The Secret War of Julia Child by Diane R. Chambers

 

First Line: Julia turned her face into the hot Santa Ana wind, which had swept in as if it owned the place, whipping the linen curtains, aerating the small room like a cook whisking cream.

 

 

Single, 6 foot 2, and thirty years old, Julia McWilliams began working for America's first espionage agency years before cooking or Paris ever entered her mind. Keenly ambitious, she moved from file clerk to head of General "Wild Bill" Donovan's secret File Registry as part of the Office of Strategic Services.

 

Her job took her to South Asia's remote front lines in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), India, and China where she found purpose, adventure, and love with mapmaker Paul Child.

 

 

 

 

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I have to admit that I paid very little attention to Julia Child while I was growing up. She was just a woman with a funny voice who had a cooking program on television-- and I hated cooking. (I still do.) If not for the fact that I'm a fan of Meryl Streep's movies, I never would've watched Julie & Julia, and I never would've become fascinated by the woman with the funny voice-- and that fascination led me to Diana R. Chambers' The Secret War of Julia Child.

Julia Child had an unconventional mother who wanted more for her daughter. This made Julia keenly ambitious and determined to make her mark in the world. She knew she had to make a difference. I enjoyed the often poetic descriptions of the Asian landscape and how Julia sampled every bit of native cuisine that she could-- a harbinger of things to come-- but the book came up short in other areas.

One thing readers should keep in mind as they read this book is that it's not based on fact. As the author says, "I offer my story as one that exists only in the realm of possibility, a personal interpretation inspired by admiration and respect," and it is this that was the book's downfall. Julia as a spy, as a code breaker, and adept at plugging leaks? Yes, I can see that, but Chambers went on to add too much to Julia's fictional resume, almost making her an addition to the Marvel Universe of superheroes. This woman did make an impact on the world, so I don't think it was really necessary to "gild the lily."

The landscape, the food, the long, involved road to finding love with Paul Child... I enjoyed all these things, but Julia was no superhero.

The Secret War of Julia Child by Diane R. Chambers

eISBN: 9781464219054

Sourcebooks Landmark © 2024

eBook, 400 pages

 

Historical Fiction, Standalone

Rating: C+

Source: Net Galley