As a lover of WWII era historical fiction books, I was intrigued to read a story about Casablanca and its role in the war. Reading through Josie’s story, I was enthralled with with how a wealthy young girl managed during the war. Her insight into life at that time was enjoyable and page-turning.

I did not enjoy Zoe’s storyline as much. Without knowing her backstory until the end, I felt Zoe lacked depth and came across as odd throughout her narration. Even once we find out the cause of her turmoil and marriage problems, I still felt that the ending was too odd. I feel as though the book would have stood well on its own without her storyline in it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early preview of this book.

Fiona Valpy does a beautiful job of evoking the atmosphere of life in Morocco, both in the modern setting (in 2010 from Zoe's perspective), but more especially in the wartime period (in 1941 from Josie's perspective). I've always loved dual-time-lined books, but only when both the point of view of the two characters are equally interesting. And unfortunately, I found myself liking Josie's parts better and Zoe's ones slower. But overall it was a good book.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Really lovely book. I have read and enjoyed Fiona Valpy before and she really brings you into the setting of her stories. This story moves between two main characters and I loved at the end when it all came together. Enjoyable and captivating.

Wonderfully detailed book. The descriptions were great, they made me feel like I was actually there seeing it all. Also made me want to visit! I don't recall reading another dual timeline book. I often try to avoid those because they can be confusing and hard to follow. This wasn't one of those. It was easy to follow. I highly recommend it,

With thanks to netgalley and fiona valpy for an arc in return for an honest opinion.
Having read most of this authors other works I was delighted to get an early copy and what a fantastic book from start to finish she just never disappoints I can highly recommend this outstandingly fabulous book.

A long but powerful story of life as a refugee in the 1940's and in 2010. The story flowed so well, the characters were all strong and important to the story.
Fiona's story was a mixture of fact and fiction. It made me want to research more about Josephine Baker and Casablanca during WW2.
I loved that different religions and cultures were carefully woven into the story as well as the history of quilts.

Sometimes books begin slowly and you patiently continue reading hoping they will take off. This one began with enough transporting beauty of prose that its slow unfold inspired me to enjoy the ride. Because it is a journey through time spanning the 1941 early war period of 13 year old Josie's life through 2010 with Zoe's life being tangently revealed bit by bit.

Fiona Valpy has written it with such descriptive imagery that it does indeed morph into an exquisite, exotic blossom gradually opening and emitting the the fragrant and visual essence that is early and modern day Casablanca and Morocco.

This is my kind of book, well-crafted literary fiction where the characters are finely honed with Josie's diary drawing you into what feels like a very intimate friendship with her. And Zoe, who is reading Josie's diary is relating her own tale in first person point of view which, to me is one of the high points of the story. Because it becomes clear that she is one of the storytellers of Casablanca.

As Josie begins to mature she becomes easily engaging and relatable. Her humor is endearing. It is her humor, even in the midst of such a tragic period of history, that carries Zoe's angst-filled struggle along.

Many of the characters are admirable, good, kind, caring and compassionate, making you want to root for them all.

Loved that the plot was neither formulaic or predictable.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me to read "The Storyteller of Casablanca" in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the eARC.
Zoe, a young wife and mother moves to Casablanca in the 2010's when her husband is offered a job there. Their relationship is is troublesome and she's alone a lot, but finds friends among the expat community. One day she finds a journal in her daughter's room, written by a 13-year old Jewish girl during WWII, who, along with her parents, had fled the Nazis and moved to Casablanca waiting to leave for the States.
The poignant plight of the Jewish people during WWII is thoughtfully written about and described and Casablanca is depicted in such a way that I wanted to pack a suitcase!
The ending was a surprise and I can honestly recommend this book highly, it's a beautiful read.

Absolutely loved loved loved this book, the characters were lovely and I loved the description of Casablanca it made me feel as if I was there with them, loved the fact the book was written as a duel timeline so we got Zoe's and Josie's stories side by side, highly recommend this book and would rate higher if I could
BRILLIANT!

