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tfpjr492's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear is an action novel with the main character Elinor White, who has training and experience as a spy in the two world wars. A large part of the story details her experiences as a child spy in occupied Belgium during WWI and as a behind-the-lines operator inserted under cover of darkness into occupied Belgium during WWII. She has natural talents with firearms and foreign languages. She is trained to leverage normal fears into intensified awareness during high-pressure situations.
These experiences have prepared her for a new challenge in post-war Britain. She endeavors to adapt to a simple and slower lifestyle in rural Britain. She appears aloof and mysterious to her neighbors, but Elinor is keenly observant of their daily lives.
“And how did Elinor know all this? Because she made it her business to know. Just as she knew the butcher was fiddling the books and his customers, just as she knew Mrs. Butler at the tea shop in Shacklehurst was a receiver of black market goods.”
Elinor is drawn into the affairs of an organized crime family. In the course of her inquiries and investigation into the crime family, she learns new insights about her traumatic and mysterious past. This book is recommended for readers, who enjoy a spy tale combined with some episodes of an organized criminal enterprise.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault, Violence, War, Death, and Death of parent
jennifer_pinkley's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book is about a young woman who is a teenager during the brutal German occupation of Belgium during WWI. It's a story about her life as she navigates the challenges of living under occupation and trying to survive that war. There are two other main settings, her experiences during WWII, then events two years after that war. The characters are complex and so well written, and the story is expertly woven between these three time periods. Because war is the focus of much of the story and the main character was so young during WWI, she experiences some awful things and suffers from PTSD, as do some of the other characters. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Gun violence, and War
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Child death
jhbandcats's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I have loved the Maisie Dobbs series and was happy to see there’s a new book by Winspear even if it isn’t Maisie.
I just finished reading the first three books of a poorly written trilogy by a different author - I should have quit after the first. So from the first page of The White Lady I was happy knowing I was in Winspear’s capable hands. Her writing is smooth and informative without being didactic, her characters are often endearing, and her plots are inevitably intriguing.
The sections on the Great War and WWII were especially strong, the postwar story not as much. The ending seemed very unlikely; there were other ways it could have gone which would have been more realistic within the context. That said, I’ll read anything Winspear writes - she’s that good.
So, I’d recommend this novel but with a caveat about the last few chapters.
I just finished reading the first three books of a poorly written trilogy by a different author - I should have quit after the first. So from the first page of The White Lady I was happy knowing I was in Winspear’s capable hands. Her writing is smooth and informative without being didactic, her characters are often endearing, and her plots are inevitably intriguing.
The sections on the Great War and WWII were especially strong, the postwar story not as much. The ending seemed very unlikely; there were other ways it could have gone which would have been more realistic within the context. That said, I’ll read anything Winspear writes - she’s that good.
So, I’d recommend this novel but with a caveat about the last few chapters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Gore, Sexual assault, War, Classism, Suicide attempt, Child death, Animal death, Blood, Grief, Gun violence, and Violence
vireogirl's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
More troubled than Maisie but still a strong female forged in the two world wars. Lots of struggling with grief and trauma.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Self harm, War, Gore, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Rape, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit
More troubled than Maisie but still a strong female forged in the two world wars. Lots of struggling with grief and trauma.kimveach's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I eagerly awaited the next Maisie Dobbs mystery, so I was disappointed to learn this story had a different protagonist. However, I enjoyed this book so much. Miss White is an intriguing character, and the various timelines (WWI, WWII, 1947) were equally interesting. This book didn't have some of the depth I'm used to from some Maisie Dobbs stories, but it still had plenty of emotional moments. This book could stand alone or be the start of a new series. I will read more if this series continues.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, War, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Classism, Genocide, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Grief, and Gun violence
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