’s attention to detail is spot on. As I read and followed these women, I felt myself transported to each time period and location.

I wouldn’t really call it a dislike, but I do have to admit that I found Eve’s storyline to be a lot more compelling than Charlie’s. I loved both characters and was invested in both storylines, but Eve’s journey and the life-threatening danger she faced every moment while working as a spy was just absolutely riveting. Charlie’s story just fell a bit short in comparison.

If you’re looking for a well written, riveting read, I’d highly recommend checking out The Alice Network. It’s sure to be a favorite for fans of historical fiction, but I think anyone who enjoys reading about strong and complex female characters would love this read as well. Since this was a fictionalized account of the actual Alice Network, I find myself now wanting to go out and learn more about it since I had never heard of it during any of my history courses in school.

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS In an enthralling new historical novel from national bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption. 1915. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She’s also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie’s parents banish her to Europe to have her “little problem” taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister. 1948. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she’s recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she’s trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the “Queen of Spies”, who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy’s nose. Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn’t heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth …no matter where it leads.

About Kate Quinn

Kate Quinn is a native of southern California. She attended Boston University, where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. A lifelong history buff, she has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance, before turning to the 20th century with “The Alice Network.” All have been translated into multiple languages.

Kate and her husband now live in San Diego with two black dogs named Caesar and Calpurnia, and her interests include opera, action movies, cooking, and the Boston Red Sox.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Kate Quinn has become on of my all-time favorite historical fiction authors. She has the ability to craft a tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat and cheering for what’s sure to be a fierce female main character. Her beloved novel, The Alice Network , is a great example of exactly that! Quinn introduces readers to one of the most memorable female protagonists in my opinion. Read on to find out more!

This blog is reader-supported. I earn a small commission from affiliate links in this post when you click on the link (at no cost to you). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, visit my legal page .

Charlie St Clair is in trouble and officially on the run! Like most people, World War has wreaked havoc in her life. She can still remember the terrible pain of losing her beloved brother, a grief that left her empty and lost. And the series of bad choices she made in an effort to fill that void have left her in a world of trouble. Now, she has “a little problem” that her parents insist she must eliminate as soon as possible. But en-route to Switzerland to see the doctor, Charlie makes a mad dash to get away from her overbearing mother.

But Charlie isn’t running just to run; she’s on a mission. She’s determined to find the only other person she loved like a sibling: her missing cousin, Rose. The trouble is, Rose was last seen in a countryside French town during the height of the Nazi Occupation, and no one seems to know or care what happened to her. Following her only lead, Charlie lands on the stoop of the last person likely to help anyone: Eve Gardiner.

Charlie’s desperate enough to enlist the aide of Eve, an unpredictable alcoholic with scars and secrets of her own. Despite Eve’s gruff manner, Charlie knows she’s the only person who can help. In desperation, Charlie pawns a family heirloom to pay Eve and her chauffeur, the handsome Finn, to aide in her search.

But over time Charlie begins to see through Eve’s tough façade. As she learns more about Eve’s true identity, Charlie discovers that the scars of war are far deeper than skin deep. Oddly enough, the more she learns about Eve’s past, the closer she gets to discovering the truth about Rose. And along the way she just might learn something about her own worth as woman. ⁠

My Thoughts on The Alice Network

This book is GOOD, y’all! It’s really, really good. I’ll even call it great! I loved every minute of it, and I’m especially glad I listened to it rather than reading a physical or digital copy, though I’m positive both would have been equally as enjoyable. The audio really kicked it up a notch and helped keep me interested in what was coming next.

I’ve learned since reading other works by Quinn that The Alice Network is one of her more fast-paced reads. Chapters are short, which works really well for the dual timeline, dual point-of-view structure. Switching between the WWI and post-WWII timelines wasn’t confusing since so many of the themes and characters were shared. Quinn’s knack for descriptive yet succinct text makes for easy reading, too.

Like her other books, the world-building and character development in The Alice Network is well executed, making it easy to connect with both timelines and both main character’s. The duality of the two main characters, Eve and Charlie, created drama and tension that carried all the way through to the finale. And, boy, what a finale it was!

