Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Pages: 332
Intended Audience: Mature Teens
Genre: Historical thriller
Notes for Parents: Contains scenes of violence

The Back Cover

On October 11^th, 1943, a British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. But only one of the girls has a chance at survival.
Arrested by the Gestapo, “Verity” is given a choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution. They’ll get the truth out of her. Only, it won’t be what they expect.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The author is a pilot herself and, in writing this book, wanted to explore the possibilities that would have been open to female pilots during WW2. She includes a “debriefing” and a bibliography at the back of the book.

What’s good?

This is an intimate story of two female friends who play very important but very different roles in the allied fight against the Nazis in World War II. While being a very taut thriller, it also manages to be an emotional tale of friendship, a brutal story of war, and a complex adventure with espionage, suspense, and plenty of surprises. A well crafted plot, strong female leads, a cruel but very human antagonist, and a wonderful cast of supporting characters makes this a tour de force worth reading.
Best Part: That heart-stopping moment on page 285 that I didn’t see coming!!

What isn’t good?

The beginning was slow and the point of view was a bit confusing so it took me a several chapters to really get into the story. A couple of times I even considered putting the book down, but luckily I stuck with it and it was well worth the effort. Some of the technical information is bland but overall it lent itself to the interesting story of female pilots in World War II.
Worst part: Nothing struck me as completely terrible, but the beginning was definitely a challenge.

Recommendation þþþþo

This is a heavy read, but it’s not difficult, per se. It requires some effort and it probably helps if you have an interest in historical fiction and women in World War II, which I do. The story was intriguing, the characters were worth the investment, and I finished the book feeling very satisfied that it was time well spent. Definitely recommended.

 

Wein, Elizabeth. Code Name Verity. New York: Hyperion, 2012.