"We seldom get into trouble when we speak softly. It is only when we raise our voices that the sparks fly and tiny molehills become great mountains of contention."
I've
been following the buzz about Elizabeth Wein's Code Name Verity,
and two common themes emerged. First, readers either adored it or
felt bogged down with details about WWII-era planes. Second, this
book is very difficult to talk about without giving away plot twists.
Because
I'm always up for a challenge, I decided I had to review this
unreviewable book.
Code
Name Verity is a lot of things. It is a celebration of the
contributions women aviators and spies made to WWII. It is a tale of
courage and hope when the stakes are high and the odds are
impossible. It is a smart and layered thriller full of twists. But
first and foremost, it is a story of friendship.
Maddie
and, well, let's call her “the narrator,” would not have
met under normal circumstances. Maddie is the grandchild of immigrant
shopkeepers. The narrator comes from wealth and blood. But war shifts
the social structure, and both women have stepped up to use their
unique skills to fill traditionally male roles. Maddie uses her
technical know-how to fly planes and work for air traffic control,
and the narrator uses her education and language fluency to assist
the secretive “special operations.”
The
two become fast friends after collaborating on a sensitive situation
and sharing a harrowing night in an air raid shelter. They stay
connected through their different and dangerous assignments, teaching
each other important skills and bringing courage and joy to each
other during difficult times.
By
the time the novel starts, something has gone terribly wrong. The
narrator has been captured and interrogated by the Gestapo in France,
and she has two weeks to write her confession of her war time
efforts. Throughout this twisting and complex account, we see how
Maddie and the narrator's friendship has given them the courage
needed to fight their respective battles.
While
I usually don't go for thrillers, I enjoyed this book. I think my
favorite part was its focus on female friendship. Contemporary
fiction thrives on romantic tension. Many new authors are even told
they need to add a romantic interest for their book to be published
because, let's face it, how many titles on the New York Times YA
Bestseller list are romance-free? Hint: not many.
Code
Name Verity pulled it off. This novel is full of adventure and
connection — a boy would have been a distraction. This plot
creates tension without a romantic lead, and the characters are rich
and interesting as individuals.
The
framework is also a lot of fun. This is the kind of book where you'll
find yourself frequently flipping back to reread the hints that had
been given earlier. The narrator keeps you guessing throughout, and
new information colors the way you see earlier events.
As
is often the case with World War II books, this is not for the faint
of heart. There is torture, murder, sexual abuse, and brutality that
is certainly historically accurate, but still a little tough for
younger audiences to stomach.
A
companion volume to Code Name Verity, entitled Rose Under
Fire, will be released in the US on September 10, 2013 (for you
lucky UK readers, it was released a few days ago). Its ARC reviews
are glowing, and based on this novel, I have high expectations.
Read
this book if...
You're
sick of romantic tension. There is no love interest in this story!
You
love untrustworthy narrators and layered frameworks.
You
simply can't comprehend the phrase “too many WWII books
depress me” — this is a great one for WWII enthusiasts.
Erin
Cowles is a mother of two, living in the Washington D.C. suburbs.
Before motherhood, she used her masters in library and information
science in a law firm library. Now she uses it to find good books for
her family at her local public library. She teaches part time for a
SAT prep company, where she enjoys the challenge of making rather
dull subject matter interesting and making college a reality for her
students. During women's history month, she profiles Mormon women
that inspire her at ldswomenshistory.blogspot.com.
Erin
currently serves as a counselor in her ward's primary
presidency.