Helpful Score: 4
The less you know about the contents of this book going into it, the better your reading experience will be. For CODE NAME VERITY is a truly exquisite book, one of those rare stories that will touch the heart of every reader who is fortunate enough to encounter it.
CODE NAME VERITY is fueled by the memorable narrative of a feisty, fiery, and fiercely intelligent and loyal character who will shoot her way to the top of your favorite characters list. I dont know about you, but I go absolutely head over heels for characters who are smarter than me, those whose intelligence isnt shoved into my face with telling sentences, but instead unfolds over the course of the book.
The book winds through flight and war terminology but transcends historical fiction with its narrators fun, relatable, and just basically genuine voice. I found myself practically cackling with laughter at the narrators numerous antics, even in her terrifying situation. Elizabeth Weins writing is brilliant: the pace and style of words mimic the event that the narrator is telling, long or short, dialogue vs. narration, profound vs. charming.
Youll notice that I didnt use any names in this review. Thats because, first of all, the war setting makes it unclear whether or not the characters are using their real names, and secondly, part of the enjoyment of this book is figuring out when characters are telling the truth and when they are not. Dont let thator my woefully inadequate reviewdeter you. Read CODE NAME VERITY; I am 99% sure you wont regret it. Recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction set in World War II and character-driven novels.
CODE NAME VERITY is fueled by the memorable narrative of a feisty, fiery, and fiercely intelligent and loyal character who will shoot her way to the top of your favorite characters list. I dont know about you, but I go absolutely head over heels for characters who are smarter than me, those whose intelligence isnt shoved into my face with telling sentences, but instead unfolds over the course of the book.
The book winds through flight and war terminology but transcends historical fiction with its narrators fun, relatable, and just basically genuine voice. I found myself practically cackling with laughter at the narrators numerous antics, even in her terrifying situation. Elizabeth Weins writing is brilliant: the pace and style of words mimic the event that the narrator is telling, long or short, dialogue vs. narration, profound vs. charming.
Youll notice that I didnt use any names in this review. Thats because, first of all, the war setting makes it unclear whether or not the characters are using their real names, and secondly, part of the enjoyment of this book is figuring out when characters are telling the truth and when they are not. Dont let thator my woefully inadequate reviewdeter you. Read CODE NAME VERITY; I am 99% sure you wont regret it. Recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction set in World War II and character-driven novels.
Helpful Score: 1
This one didn't live up to the hype I expected. I certainly enjoyed it and it was certainly original but I didn't have the emotional and overwhelming reaction I was expecting given the reviews from both the critics and the readers. Maybe this is one of the cases where I'd waited too long to read it.
The plethora of plane and piloting details detracted from the story; I am just not interested in all of that and I found myself tuning out during the descriptions. I can't get worked up or excited over a type of plane - I don't know the differences between them and I don't care.
Maddie and Queenie are interesting enough characters but I connected with neither enough to bond with the book. The plots surrounding them kept me interested and I liked how the book turned out and the minor characters all connected. The book was enjoyable enough on that level - as a spy story from two perspectives - but fell flat, too.
The plethora of plane and piloting details detracted from the story; I am just not interested in all of that and I found myself tuning out during the descriptions. I can't get worked up or excited over a type of plane - I don't know the differences between them and I don't care.
Maddie and Queenie are interesting enough characters but I connected with neither enough to bond with the book. The plots surrounding them kept me interested and I liked how the book turned out and the minor characters all connected. The book was enjoyable enough on that level - as a spy story from two perspectives - but fell flat, too.
I could really feel the bond of friendship between the two main characters. It was very emotional and bittersweet, and I cried many times. It told an interesting story too, very well crafted.
I tried to read "Code Name Verity" right after it was published. There were tons of glowing reviews on Goodreads, everyone was talking about it. I prepared myself to be unbelievably impressed. I was not. I read about 20 pages and set the book aside. This year, AudioBookSync.com was offering the audiobook version of the story for free, so I decided to give it another shot. While I was not totally blown away, I am glad I picked it back up. The narrators really do a fantastic job of making the story feel real, and by the end of it I was rather invested in both of them. The way the story is written, when listening you feel like these two girls are talking right to you, making the overall audiobook experience much more enjoyable than reading the print version.
