Once Upon a Time In Franceby Patti MartinsonReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 5 Once Upon a Time is story about Joseph Joanovici, a Romanian Jew who emigrated to France and became a millionaire through his scrap-metal business. He profited immensely through his businesses dealings not only with Nazi Germany, during its occupation of France, but also in supplying the French Resistance. Joseph faced a lot of enemies, but manages to keep himself and his family safe by bribing just about everyone: French police, Nazi officers, criminals.Joseph, as depicted in the novel, is not a likeable character. Despite his love of his wife and his two daughters, it does not stop him from keeping a long-time mistress. Joseph does use his influence and money to buy the necessary paperwork to save some of his fellow Jews, but he also betrays and even kills his collaborators. It was hard for me to continue to read about Joseph and his endless machinations to keep himself out of jail as well as his manipulation of people through money, corruption, and intimidation. I also didn't like most of the other characters either, as they were just as corrupt as Joseph. The only character which I felt anything for was Eva, Joseph's life-long mistress. While she is devoted to Joseph, she seems to be exceptionally capable individual in her own right and pretty much the only person that Joseph has any emotional tie to at the end of the novel. I personally didn't find much to like in this, novel, but history buffs might be more captivated. Written: June 22, 2019
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