The Girl in Gray
Finland, December 1939. She cooked all day, he never came that night. Stood up for the last time, Sini’s had enough of waiting around for a man, Marco, who’s in love with someone else, and decides to get as far from him as possible. She enlists in the Lotta Svärd, a volunteer women’s corps. While on duty, she learns one of the nurses in her camp is the woman Marco’s in love with. To complicate her life further, she discovers a lost Russian spy in the woods. Sini knows he’ll freeze to death and decides to hide him for the night. As they get to know each other, feelings grow. However, each passing night becomes more and more difficult for them. Should she turn him in or let herself continue to be swept away by a love she’s never felt before?
As a Minnesota native, I can somewhat relate to the bitter cold the characters experience during the deathly frigid Winter War while at the same time knowing it was even colder at that time. Annette Lyon deftly explores Finnish ingenuity against the mighty Russian army in extreme environmental conditions. Sini is a woman who’s taking control of her life and finding her way amid this conflict. Her struggles while being pushed to her limits are heartfelt and relatable. The narrative switches among her, Marco, and Leila (the woman Marco loves) at significant character moments.
There are a few typographical errors in the book. I also didn’t like the majority of the ending. There are too many unresolved feelings left between the characters. Despite this, the meat of this book is quite captivating. It is a well-researched story of the hardships of war and its toll intermingled with empowering threads of friendship and love.
