Leila Meacham’s incredible World War 2 saga chronicles a fictional team of young Americans recruited as OSS agents to infiltrate German-occupied Paris. The team is code-named Dragonfly. This book is excellently written and the research was outstanding. Ms. Meacham is one of my favorite authors, an outstanding writer that grabs you from the very first page. When reading her work, it is best to absorb every word, you wouldn't want to miss a single one! My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

World War II is in full throttle and five young Americans are chosen to work with the OSS. They will be fighting for their country and serving in France. Not only do they not know one another at the outset, their families cannot not know that they will soon become spies. They are code-named Dragonfly, and are each given false identities.

They take on their assignments, albeit separately. However, they have an agreed upon rendezvous location when information must be shared. They are always aware of the extreme danger facing them. By this time, Hitler's armies have invaded Paris and the city has been turned upside down.

In immediate succession, a series of tragic and dramatic events surround the young people, as well as countless innocent victims. Things take a horrid turn, however, when one of the team is captured and faces the firing squad. I was reading the massive large-print book, and I literally dropped it when reading.

I am almost at a loss as to what to state further. Hitler's crimes are known far and wide. Reading about myriads of people losing their lives was difficult, as can be imagined. Reading about how countries, like America, employed people strictly to save lives was actually quite rewarding to read.

I will say that this book kept me rapidly turning pages, and I read it in one day, in just two sittings. I gasped, cried and then celebrated when reaching the conclusion. One of the drawing factors to this book was each individual story. I felt drawn to each young person, whether it was their backstory or where they ended up once the war was over.

Dragonfly is historical fiction at its very best. History has proved quite true and realistic when it came to reading this book. I can only imagine the hours and hours of intense research Leila Meacham spent while composing this book.

Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Once I received the audio for DRAGONFLY and started listening, I forgot everything I was doing. All I knew was the DRAGONFLY world. I was hooked until the end. After I finished, I had a serious book hangover.

I love big epic books. Especially when they involve life and death stories about both men and women in dire situations. Leila Meacham specializes in such epics, but let me be clear: this is the best book Leila Meacham has ever written. And the DRAGONFLY audio is five star.

DRAGONFLY is what happens when a spymaster recruits two women and three men, with a diversity of talent and a mastery of language, to be dropped into occupied Paris on a top secret mission. Naturally, it is also about the occupiers. And it is about the one member who doesn't return.

Who is it? That's the burning question, even as I was lost in the deftly built world. Surely not this one? Nor this one?

I'm thankful that Hachette Audio invested in multiple narrators for this book. They each added so much to the story with their true reads of each character, as they went through the difficulties and horrors of being Americans in a country occupied by a country whose leaders were cold hearted killers. They also brought life to the Germans involved and I enjoyed hearing their sides as well.

CAVEAT: Yes, there are a good many names, even nicknames, and backstories to learn. Also, being spies, the characters have spy names. It's worth it to work a little hard to get them straight in your mind (and also pretty good for you). If you whisper-sync the Kindle version (which also saves you money on the audio), you can keep those names straight.

Kudos to Ms. Meacham, the publisher, the narrators, and the audio direction / publishing team.

Thank you for a copy of this audio in exchange for an honest review.

I will probably not do this review justice but I'll tell you right off the bat I LOVED this book and could not put it down.  The intrigue, the danger, the interwoven storylines....all of this make Dragonfly one of the best books I have read all year.

"One loose thread can unravel the whole ball of twine."

Truer words were never spoken when it comes to this book.  This book follows five spies for the OSS (Office of Strategic Services, a real government agency during WWII in case you didn't know) and their various missions in Paris to seek information about the Germans and help end this war sooner rather than later.  While they know all five will be there, where the drop box is located to pass along information, and the mural for coded messages, they do not know each other's cover names, stories, or missions.  Yet, as this story progresses their missions become intertwined and it is just a matter of time before all hell breaks loose!

This story kept me up many late nights because I could not put the book down!  I felt my breath catching and my heart skipping a beat as I followed these five spies across Paris serving their country but also for some personal reasons.  The story starts out as we are introduced to the six main characters - the five spies and their handler.  The book opens in 1962 which is approximately 20 years after they are recruited and it is about time for a reunion that they planned before they set off to Paris.  There are actually two reunions, one more immediate after the war and then this one twenty years later.  As the last reunion is about to commence, Alistar (the handler) discovers a book that tells the story of their mission, Dragonfly.  This starts a journey for the author and his source and brings back many memories of the war and how the situations played out for everyone.

"On into late fall and throughout the rest of the year, Dragonfly hovered close to waters teeming with an increasingly frantic enemy."

