France, 1942Having suffered a devastating blow from the Gestapo, Etienne Delattre’s Resistance cell is slowly recovering its strength. Giselle Legrand travels to Lyon to work in its infamous Montluc prison under her third alias, helping the Resistance in organizing prisoners’ escapes. Marcel joins forces with Philippe as the two follow the line of the Comintern in sabotaging German munitions … German munitions factories.
Kamille volunteers to work in the German Red Cross in order to find her missing husband, Jochen, and soon finds herself involved not only with French but with German Resistance as well.
The tide of the war is slowly turning and so does the mood in France, changing from a passive resistance to an open sabotage.
As German forces occupy the former Free Zone in response to Allied landings in North Africa, the Resistance leaders must work fast to unite their forces against the common enemy. But together with the army, SS-Obersturmführer Klaus Barbie arrives in Lyon, and soon the capital of the French Resistance will turn into the Gestapo capital, where terror and intimidation have free reign, and former loyal comrades turn on their fellow résistants to save their own lives.
With maquis on the rise, with pro-German milice assisting the Gestapo with its policy of terrorizing the French population, with the promise of the Allied landings on the North, they will have to outsmart the enemy that will fight to the bitter end. Liberation is nearing, but the time is against them.
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Ellie Midwood has done it again. With the final book of The Indigo Rebel series, we return to France, specifically Lyon, where the Resistance and later the Maquis, continue their fight against the German Occupation.
With vivid detail and chilling accuracy Midwood brings Klaus Barbie, the Butcher of Lyon to life. Giselle works for him before being arrested as a member of the Resistance, and barely escapes with her life. Etienne is also arrested and tortured, but released as part of a plea deal reached between Giselle and Commander Sievers.
Midwood also wraps up the one loose end of the series, Marcel and Giselle’s older sister, Kamille. After witnessing the horrors of the first round up of Jews in Paris, Kamille too joins the Resistance, using her work as a Red Cross nurse and her travels throughout war torn Germany (in search of her missing husband) to aid the people of France, and later, Germany.
Barbie was finally caught in 1984, when I was a junior in high school. I watched the news reports on the trial and thought how sad it must be for all those witnesses to testify against him, to have to relive those years of Germany’s occupation. Midwood’s stellar knowledge of World War II painted a much more vivid picture of the man and his crimes. Now I fully understand why he was called the Butcher of Lyon, and how those it messes’ testimonies wasn’t a sad thing for them to go through, but a cathartic means of putting those ghosts behind them and honoring their countrymen who fell victim to that man.
I said in one of my earlier reviews that this series should be required reading for high school and college world history classes. The atrocities of war and the epic feats of patriotism and heroism are vividly and unforgettably brought to life for the reader in such a way that they will not soon be forgotten.
I was so sad to have this book end! I was trying to imagine how both sisters were going to get themselves out of the very different fixes they were in. Couldn’t have predicted either one. The description of the Butcher of Lyon was searing. The tensions of the era are vividly drawn, with people wondering who is on whose side, betrayals, and heroic, loyal stands. I missed book 2 and am eager to read it. This story could have gone to a fourth novel. I felt that tying up the loose ends went by too fast…
I taught French language and literature and while many know about the Vichy government and its collaboration with Hitler not many may know about the courageous efforts of the resistance fighters. So on the one hand one learns about the horrors and horrific tactics of an at the time evil nation, one also learns that there will always be honorable and courageous people.
Based on facts of World War II…true story but difficult to read.
great conclusio to the series
makes you want to read the previous ones
Great Book about the Germans Occupation of France and how some French Dealt with it.
And again, beautifully done. Like the first two books in the series, this one is exceptionally emotion-provoking. Ellie Midwood is the master of storytelling about the most horrific times in mankind’s history, and she brings it to the reader in the way you experience historical events being fully involved in the lives of her characters. Evil or hero, they are so real you think you know them; you care about them; you want some of them to succeed in their struggle and the others to be destroyed. For me, all the books of this author are page-turners. I await her new works with impatience and would highly recommend them, written and still to be created, to anyone who enjoys historical fiction in its best.
hard to put down
The trilogy makes an I trresting read of historical fiction.
historical novel of what happen during WWII in France
Excellent commentary on the plight of the French people during the war.
***** Another Indigo Rebel Winner!
First off, as much as I am a total fan of this author’s works in general, I have always been particularly taken by her “Indigo Rebels” Series. This latest book, “Liberation,” fits that bill completely. Filled with well-written, detailed descriptions of the era along with authentic, touching characters you care about, it is the continuing saga of one French family in Nazi-occupied France.
Giselle, after having been a writer and “scandalous socialite with bright platinum locks,” has escaped capture and death before by going incognito; by becoming a “shabby, overall-clad factory worker with dark curls.” This new persona is perfect for her. It allows her to work undercover, to secretly feed ‘disinformation’ to the Nazis and further her aide to the French Resistance.
Meanwhile, her brother, Etienne, is now, himself, high up in that rebel organization’s chain of command, while their sister, Kamille, married to a German soldier, is off to reunite with her wounded husband in Germany. Once again, the three siblings’ individual plots swirl in and out and around each other, as Midwood artfully maintains their familial connection amidst plot twists and turns.
