Review: The War Begins in Paris by Theodore Wheeler

This was an interesting book that I’m still figuring out. An interesting (American) journalism side to the war that I’d not really read about before. The characters were interesting but a bit unbelievable as were parts of the story. These dramatic parts also drew you in and added to the intensity of the overall story though. The Mennonite background of the main character was interesting but only brought into the story at times, some of them odd… would have loved more of that in it! There are some slow parts, but the book has some suspense to it too.

I would recommend this book.

Thanks to @NetGalley & @littlebrown for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

What drew me to this story was that a Mennonite woman was in it. On my maternal side, they are Mennonite. I was able to learn (even fictional) their side in WWII. It is a suspenseful story of morality.

Wheeler brings the chaos of the 1930s and the terror of the 1940s to life in this fascinating historical fiction novel. Readers follow Mielle and Jane, two Americans from very different worlds, over the buildup of World War II and the German occupation of France and ask the same questions of loyalty, trust, and motive that Mielle and Jane consistently ask themselves. Jane is a complex American journalist who works with the Nazi party, but the extent of her loyalty to the party is unknown to readers and Mielle, while Mielle is a shy American journalist from a Mennonite community on her first trip across the pond and is starstruck by Jane’s forceful presence. Mielle must, following the occupation, make her own decisions about loyalty to her friend and loyalty to her country -- an increasingly difficult decision in the thick of World War II. Wheeler’s characters are the driving force of this book, and the complex loyalties and relationships are incredibly fascinating and make this novel a compelling read. By highlighting the media aspect of World War II, Wheeler uses a fascinating cast of major and minor characters to carry his narrative and ideas forward in The War Begins in Paris, a novel that historical fiction fans and World War II aficionados are sure to enjoy.

We start with the interesting premise of a young woman who has left her Mennonite community and chooses to make her way to Paris in 1938 and attempt to become a journalist. She ekes out a living as a stringer, but feels she is always on the margins of the in-group of more sophisticated journalists. Then she meets Jane Anderson, a famous journalist who takes our main character, Marthe, under her wing and re-dubs her Mielle. Jane Anderson was on the right-wing side in the Spanish Civil War and is sympathetic to the Nazis and other fascists. She herself is now shunned by most other journalists for her views and because she seems to be increasingly drunk, drugged and mentally unstable. For a short, whirlwind period, Mielle is mesmerized by Jane, and joins her in wild sprees.

In the book’s next part, the war comes, Jane goes to Germany to become a propagandist for the Nazis, France is conquered and Mielle and other Americans are interned in a German hotel, waiting to be swapped for German journalists held by the US. But before that day can come, Jane and Mielle fatefully meet again.

Wheeler shows the appeal of authoritarianism for some people, but also the moral compromises that converts end up making. He deftly describes the feeling of unreality in Paris before war broke, and the vast gulf in late-war Germany between the Nazi elite and everyone else. There is an unsettled feeling throughout the book; not surprising considering the time and places.

While I think the premise of the book is interesting and Wheeler can set a scene and atmosphere, the Mielle character is problematic for me. I understand the author wanting the character to be naïve to start with, but she is so extremely unworldly and mousy that she’s not believable as someone who would head off to Europe on her own and work to make her own career as a journalist. She becomes more credible as the book goes on, and you see her learning and maturing.

3.5 stars, rounded to 4.

I thought the synopsis of the book was interesting, but I found I could not get interested in the story. I'm sure for a lot of people they will really enjoy it, but I just couldn't get into the story, or the writing style. I was unable to finish the book.