Transatlantic cover art

Transatlantic

Based on a true story, utterly gripping and heartbreaking World War 2 historical fiction

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Transatlantic

By: Julie Orringer
Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
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About this listen

 Soon to be a major Netflix series
1940, France. In the middle of a devastating war, how many lives can you save?

Varian Fry, a young American journalist, arrives in Marseille armed only with three thousand dollars and a list of writers, thinkers and artists he hopes to rescue - so long as the Nazis don't get to them first.

With borders closing around him, Varian tries to track down those on his list; renowned artists like Marc Chagall, who cannot believe that he will ever be unsafe in the country he loves. He smuggles them over the Pyrenees mountains and across the sea hidden in boats, but every day hundreds of ordinary Jewish refugees beg him for help. Does Varian have the right to choose who to save?

At home in New York, making a list seemed hard, but in the middle of humanity's darkest hour, Varian must do all he can to help. And as the Nazis begin to get word of Varian's secret operation, he must dig deep and find the courage to rescue as many innocents as he can.

Even though his own life may be in terrible danger.

An incredibly compelling and heart-wrenching historical novel, inspired by a powerful true story, about the extraordinary courage and friendships forged during humanity's darkest hour. If you loved Schindler's List, All the Light We Cannot See or The Tattooist of Auschwitz, you'll adore Transatlantic, previously published as The Flight Portfolio.

(P) 2019 Recorded Books©2019 Julie Orringer 20th Century Biographical Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Jewish Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction World Literature Biography Tear-jerking

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Critic reviews

Magnificent . . . Brilliantly conceived, impeccably crafted, and showcasing Orringer's extraordinary gifts, this is destined to become a classic
Varian Fry lit a small, bright lamp in a world of darkness, and in the deft hands of Julie Orringer - under the spell of her masterful prose, her feeling portraiture, her classic spy-thriller plotting, and her vivid re-creation of that beautiful and terrible world - I found the radiance of Fry's courage, flawed humanity and steadfast resistance shedding an inexhaustible light on our own ever-darkening time
No book this year could possibly compare with The Flight Portfolio: ambitious, meticulous, big-hearted, gorgeous, historical, suspenseful, everything you want a novel to be
All stars
Most relevant
Characters so easily drawn. A time of World War. Forbidden religions, opinions, choices. Complex story of a time of strife in more ways than one.
Hero? Coward?

Not an easy read

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I really enjoyed this fictional account of the real work of Varian Fry. Of course there is a debate about creating fiction based on true events and real people but I felt the story dealt with the dilemmas faced by such a heroic mission well. 1. choosing who should be given aid based on a strict criteria has obvious moralistic issues 2. you can only help those who accept their dangerous reality 3. some times being a hero is navigating dull bureaucracy 4. one instance of regret can wipe out the hundreds of instances of success. The author seems to be scrutinised for leaning into Fry's rumoured sexuality but I felt it added an interesting dimension to his apparent safe status as an American. He was at risk as much as any of the people he tried to help. Anyway, I thought the performance of the reading was brilliant.

Different than Netflix series but for the better

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I was looking forward to this book especially because it was one of my favourite narrators but l found the story boring Wasn’t sure the concept of “rescuing” selective people morally appropriate but l assume the ending tackled that subject I couldn’t emotionally feel any attachment to the characters And the event where the female character prostituted herself a bit flippantly was distasteful and offensive

Disappointing

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Varian Fry and the ERC weren't known to me before I watch 'Transatlantic' on Netflix so I was eager to read the book but oh, my actual goodness: what a huge disappointment! The characters had no real redeeming qualities despite the dangerous WW2 rescue work and including the homosexual love between Fry and modern intersectional hero Grant was so bloody worthy, I rolled my eyes out loud. Boring, turgid, worthy. Don't bother. I think Orringer has committed a grave disservice to this part of history and should hang her head in shame.

I so, so wanted to love this book...

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