16 April 2019
|
If you’re not a fan of overblown social justice warrior narratives you might want to look away now.
Author: SONIA PURNELL
Reviewed by: Duncan Evans
If you’re not a fan of overblown social justice warrior narratives you might want to look away now. Sonia Purnell’s recounting of the life and adventures of American Virginia Hall is tinged with so much hero worship it’s hard to take seriously and it drones on about women’s role, disability and what a plucky heroine she was, as though the other female SOE agents never existed or suffered (see The Armourer, January issue).
That said, this girl’s own adventure rattles along, is full of detail and makes clear the danger that Virginia perpetually faced. However, again, there’s far too much interpretation where the author has turned fact into entertaining fiction. What people are feeling and thinking is constantly posited, without any real factual basis for it. The entire book is written like a spy thriller, and while this serves to make it an entertaining read, it’s at the expense of believability.
• Osprey Publishing
• 260 pages • Hardback • £30
As reviewed in The Armourer May 2019
Sometimes we may include links to online retailers, from which we might receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate links do not influence editorial coverage and will only be used when covering relevant products.