Stephanie S. (skywriter319) -
Helpful Score: 7
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: 3
This was an absolutely wonderful book that gives an interesting viewpoint of World War II in a way that is engaging and absolutely engrossing.
The first part of the book is written as a confession/journal from a girl named Queenies point of view. She is being held hostage by Nazis as a British spy. As part of her confession she is relating the tale of her friendship with a female British pilot named Maddie.
The second part of the book is written as a journal from Maddies POV. I wont say much more about that because it would spoil the story.
Both characters have very distinct voices. Queenie laughs in the face of danger and has an excellent sense of humor even in the face of torture. Maddie is more tentative but no less fierce.
I really enjoyed both perspectives. Queenie is fearless and cant resist having a sense of humor about the strangest things. She occasionally plays pranks on the Nazis even knowing that they will punish her for it...just because she needs a good laugh. Despite the absolutely bleak setting of her story, she makes you laugh and as a reader I completely admired her.
Maddie is more timid. She admits to breaking into tears every time she hears gunfire, she admits to being terrified and at times hiding...but she is no less fierce. Despite her fears, she does what she has to. She is incredibly loyal and absolutely resolute. Her section of the book wasnt as...dare I say given the subject matter...funny but it was still incredibly engaging.
You can tell Wein did a lot of research to write this book. It is a very interesting accounting of the roles of both female spies and female pilots in World War II. There are a lot of interesting facts in here and Wein states what is true and what is fiction in the Afterward. I really enjoyed learning about this aspect of World War II through the eyes of these two wonderful friends.
This book is also about friendship. Its about how two women with completely different personalities can be best friends, about the loyalty of friendship, and the sacrifices that sometimes have to be made if you love your friend enough. Its also about women first stepping into careers dominated by men and being darn good at what they do.
This book was impossible to put down. It had me laughing out loud at points. It also had me in tears at points, there are parts of the story that are absolutely heartbreaking... The story is uplifting in some ways, but I have yet to read a book about the Nazis that ends in a truly happy way. Honestly just thinking about what the women in this book go through upsets me even still.
So while not a comfortable read, it definitely makes an impact. It is targeted toward young adult audience. This is about war though; there is torture and there are horrible things described in this book. So just a warning to those who are sensitive to those things...but should you let that stop you from reading this book...absolutely not. These things really happened in Nazi occupied France and people should read about them.
Overall an absolutely wonderful read. I enjoyed that this book gives a different look at the history behind World War II. I loved learning more about women spies and pilots of that era. The two women who feature in this book are absolutely stunning and engaging to read about. I could not put this book down. Seriously everyone needs to read this. If you are particularly interested in World War II, another great book about the Nazis and how they affected the general non-Jewish German population is The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak.
The first part of the book is written as a confession/journal from a girl named Queenies point of view. She is being held hostage by Nazis as a British spy. As part of her confession she is relating the tale of her friendship with a female British pilot named Maddie.
The second part of the book is written as a journal from Maddies POV. I wont say much more about that because it would spoil the story.
Both characters have very distinct voices. Queenie laughs in the face of danger and has an excellent sense of humor even in the face of torture. Maddie is more tentative but no less fierce.
I really enjoyed both perspectives. Queenie is fearless and cant resist having a sense of humor about the strangest things. She occasionally plays pranks on the Nazis even knowing that they will punish her for it...just because she needs a good laugh. Despite the absolutely bleak setting of her story, she makes you laugh and as a reader I completely admired her.
Maddie is more timid. She admits to breaking into tears every time she hears gunfire, she admits to being terrified and at times hiding...but she is no less fierce. Despite her fears, she does what she has to. She is incredibly loyal and absolutely resolute. Her section of the book wasnt as...dare I say given the subject matter...funny but it was still incredibly engaging.
You can tell Wein did a lot of research to write this book. It is a very interesting accounting of the roles of both female spies and female pilots in World War II. There are a lot of interesting facts in here and Wein states what is true and what is fiction in the Afterward. I really enjoyed learning about this aspect of World War II through the eyes of these two wonderful friends.
This book is also about friendship. Its about how two women with completely different personalities can be best friends, about the loyalty of friendship, and the sacrifices that sometimes have to be made if you love your friend enough. Its also about women first stepping into careers dominated by men and being darn good at what they do.