Of the two storylines, I enjoyed Eve and Lili’s plot evolution the most. As a result, I was completely immersed in the WWI plot by the end of the book. Quinn’s ability to weave together characters rivals Kristin Hannah and Diana Gabaldon, two of my all-time favorite authors. Her characters are quick-witted, wickedly sharp, and courageous. Eve was certainly unlike most other main characters, but her temperament added to the story rather than stealing the show.

The Alice Network was my first Kate Quinn book, but I loved it so much that I instantly bought a copy of her latest, The Diamond Eye , which I read in record time! I’ve since read her other two WWII novels, The Rose Code and The Huntress (reviews for all three coming soon). It’s safe to say I’m a huge fan of Quinn’s work, and I have no doubt you will be, too!

My Rating for The Alice Network

This book definitely deserves to be on your TBR; it’s is inspiring, compelling, and suspenseful. I highly suggest starting with The Alice Networ k if you’ve never read any of Quinn’s WWII fiction, or if you’ve not read any WWII fiction. If you read only one of Quinn’s books, make sure it’s this one.

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Hi there! I'm a 40-ish book lover, always looking for the next great read, particularly the best historical fiction. I live in Los Angeles with my fella and our fur babies, Fozzy and Polly. Working from home changed my life. Suddenly, I had time in my day to read again. I love sharing my reading journey here on my website and social media. Be sure to follow along for reading recommendations and honest book reviews.

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The alice network.

Earlier this year, I read Kate Quinn’s The Rose Code. It remains one of my favorite books of 2021. I finally decided to pick up another one of Quinn’s books – The Alice Network. I hope to slowly make my way through her backlist. I love that Quinn writes historical fiction based upon real women overlooked by history.

Quick Synopsis

Two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption.

Publisher’s Synopsis

1915 . A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she’s recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she’s trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the “Queen of Spies”, who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy’s nose.

Book Review

The Alice Network is a historical fiction novel told through two female protagonists in alternating timelines – 1915 and 1947. The story centers around a WWI spy network in France and the aftermath of WWII.

I enjoy that Kate Quinn writes historical fiction that is laced with mystery and suspense and also based upon real life women, typically overlooked in history. The Alice Network was no exception. Both storylines incorporated true-to-history events or people of which I was previously unaware.

I know a lot of people are tired of reading WWI and particularly WWII historical fiction. I found The Alice Network to be unique enough from other stories in the same period not to grow weary during reading. In addition, I enjoyed the characters throughout the book and thought they were well-developed and compelling. I was invested in all of their lives and their endings.

For me, The Alice Network did not 100 percent work. There was some magic missing. I chalk a lot of this up to having two somewhat disparate narratives. One storyline was definitely stronger and more interesting for the majority of the book. The other storyline felt somewhat weak in comparison. This contributed to the book feeling slow at times and a bit too long. Eventually the second narrative picked up in place and compellingness, but it failed to stand as an equal to the other narrative.

Overall, I enjoyed The Alice Network but was slightly disappointed. I expected this book to be as amazing as Kate Quinn’s latest, The Rose Code, and found it did not live up to this expectation. Regardless, The Alice Network is still a solid historical fiction read that I recommend.

Overall Rating

Character Development

RECOMMENDED

Genre Historical Fiction

Publication Date June 21, 2017

Storygraph Rating 4.18 stars

Goodreads Rating 4.28 stars

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The latest book reviews and book news, the alice network: book review.

The Alice Network book summary

The Alice Network is one of the best war novels that I have read. That is saying a lot since that is a favorite genre of mine and I have read dozens of World War novels. Find out what makes this novel so special in our summary review.

The Alice Network Summary

The year is 1947 and Charlotte (Charlie) is going to Switzerland with her mother. She is an American college student who is pregnant and is going to get an abortion overseas. But Charlie has other plans that include finder her French Cousin Rose Fournier who disappeared during World War II.

Charlie and her mom stopover in England and Charlie slips away from her mother and locates Eve Gardiner. She is a World War I British spy whose name appeared on a report Charlie’s father received while trying to locate Rose.