As an avid reader and someone who gravitates towards novels set during the WW2 period, I often find myself reading the same premise repeatedly. Someone from the present finds a diary/journal that belonged to someone in the past, and then we go about learning what happened to that person. After a while, it feels like creativity and novelty are lost.

I loved The Storyteller of Casablanca because it took us on a different discovery and journey of the WW2 period. This time we were able to enjoy a new setting in Morocco and, with it, a different perspective of what was taking place outside of the walls that were crumbling under the Nazi occupation. We did have a present-day character, Zoe, who we come to learn about and get involved in her heartaches, the adaptation of a new life in a new country, motherhood, and eventually her fascination when it comes to learning about Josie, a young girl who escaped the Nazi's in France with her family.

As I said, the setting alone and seeing Morocco through the eyes of the past and present was a nice, new touch to an often-told story. However, I also came to like Josie immensely. I wanted to know as much as I could about Josie, and I was also curious about what led Zoe to this place in her life, both physically and metaphorically. I couldn't put the book down until I got to the bottom of it all! I was not disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 2.3/5

This is my second experience of Fiona Valpy's work, having previously read "The Dressmaker's Gift". Overall, I think "The Storyteller of Casablanca" is a slightly better novel, but many of the frustrations that I felt while reading "The Dressmaker's Gift" were again evident in this book.

The story takes place across two timelines: Initially 2010 and then interspersed with flashbacks to 1941/42 via the medium of a young girl's diary. The narrative for the 2010 sections is provided by Zoe, an expat who has relocated to Casablanca with her husband. Hidden away in one of the bedrooms of her new home Zoe finds a diary written by Josie, a 12-year-old (initially) girl who lived in the same property with her family some 70 years earlier. As she reads through the diary Zoe is transported back to world that young Josie inhabited and the challenges that she faced.

Fiona Valpy does a creditable job of evoking the atmosphere of life in Morocco, both in the modern setting, but more especially in the wartime period. Josie's story is one that I found engaging. I was not always convinced that the voice given to her by the author was entirely authentic for a girl of her age, but I was prepared to overlook this on the grounds of artistic licence. I was less enthralled by Zoe's chapters. For the most part - certainly until much later in the novel - these contributed little to the overall development and detracted from the more compelling story of Josie, in a way that disrupted the emotional investment that was being made in the characters from that earlier time. Consequently, there are some potentially heartrending moments that don't achieve the level of impact they should have done. I made a similar observation in my review of "The Dressmaker's Gift". In that book I was also frustrated by the handling of the modern sections of the dual timeframe story and the diminishing effect they had on the impact of the novel as a whole. It is disappointing that the same trait is again evident in the author's work here.

On the whole, this is far from being a bad book, and it is a pleasant enough way to while away a few hours, but I felt it had the potential to be something much better.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up.

When Zoe’s husband Tom gets a five year posting to Casablanca she views this as a fresh start for their strained and distant relationship. She makes a chance find beneath the floorboards of their accommodation of a little box and a leather bound notebook that belongs to twelve year old Josiane Duval. Josie’s journal from 1941 reveals that she is French, the family are Jewish and are in Casablanca awaiting the paperwork to take a ship to Portugal and onwards to the USA. The story is told in alternate timelines which works extremely well as both their lives weave and interconnect in surprising ways.

This is another lovely, engaging and well written novel which is based on some actual events. There are many superbly visual descriptions of Casablanca, you feel the heat, hear the sounds, the smells and can almost taste the delicious food. You feel as if you have had a tour not just of Casablanca but also of Morocco. The journal gives insight into the war, the encroaching dangers for Josie’s family and you get a sense of foreboding for the Duval family. The historical context of the war is very well done and we even get appearances by Josephine Baker which is used so effectively in the evolving storyline. The book contains some fascinating insights into the importance of storytelling in Moroccan culture and the author cleverly uses quilting too, merging this well into the plot line. Josie is a fantastic character, she’s clever, perceptive, incredibly brave and she can think on her feet. I love her obsession with Dorothy L. Sayers and in the modern storyline the inclusion of stories like Scheherazade. The story is brought sharply up to date with the inclusion of the migrant crisis in North Africa and people there wait to make an often perilous journey to Europe. This is a soaring emotional tale which has a multitude of elements to it and keeps you transfixed. I did foresee the twist at the end but that’s doesn’t in any way spoil the enjoyment.

