Madame Fiocca by Suzy Henderson; Gripping Moving Historical Fiction Novel About Nancy Wake, WWII Spy and Resistance Fighter

 

Madame Fiocca by Suzy Henderson; Gripping Moving Historical Fiction Novel About Nancy Wake, WWII Spy and Resistance Fighter 

By Julie Sara Porter 

Bookworm Reviews 

Spoilers: Of the various spies and intelligence operatives that participated in WWII, one of the most well known and decorated was probably Nancy Wake (1912-2011). Her story is recounted in the gripping and moving Historical Fiction novel, Madame Fiocca by Suzy Henderson. 

Nancy Wake was born in New Zealand and raised in New South Wales, Australia. She had Maori ancestry through her great grandmother who was believed to be one of the first Maori women to marry a white European man. Wake’s father abandoned the family and she did not get along with her mother. At 16 she ran away from home and eventually traveled to New York City after inheriting money from an aunt. She eventually became a journalist and moved to London then Paris.

While Wake lived in Paris, Hitler rose to power in Germany. Wake's articles criticized the Nazis and described the oppression and attacks on Jews. In 1937, Wake met Henri Fiocca, a French industrialist whom she married two years later. She and Henri lived in Marseille when Germany invaded. Wake became a courier and part of the Pat O’Leary Line of Resistance fighters. When Vichy France was formed, the O’Leary Line was betrayed. The Fioccas separated as Wake left France but Henri stayed behind and was executed. Wake didn't learn of his death until after WWII ended.

On her own, Wake joined the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and worked directly under Vera Atkins. In 1944, Wake parachuted back into France. Using the code name, “Helene,” she delivered missives, money, and correspondence between Maquis groups. She participated in many daring missions including one where she had to ride a bicycle for 72 hours to transmit a radio message. She eluded the Germans and even though she was briefly arrested with a trainload of people, she was never discovered or detained. She was nicknamed “The White Mouse” because the Germans could never catch her.

After the war ended, Wake received the Companion of the Order of Australia, George Medal, The US Medal of Freedom, Legion of Honor, The Medaille de Resistance, RSA Badge in Gold, and was awarded the Croix de Guerre three times. She entered politics, remarried, and published her memoirs. She died in 2011 at age 98.

Madame Fiocca captures Wake’s courageous and independent spirit through her first person narration. She is written as a strong-willed determined spunky adventure seeker who is not thwarted by rejection. She finds her own way.

When she moves in with her aunt, Wake finds her to be an encouraging kindred spirit. Through her influence, Wake is able to travel and write. 

Wake's personality also resonates through her marriage to Henri. They are a couple that enjoyed sparring with each other as much as they did making love. Wake's spirited temperament contrasts with Henri’s steadier rational personality. Their marriage is a test of wills to the point that when Wake wants to join the Resistance that Henri realizes that he would be a fool to tell her that she can't.

Wake's trajectory from journalist to Resistance fighter to intelligence operative is an exciting one as she is put into situations that test her endurance. Sometimes it's a matter of trusting potential colleagues as she has to when trying to convince another Resistance group leader to join forces. Sometimes she survives by pure chance such as when she is arrested in a mass detainment only to be released after four days.

Most of all, her resilience and perseverance is on display throughout the book. Her bicycle ride is recalled through her physical exhaustion and pain during the ride, nervous suspicions of what she will find and who is waiting to capture her, and her frantic determination to reach the radio operator in time.

Madame Fiocca is about a woman with an adventurous independent spirit who became a hero.