The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Louise de Bettignies is not a name that was familial to me nor was the network of female espionage agents she controlled during WWI in Lille, France and Belgium.  The Alice Network as this group was called, supplied British intelligence with valuable information on the German operations in northern France with such speed and accuracy it make a huge impression on the British and the Germans (who worked tirelessly to catch the spies and arrest them.)  Kate Quinn interwove this historical figure with other real life heroes and her fictional characters to create a fascinating and informative novel called The Alice Network.  Quinn's story centers around three people who have been damaged both physically and mentally by war.  Their journey to find answers and revenge is filled with suspense and clandestine adventures.  The bond that the three form is heartwarming and draws readers to these characters willing them to succeed and to find peace and happiness. This is a great read for those who love historical fiction and for those who love stories that tug at your heart.

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

   How many times over your lifetime have you thought about what it will take to make you happy or maybe you have thought "if I had (fill in the blanks) it would make my life complete."  Generally this "thing" is not free.  It always seems to take money to get to happiness.  The life of the "haves" always seems better than the "have not's."  So, the question is what are you willing to do, what are you willing to trade, what part of your soul are you willing to give up in order to acquire this key to happiness?  Amor Towles' first novel, Rules of Civility, artfully examines the choices made by people representing all the many variations of the social spectrum.  The main character, Kate, tells of the year 1938 that in essence changed her life as well as the many people she knew and loved.  The story beautifully describes the glamour and glitter of this prewar time in America.  It dramatically reveals the sometimes unintentional results that our choices in life can have.  Towles uses his characters to show us that consequences of chasing after all the "I wants" of life.  The illusive "happiness" that these people sought after revealed the desperate depths that they like all people were willing to go to grab the golden ring.  Towles "Gatzbyesque" tale brilliantly illustrates the pain that we foist on ourselves and others when we fall into the world's trap where happiness equals money.  In the end Kate says she knows that "right choices" are the means by which we "crystalize losses."  Unfortunately, she missed the bigger message that Towles reveals.  All the chasing, all the wanting, is exhausting.  The only true contentment we will find comes when we choose to live in and enjoy the present.  This was a beautifully written, thought provoking story.  As a first novel, Rules of Civility is truly amazing.