⭐️⭐️⭐️½
I’m a fan of Pam Jenoff, but I’ll be honest—her books tend to run hot and cold for me. Code Name Sapphire landed squarely in the middle. Lukewarm.
Set in 1942, the novel follows Hannah Martel, a Jewish woman who escapes Nazi Germany after her fiancé is killed in a pogrom. When her ship to America is turned away, Hannah finds refuge with her cousin Lily and her family in Brussels. With no safe way out of occupied Europe, Hannah is drawn back into the resistance, joining the Sapphire Line. When a devastating mistake leads to Lily’s family being arrested and placed on a train bound for Auschwitz, Hannah faces an impossible choice: self-preservation or risking everything to save the people she loves.
The setup is strong, and the rescue mission carries real tension. Jenoff knows how to keep the pages turning, especially once the clock starts ticking. The themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and women standing up to unimaginable evil are familiar but effective.
What disappointed me most is that none of the characters are historical. Since the story is inspired by real resistance efforts, I kept hoping for a deeper connection to actual people or events. Add in a plot that feels a bit too familiar, and the emotional payoff never fully matched the stakes.
Not a bad book—just not one of Jenoff’s best. Worth reading if you enjoy WWII resistance fiction, but this one didn’t linger with me after the final page.
** Thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for a complimentary review copy. Opinions are my own.