My problem with this book is the format of the first 75%. Julie, a spy, has been captured by the Nazis and has made the choice to cooperate with her captors. She is divulging information to them in the form of a type of journal. This is perfectly fine, and normally I would totally eat this kind of thing up. The issue comes from the fact that Julie alternates between telling stories in the past about herself in the third person (yes, I know, it is confusing even to read that explanation), and info-dumping huge amounts of historical information about planes and such. While the stories themselves are mostly interesting, many of them drag due to over-description. The best parts of this section of the book were the details we are given about Julie's captivity--her interactions with fellow prisoners and the Nazis, speculation about the fate of her friend, etc. Unfortunately, these tidbits are few and far between. I did, however, really like Julie as a character. Her spunk and cunning are absolutely magnificent. I just wish her written confession had been delivered in a different way.
The second part of the book is told from the point of view of Julie's friend Maddie, and I enjoyed it immensely. While Julie's situation might have been more exciting, the way Maddie's experiences are delivered was much more suited to my tastes. I particularly liked the cross-over of characters which had been introduced in the first half of the book in Julie's written notes. Having two separate characters examine and react to the same people was really interesting and showcased the similarities and differences between Maddie and Julie rather well. The ultimate fates of both Julie and Maddie were totally unpredictable, but once I read them I can honestly say there seemed to be no other way it could end that would have been more fitting for either of them.
The really impressive part of this book for me was its historical accuracy. It is incredibly immersive, particularly with the audiobook version, and the author has clearly done a fantastic job researching the time period. I could easily believe this was based on a true story, although the author reveals at the end of the book that it is not.
"Code Name Verity" is probably one of the best YA World War II novels I have ever read. The characters are well developed and introduced to the reader in a way that makes you feel immediately close to them, constantly rooting for their well-being. The setting is very well researched, to the point where it all feels like an actual historical account. My issue was with the way the first part of the book (Julie's) is written in a way that makes the reader feel a little disconnected from the story while still feeling connected to the narrator. This book is much better in audiobook form, as the narrators' voices add an extra layer of authenticity to the whole story. I'd recommend this to fans of historical fiction, particularly war novels, with strong female leads.
My problem with this book is the format of the first 75%. Julie, a spy, has been captured by the Nazis and has made the choice to cooperate with her captors. She is divulging information to them in the form of a type of journal. This is perfectly fine, and normally I would totally eat this kind of thing up. The issue comes from the fact that Julie alternates between telling stories in the past about herself in the third person (yes, I know, it is confusing even to read that explanation), and info-dumping huge amounts of historical information about planes and such. While the stories themselves are mostly interesting, many of them drag due to over-description. The best parts of this section of the book were the details we are given about Julie's captivity--her interactions with fellow prisoners and the Nazis, speculation about the fate of her friend, etc. Unfortunately, these tidbits are few and far between. I did, however, really like Julie as a character. Her spunk and cunning are absolutely magnificent. I just wish her written confession had been delivered in a different way.
The second part of the book is told from the point of view of Julie's friend Maddie, and I enjoyed it immensely. While Julie's situation might have been more exciting, the way Maddie's experiences are delivered was much more suited to my tastes. I particularly liked the cross-over of characters which had been introduced in the first half of the book in Julie's written notes. Having two separate characters examine and react to the same people was really interesting and showcased the similarities and differences between Maddie and Julie rather well. The ultimate fates of both Julie and Maddie were totally unpredictable, but once I read them I can honestly say there seemed to be no other way it could end that would have been more fitting for either of them.
The really impressive part of this book for me was its historical accuracy. It is incredibly immersive, particularly with the audiobook version, and the author has clearly done a fantastic job researching the time period. I could easily believe this was based on a true story, although the author reveals at the end of the book that it is not.
"Code Name Verity" is probably one of the best YA World War II novels I have ever read. The characters are well developed and introduced to the reader in a way that makes you feel immediately close to them, constantly rooting for their well-being. The setting is very well researched, to the point where it all feels like an actual historical account. My issue was with the way the first part of the book (Julie's) is written in a way that makes the reader feel a little disconnected from the story while still feeling connected to the narrator. This book is much better in audiobook form, as the narrators' voices add an extra layer of authenticity to the whole story. I'd recommend this to fans of historical fiction, particularly war novels, with strong female leads.
Loved this book. The audio had two narrators that were great. It's a suspenseful book full of twists and turns. I really enjoyed it.
