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hayleybeale's review against another edition
4.0
A welcome return to the Code Name Verity universe, this dramatic and intense YA historical novel is set in the early days of World War II.
At Royal Air Force base Windyedge in Scotland, four characters are brought together by the secret delivery of an Enigma decoding machine by a German pilot. Returning characters white Flight-Lieutenant Jamie Beaufort-Scott and Traveller Ellen McEwen, now a driver for the RAF, are joined by new characters Louisa Adair, a recently orphaned biracial (white and Jamaican) 15 year-old and elderly German-born Jane Warner.
Louisa and Jane crack codes allowing Jamie and his squadron to sink some U-boats: But what happens when the Germans realize someone is decoding their communications?
This is a confident, fluid novel, with slow-building excitement and adventure leading up to a big emotional wallop at the end. The well-rounded characters all thoughtfully face challenges of their own, whether it is because of their age, skin color, or gender, and they all work out how they can individually make a difference. The author’s excellent and extensive Declaration of Accountability gives the real-life context to her story and characters and a further reading list is included.
Thanks to Little Brown and Edelweiss for the digital review copy.
At Royal Air Force base Windyedge in Scotland, four characters are brought together by the secret delivery of an Enigma decoding machine by a German pilot. Returning characters white Flight-Lieutenant Jamie Beaufort-Scott and Traveller Ellen McEwen, now a driver for the RAF, are joined by new characters Louisa Adair, a recently orphaned biracial (white and Jamaican) 15 year-old and elderly German-born Jane Warner.
Louisa and Jane crack codes allowing Jamie and his squadron to sink some U-boats: But what happens when the Germans realize someone is decoding their communications?
This is a confident, fluid novel, with slow-building excitement and adventure leading up to a big emotional wallop at the end. The well-rounded characters all thoughtfully face challenges of their own, whether it is because of their age, skin color, or gender, and they all work out how they can individually make a difference. The author’s excellent and extensive Declaration of Accountability gives the real-life context to her story and characters and a further reading list is included.
Thanks to Little Brown and Edelweiss for the digital review copy.
jackie_daydream's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
OMG I hugged the book I cried at all the references from Code Name Verity - the book was amazing. It was these three young people set during WW2 up in Scotland who were determined to help with the war effort and it was 👌🏾
snrubydolem's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
crtney's review against another edition
2.0
Plot felt too odd/unbelievable, the three voices telling the story were not distinct, dragged on a bit.
mintah's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
3.75
wellreadjill_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
katrinky's review against another edition
4.0
yay, back to the EW I love!! heartrending and exciting, and several new characters to care about deeply. and obviously clutched my heart at the appearance of Julie in spy mode. I'm excited to read Pearl Thief and get more of Ellen, whom I especially loved. Scots forever, is my always takeaway from any Elizabeth Wein books.
dipikap's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
lawbooks600's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Representation: Biracial (half Black and half white) and Black characters
Score: Six points out of ten.
I wanted to read this for a while but never got around to doing so until now. I thought The Enigma Game was new since it was on the new titles shelf at the library. Turns out they lied; they bought it around three years ago. I enjoyed this one but if the author improved her piece of literature, it could be better. I'm not rushing to read Code Name Verity, but I'll read it if I have time.
It starts with the first character I see, Louisa Adair, living in Britain during the early 1940s with World War Two ongoing. She is desperate after losing both her parents from different causes. Louisa soon meets two new characters, Ellen and Jamie who work for the Royal Air Force or RAF. The opening pages are slow but the action picks up around part two, where I see Louisa take part in the air forces fighting off enemy aircraft, which I enjoyed reading.
There's a plot twist when a defective German soldier has a package, and inside there's a typewriter called an Enigma, which soon plays a significant role in the narrative. Thus begins Louisa and other's quest to keep the Enigma as long as they can from malicious hands. The Enigma Game shines in its enthralling plot and immersion since I could never put it down. However, it has flaws with the characters; even though I liked them, I didn't find them that memorable nor could I sympathise with them, even with Louisa's hardship. It rubs me the wrong way when a white author writes about a person like Louisa. It feels like tokenism or cultural appropriation. The multiple POVs didn't work as they were almost indistinguishable other than their names. I wonder if Code Name Verity is better.
Score: Six points out of ten.
I wanted to read this for a while but never got around to doing so until now. I thought The Enigma Game was new since it was on the new titles shelf at the library. Turns out they lied; they bought it around three years ago. I enjoyed this one but if the author improved her piece of literature, it could be better. I'm not rushing to read Code Name Verity, but I'll read it if I have time.
It starts with the first character I see, Louisa Adair, living in Britain during the early 1940s with World War Two ongoing. She is desperate after losing both her parents from different causes. Louisa soon meets two new characters, Ellen and Jamie who work for the Royal Air Force or RAF. The opening pages are slow but the action picks up around part two, where I see Louisa take part in the air forces fighting off enemy aircraft, which I enjoyed reading.
There's a plot twist when a defective German soldier has a package, and inside there's a typewriter called an Enigma, which soon plays a significant role in the narrative. Thus begins Louisa and other's quest to keep the Enigma as long as they can from malicious hands. The Enigma Game shines in its enthralling plot and immersion since I could never put it down. However, it has flaws with the characters; even though I liked them, I didn't find them that memorable nor could I sympathise with them, even with Louisa's hardship. It rubs me the wrong way when a white author writes about a person like Louisa. It feels like tokenism or cultural appropriation. The multiple POVs didn't work as they were almost indistinguishable other than their names. I wonder if Code Name Verity is better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Full trigger warnings: Death of a friend, parents and other people, fire, plane crash, military violence and war themes, World War Two, racist slur, gun violence, physical assault and injury, blood depiction, murder, explosions