The narration switches between Charlie and Rose and between WWI and after WWII. We learn of Eve’s undercover job as a waitress in France serving German soldiers. In the present tense, Charlie Eve, and her butler make their way across Europe while tracing Rose’s path.

The past and the present cross paths and Eve has to once again relive her past. But she is not the same person as before and must overcome her guilt and find out what actually happened during her undercover job.

Commentary

I have been coming across this novel for a while now which is why I find it hard to believe it was published in 2017. Maybe because it feels timeless and. the writing and storytelling is top notch. A modern classic if I say so myself.

What I loved about this book is that it isn’t what it seems at first. We are given a great mystery that gets more convuloted as the novel unfolds. What’s more, we begin to see how everything is tied and how it all connects to the present. Eve Gardiner is as strong as a protagonist as you will see in any novel and Quinn really makes her come to life.

The protagonists in this novel are well written and some of the best characters I’ve come across, male or female. Quinn’s plot and her spy tale are great but her characters make the story come to life. Without them, I would not have been as invested as I was.

There are a lot of novels that center around World War II but I think this book stands out in this crowded genre. The writing is great, the characters feel very real and the mystery keeps you hooked. This is writing at it’s finest and not many authors can do that regarding a complex plot and an interesting mix of characters.

I definitely recommend this novel to any fans of mystery and spy novels , World War 2 novel fans, and fans of great female protagonists. Great writing and great characters and the perfect mystery seldom come together like this but when they do, it makes for a great read.

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This one is on my reading list. Excited for it!

You’ll enjoy it a lot

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Book Summary and Reviews of The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

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The Alice Network

by Kate Quinn

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Book summary.

1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She's also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie's parents banish her to Europe to have her "little problem" taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister. 1915 . A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she's recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she's trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the "Queen of Spies", who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy's nose. Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn't heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth...no matter where it leads.

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New York Times & USA Today Bestseller #1 Globe and Mail Historical Fiction Bestseller One of NPR's Best Books of the Year! One of Bookbub's Biggest Historical Fiction Books of the Year! Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick! The 2017 Girly Book Club Book of the Year! A Summer Book Pick from Good Housekeeping, Parade, Library Journal, Goodreads, Liz and Lisa, and BookBub "This fast-paced story offers courageous heroines, villains you love to hate, and dramatic life-or-death stakes. A compelling blend of historical fiction, mystery, and women's fiction, Quinn's complex story and engaging characters have something to offer just about everyone." - Library Journal (starred review) "Amazing historical fiction... a must read!" - Historical Novel Society, Editor's Choice "...Kate Quinn announces herself as one of the best artists of the genre. The plotting is seamless, the pace breathtaking, and the prose is both vivid and laced with just the right amount of details. Fans of historical fiction, spy fiction and thrilling drama will love every moment..." - BookPage "Lovingly crafted and brimming with details, readers are sure to be held in Quinn's grip watching as the characters evolve. Powerful reading you can't put down!" - RT Book Reviews (top pick) "Kate Quinn delivers an enthralling tale filled with breath-taking narrative that will make the reader feel as if they're in the back of the roadster, riding along with the raucous Eve and courageous Charlie on their clandestine adventures. Suspenseful and engrossing, The Alice Network is a must-read!" - Heather Webb, Author of Rodin's Lover "Kate Quinn strums the chords of every human emotion with two storylines that race over continents and through decades to converge in one explosive ending." - Marci Jefferson, author of Enchantress of Paris "The Alice Network... perfectly balances a propulsive plot, faultlessly observed period detail, and a cast of characters so vividly drawn that I half expected to blink and see them standing in front of me. This is historical fiction at its best--thrilling, affecting, revelatory." - Jennifer Robson, international bestselling author of Moonlight Over Paris "Both funny and heartbreaking, this epic journey of two courageous women is an unforgettable tale of little-known wartime glory and sacrifice. Quinn knocks it out of the park with this spectacular book!" - Stephanie Dray, author of America's First Daughter

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Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of Southern California, she attended Boston University, where she earned bachelor's and master's degrees in classical voice. A lifelong history buff, she has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga and two books set in the Italian Renaissance before turning to the 20th century with The Alice Network , The Huntress , The Rose Code , and The Diamond Eye. All have been translated into multiple languages. She and her husband now live in California with three black rescue dogs.

