The Ways We Hide

The Ways We Hide

Kristina McMorris

Publication Date: September 6, 2022 by Sourcebooks Landmark

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 4 👢👢👢👢

Summary: A sweeping World War II tale of an illusionist whose recruitment by British intelligence sets her on a perilous, heartrending path.

As a little girl raised amid the hardships of Michigan’s Copper Country, Fenna Vos learned to focus on her own survival. That ability sustains her even now as the Second World War rages in faraway countries. Though she performs onstage as the assistant to an unruly escape artist, behind the curtain she’s the mastermind of their act. Ultimately, controlling her surroundings and eluding traps of every kind helps her keep a lingering trauma at bay.

Yet for all her planning, Fenna doesn’t foresee being called upon by British military intelligence. Tasked with designing escape aids to thwart the Germans, MI9 seeks those with specialized skills for a war nearing its breaking point. Fenna reluctantly joins the unconventional team as an inventor. But when a test of her loyalty draws her deep into the fray, she discovers no mission is more treacherous than escaping one’s past.

Inspired by stunning true accounts, The Ways We Hide is a gripping story of love and loss, the wars we fight—on the battlefields and within ourselves—and the courage found in unexpected places.

My thoughts: This book combines multiple historical events into one main character's life. McMorris did an excellent job at intertwining connections that move the plot forward. This is a nice chunky book which allows the reader to get closure on Fenna's experiences while also opening the door to her future. 

Fenna is a woman full of grit and determination. She is fearful of tight spaces and being trapped in a life where she doesn't have control. Her life as an illusionist derives from needing to always have an escape route. Fenna's ability to conjure up ideas for escape leads her to places she never dreamed of. It also sets her right on a collision course with her past. 

This is a story that is both compelling and heartfelt. It explores the multitude of ways one can love and the multitude of things one will do for that love. 

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.