This powerful debut novel brings to life the hard choices Parisians made--or failed to make--under Nazi occupation, in the tradition of Pam Jenoff and Fiona Davis.
1938. Paris Opera legend Madeleine Moreau must keep newcomer Yvonne Chevallier, whose talent she fears, off the stage. As the long-standing star of the opera, she is nowhere near ready to give up her spotlight. The perfect solution: enlist Yvonne as her understudy so she can never be upstaged. When Madeleine is invited to headline at Germany’s preeminent opera festival, she is sure this will cement her legacy. But war is looming, and when she learns that Adolf Hitler himself will be in attendance, she knows she’s made a grave error. As Madeleine makes a hurried escape back to France, Yvonne finds herself unexpectedly thrown into the limelight on the German stage.
When a newspaper photograph shows Hitler seemingly enraptured by Yvonne, Yvonne’s life is upended. While she is trying frantically to repair her reputation at home, Yvonne’s son is captured and held as a prisoner of war. Desperate to free her son, she makes an impossible choice: turn to the enemy.
As the Nazis invade Paris, both women must decide what they are willing to do in pursuit of their art. They form an unlikely alliance, using their fame to protect themselves and the people they love from the maelstrom of history.
Painting an enrapturing portrait of resilient wartime women, The Paris Understudy is a love letter to the arts and a stark depiction of the choices we make to survive, for fans of Kate Quinn and Kristen Harmel.
Genre: Historical
1938. Paris Opera legend Madeleine Moreau must keep newcomer Yvonne Chevallier, whose talent she fears, off the stage. As the long-standing star of the opera, she is nowhere near ready to give up her spotlight. The perfect solution: enlist Yvonne as her understudy so she can never be upstaged. When Madeleine is invited to headline at Germany’s preeminent opera festival, she is sure this will cement her legacy. But war is looming, and when she learns that Adolf Hitler himself will be in attendance, she knows she’s made a grave error. As Madeleine makes a hurried escape back to France, Yvonne finds herself unexpectedly thrown into the limelight on the German stage.
When a newspaper photograph shows Hitler seemingly enraptured by Yvonne, Yvonne’s life is upended. While she is trying frantically to repair her reputation at home, Yvonne’s son is captured and held as a prisoner of war. Desperate to free her son, she makes an impossible choice: turn to the enemy.
As the Nazis invade Paris, both women must decide what they are willing to do in pursuit of their art. They form an unlikely alliance, using their fame to protect themselves and the people they love from the maelstrom of history.
Painting an enrapturing portrait of resilient wartime women, The Paris Understudy is a love letter to the arts and a stark depiction of the choices we make to survive, for fans of Kate Quinn and Kristen Harmel.
Genre: Historical
Praise for this book
"The Paris Understudy gives the reader an electrifying glance behind the curtain of one of the world's most famous opera houses, following the ambitions of two talented and sometimes treacherous sopranos vying for center stage on the cusp of World War Two. The novel hits all the right notes for historical fiction lovers, and passages are written with such skill and passion that they will give the reader goosebumps." - Robert Eversz
"A decadent feast reminiscent of Alexander Chee's Queen of the Night, intense and dramatic as an aria, Aurelie Thiele's The Paris Understudy is an engrossing, immersive portrayal of one woman's quest to pursue her art against the violence and instability of World War II." - Monica Ferrell
"An engrossing tale about war and choices - wrong ones, right ones, yet always difficult ones. I was completely drawn in." - M B Henry
"The Paris Understudy is a captivating wartime story where ambition clashes with morality under the haunting melodies of opera. Historical fiction fans will delight in Thiele's impeccable research and enriching atmosphere. An impressive debut where intrigue and sacrifice blend seamlessly with the music. Bravo!" - Andie Newton
"A decadent feast reminiscent of Alexander Chee's Queen of the Night, intense and dramatic as an aria, Aurelie Thiele's The Paris Understudy is an engrossing, immersive portrayal of one woman's quest to pursue her art against the violence and instability of World War II." - Monica Ferrell
"An engrossing tale about war and choices - wrong ones, right ones, yet always difficult ones. I was completely drawn in." - M B Henry
"The Paris Understudy is a captivating wartime story where ambition clashes with morality under the haunting melodies of opera. Historical fiction fans will delight in Thiele's impeccable research and enriching atmosphere. An impressive debut where intrigue and sacrifice blend seamlessly with the music. Bravo!" - Andie Newton
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