Review: Enthralling Storytelling and Impeccably Researched
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 7, 2014
Historical fiction is commonly centered around wars, as they often create some of the most fascinating tales of a nation's culture. In The White Mouse, DuArte has managed to create a true masterpiece of the genre that will appeal to fiction and non-fiction readers alike. I have always been fascinated by World War II; my grandfather fought in the Navy and his stories led me to voraciously read WWII-based books. I was very impressed with DuArte's attention to historical detail, ensuring that he never stretched the truth beyond and appropriate level, while still managing to weave a brilliant story into some of the most intense moments of human history. Nancy Wake Fiocca was an amazing character, and someone who I had not studied or known much about before reading this book. She epitomized the word "hero" and achieved so much for so many. I found myself instantly attached to her as a character; knowing nothing about her real-world story made me anxious every time her life was put in jeopardy. I think that the most compelling part of the book was the attention to detail, and the months or years of research creating a novel of this quality must have taken.Obviously, being a veteran of Vietnam gave DuArte some insight into military tactics, lingo, etc., but WWII is quite a bit different than Vietnam; it was like reading a history of the war from a scholar, except the story that wove in and out of the history also pulled me along. It was an intoxicatingly good read and I will absolutely go back and check out more of DuArte's writing, particularly now that I've seen how easy it is to get hooked on his writing. I love discovering a new author that I enjoy - Jack DuArte and The White Mouse made sure of that.