M B Henry, All the Lights Above Us, Alcove Press 2021

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

My first reaction to All the Lights Above Us was admiration for the cleverness with which M B Henry relates the political, personal, and military drama of June 5 to June 7, 1944. The narrative follows the events of the day before and following D Day in their horrors, passion, courage, foolishness, treachery, and self-deception through the experiences of five women. Flora, Adelaide, and Emilia are in Caen, France; Mildred in Berlin, Germany; and Theda in Portsmouth, England. Their stories are largely independent of each other, although Flora’s and Emilia’s stories converge in the last hours of the invasion of France by the Allies. This coming together is another intelligent device, not only providing a conclusion to Flora’s story, but adding to the characterisation of Emilia. Each woman’s story is told in short, but strong chapters, evoking their past, developing characterisation, and moving the story forward. This story is full of event, emotion, and social commentary, its impact makes it seem as though we have been with the women for far longer. As I stated at the beginning – so clever.

Other features of the novel should not be underestimated. While narrating relatively easily envisioned events that are familiar through historical works, nonfiction and fiction, M B Henry gives them additional impact through several means.

She ensures that the reader becomes aware of the discrimination against women that has brought most of the women to their current situation. While Mildred’s story does not reflect the discrimination that has impacted so heavily on Flora, Adelaide, Emilia and Theda, her persona is linked strongly to the way in which a woman may rely heavily on appearance and a male mentor to accomplish her aims. While not defending Emilia’s behaviour, Henry gives her story a background that explains the trap made for women such as her in Hitler’s Germany. Adelaide’s mothering role is complex. Although from a different country, experience, and period, like Theda she has been surrounded by arguments about what a ‘real’ woman should be. Flora is confronted daily with examples of discrimination based on her gender.

Importantly, Henry’s concern with that broader theme does not undercut her attention to developing her characters, with only three days in which to illustrate their reactions to world shattering events. Where she uses background information to fill out her characters this is done smoothly without interrupting the narrative of the present. Small events are used to highlight large issues, particularly so in Theda’s story.

Each woman’s story is carried through, from the background that has brought her to her situation on D Day, to her experiences throughout the invasion, and to completion. Possibly the tying up of ends might seem a little contrived. However, once again Henry has worked to fulfil her mission, that is, using D Day as the time in which she must tell the women’s stories and establish possibilities for each of them. These endings all ring true, considering two important features of the book. They rely on the way in which each woman has been depicted; the way in which each woman has demonstrated her strengths and weaknesses throughout the narrative. The drawing together of events assumes little beyond the initial impact of D Day, except possibly in one case where the events based on a real person suggest some likely possibilities. However, the overall impression is that Henry’s characters’ stories reflect the way in which those who welcomed the success of D Day had to imagine an end before they could go on for the remainder of the war.

The descriptions of the wounded in Theda’s hospital; the drowned parachutists observed by Adelaide; the torture and shootings to which Emilia is a witness; Flora’s experiences as a member of the resistance; and Mildred’s knowledge of her own perfidy are disturbing images. Henry has momentarily put these aside for a short time by establishing completion for each of the characters. Whatever the future possibilities, Henry has given both her characters and readers a taste of the breathing space that reflects a likely reality at the time.

With its short strong chapters, convincing and intriguing characters, and commitment to developing a short period of time into a persuasive depiction of a real event, this novel is an engrossing read.

I loved this book…enough said…it was sent to me by Netgalley on Kindle for review…I do not enjoy books divided like this one into different characters usually…this time it worked…I could see what was happening…having read a plethora of books and seen several movies about D Day, this book brought it alive in other ways…my favorite part was the French woman walking to find her daughter…this is a not to be missed historical novel…

All the Lights Above Us by M. B. Henry is a wonderful WWII-era historical fiction novel that takes us into the lives of several women and their own stories surrounding D-Day.

This is such a great book. It takes the lives/narratives of several different women that encompass a vast array of locations, nationalities, and circumstances and what they experienced around the time of D-Day( 6/4/44). It was quite fascinating to compare/contrast how this pivotal day of infamy affected them.

I also enjoyed the notes presented at the end to add the historical aspects as well as fact vs fiction.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Alcove Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

This book follows five women directly before, during, and slightly after D-Day, 6 JUN 1944. Theda works in a UK hospital. Flora is a French resistance fighter. Emilia is a German working at a French prison in the same town as Flora. Mildred is an American working for a radio station in Berlin. Adelaide lives near the D-Day beaches. Although this is a fictional book, it’s obvious that attention was paid to the historical documents of that time. I found myself consulting online sources to read up on some of the things the author mentioned, such as the incident in Sainte Mere Eglise. The author introduces the characters one at a time and for the most part, they don’t overlap (though Flora and Emilia recognize each other). While each woman’s story is important in the overall scope of D-Day - such as how those “on the ground” not in the war were affected - it took me a little while to keep track of who was who and what they were doing. The Author’s Note in the end provides more information about this time period - including information on who was real (Mildred) and who was fictional but based upon real people or real situations (Adelaide provides information on the Utah Beach troop movement). All in all, I’d say this was an interesting historical fiction book about D-Day that captures the lay person’s (opposed to front line) account of that historic day.

June 6, 1944, what history will remember as D Day, will affect five different women of different faiths and nationalities in profound ways. From an American ex-pat who spews Nazi propaganda over the airwaves, to a French Resistance fighter to a member of the Gestapo, working to destroy the Nazi machine from the inside, thus is a unique and unforgettable story