The Alice Network: A Novel
Written by Kate Quinn
Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
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.
Editor's Note
All the feels…
Set in post-WWII Europe, “The Alice Network” brings together two women from different generations and backgrounds. With espionage, scandal, redemption, and rage-provoking examples of at least five ‘isms,’ the story has a bingability score equivalent to “Game of Thrones: Season One.” In other words, get ready to stay up all night reading and feel all the feelings.
Kate Quinn
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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Reviews for The Alice Network
5,487 ratings391 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I liked the story unfortunately I struggled with the voice/reader.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Sorry. Chapter 15 and can’t do it any longer. Maybe if I read paper book and skip some parts ? I really wanted to like it. But it is just so monotone. There are lots of descriptions on other reviews. But this is my confession.....
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5I did listen all the way through, if only to leave this review to tell you not to bother. The characters aren’t likable at all, it is full of sex with young women and older men, and the story is extremely far fetched and full of coincidences that aren’t believable. Very little interesting history as I might have hoped with a historical fiction novel. The author spent more time talking about sex than developing the characters and researching events of the time period. There are many more books worth a listen. Not this one.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I usually love historical fiction. Especially in this era. But, this book sort of annoyed me with the repetition of unusual phrases and names. "Little Problem, Luger, Lagonda etc." Just being too picky I am sure.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I’m a big fan of historical fiction, but I found this book lacking. One of the storylines (Eve’s story in 1915) is brilliant and I wish the entire book could have been about her and the spy network. Chalie’s story in 1947 was unnecessary, long and boring.
It doesn’t make any sense that Charlie would go to such lengths to look for her cousin that no one else seems to care about. Their relationship was not portrayed well enough to justify. Why does Finn like Charlie? she has no personality or traits other than being pregnant and looking for her cousin. Mostly, she's an entitled brat, and he's perfect except for his angry outbursts that no one ever seems to mention ever again? If he miraculously fixed?
This book really didn’t need to be as long as it is, and after the 70% point it was difficult to get through until the ending which was good, albeit predictable.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Love the story and the mix of real personages the pace was great.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5It took me until about halfway through to really get into the story, but I enjoyed the ending. And I liked Eve’s story better than Charlie’s.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent, engrossing. Great characters and fantastic storyline... female spies during ww2, what more could you want
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beautifully and heartbreakingly done. A story that will not be forgotten, filled with strong, smart, dedicated, truly inspiring characters that remind us of our inner strengths, values, and sacrifice. Patriotic to the core, women who should be remembered and cherished for centuries. They are the unseen, unimportant, and unimpressive ghosts of all females. Some play victim, some, play their part in Society. And then SOME, are our unknown heroes. This is THEIR story. And I feel it's a reminder as well. Of our own inner strength and courage. Beautifully written, I could not put it down. Filled with concern, fear for them and their safety, wanting to know MORE but hesitant and afraid to find out. Very gripping. I highly recommend.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amazing story. Totally got into it. Great listening always. Factual
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The story is mind captivating, very easily switching from one time period to another. I liked listening to it. The important thing I liked about this novel is that its protagonist is a female and who is not an ideal woman, just a woman who went through a lot and is still standing.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Absolutely must read! It's a riveting historical fiction that left me guessing and wanting more.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I loved this book as I have Quinn's other World War II novels featuring women. This novel focuses on a female spy from World War I and a young girl searching for her cousin who went missing in World War II.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book was amazing! Loved the way that the partly-fictionalized story of the WWI French women's spy ring was tied to the mystery of how the main character's French cousin went missing during WWII. Briliant work, loved the strength of the damaged characters, and how it came together.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A truly amazing book. I loved it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book surprised me by how good it is. Set in WWI and post WWII. Very strong women run a spy network in German occupied France in WWI. What is amazing is this fictional novel is based on the real life Alice Network and their leader, code name, Alice Dubois.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Not quite up to par in my opinion as ‘The Huntress’ but still very good…. All the way to the end I was still hoping that rose was lily and lily was still somehow alive… so still a tiny touch disappointing for me. But still a fun and fascinating read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Some of charlie’s story are not necessary for me and not really interesting. I hope they just focus on Eve’s story.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beautifully written and wonderfully narrated! So many breath taking discriptions. I couldn't stop listening, it had a wonderfull pace. A fantastic novel built around so many interesting historical facts. Recommending this to everyone! History, suspense, romance and so much more!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The beginning was a little slow but about the middle it got really good and I loved the end. A sad story but very well written.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book has it all. It has become one of my all-time favourites.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I never thought I could finish a 500 + page book so soon but this book hooks you from the start.The two main protagonist Eve and Charlie's stories go back and worth from world war1 to present state in 1947.The two stories reach a point where they are interconnected to each other in a way you couldn't think of.Loved the simple narrative of the author and her amazing ability to keep her readers interested in what's to come.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The plot is okay but the narrative pace is really slow and that really makes the book boring.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The narrator did a great job. I now understand why this book had such rave reviews.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beautifully fleshed out characters. Deft interweaving of time and place.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amazing story. One of my favorite novels of all time.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Took me a few chapters to get into it, but the alternating viewpoints and timelines were done very well. The pacing was balanced, I thought, and it was an excellently crafted historical spy thriller. Grew to love the characters - looking forward to more from this author in the future.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Best book I have read in a long time. Recommend it to everyone!!!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great storyline and the characters were believable. Would highly recommend!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5An enjoyable easy listen. don’t be put off by historical/war theme. no doubt a film is on the way!