The Nose

‘The Lost Girl in Paris’ – Jina Bacarr

‘I will never forget what the Nazi did to me. Never.’

1940, Nazi-occupied Paris. A powerful story of love, tragedy and incredible courage, about one woman whose life is ripped apart by war and risks everything to seek justice.

As Nazis patrol the streets of the French capital, Tiena is alone, desperate and on the run. After defending herself against the force of an officer, she must find a new identity in order to survive.

An accidental meeting with members of the Resistance gives her a lifeline, as she is offered the chance to reinvent herself as perfumer Angéline De Cadieux.

However Angéline will never forget what happened to her, and will do everything she can to seek revenge. But vengeance can be a dangerous game, and Angéline can only hide her true identity for so long before her past catches up with her, with some devastating consequences…

Paris, 2003. When the opportunity arises for aspiring journalist Emma Keane to interview world renowned perfumer Madame De Cadieux about her life during World War Two, she is determined to take it. There are secrets from her own family history that she hopes Angéline may be able to help unlock.

But nothing can prepare Emma for Angéline’s story, and one thing is for certain – it will change her own life forever…

I struggled to engage with this story because it felt too similar to other World War Two/Resistance novels I have read in the past. Whilst Bacarr explores the Roma treatment by the Nazis, I did not get a sense of this being too unique to other books of this genre. It was only the final quarter that truly engaged me.

The novel slips between present day and Angéline’s story during the Nazi occupation. After the tragic death of her mother, Angéline is on the run, fearful she will be identified by the Nazi soldier she defied. Fleeing to Paris, she becomes part of the Resistance movement; her actions are disguised by Angéline’s work in a perfume house, helping to concoct new scents whilst keeping an ear to the ground. She plays the role of a “nose” because of her ability to identify the different scents within a perfume, using this skill to help develop new products that could provide hope for fellow Parisiennes. To be honest, I was not too interested in this element of the story; the perfumery and its influence in Paris was interesting but it never captured my imagination.

In present day, Emma is interviewing Angéline and readers discover that Emma might have a connection to this Madame. Emma learns about Angéline’s actions and how she was eventually sent to the concentration camps. I found this section of the story to be most vivid and provocative. It certainly reinforced how much research the author has carried out in this period and I was fascinated to understand how Angéline survives, especially when she learns that she is with child.

There were times when I found the present day narrative to be more interesting, particularly concerning the journalist who is trying to usurp Emma from her story. Furthermore, Emma’s background plays a significant role in the story and I think I would have liked to see this developed, especially Emma’s growing relationship with Angéline’s security. However, considering this is a historical book, it is not surprising that most of the action takes place in the 1940s.

This was an increasingly heart-aching story with the theme of mother-daughter relationships throughout. Despite her mother’s death, Angéline continues to sense her mother’s spirit with her at all times. This is then reflected in Emma’s long-distance relationship with her ever-increasingly ill mother. I enjoyed this cyclical aspect of the story, especially when family members are finally reunited.

An interesting read, whilst I did not enjoy it as much as a previous book from this author, it was still absorbing to see how even gypsies were treated so appalling in the Second World War. I feel like I have learnt more about this time period and the strength that Angéline’s character displays over time is admirable.

With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.