Gracianna
Gracianna is a story that was inspired by the true story of the author's great grandparents. I say that because while the majority of the book is about Gracianna, her husband Juan takes a pretty big part in her story as well. The book mainly takes place before and during the Nazi occupation of France. The author does tell us that the story is pieced together through tales passed down through the family. So, I'm sure a bit of it is imagined. I almost didn't finish this book. It was pretty slow for me in the beginning. But, I am glad I kept going with the book. Gracianna was an amazing woman. We all know what a nightmare World War II was for everyone involved. By accident she became part of the French Resistance. What I found both amazing and horrifying was how she essentially became an assassin for them. She was a naive girl from the mountains when she left with the dream of going to America. What happened to her in Paris changed her life forever. The book also delves into Gracianna's sister Constance's time at the concentration camp in Birkenau.
I won't say that I enjoyed the book because what she went through was horrifying and heartbreaking. That isn't something that one "enjoys". I will instead say that it was well written and intriguing. My only wish is that I would have liked to read more about her and Juan's life in America after the war. I think that this is a wonderful tribute to the author's great grandmother.
