Code Name Hélène

I love a good historical fiction story and Code name Helene did not disappoint. This powerful and thrilling WWII story is fictional but it’s based on the remarkable young socialite Nancy Wake who went off to war while her French husband stayed behind.

I loved Nancy’s character she was a feisty and independent woman who used profanity liberally and with flair and could drink any man under the table, she even killed a Nazi with her bare hands! Nancy applied her lipstick like a badge of honour in the shade of Victory Red.

Nancy was raised in Australia, living in Paris and working as a freelance reporter for a London paper. In Paris she meets and finally agrees to marry handsome French industrialist Henri Fiocca just prior to the war breaking out in France.

Nancy was integral to the French Resistance’s fight against the Nazi’s, smuggling people and documents across the border.

Eventually she was forced to flee France from the Gestapo due to a bounty on her head. Nancy ends up in London and is trained by an elite espionage group under the code name Helene and once trained is parachuted back to France.

Code Name Helene is an enchanting story of a beautiful marriage, friendships, war, bravery, tragedy and the sacrifices made by both Helene and Henri.

Nancy became one of the most decorated women of World War II, she was a strong and respected military leader.

An extremely well written story full of heart, soul and excitement.

Nancy Wake was a shining heroine of the French Resistance, awarded many medals and a recipient of the greatest French honour. Although she came from a poor background in NZ and Australia, she bluffed her way into a job in journalism in the UK by pretending to read ancient Egyptian, and then reported on the rise of the Nazis. She even interviewed Hitler! She married the charming and handsome Henri Fiocca, but she didn't want to become the bored wife of a wealthy man, and the war was calling. She began secretly helping British escapees, eventually becoming a leader of the Maquis and the famous 'White Mouse,' hunted by the Nazis...



Ariel Lawhon captures Nancy's brazen and courageous personality, and spins an exciting and moving story about her 'adventures' in the French Resistance, and her love affair and marriage with Henri. The red-lipstick wearing young woman was widely admired by the men she led, and Lawhon's other characters (most of which are real) are also well-drawn and memorable, especially Ian Garrow. His story would also make a good novel! I found the constant jumping back-and-forth between the past and the present a bit confusing at times, but this was a great novel, and an excellent tribute to Nancy. I found it difficult to read in ebook format, however, because it is such an epic novel. (I read all the biographies years ago, but I will probably read the Braddon one again!)



I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Code Name Hélène was a wonderful, witty read. Prior to receiving this book, I was unaware of who Nancy was, but with every page I felt her come alive.

Her whip smart attitude, fearlessness and red Chanel lipstick made her a force to be reckoned with. Told from two timelines, this story is woven together so artfully, I found myself flying through this as each timeline built the tension beautifully. While I adored both timelines of this novel, her role with the Maquis in France was enthralling. The unwavering love she had for her husband, Henri, and his support of her made for such a beautiful love story but really the core of this is about how one person can do extraordinary, brave, wonderful things with enough determination.

The only downside for me, truly, was the length. Some parts did feel a bit drawn out but that is really quite a minor factor.

Overall, this was a brilliantly written historical fiction that made me want to dive into learning more about the real Nancy Wake.

Being Australian, I am familiar with Nancy Wake and the heroic events she was involved in during WWII in France. I find it interesting that this is the second book to have been released at the same time regarding Nancy. I read and thoroughly enjoyed ‘Liberation’ and although both focus on Nancy with similar events, they are quite different in their approach. Liberation is shorter and I found it to be more action packed. This book is longer and therefore has the time to delve deeper especially involving Nancy’s marriage. I appreciated both. I am a fan of Ariel’s having read and thoroughly enjoyed her book, ‘Flight of Dreams’ and knew she would do a fine job of capturing the essence of the enigma that was Nancy Wake.

“You’re not the only English rat crawling these hills. I’ll get my weapons from someone else.” He pauses here, then leans in for the kill. “Non, you’re no rat like Victor and Patrice. You are la Souris Blanche, aren’t you?” The White Mouse.’ “But why would you even want to help? War isn’t for women.” I lean very close to him and lower my voice to a dangerous pitch. “And yet we suffer most in them.”

This is a fictional retelling based on real life events of Nancy Wake - the Australian woman who was a spy operating in France during WWII. Nancy was a formidable foe and Ariel takes you on a journey from pre war to its conclusion allowing the reader time to form a real understanding of who and what motivated this courageous woman. Such independence and strength of character, a woman who refused to take the feminine backseat in this war, instead forging forward, taking a stand for those persecuted by the Nazis.

“What just happened? I wouldn’t treat an animal that way, much less a human.” “That’s because you are human, Nancy. They are not. Or at least not anymore.”

Ariel has taken the time to build up a cast of strong characters who have interweaving relationships that allow the reader to really get invested at all levels. The strong factor I found in this version was the development of the relationship from beginning to end of Nancy with Henri - it was real and it was heart wrenching - I was invested .... I cared. The dual timeline approach Ariel adopted allowed the reader to see the Nancy that fell in love and it opened a window to many personal encounters.

Speaking of the dual timeline - you will either love it or hate it. Many reviewers found the jumping back and forth difficult to follow. I did not. There is something to be said for sequential delivery, however on this occasion, I believe Ariel did the right thing and those windows to the past helped to solidify your understanding of present day events. At times the story does slog through drawn out descriptions of wartime details but I was a fan of the socialite Nancy that I was not so familiar with as she trapsed around the continent.

Ariel has certainly done her homework through loads of reading and investigation with the ‘Author’s Note’ at the conclusion making it abundantly clear the lines of nonfiction and storytelling. All up this is a most worthy interpretation into the life of an amazing woman and must read historical fiction

‘The thing about lipstick, the reason it’s so powerful, is that it is distracting. Men don’t see the flashes of anger in your eyes or your clenched fists when you wear it. They see a woman, not a warrior, and that gives me the advantage. I cannot throw a decent punch or carry a grown man across a battlefield, but I can wear red lipstick as though my life depends on it. And the truth is, these days, it often does.’



This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.