This line reflects the pace of the book for me.  Most of it was quick but there were times where the story played out in a calmer fashion.  Having both types of situations made the story that much more appealing to me.  I watched one of the characters mourn for the loss of someone close to her, another rejoice in finding family, and all of them learn something about themselves that they probably never would have expected - the fortitude to continue despite the circumstances or situations.  It also reflected the mindset of some of the Germans in Paris and what they truly thought about Hitler and what was coming down the pike regarding the war.

I found the story well crafted and for the author to be able to intersect the missions of the various characters was genius.  There is so much more that could have been written about the war and potentially even expanded the missions of the characters, but it was wrapped up quite nicely and I found myself shedding a few tears at the end.  So be prepared and have a tissue on hand.

If I could give this book more than 5 paws I would in a heartbeat.  If you love historical fiction you will want to pick up this book and read it soon.

Mystery. Intrigue. War. Nazis. Leila Meacham’s epic novel Dragonfly is an immersive tale of espionage and evil, but more than that, it examines what we humans are willing to do for the causes we believe in, just or not.

Her tale opens in 1962, but we’re quickly propelled back in time, to memories of occupied France, where the author’s vivid descriptions were so visceral that there were times I literally jumped when shots rang out or people were jostled in the streets.

With five POV characters – all of whom we initially meet as tender twenty-two-year-olds – Dragonfly could be confusing. Instead, it’s a richly woven tapestry of character and plot, detail and description. I was particularly entranced with the author’s use of language, which was neither affected nor overly simple but captured the era perfectly.

Other reviewers have commented that this novel captures the echoes of today’s political culture as well as the period in which it was set, and I agree, but I have to wonder if it’s not so much that the novel’s tone is echoing the time, as that our culture has not progressed as much as we would hope.

At 576 pages, Dragonfly is a novel to savor, a book for slow, summer nights of pleasure-reading. You could rush through it if you tried, but you’d be doing yourself, and Ms. Meacham’s lovely prose, a great disservice.

Goes well with salad Nicoise, baguette, and peach iced tea.

“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.

While this was a slightly slow start for me, the story quickly picked up, and kept my interest the entire book. I love hearing about heroes, and this story does not disappoint. This is my first Leila Meacham novel to read, and it won't be my last. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to review!

I'm declaring it now, Dragonfly is one of my Top Five Reads of 2019. That's saying something because as of this writing, I've already read 120 books. Utterly engrossing, highly suspenseful, and deeply evocative, this superbly-written book deserves a plethora of superlatives for how thoroughly I've enjoyed reading it. For two consecutive days, I had to drag myself to bed at 4 am because I couldn't put it down. I kept saying, "One more chapter. Just one more."

With a dual timeline of 1962 and 1942-1945, multiple major characters using three sets of names, varied secondary characters, several locations in the US and Europe, this novel could have gotten out of control, but Ms. Meacham masterfully crafted an engaging story of friendship, bravery, service, and love amidst the ugliness of war. Characters are fully fleshed-out, protagonists and antagonists clearly delineated, plus a couple of enigmatic ones who are neither. The young Americans were written so sympathetically, it is easy to feel for them as they embarked on their mission. Throughout the book, I feared for the members of Dragonfly, I cheered them on, and I teared up in the end as their story came full circle.

Dragonfly is by no means flawless. The book, although well-researched, requires the reader to suspend disbelief in some parts that I forgave and attributed to artistic license. I wouldn't be surprised if this novel is optioned to be adapted to film. The gorgeous cover and the fantastic narration really take you where the action happens. For giving me many enjoyable hours of reading, Dragonfly receives five stars.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction, and I have a deep love for WWII fiction, particularly those with female protagonists. I don’t necessarily gravitate towards spy novels, and while Dragonfly IS a tale of espionage, it reads more like literary fiction with beautiful, concise prose, superb imagery, and simply wonderful storytelling. It is a story of bravery, adventure, friendship, survival, and self-discovery,

Dragonfly is one EPIC book. The meat and potatoes of the book span from May 1942 to August 1944, when five young adults are recruited by the OSS to run a clandestine operation in France. The plot is engrossing and nerve-wracking, as this was a time in France when the slightest thing might arouse suspicion, and the circumstances the five spies often found themselves in will leave you holding your breath!

Meacham successfully weaves together individual plotlines and subplots to make a layered and complex story. Characters find themselves in dangerous situations and cleverly work their way out, especially when plotline unexpectedly overlap. It’s all a bit of luck and circumstance and opportunity mixed together with a lot of risks.

She also does an incredible job with the setting, one aspect of the book that drew me in on an emotional level. Her writing beautifully reflects a sense of the time – the faded beauty of a war-torn Paris, the tension, fear, and suspicion felt by the French as well as the fierce pride they held for their country.

Leila Meacham is wonderful at character development and the characters in this story are realistic and complex, brave, and diverse in their backgrounds. They are literally plucked out of their regular lives and put in this very unexpected role that is both secret and important, and that is part of what makes it so fascinating.

