Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
WOW. Code Name Verity is not my usual book: it's got torture, for crying out loud! It has pain and sadness and moral conflict and you just don't know how it's going to turn out!
But it is a dazzling read. The two readers of the Bolinda Audio version are amazing, and the story itself is well written, exciting, and historically and morally illuminating. I've always wondered about how I'd deal with torture (my hunch is that I'd spill my guts in the first moment) and what it would've been like to live during WWII--this books deals with both those questions, intently, honestly, and thoughtfully. The characters are great; the two halves of the book work well together, and the conclusion (there are actually several conclusions) is satisfying. Though Wein's afterword makes it clear that this is not really a historical novel, it illuminates a time period and a situation (life in Occupied France) extraordinarily well.
Again, I am amazed at how much I enjoyed this book. That said, I am not going to listen to Wein's new novel about life in Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. I may read it so I can skim!
But it is a dazzling read. The two readers of the Bolinda Audio version are amazing, and the story itself is well written, exciting, and historically and morally illuminating. I've always wondered about how I'd deal with torture (my hunch is that I'd spill my guts in the first moment) and what it would've been like to live during WWII--this books deals with both those questions, intently, honestly, and thoughtfully. The characters are great; the two halves of the book work well together, and the conclusion (there are actually several conclusions) is satisfying. Though Wein's afterword makes it clear that this is not really a historical novel, it illuminates a time period and a situation (life in Occupied France) extraordinarily well.
Again, I am amazed at how much I enjoyed this book. That said, I am not going to listen to Wein's new novel about life in Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. I may read it so I can skim!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This book is beautiful and shocking and clever. It will grip you from it's very first line. ("I am a coward.") It is set during World War II in Britain and is about a wartime relationship, but not a romance. It's a love story, but one about platonic love between two friends, not firework-y romantic love. Agape, not eros.
It is well-written, relentlessly researched (but in a pleasant way), and rigorouse well-plotted.
It is a rare gem of a book; one to be treasured.
Highest possible recommendation. (As in: I have just sent it as a gift to my best friend in the world.)
It is well-written, relentlessly researched (but in a pleasant way), and rigorouse well-plotted.
It is a rare gem of a book; one to be treasured.
Highest possible recommendation. (As in: I have just sent it as a gift to my best friend in the world.)
This book was a three star originally. All the piloting stuff was so boring and I forced myself to keep reading. I knew there would be some good twists and I wasn't disappointed there. The extra star is for the end. I loved how it all came together.
The audio version is superb. I loved this so much. It's a story about courage and duty, the devastation of war, and most of the all, the enduring bonds of friendship. So beautiful!
I love historical fiction and this book did not fail to deliver. I did have a hard time getting into it as I was having a hard time figuring out who the characters were. I did reread the fist 25 pages twice before I finally figured it out. WWII and this time period are particularly interesting to me, so to have another piece of the puzzle fleshed out was fascinating. Loved the characters and their history and friendship and bravery.
This was a brilliant page-turner about women's involvement in WWII... but it was also about friendship and strength. Thought-provoking with several unexpected surprises, it was a great read.
Loved this book but it is just for older teens and up with some descriptions of torture and other things that aren't really appropriate for younger teens in my opinion. "Verity" is amazing!
Absolutely inhaled this. My heart would have burst if it had existed for me to read in my early teens.