In the beginning, we have an unmarried pregnant girl being chaperoned to Switzerland for an abortion. This is how The Alice Network by Kate Quinn begins. The girl is Charlie, short for Charlotte. In the beginning, Charlie isn't too likable. Being in Europe reminds Charlie of the good times she had with her cousin Rose. Rose has been missing since the war. Whether it's raging hormones or just oppositional disposition, Charlie sneaks away from her mom to go looking for Rose.
Focused on her pursuit for Rose, Charlie becomes more likable. The reader roots for her. The last known place that Rose worked for was a restaurant in France. Charlie was led to a woman who also worked in the same restaurant. This woman is Eve, a member of the espionage network called, The Alice Network. She is quite the character. In fact, the author's characterization is one of the enjoyments of the novel. Eve is a cantankerous old risk-taker, hell-bent on revenge on the restaurant's owner who crippled her hands and turned her over to the enemy. Since Eve's hands are crippled, she has another contributing main character, her driver, Finn. The three of them go off in pursuit.
Their adventures are thrilling. The historical background is interesting. The ending is explosive.
