» REVIEW: The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha LesterThe Booktopian

The definitions and boundaries of literary genres have appropriately blurred and changed in the 21st century and readers, more than ever, should not ‘judge a book by its cover’. All lovers of historical fiction, male and female, will appreciate the massive research that has gone into the fascinating tale of The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre – a WWII novel of the Italian Partisans, a spy mystery, fashion history and love story all rolled into one.

Perth-based author Natasha Lester cleverly weaves her narrative of Alix’s life before, during and after the War. As an orphaned girl, she’s taken under the wing of her friend’s well-to-do family and sent to finishing school in Switzerland. Then, due to her language ability, she’s recruited by the newly formed OSS (Office of Strategic Services) to work with Allen Dulles in Bern, putting her in perfect position to secretly communicate with, and assist the Partisans across the border in Italy. A final failed mission by the valiant troupe leads to tragedy – for them and for Alix personally.

After the War, still haunted by its aftermath, Alix is hell-bent on tracking down the source of the incident’s failed intelligence, a war criminal who has escaped justice and may still be out there, determined to silence her. A multi-lingual PR expert, she’s offered a pristine press liaison job, assisting Christian Dior to launch his ‘Maison’ and to promote his line of dresses which would revolutionize the fashion world and make Dior the new arbiter of style. At a time of rationing and recovery, the collection’s colours, couture glamour and voluptuous designs served as a much-needed tonic for war weary women, despite initial protests against their ‘radical’ style.

Alix must deal with the professional criticism and juggles her day-job responsibilities with her increasingly dangerous investigation into the Partisan episode and the crippling guilt she feels over it. In the meantime, the reader is transported to the world of 1947 Paris and the many societal challenges and injustices that women who wanted more for themselves than marriage and children then faced.

As she does with all her books (this is her 7th), Natasha Lester keeps her readers gripped from start to finish and provides an insightful ‘author note’ afterword, outlining her research and laying out the true history and characters that inspired her novel, sure to be a Christmas season bestseller.

The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre (Hachette Australia) is out now.

The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre

by Natasha Lester

This completely enthralling story takes readers from the dangerous, intrigue-filled rooms in Switzerland where elites of both sides mingled and schemed during the war, to the glamorous halls of the House of Dior in the golden age of French fashion and journalism.

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