This book was impossible to put down. It had me laughing out loud at points. It also had me in tears at points, there are parts of the story that are absolutely heartbreaking... The story is uplifting in some ways, but I have yet to read a book about the Nazis that ends in a truly happy way. Honestly just thinking about what the women in this book go through upsets me even still.
So while not a comfortable read, it definitely makes an impact. It is targeted toward young adult audience. This is about war though; there is torture and there are horrible things described in this book. So just a warning to those who are sensitive to those things...but should you let that stop you from reading this book...absolutely not. These things really happened in Nazi occupied France and people should read about them.
Overall an absolutely wonderful read. I enjoyed that this book gives a different look at the history behind World War II. I loved learning more about women spies and pilots of that era. The two women who feature in this book are absolutely stunning and engaging to read about. I could not put this book down. Seriously everyone needs to read this. If you are particularly interested in World War II, another great book about the Nazis and how they affected the general non-Jewish German population is The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak.
Helpful Score: 1
Be prepared to laugh; be prepared to cry -- and, in general, be prepared to marvel at this exquisitely written book that will linger with you after the last page. It is labeled YA, but don't let that label stop you from reading this compelling story of a friendship between two young British women during WWII. One is a pilot; one is a spy. The spy has been captured in Nazi-occupied France and is writing a confession of her wartime activities in exchange for a stay of execution. The narration is unusual at first -- stick with it. In the end, the story will capture your attention and the characters will capture your heart.
Note: As another reviewer pointed out, the less you know about this book before reading, the better. Resist reading reviews or blurbs. Just read the book!!
Note: As another reviewer pointed out, the less you know about this book before reading, the better. Resist reading reviews or blurbs. Just read the book!!
SUSAN S. (susieqmillsacoustics) -
This book is absolutely wonderful, one of the best books I have ever read! It is the story of Verity, who will make you laugh even in her darkest hour. It is also the story of Maddie and the relationship of best friends and the joy and heartbreak of a deep love such a genuine friendship brings. Highly recommend!
I'm not generally a fan of war novels, but this definitely held my attention.
It is very cleverly written. Not so much so that it's like "Liar" by Holly Black where I got irritated not knowing if I could trust anything the protagonist said, but that could be partially because, in that one, the protagonist directly mocks the reader and there's obviously a point to everything in "Code Name Verity".
I kept reading mini-reviews that said that there was a twist; I'm not sure if I figured out which part they were talking about, but my guess going in was definitely off!
It is very cleverly written. Not so much so that it's like "Liar" by Holly Black where I got irritated not knowing if I could trust anything the protagonist said, but that could be partially because, in that one, the protagonist directly mocks the reader and there's obviously a point to everything in "Code Name Verity".
I kept reading mini-reviews that said that there was a twist; I'm not sure if I figured out which part they were talking about, but my guess going in was definitely off!
This book was so intense, I did not want to put it down. I instantly connected with Queenie as she was so desperate and beaten down in her circumstances. The entire book I wanted things to miraculously change for the better for her. As she described Maddie and her life as a pilot, I became very attached to the both of them. Their friendship came about in an unusual way as they are from different classes. In fact, that was one minor point made in the book how WWII started the break down of the class differences in England as all sorts of folks mingled together in their war efforts. Elizabeth Wein wove together enough fact in this historical fiction to make me believe that a story like this actually took place.
Even though there was heart break in this book, I truly wanted to read it all over again as soon as I completed it. It was simply written, yet so full of human spirit that it captivated me. While the story focuses on these two women, there are other men and women who play significant roles that coalesced the story into perfection for me. Even if you have never had an interest in WWII fiction, this is an excellent read. If you have a heartbeat, then this book will grab a hold of you and hold you close until the very end.
Even though there was heart break in this book, I truly wanted to read it all over again as soon as I completed it. It was simply written, yet so full of human spirit that it captivated me. While the story focuses on these two women, there are other men and women who play significant roles that coalesced the story into perfection for me. Even if you have never had an interest in WWII fiction, this is an excellent read. If you have a heartbeat, then this book will grab a hold of you and hold you close until the very end.