The plot unfolds steadily and there are risks and near misses at every turn, and with them come some twists that I definitely did not expect. These extraordinary characters will pull you into their stories and keep you turning pages.

Thanks to Goodreads and the author for providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Brilliant, as always! It is always entertaining to see a book that covers many different points of view and situations instead of just the tried and true ones of the past. This book brings out all the feels in a way that grabs the reader's attention and doesn't let go till the very end. I would highly recommend this book to my library patrons and plan on doing so as soon as we receive a final copy.

"No one completes their missions with clean consciences.
Dirty dealing is part of the job."

Dragonfly by Leila Meacham is a literary gem that must not be missed. The writing, the storytelling, the characters, and the plot are all deeply exquisite and will remain with you for a long time.

The five young Americans operating under the code name Dragonfly have willingly chosen to live and work in occupied Paris as spies to help thwart the dastardly efforts of Hitler and his evil regime. These five agents have been trained and given code names, and they know next to nothing about each other for safety reasons. Yet the bond they form during their training is unbreakable and timeless and absolutely beautiful. These characters often seem too good to be true, too perfect perhaps, yet that works well here because their wholesomeness and kindness are brilliantly juxtaposed with the horrors of war and the despicable actions of the Nazis and others claiming loyalty to Hitler. That contrast strengthens the idea that good really does eventually prevail and rise from the ashes of hate and misery.

The three men and two women that form Dragonfly are tasked with pulling off a feat that involves cunning, courage, subterfuge, an ingenious way to communicate with each other, and the willingness to choose death rather betray their country, the members of Dragonfly, or the man who handpicked them for this mission, Alistair Renault. The reader knows from the beginning that one of the five is executed, but which one and why? What really happened that day when three of the other four witnessed the apparent fall of one of their own? There is more here than meets the eye, and the story that unfolds across the many chapters is a journey like no other. The characters are beguiling as the author brings them to life and makes you care about them and about several other characters orbiting around them. As the five become entrenched in their separate yet somewhat linked missions, the inevitable fate of their best laid plans starts to appear.

 "Gradually, the cards begin to fall."

And when that house of cards begins to crumble for Dragonfly, the danger and the action become almost too overwhelming, yet closing the book is not an option until that final chapter is devoured. Yes, Dragonfly is lengthy, but the story never feels too slow or even too long. The characterization drives this literary masterpiece, and the author weaves a tapestry of words that will pull you in, fully capture your heart and imagination, and then take your breath away.

Historical fiction bookshelves are filled with war stories about spies and espionage and daring escapades, and Dragonfly has all of that and more. But this story is a bit different in that while WWII is the main backdrop, the overall focus here is more on relationships, betrayal, unlikely allegiances, and hope. These young agents are engaged in a covert and treacherous battle for secrets and survival, and trust is a luxury that they can ill afford. But what if trust is the only thing that can save them?

You seriously do not want to miss this one!

Leila Meacham’s novel “Dragonfly” was one of the best WWII spy stories that I have read. The first chapter brought me in and I couldn’t stop reading. I have read WWII spy novels before and have always read on the edge of my seat throughout. I read this book in the same way, but on a different level. I was SO engrossed in the lives of each of the five spies who were the focal point of this novel and I felt as though I was a part of their lives throughout. The subject matter of this book has been written about time and again, but Ms. Meacham took a different slant on it. I was pleasantly surprised that even though the Nazi’s were a sadistic bunch and not worthy of our compassion, a few of the officers and enlisted men in the German army did really have a goodness about them. Given that they were indoctrinated from a young age about the validity of a Third Reich and were at first, so admirable of their Fuhrer, their consciences did not permit them to continue as they had. Because there was no way out for these men, they were doomed from the start. In order to protect certain people from the wrath of the Gestapo, they were forced to commit further crimes against others. My sympathies were probably skewed, but I found the premise of this compassion a breath of fresh air in an otherwise very seriously dangerous mission.

I loved reading this book and was so sorry when it ended. I will not spoil the ending for you but will say that I had a whole different plot in mind. Thank you, Ms. Meacham, for giving me a delightfully different story than I was expecting.

I downloaded a complimentary Kindle copy of this book from NetGalley.com with the understanding that I would review this book.

Part spy novel, part World War II epic, Meachem gives us a novel worthy of praise. The story centers on a group of five Americans, all brought together by the OSS to fly to Paris and infiltrate Nazis. The three men, Brad, Chris and Bucky, are trained with two women, Bernadette and Violet, without ever given each other’s real names, known as a group as Dragonfly. There is suspense, deep relationships and more in this highly recommended book.

