A country fighting to stay free.A woman with an impossible decision.In November of 1939, Sini Toivola is sure of two things: she loves Marko Linna, and she has a comfortable life in Helsinki. But when the massive Soviet army invades her beloved homeland and Marko spurns her affections, her life is turned upside down. Needing a fresh start, Sini decides to join the female volunteer corps-the Lotta … Lotta Svärd-and is sent to serve near the front lines. Service at a field hospital proves a good distraction-until Sini discovers a Russian soldier lost behind their camp.Duty requires her to turn him in, but her heart begs to keep him safe and help him escape. Torn between love for her country and love for her enemy, Sini must choose-but no matter what choice she makes, heart-wrenching consequences await them all.
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Ms. Lyon gives us a fascinating look into the Winter War. Sini joins the Lotta Svärd, the female volunteer corps, looking for a fresh start. Her sisu, resilience, is tested in the fire of war. I admired the sisterhood of the Lottas. This story is a captivating adventure.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction.
I borrowed a copy through Kindle Unlimited. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
Outstanding Story & Listen Riveting & Heartfelt!
The Girl in Gray
By: Annette Lyon
Narrated by: Krista Nicely
This is an amazing historical fiction, it is beautifully written and told. I am new to Annette Lyon’s work and I will definitely be checking out more of her work. She is a gifted author, I enjoyed her writing style, her descriptive details brings you into the story along side the characters allowing you to see and feel what the characters see and feel. I found the story completely engrossing and could not pull myself away. The storylines and characters that are realistic and easy to relate to which makes the story even more meaningful and moving. You can tell how much heart the author but into this book. The story takes place in Finland, winter of 1939, the Russians are invading Finland which turns in to an 105 battle. The lead character is Sini Toivola, she lives in Helsinki and has been in love with Marko Linna, who finished med school. She learns her feeling are not reciprocated, Marko has feelings for someone else, someone she can not have. Needing a change she volunteers to help with war efforts, becoming a “Lotta Svärd” which will bring her to the front lines. With no special training she becomes support services helping out in a Medical unit. She becomes friends with Leila, small world her husband was Marco’s best friend. Marko was also sent to the front lines, first working with a combat unit, then sent to a medical unit before returning to combat before the war’s end. Sinni learns what real love is like and realizes her infatuation with Marko was just that, an infatuation. Life during wartime is not a pretty one, we witness some of the atrocities that go on and what they went thru, gut-wrenching and heart-rending at times. The author does a great job presenting some of the challenges those serving faced. The book is well plotted and the story flows naturally. There is plenty of drama and emotions in this story and you can tell how much heart the author put into her work. I highly recommend it, it is a great historical fiction, there is plenty of drama, action, heartfelt moments, heartbreaking ones and a bit of romance. Annette Lyon, thank you for this stunning, heart-pounding story and emotional journey.
I listened to the Audible edition, Krista Nicely is a fabulous narrator and voice artist. She does an amazing job portraying the characters, bringing them to life, giving each their own voice and personality. You could hear how much heart she puts into her work as she captures the characters emotions and projects them into her performance. She is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another great listen
Wowza! What a book! It had everything in it you could expect from a favorite novel: love, war, hate, sorrow, nostalgia, history (and, oh, the history!), a compelling story that wouldn’t let you go, etc. I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it, feeling rather foreign to the scene, but I soon found that I didn’t want to put it down for anything! And I was SO impressed with the research that had to have gone into this! I totally recommend this! Thank you, Annette Lyon!!
War isn’t pretty and this author does a fantastic job of creating a real, raw, and gritty tale of the effects of the fighting between Russia and Finland during WWII.
Sini wants to do whatever she can to support her country and its efforts in the war and finds herself serving as a Lotta, working in the kitchen and as a medical assistant. I love how Sini learns to look beyond a face to find a person’s true self through her experiences and how she discovers core values and priorities.
I also loved the play on the title. Sini dresses blandly and in gray wool with her assignment, but she also learns that life and war isn’t always clear cut between black and white, or good and evil. She finds there are a lot of gray areas and ends up smack in the middle of one.
I love a good history lesson, mingled with fiction and romance, and I haven’t read much about WWII that takes place in this area. I enjoyed learning more and connecting with the emotions of these characters, as they not only battled the enemy, but battled their feelings and themselves. This story is gripping and definitely tugs at the heart.
Content: moderate romance (kissing, one scene that nudges the envelope and then fades-to-black); moderate violence (war stuff that is semi-graphic at times, but not over the top); mild language
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
Wow! I thought it would take me longer to get through a 300 page book about Finland’s Winter War–the 100 days of war in which the small country of Finland fought the massive, Russian army of Stalin, but I found the story so interesting there were times I didn’t want to stop reading.
Sini Toivola is in love with Dr. Marcus Linna, who has been in love with Leila since they were teenagers. When Sini realizes all she’ll ever be to Marcus is a friend, someone to share dinner with, she decides she needs to get away from Marcus until her feelings for him have passed, so she renews her Lotta Svärd membership to help with the war effort. Within days, Sini is back in the gray uniform of the Lotta volunteers traveling by train and bus to her assignment. Little does she know what lies ahead, and that while taking out a trash can one morning her life will be forever changed.
I don’t remember much from World History class my senior year of high school, but I doubt we spent much time on this part of WWII. I loved that the author was so thorough in her research it enabled me to learn how a war between a small country’s army could win a battle against a much larger army. Finnish sisu was only a part of it. The Finnish army leaders were so smart to camouflage everything in white–buses and trucks painted white, white snowsuits for the soldiers who skied through the thick forest where the Russian tanks couldn’t go. The Lottas who served must have been tough women–driving trucks, skiing through forests to get supplies to the men and anything else you could think of.
The characters in this book came alive while I was reading. I didn’t always agree with Sini’s decisions but that’s what made for some conflicting emotions in the characters. I was surprised at the ending, but it was 1940 and parts of the world were still in conflict and I thought it was a realistic ending.