The French Girl’s War

Is a mysterious blind artist the key to breaking a Jewish farmgirl’s curse? Or, will the invading Germans destroy any hope they have?

Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-Finalist!

The year is 1939; Germany has invaded Poland and has turned their eye toward France.

Amid the sweeping horrors of war, personal dreams are too often sacrificed. The French Girl’s War is a coming-of-age tale of a motherless, Jewish farmgirl caught in the chaos of World War II, and honors those that dare to hope during such a time.

Young Sophie Claveaux, known in her small French village as the goat-girl of Avoine, is burdened by a curse that seems to bring death and misfortune to everyone she loves. Now eighteen, Sophie dreams of leaving her family farm to study art in Paris, chasing her dreams while escaping the curse that haunts her. But when Germany invades Poland, France declares war, and her father joins the French army.

Her dreams of art and education now dashed, Sophie is sent, instead, to stay with her grandmother, where her father thinks she’ll be safe. Throughout her journey, Sophie meets both inspiring and threatening characters, teaching her that all things come in twos and that no place is safe in a world torn by conflict.

But when she meets a mysterious artist, her world and all she thought she knew is challenged. Now, she has more to lose than ever before.

To survive, Sophie must face very real enemies and conquer her own insidious fears. Many around her doubt anything good can ever happen again, forcing her to decide if she will join the mourners or seek the hope that eludes her.

A story of family relationships, personal courage, and new love, The French Girl’s War connects the reader to the larger story of World War II through the riveting tale of one young woman.

★★★★★ ＂C’est Merveilleux!＂
A compelling read that is rich in cultural and historical detail. Sophie’s story brilliantly illustrates the triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity. The writing is beautifully descriptive and transports the reader to the sights and sounds along Sophie’s journey from the Loire Valley to the streets of Paris.＂
-Amazon Review

＂The French Girl’s War is a novel of hope and determination that lights up a dark place in human history. A generous humanity fills the pages of this book. As readers, we can’t help worrying about Sophie, yet with her fortitude and grit-and with the hope she inspires-we believe in her. We know she won’t rest until goodness prevails.＂
-Paula Cizmar, Award-winning playwright, author, and screenwriter

＂Set early in World War II, this novel charms with its depictions of French village life and its vivid, quirky characters. But don’t be misled. The ravages and cruelties of war come calling, forcing eighteen-year-old ingenue Sophie to abandon her dreams of an artistic life-and forging in her a new necessity for courage and fierceness. Sophie is the perfect heroine for the reader who loves to live, for a time, with greatness.＂
-Louella Nelson, Best-selling author

Herb Williams-Dalgart is an award-winning novelist, screenwriter, and blogger based in California, where he lives with his wife, their children, and the family dog.

The grandson of a Word War II veteran, Williams-Dalgart grew up with a fascination for that time period. Pairing his interest in that era with his love of travel-with a particular fondness for France-he was inspired to write the historical novel, The French Girl’s War.

A Quarter-Finalist in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award contest, it is the tale of a young Jewish woman who sets out to change her fate amid the chaos and destruction of World War II.