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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
Well much like the The Pearl Thief I tore through this book within 24 hours. Started it at 9 am on the 8th and finished it by 7:30 am on the 9th with an 8 hour break in between (one has to sleep sometime) it was absolutely lovely to see Jamie and Ellen again and to meet Louisa and Jane and learn about them and be brought back to Scotland yet again only this time in the midst of a war
Find this review and more on my blog at Worlds Unlike Our Own.
4.5 stars
Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When a German pilot drops off an Enigma Machine in a small Scottish town, it brings together four very unlikely people: the local pub owner’s elderly German aunt Jane Warner, the half-Jamaican teen Louisa Adair who has been hired to take care of her, Ellen McEwen, a volunteer and driver for the local airfield, and Flight Lieutenant James Beaufort-Stuart. Louisa, who discovers it, doesn’t report it, instead putting it to use translating the coded messages that Jamie Stuart’s squadron is picking up on their flights. Jamie and his fliers soon have a huge advantage, the intercepted messages not only keeping them out of harm’s way, but also providing intelligence of upcoming attacks that they can foil. But how long can they keep the machine a secret? When the German bombers turn their attention to their small town, the group is still reluctant to give up this machine that provides them with such a large advantage, even when it appears that the Germans may suspect what they may have in their possession.
The Code Name Verity series has been on my radar for a very long time, and it’s funny that when I finally got around to it, I’ve started with the latest and last book. It sounds like some characters may have appeared in previous books, but this story itself is a standalone and I didn’t have any trouble understanding it at all. I’ve heard about Enigma machines before, and this was as interesting a read as I hoped it would be. The use of coding systems and ciphers during the war was really well explained and fascinating to learn about. I love the author’s writing style which just has a way of pulling you into the story, getting you completely invested in the characters’ fates. The setting of wartime Scotland also felt very authentic and atmospheric, and it is very clear how much research must have gone into this book.
Each WWII book I’ve read this year has taken me through a story of the war from a new front, and this book was no exception. The Enigma Game gives us a glimpse into both how life was for civilians at the time, and also what it was like to be in the thick of things. While such quick shifts in perspective has the potential to be a little confusing, I found it quite easy to follow and it kept the story engaging. The historical notes at the end were interesting to read and a wonderful addition to this book.
All three of our main characters were very well written, and I particularly enjoyed Jamie’s POVs, where most of the action was occurring. Louisa’s story on the other hand, provides a great perspective of what the war was like for people at home, and having experienced significant personal losses, she is desperate to help the war effort in any way she can. The camaraderie that develops between Louisa and Jane was also really lovely to see.
The Enigma Game was not as emotional as some others I’ve come across this year, but it is certainly a thought-provoking and insightful read. It’s not all about war time, or the dangerous flights that fighter pilots undertake or even deciphering exciting messages. It has the mood of a thriller, an adventure in some sense, but when you look beyond that, at its core, it is about people, who are in some way or the other, outsiders, coming together and finding a place where they fit in a society that is less than welcoming of them.
It may feel at times that the narration is slow, but that only lets the tension build up for the finale. The climax of this book is one that will hit you really hard, and it makes it all the more evident how much character development has been happening in the background, and not only for the main characters. This book has only made me want to read the others in this series even more and I’m hoping to get to those by the end of this year. The Enigma Game was a great read and I would highly recommend it for historical fiction fans.
4.5 stars
Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When a German pilot drops off an Enigma Machine in a small Scottish town, it brings together four very unlikely people: the local pub owner’s elderly German aunt Jane Warner, the half-Jamaican teen Louisa Adair who has been hired to take care of her, Ellen McEwen, a volunteer and driver for the local airfield, and Flight Lieutenant James Beaufort-Stuart. Louisa, who discovers it, doesn’t report it, instead putting it to use translating the coded messages that Jamie Stuart’s squadron is picking up on their flights. Jamie and his fliers soon have a huge advantage, the intercepted messages not only keeping them out of harm’s way, but also providing intelligence of upcoming attacks that they can foil. But how long can they keep the machine a secret? When the German bombers turn their attention to their small town, the group is still reluctant to give up this machine that provides them with such a large advantage, even when it appears that the Germans may suspect what they may have in their possession.
The Code Name Verity series has been on my radar for a very long time, and it’s funny that when I finally got around to it, I’ve started with the latest and last book. It sounds like some characters may have appeared in previous books, but this story itself is a standalone and I didn’t have any trouble understanding it at all. I’ve heard about Enigma machines before, and this was as interesting a read as I hoped it would be. The use of coding systems and ciphers during the war was really well explained and fascinating to learn about. I love the author’s writing style which just has a way of pulling you into the story, getting you completely invested in the characters’ fates. The setting of wartime Scotland also felt very authentic and atmospheric, and it is very clear how much research must have gone into this book.
Each WWII book I’ve read this year has taken me through a story of the war from a new front, and this book was no exception. The Enigma Game gives us a glimpse into both how life was for civilians at the time, and also what it was like to be in the thick of things. While such quick shifts in perspective has the potential to be a little confusing, I found it quite easy to follow and it kept the story engaging. The historical notes at the end were interesting to read and a wonderful addition to this book.
All three of our main characters were very well written, and I particularly enjoyed Jamie’s POVs, where most of the action was occurring. Louisa’s story on the other hand, provides a great perspective of what the war was like for people at home, and having experienced significant personal losses, she is desperate to help the war effort in any way she can. The camaraderie that develops between Louisa and Jane was also really lovely to see.
The Enigma Game was not as emotional as some others I’ve come across this year, but it is certainly a thought-provoking and insightful read. It’s not all about war time, or the dangerous flights that fighter pilots undertake or even deciphering exciting messages. It has the mood of a thriller, an adventure in some sense, but when you look beyond that, at its core, it is about people, who are in some way or the other, outsiders, coming together and finding a place where they fit in a society that is less than welcoming of them.
It may feel at times that the narration is slow, but that only lets the tension build up for the finale. The climax of this book is one that will hit you really hard, and it makes it all the more evident how much character development has been happening in the background, and not only for the main characters. This book has only made me want to read the others in this series even more and I’m hoping to get to those by the end of this year. The Enigma Game was a great read and I would highly recommend it for historical fiction fans.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3/5
It has been a while since I have read Historical Fiction. The last book I can ever recall that was in the WWII times, was The War that Saved My Life. I found the story eventful. There was action as well as quiet moments. I found the quiet moments rather uneventful with characters who I had trouble following their stories. I felt like I was reading a mix of Code Breakers and Lovely War. The book was alright. The next book I will be reading, The Shadow War is also set in this timeline.
It has been a while since I have read Historical Fiction. The last book I can ever recall that was in the WWII times, was The War that Saved My Life. I found the story eventful. There was action as well as quiet moments. I found the quiet moments rather uneventful with characters who I had trouble following their stories. I felt like I was reading a mix of Code Breakers and Lovely War. The book was alright. The next book I will be reading, The Shadow War is also set in this timeline.
adventurous
dark
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Suspension of disbelief, suspension of disbelief, suspension of disbelief...
Anyway, it was pretty good if you like YA WWII historical fiction and know nothing about flying.
Anyway, it was pretty good if you like YA WWII historical fiction and know nothing about flying.