We are also witness to unlikely saviors who overcome great odds, true bravery that comes in heartbreaking ways, the physical and psychological horror of being tortured, planned explosives, train derailments, clever concealments of identifies, kindness in spite of horrendous evil all around, and the inner workings of the infamous Butcher of Lyon: Klaus Barbie. And all is portrayed during the slow demise of German troops, as British, Russian, and U.S. forces are steadfastly closing in. Another terrific read!
This is the third and final book in The Indigo Rebels series and what a great ending! All our main characters return for the final installment: Giselle, Etienne, Marcel, Philippe, and Father Yves, just to name a few. Unfortunately, we also get our worst villain ever, Klaus Barbie, and he will make our characters’ lives a living hell. While there is plenty of evidence of Barbie’s real life torturous deeds, which could easily send a shiver down your spine, Ms. Midwood does an amazing job of capturing Barbie’s insane mind. The things he does to our poor characters really makes you think how could anyone do that to someone else? I also praise Ms. Midwood for not making Barbie a real generic evil character. She goes deep into his mind and shows the reader why he does the things he does. In addition to following the French Resistance, the reader is also given an insight to the German Resistance thanks to one of the characters. I thought this was a good touch done by Ms. Midwood and added more interest to the already good story line. Finally, I also loved how Ms. Midwood did the epilogue. I thought it was a unique way of doing it.
The following is a SPOILER!
That being said, I do wish I would have known what would have happened to some of the other characters like Father Yves and Augustine. Did they end up together? Violette does mention Marcel but do him and Tommy have a tearful reunion and remain together? I would have loved just a little scene about that since I was so shocked and excited when I found out Tommy had survived. I must admit, I am still mourning the death of Philippe. I was so hoping Giselle and Philippe would end up together! But, I suppose you know its a good book when the author kills off a main character 🙂 I am happy, though, that Giselle ended up with someone in the end. Though, I wish there would been more buildup of their relationship. But, all these things are so minor that it would be wrong to not give this book a well deserved five stars. It was a great ending to a very good series. Another fantastic job by the great Ms. Midwood! I can’t wait to see what she does next.
I didn’t quite read these books back to back as each one needed time to settle before I continued. Each leaves you with so much feels that for me I had to ruminate on it a while. This is the third and final episode of the three resistance siblings and it was a satisfying end to a wonderful series that explored the sacrifice and horror of world war II while managing to weave in love stories and true tales of heroism along the way. Ellie Midwood’s writing is vibrant and draws you in. Her ability to put you in the moment, the amazing development of all the characters – the supporting ones as well as the siblings, Marcel, Kamille, and Giselle – was what made this series so compelling for me. In this age of so much visual stimulation, this book was able to transport me back in time, fully submerging me in this heart wrenching, dangerous time, as if I was watching a BBC drama. Talking of which, I think this would make an awesome TV mini-series! Love historical fiction? Put this on your list. It’s not actually my go to genre these days, but this author may have made me rekindle my love or it.
Midwood proves yet again why she is such a popular author and her extensive knowledge about this period of history.
A great finale to this three book series about the resistance fighters in Nazi-occupied France. It could work as a stand-alone but I’d recommend reading the series in order.
This read is intense and becomes more so as the Germans realise they are losing their grip on France. The resistance movement has grown as more people have become dissatisfied with the invasion. More organised and bolder, they do all they can to cause havoc. But then Barbie, the Butcher of Lyon is posted in their town, determined to hunt them down and stamp them out. Running alongside events in France Kamille travels to Germany in search of her husband. There, along with her husband she plays an important role in the movement.
As the sense of an ending to the oppression grows so does the tension to survive.
Very enjoyable read.
Wow. Just wow. This entire trilogy is amazing, and Miss Midwood did not disappoint with her ending. I have tears in my eyes as I write this, and I have to commend her for such an amazing tale. The characters are vibrant, and seeing how they all found their way, one way or another in this story was beautiful. War is painful, but this story is also one of hope, and standing for what you believe. Amazing, and I can’t wait to see what she has next!
The last book in the Indigo revels series and it is a very worthy ending.
Off course we all know how the war ended, but this book had me sitting on the edge of my seat and i had to stop myself from skipping to the end to see if the characters I cared about would survive or not. I read this book in one sitting, just turning page after page.
This was such an emotional book to read.There is a lot happening in the book and you can just taste the atmosphere. What I love about Ellie Midwood books is that they make you think and question things.
This book gave me goosebumps, made me sad, had me rooting and cheering and I was glad to see a happy end for some.
I’m in the Indigo Rebels’ zone right now. I’m Giselle, the courageous woman we know and love who will not sit back behind the lines and just hide, I’m Etienne, the sweet soul who has given everything he has for the cause and yet still believes himself to be unworthy, I’m Kamille who believes herself to be weak with an ongoing struggle inside her forcing herself to face the truth of who she really is, I’m Phillipe the communist, the principled fighter who is afraid of nothing and yet loves so deep and so wholeheartedly, I’m Marcel who grieves for the love he has lost and still stands and fights, I’m the poor brave resistance fighters, leaders, who are tortured, betrayed…I’m in the zone and won’t come out for a while. Don’t miss this series or any other series of this author. My recommendation is: Read them all!
Suspenseful, entertaining.