Overall, another winner for me from Fiona Valpy. It’s an enthralling read which demonstrates beautifully the power of storytelling on several levels.

With thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

While I’m generally not a historical fiction fan, especially around the WWII time, I do love a good expat story. That’s what drew me to the book and I’m glad I and the chance to read it. Morocco has been on my list of places to visit for quite some time and I really enjoyed the glimpse into like in Casablanca. The character of Zoe grew on me throughout the book and by the end, I really adored her. I also enjoyed the mystery part of the story.

Brilliant, thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had twists and turns in it which kept you interested until the final pages. I didn't see the Zoe storyline coming although in hindsight it made sense. The African campaign war history is something I knew very little about and reading this book has impelled me to find out more. I found it well written and the characters all likeable. I enjoy books which switch between the then and now as this one did. I would certainly recommend to others and look for more from this author.

An intense, “hold your attention,” read, emotional and historical.

This is really two simultaneously told stories of two very different kinds of refugees. The contemporary story is of Zoe (2010) who moves to Morocco with her husband and daughter Grace, discovers a hidden box and journal of Josie (1941) in the floor boards of her house.

Josie’s story unfolds from Zoe’s reading of the hidden journal. Escaped from Paris, she and her family are waiting for papers to secure passage to Portugal and then to the US. Nazi involvement, friends with locals creates a story from the past of desperate times as a Jewish refugee.

Zoe’s refugee story is how she hides from a secret. She connects with a group that is taking care of women and children and through the story-telling of quilts and other images recovers her marriage, her life and, one hopes, happiness.

Why is the wooden box still hidden in the floor if Josie is safe? Why is Zoe’s so incredibly unhappy?

The unfolding of these tales is timed well, keeps the reader intrigued and connected to both women, and inspires the reader to search their own life for hidden truths and secrets. Well worth reading.

This is a beautiful story which had me absolutely hooked! Whilst reading this I felt as though I was right there in Casablanca drinking the mint tea and eating all the gorgeous food alongside Josie and Zoe.
I liked how the author used two time frames and changed the characters point of views between chapters. The story was easy to follow and there is also a twist at the end which was a massive surprise!
5 stars to this beautiful book and I will definitely be reading more from this author

This is a beautifully written story. The book has a dual timeline plot. Two storylines intertwined between the two main characters. This novel contains various themes and is beautifully written!

I have always enjoyed Fiona Valpy’s books but this book is her best one so far..It transports to wartime Casablanca and then to modern times. The 2 main characters are a joy to learn about and leave you cheering them on. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is a gripping story of unimaginable loss and how one pushes forward when hopelessness lingers. Casablanca is where we meet Josie in 1941 and Zoe in 2010, two stories interwoven as told through Josie's diary that Zoe discovers in her new home. Josie and her family escape from Paris and settle in Casablanca before moving on to America. Zoe and her husband move to Casablanca to give their marriage a second chance. Both women find the city and its vibrant personalities attractive and spare no time making the most of their days.
The colorful descriptions of the sights, sounds and food were so life-like, I could imagine myself walking along the cobblestones of Casablanca! There were several aspects of the story that I thoroughly enjoyed - the tales told by the dreamseller, the way a band of misfits form in pursuit of resistance, learning the tradition of quilting as a means to record culture and history, family grief and loss and how those closest to you will nurture you to your new normal. Ultimately, this shows how the power of storytelling - those you learn and those you speak - will set you free.

Yet another dual timeline book! I did enjoy this book and thank NetGalley for the advance copy.
I found the beginning of this book to be formulaic....someone finds a hidden journal and becomes enmeshed in their story. I did like how we never know what Zoe's problems are until the conclusion of the book. I found some of the events very predictable, but it was a decent read.