Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Author: Elizabeth Wein
Imprint: Hyperion
Pub Date: May 15, 2012
ISBN: 9781423152194
WOW! Wow, wow, wow.
This is one intense, spellbinding book.
The story is about two young women, Julie and Maddie who become fast friends in WWII era England. The girls are opposites in social strata and, in a normal world they probably would never have met. But this is the topsy-turvy times of war where nothing is as it seems. These young woman are both patriotic and foolishly brave, daring to forge a place for themselves in a man’s world.
Maddie is a pilot with an affinity for mechanics and Julie is a spy.
The story of their friendship unfolds under torture, written painfully and painstakingly on sheets of paper, old recipe cards and other scraps from an old French hotel, currently re-purposed as a Gestapo prison. The story richly reveals a multitude of stories: about espionage, England, Scotland, family, friendship, airplane mechanics, being a woman in a man’s world, the French resistance; all from the point of view of this captured young woman, who writes so eloquently. Verity, as she is known calls herself a coward and yet, reading her account, you know she is clearly not. She’s a fighter and clings to the memories of her friendship to get her through the tortured days of writing and giving up her secrets. Who is Verity? What happened to Maddie? What happened before that plane crash and her capture?
I couldn’t put this book down. It is rich in historical detail, incredibly well-written and so well done. The young women and the time they live in comes to life and the reader is pulled into the hearts and minds of each. At times it was just so visceral and painfully emotional, yet I COULD NOT put it down. The book does not shy away from incidents of torture which makes it all the more real. Each sentence is like a highly polished little jewel, drawing the reader in and keeping them reading. I cared deeply for these young women and wanted to know what happened next.
Code Name Verity is beautifully, achingly written. It’s memorable, elegant and completely engrossing. Absolutely outstanding. It won’t only be the teens reading this, as it translates so well into the adult realm. It’s a perfectly engrossing read and one that will remain with you for a very long time.
Publisher’s blurb:
Oct. 11th, 1943–A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it’s barely begun.
When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she’s sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.
As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy?
Harrowing and beautifully written, Elizabeth Wein creates a visceral read of danger, resolve, and survival that shows just how far true friends will go to save each other. Code Name Verity is an outstanding novel that will stick with you long after the last page.
About the Author:
Elizabeth Wein was born in New York City, grew up abroad, and currently lives in Scotland with her husband and two children. She is an avid flyer of small planes and is the editor of the Scottish Aero Club’s newsletter. She also holds a PhD in Folklore from the University of Pennsylvania.
Disclosure: A free copy of this book was furnished by the publisher for review via NetGalley, but providing a copy did not guarantee a review. This information is provided per the regulations of the Federal Trade Commission. Thoughts and opinions are that of the reviewer.
