The Race for Paris, Meg Waite Clayton

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review*

The Race for Paris, Meg Waite Clayton
Author: Meg Waite Clayton
Publisher: Harper
Pages: 336
Format: Arc
ISBN-10: 0062354639
ISBN-13: 9780062354631
Publisher: eBook | Hardcover 
The Race for Paris

3 stars


Jane is a reporter for the Nashville Banner and locates in a French hospital camp when Liv a photographer for the AP joins her there. Not getting credentials to go the the front the woman are upset they cannot bring the real news of the war to the people home. Plus they would really love to write about the liberation of Paris. They decide to go AWOL and with the help of Fletcher a military photographer they join the race for Paris.

There are a lot of subjects in the book. There is the war obviously. There is this thing about woman rights going on. There are relationships everywhere and there is a lot of personal struggle.
Most of the book is narrated by Jane. Daughter of a housekeeper she feels privileged to get the chance to write about the war and even getting accredited to go oversees to write. She is ambitious and does not have to much to live for but still I did not really see her as the type to go on such an adventure. I do not feel her motivation to do what she is doing even if the words are spoken.
Liv on the other hand is one piece of emotion with clear motivation though it takes some time to figure that out. She was a really powerful character.
Fletcher is obviously needed to put a male character in the story to make it possible for the woman to move. I think this is done well and he is a realistic character.
I liked the developments in the story. First the moaning that woman do not get the same opportunities as men and the reasons they come up with to justify their motivation. It is not overdone but stated as facts and information and throughout the book this is an important part. I do find that most of the male characters react rather smooth. I cannot imagine they walked into so many different characters and none of them did not agree and would get upset.
The view the story is giving of the front line of a war and being part of a liberation army felt realistic. There are some very harsh scenes about death, murder and other war related nastiness without getting really descriptive.
In the end I do miss an emotional connection with any of the characters to be really involved in the story but it is an interesting view on female journalists and photographers in that period for sure.
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