A Most Clever Girl by Stephanie Marie Thornton
Length: 416 Pages
Genres: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
A special thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for an ARC of this book!
"I would tell many lies in this lifetime. I won't say that was the first or even that it was a lie, for back then I still thought I was capable of good.
Certainly, all the best villains do."
Trigger Warnings in this book for Animal Death, Blood and Gore
In 1945 Elizabeth Bentley, aka Umnista, Ms. Wise and Myrna, walked into FBI headquarters and declared herself a Soviet spy. What followed were many trials in which she exposed two different spy networks and named up to eighty different Americans as being involved in espionage. This is her (mostly) true story.
In 1963, it's just days after Kennedy's assassination, and college student Catherine Grey is, on top of it all, dealing with the death of her mother and a shocking secret, which she reveals in one last letter to Cat. If she wants the truth, she will have to track down Elizabeth Bentley. She does, with a pistol in her purse.
Told in first person while Elizabeth is recounting her tumultuous history, from her rather innocent origins within the CPUSA, to the world-shattering romance with her handler and rise as a notorious Spy Queen, I found myself not only sympathizing with the clever Bentley, but also enjoying her, which is in part due to the amazing writing done by Thornton. She is able to humanize the oft-vilified Bentley, who is driven by her desire to fit in, to live a meaningful life, and eventually, her own desire for control.
We also get some glimpses into the psyche of the completely fictional Catherine Grey via third-person scenes set in the 60's. Stephanie Marie Thornton was able to weave together an engrossing story, using much of the truth and expertly adding in bits of well-placed fiction. If you're craving your next historical hit with two strong female protagonists, look no further than A Most Clever Girl!
No comments:
Post a Comment