The Lost Girls of Paris: A Novel

Content Warning: This section of the novel contains descriptions of rape and brief suicidal ideation.

Eleanor goes to Scotland to check on the status of the training program. Initially, she does not announce her arrival to the trainees, preferring to watch them covertly. Eleanor observes the trainees in explosives training as an officer is shows them how the military conceals bombs to look like dead rodents or feces. Most women are squeamish at the sight of the fake rat, but Eleanor is impressed when Marie reacts calmly, moving to hit it with a broom before the instructor tells her that it is a fake. Eleanor notes Josie’s skills, intelligence, and natural athleticism, but despite Marie’s handling of the fake rat, the instructors note that Marie “lack[s] focus and resolve” (73).

While Eleanor watches the women train, her thoughts drift to her own past. She lived in Belarus with her mother and sister. After their village was violently invaded by the Russian military, her mother performed sexual acts with a military officer in exchange for their safety. One night, Eleanor caught the officer raping her younger sister, so she attacked and killed the man. The two fled to England, and Eleanor’s sister died from her injuries shortly thereafter.