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The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Publication Date: June 6, 2017
Genres: Fiction , Historical Fiction
Paperback: 528 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
ISBN-10: 0062654195
ISBN-13: 9780062654199
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Book Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

The Alice Network is a gripping novel about women who risked everything in service of their country. By turns harrowing and suspenseful, it’s overall a very satisfying read.

This post may contain Amazon Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you, from qualifying purchases. (This in no way affects the honesty of my reviews!) All commissions will be donated to the ALS Association.

A short summary of The Alice Network:

It’s 1947 and 19-year-old American Charlie St. Clair is in England, searching for her missing French cousin, Rose. Rose disappeared in Nazi-occupied France a few years earlier, so it’s possible she was a war casualty, but there aren’t any definitive records. Charlie wants to find her. She NEEDS to find her.

The last lead she had about Rose was from a woman named Eve Gardiner who worked at one of the British agencies that helped track down war refugees. Charlie visits Eve’s home and finds a bitter, drunk older woman with damaged hands holding a loaded pistol. Eve doesn’t have any ready answers but something about the details of Rose’s case obviously strike a chord with her. Grudgingly, and for a fee, Eve agrees to accompany Charlie as she follows the few crumbs that may lead to Rose. Accompanying them is Finn, a Scottish war veteran with baggage of his own.

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The three head to France to see if they can find Rose. Along the way, we learn, though a series of flashbacks, about Eve’s past. During World War One, she was a British spy collecting intelligence about the German war efforts in occupied France. She was part of the spy network run by Frenchwoman Alice Dubois (Alice and the network were real things although Eve is a fictional character). Eve’s story is heartbreaking and harrowing. The fear of being discovered is palpable, although Eve handles her fear with steely resolve. Until it all comes apart.

In 1947, a ghost from Eve’s past resurfaces as part of their search for Rose and it ends with a dramatic confrontation.

The Alice Network was at times riveting and at times difficult to read due to the nature of some of the topics, which included torture, abortion, suicide and PTSD. There was some heavy stuff in this novel. But there was also a message of hope and salvation. Eve, Charlie and Finn were three very troubled people who ultimately saved each other. They gave each other love and it helped each of them find purpose. That message was made brighter by superimposing it on Eve’s very dark past. Overall, a very well done story.

If you’ve read The Alice Network tell us what you thought. Also, read any good spy novels recently? I’d love some recommendations.

2 thoughts on “ Book Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn ”

This sounds like a great story! I will get it from the library – thanks for a compelling recommendation!

Ooooh, this sounds good. Loved the review! Don’t have any spy novel recommendations but did just read about a new non-fiction book (broken record, I know) called Knitskreig: A Call to Yarns about the role of knitting in three centuries of conflict (think encrypted codes being knitted into garments sent overseas).

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The Alice Network

1915 . A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she’s recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she’s trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the “Queen of Spies”, who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy’s nose.

“Both funny and heartbreaking, this epic journey of two courageous women is an unforgettable tale of little-known wartime glory and sacrifice. Quinn knocks it out of the park with this spectacular book!”—Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author of America’s First Daughter

Trailers for THE ROSE CODE, THE HUNTRESS & THE ALICE NETWORK!

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{Book Review} The Alice Network ⋆ Books n' Cooks
"The Alice Network" Book Review
Book Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Book Review The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
The Alice Network: A Review
Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

