Book Review: The Resistance Girl by Mandy Robotham

“She watches him walk away, and wonders how many more times, and how many more people, will disappear out of her life before this war ends?”

Mandy Robotham, The Resistance Girl

Review:

I’ve read a lot of WWII fiction and quite a few have covered the Resistance, however, I’ve never read about the Norwegian Resistance (if any story set in Norway at all). Hearing the summery, my interest was piqued. 

Rumi and Jens make a great team, both carrying the emotional wounds of war and doing what they can to aid those affected by the Nazis. As the story progresses, Rumi’s focus shifts to the maternity home which turns out to be more of a glorified prison. In turn, Jens becomes her ally in these missions though he is under the constant watch of the Gestapo. The story is slow to start but picks up about halfway through the book. The found family dynamic is strong here, something I love! 

The particular style of writing here isn’t my favorite – more detail than dialogue – but the plot shone through it all and I enjoyed the story immensely. With the maternity home such a focus, I do wish we could have seen more about it, though that would have made for a lengthy book and separate from Jens and Rumi’s stories. The two have a good, yet complicated chemistry, but the real charm of the book is their shared love for Marjit. In a sense, she is the heart of the story.

A huge thanks to HarperCollins/Harper 360 for sending me a free copy of the book to read and review.

Afterthoughts:

This book was particularly exciting to read as it’s the first physical ARC I’ve received. And just look at the gorgeous cover! Though I do have some minor quips (and most of those a matter of personal opinion), I’d say it lived up to my expectations. The emotional aspect of the story excelled. There was a good amount of action scattered throughout it as well, starting with Jens and Rumi’s meeting.

The part that hasn’t sat well with me is the particular way Rumi’s grief over the loss of Magnus is portrayed, at least in the beginning. To be specific, Marjit’s way of comparing Rumi’s grief to Jens’ in a way that made it sound like his experience hasn’t been as bad as hers. Though my vote for most tragic experiences goes to Jens, there really isn’t any comparing the two.

Where to buy the book: