With a sigh, Alice lowers the newspaper. She knew the war was coming. Hadn't he - she won't think his name and drudge up all those memories - predicted it? But now to see the state of the world so clearly in black and white... it takes the wind out of Alice, while also igniting a fire inside of her...
***
The Blurb
Trailblazer, superstar, activist, and spy: Alice Marble is a true American icon.
Alice strives to have it all. At seventeen, Alice Marble has no formal tennis skills and no coach. What she does have is an ability to hit the ball as hard as she can and a strong desire to prove herself. With steadfast determination and one sacrifice after another, Alice plays her heart out on the courts of the rich and famous, at national tournaments, and—the greatest of them all—at Wimbledon, rising to be one of the top-ranked players in the world.
But then her world falls apart. With the outbreak of war with Germany, Alice’s tennis career and life come to a screeching halt, and for the first time, she is forced to confront who she is without tennis. As she seeks to understand her new place in the world and how she can aid in the war efforts, a telegram arrives with devastating news from overseas. Heartbroken and lost, she feels like she can only watch as the war wreaks havoc in every area of her life.
Until an unexpected invitation arrives. Alice is given the chance to fight back when the US Army sends her a request: Under the guise of playing in tennis exhibition games in Switzerland, she would be a spy for them. Alice aches for nothing more than to avenge what the war has taken from her and to prove herself against this new opponent. But what awaits her might be her greatest challenge yet.
From her start as a promising athlete with worn-out shoes to her status as a glamorous international star, Alice Marble’s determination to control her own life and destiny fuels a story of achievement, discipline, loss, and love.
Jenni L. Walsh’s Ace, Marvel, Spy brilliantly showcases the life of Alice Marble, a real-life tennis sensation known for her extraordinary talent and indomitable spirit. This fast-paced and action-packed historical novel spans multiple international settings and is enhanced by discussion questions that prompt readers to reflect on Alice’s challenges and triumphs, making it an ideal choice for book clubs.
My Review
This is a fascinating novel based on the life of the tennis player, Alice Marble.
I must confess that Alice Marble was completely unknown to me until I read about her in this book. I am so very glad that I was able to read about her as she was a fascinating woman who overcame much adversity in her ambition.
The narrative is divided into two different time periods which are headed as 'Now' and 'Then.' It was extremely easy to move from one time to the other, and the author has made this seamless. I was very interested to learn about this woman who hadn't even picked up a tennis racquet until she was 15 but had the ambition and determination to go on to become one of the top ranking tennis players in the world. Equally, it was her strength of character that enabled her to later be willing to risk her life by working as a spy.
Without doubt, she was a fascinating woman who passed away in 1990. Her legacy is a great one; not just for her tennis but for the bravery and courage that she faced life with. The author depicts the highs and lows of Alice's life, demonstrating how her strength of character helped her to face the love and losses of her life.
This is an extremely well written book; a novel based on fact which has the ability to draw the reader in. Personally, I am not a big sports fan but I very much enjoyed this novel about the strong and remarkable woman who was Alice Marble.
Book Details
ISBN: 978 1400246748
Publisher: Harper Muse
Formats: e-book, audio and paperback
No. of Pages: 336 (paperback)
Pre-Order Links
About the Author
Jenni L. Walsh is a USA Today bestselling author of over twelve books. Her passion lies in transporting readers to another world, be it in historical or contemporary settings. She is a proud member of the Tall Poppy writers, a graduate of Villanova University, and lives in the Philadelphia suburbs with her husband, daughter, son, and various pets.
For adults, Jenni has written historical novels Becoming Bonnie, Side by Side, A Betting Woman, The Call of the Wrens, Unsinkable, and the forthcoming Ace, Marvel, Spy. She also writes books for children, including the nonfiction She Dared series and novels Hettie and the London Blitz, I Am Defiance, By the Light of Fireflies, Over and Out, Operation: Happy, and The Bug Bandits.
You can also find Jenni at
(ARC courtesy of the publisher)
(media courtesy of the author's website)
(all opinions are my own)
(bookshop.org afilliated)
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