Code Name Verity

This book was fantastic. The writing was lovely, the characters engaging, and the story engaging. Highly recommended.

I read the audiobook version, and the narrators were wonderful. I was really brought in by their voices. ( )

3.75*
It took me FOREVER to get through the beginning section of the book. The writing style of the first section told from Julie's point of view was difficult to get into - part of it might have been purposeful to show that the events she was going through were making it difficult for her to write, and part of it might have been purposeful to show that she was writing on paper products that were not useful in telling a story (recipe cards and prescription pads). Either way, it took me what felt like weeks to get through the first section, but then only several days to get through the section that was told from Maddie's point of view.

This would have made the book more like a 3 or 3.5* star rating for me, however, that ending nearly made me cry. Some of my misgivings about rating the book lower were redeemed through the ending which is why I ended up giving it 4* on Goodreads and an official 3.75* in my head. ( )

4.25 stars

The things I loved about this book:

The mode of narrative: I love the meandering, epsiodic first person narrations interlaced with the present day interludes. It tells the story, it conveys impact and does an excellent job of keeping the reader hooked.

The setting: The WW2 setting was great in the way it pulled no punches. The little hints at the torture, the overall impact created by the prison and the conditions - they felt right.

The unconventional theme: I must say this attracted my attention to a rather badly ignored aspect of WW2 aviation. Something to research!

What I did not completely like: The second half. It felt a bit disjointed and loose after the taut first half. While it was quite thrilling to put together the narrative from the first half I did not appreciate some of the digressions.

I quite liked the ending. It felt in tune with the overall tone of the book ( )

“Verity” has been captured by the Germans. Held in a converted hotel in France she is tortured and forced to give up all her secrets. But in her confession and her report on all her secrets she begins to tell the tale of how she ended up at the mercy of the Nazis. How she and her best friend Maddie met, their path through the war and into active service. Even if Maddie technically shouldn’t have been the pilot of that plane. How they ended up crashing and how she has fared since becoming imprisoned.

he writes that she is a coward and a traitor. That she wasn’t able to keep the truth from the Nazis. That she has betrayed her country.

And can I just say that she writes very convincingly. Yes, the plot device that leads her to writing her story is a bit forced, but nevertheless it works. She never goes into details about the torture and punishment that she undergoes, but you feel it nevertheless. The humiliation as well as the agony are obvious in what she doesn’t say as well as what she does.

I loved this story. Verity, not her real name of course, is wonderful. And Maddie is just so brilliant. I loved them both.

I’ve never read Elizabeth Wein before, but even before I was half way through this I had ordered a copy in for the library where I work, I hope people pick it up because I think that it is a hugely enjoyable story. And now that I’ve finished it I want to read more by Wein. Luckily it does seem that she has earlier books out so I shall have to investigate. ( )

It makes me sad to say this, but I didn't love it. Wein has long been one of my favourite authors, solely on the merit of "The Winter Prince," so I look forward to any new work of hers with great anticipation. This book is well written, detailed (perhaps overly so), and has two fascinating female leads. But were it not for Wein's name on the cover, I would not have picked it up or stuck with it through the end. ( )