Avalanche by Kay Boyle is the kind of book I love; a wartime adventure set in the French alps, filled with intrigue and romance. Not knowing anything about it, I was swept back to 1944 with Fenton and Jacqueminot.
Fenton Ravel returns to her home at the foot of Montt Blanc, on leave from war relief in Lyon. Her fellow passengers in the blacked-out train compartment are French mountain climber Jacqueminot, and a Swiss, Monsieur de Vaudois. She is determined to find the truth about her childhood love Bastineau, who with all mountain guides was conscripted by the invading Germans to maintain border lookouts. A recent climbing accident caused the death of a Swiss man whom de Vaudois is looking for - Bastineau was never found. The town rebuffs her, convincing her Bastineau is dead. Should she leave this place - or is this strategy to protect her? This is occupied France and all supplies are taken by the Germans, ration cards are scarce, yet there is an unspoken underground hidden amongst the town, and a network to help those attempting escape from Italy over the Alps. Climbing above the glaciers is dangerous for the unprepared, but Fenton is determined to explore the great wild sweeps of ice and snow to find her answers. No one is who they seem, including Bastineau and his role in the fight against the Boche.
I really enjoyed the tension and mystery Boyle created. There was the right amount of romantic yearning as Fenton pines for Bastineau, mixed with the crippling weight of the German invasion. Personally, I would have taken handsome Jacqueminot, who in his knee length climbing trousers and lumberjack shirt was subtly strong and protective of Fenton. This is a more romantic spy novel than those of Helen MacInnes, and although Kay Boyle stated she wrote what the public wanted, this is a solid read of the French resistance. Thoroughly enjoyable with several gasp out loud surprises along the way.
1944 / Hardcover / 363 pages
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