Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea – 480 pages
ARC from Little Brown and Co. and Netgalley for an honest review
Book Blurb:
In 1943, Irene Woodward abandons an abusive fiancé in New York to enlist with the Red Cross and head to Europe. She makes fast friends in training with Dorothy Dunford, a towering Midwesterner with a ferocious wit. Together they are part of an elite group of women, nicknamed Donut Dollies, who command military buses called Clubmobiles at the front line, providing camaraderie and a taste of home that may be the only solace before troops head into battle.
After D-Day, these two intrepid friends join the Allied soldiers streaming into France. Their time in Europe will see them embroiled in danger, from the Battle of the Bulge to the liberation of Buchenwald. Through her friendship with Dorothy, and a love affair with a gallant American fighter pilot named Hans, Irene learns to trust again. Her most fervent hope, which becomes more precarious by the day, is for all three of them to survive the war intact.
My Review: 4.5 stars
Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea was a book everyone should read.I was so engrossed in these character’s lives and absolutely amazed at these women’s sacrifice and courage.
Let’s start with the gorgeous cover and that the inside cover shows pictures of the author’s mother during her service as a Donut Dolly. His mother has passed on and this book is not just a moving love letter to her but also a way to understand her better and why she talked so little about her time in service. You’ll understand why when you read the book!
The main characters (MCs) had no idea what they were in for when volunteering for the Red Cross Donut Dolly service. These ladies were with the troops during both active combat and peaceful moments. The camaraderie was infectious and as reader, it was easy to root for them from start to finish.
Because the author is a master storyteller, it was easy to visualize the book as a movie in your head. The pacing had me entirely absorbed. With some decent romance, deep friendships, and the impeccable research done by the author I say this is a must read!
Quotes I liked:
These are your sisters and the GIs are your brothers and we expect you to treat them as such. Win this war with your decency. Because we are Americans. And this is what Americans do.”
