Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jul.26, 2013, under Detective/Spy, Historical Fiction, Printz Award, Sam's Reviews, Teen Top 10
Who would like this book? Mature readers looking for exceptionally well-written historical fiction (WWII) from two first person narrators.
The goods on this book: Queenie (or Lady Julia), a British spy, has been captured by the Nazis and is being brutally interrogated by them. To forestall her inevitable execution, Queenie has consented to write about the British war effort. She frustrates her keepers because as she divulges information, she insists on writing about her own story – her unlikely friendship with the working-class pilot, Maddie, who Queenie believes has died. Queenie’s writings are also rash commentaries on her treatment and her jailers, surreptitiously giving much information about the hotel converted into a prison. Queenie’s story is riveting as it stands alone, with the question of her intentions and her reliability hovering over all she writes. When the last third of the book switches narrators to Maddie, the story flies into another dimension of intensity and compelling action. Maddie’s story reveals so much about Queenie’s story that it took my breath away. This book has it all – it’s an historical thriller and a heart-breaking story of friendship. For mature readers who appreciate exceptional writing about two amazing women characters, this book is a must-read.
The details: 343 pp. 2012 Review by Samrarian