This story was a lot to take in....like so many characters that I felt very overwhelmed🤷🏼‍♀️. The historical aspect was interesting and there was a lot of it to take in.
Basically this is the story of 5 Americans who are asked to become spys. The time frame is WWII/1942. Fascinating insight about life in France during the war.
Thank you to NetGallery for the opportunity to read this book and give my honest review.

I have always been a fan of Leila Meacham, so I was excited for her first WWII novel. The story centers around 5 young American spies who are sent undercover into Nazi-occupied France. I loved how we are able to follow the story from each of their perspectives. I would recommend this to any historical fiction/WWII fans.

In the midst of WWII, five young Americans are recruited by the OSS to be spies in Europe for their country. The three men and two women all bring unique skills and backgrounds to the task, as well as their own secret motivations for taking up the dangerous work. They instantly form a tight bond during training under their group's code name: Dragonfly, but they only know each other by their code names. As they all work independently behind enemy lines hoping not to get caught, they all look forward to their arranged rendezvous the September after the war has ended.

I've read quite a bit of WWII historical fiction, so sometimes when I pick up a new book in that genre I worry about it being unique or living up to some of the other great ones I've read. Dragonfly by Leila Meacham definitely did. Meacham's storytelling and characters instantly drew me in to this book and racing through the pages despite it being over 500 pages long. This was such a fun story with lots of twists and turns as they all try to outmaneuver their targets. I was initially wary about the number of characters and how the story would be able to follow them all, but their storylines wove together perfectly and I enjoyed every minute of reading it. This book is perfect for readers who love historical fiction, particularly those who enjoyed The Alice Network.

5/5 stars

Spies, Nazis, murals, France, nuns, fly fishing -this was great story and of grand epic proportions! Dragonfly was such a page turner that it kept me up way past my bedtime. I have always loved the writing of Leila Meacham and I am so pleased to report that Dragonfly did not disappoint. Please don't let the 864 page number dissuade you, this number is for their large print hardcover edition, but yes it is still a chunky book at 577 glorious kindle pages.

This story is another WWII novel which seem to be flooding the market recently- not that it is a bad thing. Dragonfly is the code name of the group of five young Americans going to offer their services as part of a spy network planted in Germany-occupied Paris. There is a larger cast of characters from the spies themselves to all those that cross the main characters' path, so it does take a bit of concentration to keep everything on track. The fact that we never really could tell if/when someone was going to drop the noose on one of the Dragonfly members made for some edge of my seat reading that I just could not put the book down for long at all.

I appreciated the fact that the author did not feel the need to rush through events and instead creates plausible situations that keep us rooting for the group. We really had a chance to engage with each of the characters and understand the undercurrents with nervous adrenaline while the rookies attempted to impede the Nazis right under their noses. I especially enjoyed how actual spying tasks were not made so easy and there were several hiccups along the way, making for a much more realistic novel throughout their adventures.

Splendid writing, fantastic storytelling and such a treat for Leila Meacham fans of which there are many. Another well-deserved five stars for Leila Meacham!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The literary genius and masterful storytelling of author Leila Meacham's "Dragonfly", takes you to the streets of German occupied Paris and on a thrilling adventure as she weaves an intriguing story of ruses and subterfuge.

"It had been eighteen years since three members of the team had witnessed the brutal death of one they loved and still mourned. What if Dragonfly was not missing one of its wings after all?" And so begins Leila Meacham's gripping new spy novel, "Dragonfly". In the autumn of 1942 five young Americans, are dispatched by the OSS into German occupied Paris. Each member of the neatly conceived, well planned team, Code-named "Dragonfly" arrives in Paris under cover of darkness with one objective- to infiltrate the upper echelons of the Nazi ranks. Their lives begin to intertwine when the team members start to deviate from their proposed agenda as they pursue secret missions of their own; placing the team in more and more treacherous situations that just might be its undoing.

Review posted on Goodreads, instagram page ( Lost_in_a_book_reviewer ) and on Amazon when published.

From its very first page to its jaw dropping end, Leila Meacham grabs ahold of your imagination and doesn't let go! Immensely creative and thoroughly engrossing, Dragonfly is a sophisticated stunning emotional thriller with an intricately weaved story, full of complex characters, and a vividly imaginative plot. The author of Dragonfly has written a gripping historical adventure, rich and suspenseful that will leave you thoroughly satisfied.

During WWII, Alistair Renault puts together a team of 5 Americans to infiltrate occupied France. Bucky, Bridgett, Chris, Brad and Victoria seem to have little in common, but they immediately forge a bond. Code named - Dragonfly, they make plans to meet up one year after their team is deployed.

This book had me reading long into the night. It was well written and engaging. The characters were multi faceted, each fascinating in their own right. Overall, well worth reading.

Leila Meacham drew me into Dragonfly and kept me engaged throughout. At times I needed to refer back to the list of characters since each character had the name given at birth, a code name, and a made up name. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will definitely recommend Dragonfly to my book clubs.