Dragonfly – My Audio Review

From the New York Times bestselling author of Roses comes a gripping new novel about five young spies embedded among the highest Nazi ranks in occupied Paris

 

At the height of World War II, a handful of idealistic young Americans receive a mysterious letter from the government, asking them if they are willing to fight for their country. The men and women from very different backgrounds-a Texan athlete with German roots, an upper-crust son of a French mother and a wealthy businessman, a dirt-poor Midwestern fly fisherman, an orphaned fashion designer, and a ravishingly beautiful female fencer-all answer the call of duty, but each for a secret reason of her or his own. They bond immediately, in a group code-named Dragonfly. 

 

Thus begins a dramatic cat-and-mouse game, as the group seeks to stay under the radar until a fatal misstep leads to the capture and the firing-squad execution of one of their team. But…is everything as it seems, or is this one more elaborate act of spycraft?

 

 

PRAISE FOR DRAGONFLY:

“Meacham’s impeccable pacing and razor-wire tension evoke the daily drama of life under a Reich whose French reign might have lasted little more than four years but felt like the thousand years that it threatened to endure.” ―Bookpage

 

“Meacham’s nail-biting tale will please fans looking for an intricate story of spycraft and deception.” ―Publishers Weekly

 

“Meacham ratchets the suspense ever tighter, while providing fascinating backstory on the intrepid five [American spies] as well as delivering a detail-rich portrait of Paris during the Occupation.” ―Booklist

 

“Complex, epic, and rich in historical detail-an uplifting story of finding friendship behind enemy lines.” ― Kirkus

 

PURCHASE LINKS
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Dragonfly – My Audio Review

“Remember your promise to me. Yours always, Derrick Albrecht.”

The quoted passage above will always haunt me.

Dragonfly is the most resplendent fiction story around World War II that is powerfully, told through the storytelling vision of its author, Leila Meacham. By the time the last words of one the main characters words were spoken I was crying.

I have a reverence for, Leila who was a completely unknown author to me. She crafted a story whose characters will long live in my memories. While the story is wrapped around what seems to be a long one hundred and one chapters – taking away any part of those chapters would take away from this beautiful story.  Every word is needed for the story. The character backgrounds were detailed enough where you cared about them. The horrid atrocities of World War II were perfectly woven with words that reminded me that the horrors of any war cannot and should not be forgotten.

I initially read the first few chapters and the ending chapters. The latter required my eyes on the words so I could stop and wipe tears away as they streamed out of eyes to continue reading. Then I listened to the ending chapters and the tears flooded back.

This is my third audiobook thankfully, it was beyond splendid. It is an enthralling story of how five young American spies who did their part in the war effort to save lives. Hearing the Dragonfly story through the voices of each of the narrators I was immediately transported back to a time and era that I had only heard about from my Aunt Dorris and Uncle Freddie. Oh, I how I wished as I continued listening to this story that my Aunt Dorris was still alive to have listened to the story along with me. The audio chapters alternate between women and men narrators smoothly. If the audio had been only one male or a one-woman voice it would not have had such an echoing and memorable impact. The narration is brilliantly carried out making you wish you were seeing the story unfold on a movie screen.

It is said that dragonflies symbolize transformation, as well as happiness. The characters in Dragonfly were transformed for the greater good of serving our country and in the end, found happiness in life in spite of what they experienced during WWII.

Dragonfly has become one of my top historical fiction books. Dragonfly is simply the best book of 2019. If you love historical fiction woven around historical truths, especially WWII – then you should not miss this book in any version of its publication.