When an elderly woman suffers a stroke and then begins speaking perfect French-- a language her family has never heard her speak-- her granddaughter is encouraged to unravel decades of silence, and her grandmother's wartime experiences come to light.
Eighteen-year-old Lenny Gallienne becomes a spy for Churchill by posing as a clerk in a Paris bookshop when her beloved brother is declared missing in action at Dunkirk. She encodes information into her knitting as she makes sweaters for escaped prisoners returning to England. When the Gestapo begins closing in, Lenny finds herself faced with an impossible choice in the Metro tunnels beneath Paris.
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I learned about women using their knitting to encode messages to the Allies during World War II several years ago, so when I heard of The Resistance Knitting Club, I knew I had to read it. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
My enjoyment was hampered by two things. One, the predictable plot, and two, the main character. Lenny is a young woman who feels compelled to do more than knit socks and sweaters for soldiers when she learns her brother is missing in action at Dunkirk. She joins Churchill's secret army and uses her knitting to master Morse code during training. However, Lenny is supremely unsuited to life as a spy, either physically or mentally. For example, she faints at the drop of a hat-- something a person constantly facing danger should avoid doing. No, she really should have stayed home with her needles and yarn.
For any knitting fans out there who might want to read this book for that particular skill, it's mainly used as a hook to draw enthusiasts in. Once Lenny gets to France, the story has little to do with knitting or even knitting code. That was a bit of a disappointment, I must admit.
The Resistance Knitting Club is listed as the first in a series called Threads of Resistance. I'm afraid I won't be reading any further.
The Resistance Knitting Club by Jenny O'Brien
eISBN: 9781837002542
Storm Publishing © 2026
eBook, 359 pages
Historical Fiction, #1 Threads of Resistance
Rating: C-
Source: Net Galley
Sorry to hear this book didn't tick the boxes for you, Cathy. The premise is so interesting to me, and although I don't knit, I would have liked to know about the resistance knitters. It's a shame the book didn't live up to its promise.
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