Jefferson County Library: The Girl From The Channel Islands By Jenny Lecoat

Press release from the Jefferson County Library:

Pamela Withrow

November 3, 2021

 304 pages / 9 hrs, 47 mins

“ Summer 1940: Hedy Bercu fled Vienna two years ago. Now she watches the skies over Jersey for German planes, convinced that an invasion is imminent. When it finally comes, there is no counterattack from Allied forces—the Channel Islands are simply not worth defending. Most islanders and occupying forces settle into an uneasy coexistence, but for Hedy, the situation is perilously different. For Hedy is Jewish—a fact that could mean deportation, or worse.

“With no means of escape, Hedy hides in plain sight, working as a translator for the Germans while silently working against them. She forges a tentative friendship with a sympathetic German officer who is likewise trapped by circumstance. But as the war intensifies, Hedy knows she is in greater danger each day. Soon, her survival will depend not just on her own courage but on the community she has come to cherish and a man who should be her enemy.” —from the publisherI’ve always been intrigued by the Channel Islands, and appreciated this novel based on a true story. The story line was good, but it seemed somewhat disjointed. I’m guessing the print version has a designation for the passing of time, but there were no cues on the audio version so it was hard to follow at times. I give it three out of five stars. 

This press release was produced by the Jefferson County Library. The views expressed here are the author’s own.