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ALICE IN WONDERLAND
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19th Century It Girl: Alice's Adventures In Wonderland
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Book Review: 'The Alice Network,' By Kate Quinn : NPR
Book Review: 'The Alice Network,' By Kate Quinn
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. The Alice Network by Kate Quinn is historical fiction novel that is full of adventure and intrigue. The book lived up its hype and more. You must read it! I've always loved history and one of my favorite aspects of reading historical fiction is learning something new about a specific time in the past.
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Book Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. The Alice Network by Kate Quinn reads as a fascinating piece of historical fiction torn between the events of World War I and post-World War II France. Despite a few criticisms, it's quite a page-turning gem that illuminates the unfortunate German-occupied France time periods with real and ...
The Alice Network: A Review
My Thoughts: The Alice Network is a continued focus on female authors writing about strong female protagonists. The Alice Network is receiving a lot of buzz (as evidenced by Amazon ratings of 4.7) and it's currently on the must-read list of many readers who love a plot-driven, fast-paced story filled with drama, intrigue, and suspense.
Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. This book was everywhere last year. It was first published in June of 2017 and it's been every where ever since. All over my social media, on all my friends 'to read' or 'favorite' shelfs, and at my local library as a librarian favorite. It sounded like something that would be right up my alley ...
Book Review: "The Alice Network" by Kate Quinn
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn Publisher: William Morrow Published: June 2017 Genre: historical fiction ISBN: 9780062654199 Rating: ★★★★★ 1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She's also nursing a desperate hope that…
The Alice Network: A Novel
Amazon.com: The Alice Network: A Reese's Book Club Pick
Book Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Book Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. August 20, 2021August 18, 2021 ~ Judith. There have been quite a few novels telling the story of World War II female British agents dropped into France, and their resistance fighter counterparts, and they often make good reading. It was a time for women getting to do some gutsy jobs, involving ...
Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
In an enthralling new historical novel from national bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption.
The Alice Network: A Novel Mass Market Paperback
— RT Book Reviews (top pick) "Kate Quinn delivers an enthralling tale filled with breath-taking narrative that will make the reader feel as if they're in the back of the roadster, riding along with the raucous Eve and courageous Charlie on their clandestine adventures. Suspenseful and engrossing, THE ALICE NETWORK is a must-read!"
Book Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn Published by William Morrow Paperbacks on June 6th 2017 Genres: Historical Fiction Pages: 503 Source: Library Amazon Goodreads. MY REVIEW: I love historical fiction that is set during WWI and WWII, so Kate Quinn's The Alice Network was the best of both worlds for me as it has a dual time line, one of which takes place during WWI while the second takes place a ...
The Alice Network: Book Review
The Alice Network: Book Review. 20. Kate Quinn has become on of my all-time favorite historical fiction authors. She has the ability to craft a tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat and cheering for what's sure to be a fierce female main character. Her beloved novel, The Alice Network, is a great example of exactly that!
The Alice Network
The Alice Network. by Kate Quinn. Publication Date: June 6, 2017. Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction. Paperback: 528 pages. Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks. ISBN-10: 0062654195. ISBN-13: 9780062654199. A female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite are brought ...
The Alice Network
It remains one of my favorite books of 2021. I finally decided to pick up another one of Quinn's books - The Alice Network. ... Book Review. The Alice Network is a historical fiction novel told through two female protagonists in alternating timelines - 1915 and 1947. The story centers around a WWI spy network in France and the aftermath ...
The Alice Network
The Alice Network
The Alice Network: Book Review
The Alice Network is one of the best war novels that I have read. That is saying a lot since that is a favorite genre of mine and I have read dozens of World War novels. Find out what makes this novel so special in our summary review. The Alice Network Summary. The year is 1947 and Charlotte (Charlie) is going to Switzerland with her mother.
Summary and reviews of The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Summary and reviews of The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn | Book Club Discussion ...
Book Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
In 1947, a ghost from Eve's past resurfaces as part of their search for Rose and it ends with a dramatic confrontation. The Alice Network was at times riveting and at times difficult to read due to the nature of some of the topics, which included torture, abortion, suicide and PTSD. There was some heavy stuff in this novel.
The Alice Network book review
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn Published by William Morrow Paperbacks on June 6, 2017 Pages: 503 Goodreads. In an enthralling new historical novel from national bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a ...
The Alice Network: A Reese's Book Club Pick
Kate Quinn's "Diamond Eye" was my favorite book this year so I naturally wanted to read more from her. "The Alice Network" tells the story of two women and alternates between 1915 and 1947. Eve Gardiner is a young woman who is recruited to become a spy during WWI and is trained by Lilli, the leader of the Alice Network.
The Alice Network
The Alice Network. Author: Kate Quinn. ASIN: B01LZFL63S. In an enthralling new historical novel from national bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a ...

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