The Woman with No Name is Audrey Blake’s latest novel. Published by Sourcebooks Landmark on March 12, 2024, it transports readers to occupied France in the 1940s. Yvonne is desperate to help with the war effort but is constantly passed over due to her age and build. A chance meeting gives her the opportunity to change all of that. But can she leave her family behind?
I want to thank Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Woman with No Name. All opinions presented here are my own.
Synopsis from Goodreads
1942. Though she survived the bomb that destroyed her home, Yvonne Rudellat’s life is over. She’s estranged from her husband, her daughter is busy with war work, and Yvonne—older, diminutive, overlooked—has lost all purpose. Until she’s offered a chance to remake herself entirely…
The war has taken a turn for the worse, and the men in charge are desperate. So, when Yvonne is recruited as Britain’s first female sabotage agent, expectations are low. But her tenacity, ability to go unnoticed, and aptitude for explosives set her apart. Soon enough, she arrives in occupied France with a new identity, ready to set the Nazi regime ablaze.
But there are adversaries on all sides. As Yvonne becomes infamous as the nameless, unstoppable woman who burns the enemy at every turn, she realizes she may lose herself to the urgent needs of the cause…
Positives
- A diverse cast of characters.
- The main character isn’t a 20-something
- Beautifully written descriptions of the setting.
- Based on a true story.
Negatives
- You know how the story will end before reaching the end.
My Opinions
At first, I was slow to read this novel. Some of it was because of time restrictions, and some of it was because parts of the story felt sluggish and slow. But the more I allowed myself to become immersed in the book, the more enjoyable I found it.
Two things that drew me to this book were that the main character is a woman who has been overlooked due to her “advanced” age (as if 44 is old!) and that she wants to make a difference. She wants to be known for more than just her husband’s wife or daughter’s mother. Those two things made me want to know more about Yvonne Rudellat.
As Yvonne does her best in France, she meets and becomes friends with people like her. They are invisible due to their bland appearances, age, and occupation. Yes, a few of her friends come from elite backgrounds, but as such, they are overlooked by the occupiers.
Reading a book set during World War II that did not showcase or solely focus on young adults was refreshing. Yvonne is in her forties, though she is passing as a thirtysomething. Several of her friends are of similar ages or older. So many books in this period focus on characters in their early to mid-twenties.
As the story progresses, you can feel the tension build. You feel the stress and worry that Yvonne feels. Yvonne even feels pangs of regret as the end nears. Regret for being unable to tell her daughter where she is and what she’s doing. Regret for not mending fences when she had the chance. But not regretting what she had done and had to do. Yvonne was fighting for her home and the people there.
If you enjoy reading historical fiction set during World War II, especially if it’s based on a true story, then you should read The Woman with No Name!
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