Title: Code Name Butterfly
Author: Embassie Susberry
Publisher: 9th November 2023 by Avon Books UK
Pages: 432 pages
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction
Rating: 4 crowns
Synopsis:
Inspired by the incredible true story of Josephine Baker in the French Resistance, this is a heart-wrenching, unforgettable tale of the strength of the human spirit in the darkest days of World War II.
Paris, 1941. Journalist Elodie Mitchell has found bohemian Paris a huge culture a shock compared to her hometown of Chicago – but she loves the new-found freedom she's felt walking its streets. That is until the threat of Nazi occupation starts to loom larger by the day.
After a mysterious man invites her to a Josephine Baker show, Elodie is perplexed but dazzled by the decadence of the performance. But when Elodie is mistaken for Josephine and whisked backstage, she realises that the star's glamorous shows have been hiding a darker, far more important movement than anyone could have possibly imagined.
As Elodie gets embroiled in a whisper network of spies working to resist the occupation of France, she is given an assignment to go undercover as Josephine's cousin. Her mission? To gather crucial information that will protect not only the country she now calls home, but all the people within it who she has grown to love so dearly – and getting caught is not an option.
A heart-breaking wartime epic of love, bravery, survival and one woman’s stand against prejudice in all its forms.
My Thoughts
Code Name Butterfly is a historical fiction set in France at the beginning of World War II. Although the story begins and ends in present time with Elodie’s descendants, it is for the most part concerned with the WWII period.
“… if you do the things you were placed on this earth to do, you will die, knowing that you lived.”
Elodie Mitchell is an American student and journalist living in Paris who is invited to see fellow American entertainer, Josephine Baker. Elodie, unwittingly, has been sought after to join a secret intelligence group that revolves around the social events Josephine gains access to. I was unfamiliar with Josephine Baker and enjoyed learning both the fictional and actual fame that surrounded her. Both Josephine and the fictional Elodie were strong female characters staying true to their ethos and philosophy.
“I’m still trying to figure that out but it came down to doing something I can be proud of when I look back on my life.”
The story is rich in research and I appreciated this fresh lens of African Americans with the author seemingly accurately capturing what life would have been like at this time. The story does move somewhat slowly with drama not really unfolding until the latter pages and then things happen rather quickly. However, there are so many interesting layers to this book from the resistance movement, to life at this time seen through different cultures, to a little bit of romance. I also appreciated both the realism and overarching life themes presented throughout.
“I believe what you put into the world is what you get out of it. I put a lot of goodness and light into those around me. I want to make this world a better place.”
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
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