D. August Baertlein - Writer & Ruminator
  • Home
  • My Books
  • Book Reviews
  • Blog
  • About Me
  • Contact

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

12/2/2012

Comments

 
Picture
Code Name Verity is the story of two young British heroines during World War II.  Maddie is a pilot at a time when women mostly weren’t allowed to fly planes, and Queenie is a wireless radio operator, among other things.

Author Elizabeth Wein has put so many twists and deceptions into this fascinating tale that it’s hard for me to review it without giving anything away. At the end of the book there are “Ah Ha!” moments that compelled me to go back and review some events with newfound understanding.

The book opens with the wireless operator pouring out her story on scraps of paper provided by her Nazi captors.  She has agreed to write it all down in exchange for less torturous treatment, not anything cushy and comfortable, mind you, just a little less cruel.  Wein doesn’t dwell on the torture but she doesn’t avoid it either.  It’s a necessary part of the book, but is not described in so much detail as to greatly torment the reader.

Queenie writes of her shame for giving away secret radio codes, and also comments about her current imprisonment, but mostly she writes of the events leading up to her plane crash in Nazi-occupied France with Maddie at the controls.  Where is Maddie?  Missing and presumed dead.

About half way through the book, Queenie gets to the end of her tale and Maddie’s part of the story is told.  And here I must stop, and you must read for yourself to find out what really happened.

This WWII historical novel is also a story of best friends from very different worlds.  Their paths might never have crossed if not for the war, but once they become friends there is no parting them.

Code Name Verity is suggested for ages 14 and up… way up.  There is enough history and intrigue in there to keep adults entertained, and if you like airplanes there are plenty of those, too.

Happy reading!

Comments

    Author


    ​I only review what I like.  So if you see it here it's good!  If you don't see something you like here, I probably didn't get to it yet.
     
    Recommendations are welcome!


    Subscribe

    RSS Feed


    Archives

    October 2019
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    November 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011


    Categories

    All
    1960's
    911
    Activism
    Adventure
    A Mango-Shaped Space
    Andrew Smith
    Angels And Demons
    Arthur Slade
    Audubon
    Automaton
    A Wrinkle In Time
    Because Of Winn Dixie
    Biotech
    Black Panthers
    Book Review
    Boy Book
    Brian Selznick
    Bullying
    Cancer
    Carl Hiaason
    Carolyn Mackler
    Catching Fire
    Celia Rees
    Celtic Mythology
    Channel Islands
    Chime
    Chinese
    Code Name Verity
    Comedy
    Cory Doctorow
    Daughter Of Smoke And Bone
    Daughter Of The Forest
    Defiance
    Deformity
    Desert
    Divergent
    Dog Story
    Dragons
    Dystopian
    Eco-Thriller
    Egypt
    Elizabeth George Speare
    Elizabeth Wein
    Eve And Adam
    Everlost
    Evolution
    Fairytale
    Fantasy
    Feed
    Flight Of The Phoenix
    Folktale
    Franny Billingsley
    Friendship
    Gardians Of Gahoole
    Gary D. Schmidt
    Genetic Engineering
    Ghost Medicine
    Ghosts
    Grace Lin
    Graceling
    Graphic Novel
    Guardians
    Heart Of Egypt
    Hoot
    Hugo
    Immune Disease
    Iraq
    Irish
    Island Of The Blue Dolphins
    Jacqueline Kelly
    Jamaica
    Jay Asher
    Juliet Marillier
    Kate Dicamillo
    Katherine Applegate
    Kathi Appelt
    Keeper
    Kristin Cashore
    Laini Taylor
    Laurie Brooks
    Legends
    Leviathan
    Little Brother
    Madeline L’Engle
    Maggie Stiefvater
    Magical
    Mary E. Pearson
    Mermaid
    Michael Grant
    Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children
    Mockingjay
    M T Anderson
    Music
    Mystery
    Myths
    Nancy Farmer
    Nathaniel Flood
    Nazi
    Neal Schusterman
    Neil Gaiman
    Newbery
    Okay For Now
    One Crazy Summer
    Operation Iraqi Freedom
    Otters
    Owls
    Paranormal Romance
    Peeps
    Pirates
    Quirky
    Rachel Hartman
    Ransom Riggs
    Rebecca Stead
    Rita Williams-Garcia
    R. J. Palacio
    R. L. LaFevers
    Rl Lafevers
    Romance
    Running Away
    Santa Barbara
    Scat
    Science
    Scifi
    Sci Fi
    Scott O
    Scott Westerfeld
    Scrotum
    Security
    Selkie
    Selkie Girl
    Seraphina
    Seven Tears Into The Sea
    Sheila Turnage
    Skinjacker
    Slavery
    Slaves
    Steampunk
    Sunrise Over Falluja
    Supernatural
    Susan Patron
    Suzanne Collins
    Synesthesia
    Synesthete
    Terri Farley
    Terrorism
    The Adoration Of Jenna Fox
    The Astonishing Life Of Octavian Nothing
    The Ear The Eye And The Arm
    The Evolution Of Calpurnia Tate
    The Future Of Us
    The Graveyard Book
    The Higher Power Of Lucky
    The Hunchback Assignments
    The Hunger Games
    The Invention Of Hugo Cabret
    The New Policeman
    Theodosia And The Serpents Of Chaos
    The Scorpio Races
    The Six Swans
    The Tale Of Despereaux
    The Wednesday Wars
    The Witch Of Blackbird Pond
    Three Times Lucky
    Time Travel
    Valerie Hobbs
    Vampires
    Veronica Roth
    Vietnam
    Walter Dean Myers
    War
    Wendy Mass
    Whales On Stilts
    When You Reach Me
    Where The Mountain Meets The Moon
    Witches
    Witch Trials
    Wonder
    World War Ii
    Wwi
    Wwii
    Zimbabwe

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.