Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein: Book Review

Title: Code Name Verity
Author: Elizabeth Wein
Series: Code Name Verity #1
Publication Details: February 6th 2012 by Egmont Press



I have two weeks. You'll shoot me at the end no matter what I do.

That's what you do to enemy agents. It's what we do to enemy agents. But I look at all the dark and twisted roads ahead and cooperation is the easy way out. Possibly the only way out for a girl caught red-handed doing dirty work like mine - and I will do anything, anything to avoid SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden interrogating me again.

He has said that I can have as much paper as I need. All I have to do is cough up everything I can remember about the British War Effort. And I'm going to. But the story of how I came to be here starts with my friend Maddie. She is the pilot who flew me into France - an Allied Invasion of Two.

We are a sensational team.

A beautiful story of friendship, honesty, bravery and trust in times of war.

Plot
The story started months into Verity's captivity. From there follows a unique way of storytelling that is both intriguing and touching.

I have read many books and watched quite a lot of films about World War II. From different views, from different voices, I have seen and heard stories of war. But Code Name Verity still brings something fresh to the table- told in the eyes of two women, their roles in times of war, and their characters in times of difficulties.

Though Code Name Verity is more character-driven, I liked that almost every part of the story piqued my interest with its air of uncertainty. The plot and actions of the characters are unpredictable, which made my reading experience really enjoyable. For me, no scenes and side stories were wasted, as each tells something about life during the war. Though we have two main characters, Code Name Verity did not fail to include the stories of other people.

Characters
As I have mentioned, Code Name Verity's story is character-driven. Both the main and secondary characters gave life and depth to the story. Though they weren't really explored that well, their given stories spoke volume about their characters.

My favorite is Verity. She is a three-dimensional character, whose vulnerability and bravery were both observed. I liked her composed, independent and strong personality in the beginning but I also liked how she showed that face of war where it's normal to be scared, lose hope and give up.

One other character I also like is Engel, a German secretary to a German official. She's mysterious and quite stoic. But her character, especially toward the end, spoke a lot about mankind- that though war might have changed a person for the worse, there's still a hint of kindness hiding beneath the surface.

Overall, the characters are all well-written. They have depths; and they all contribute to main characters and general plot.

Writing
I find the author's writing style unique and beautiful. I liked the flow of events and how they were all threaded together.

Using Verity's and Kitty's (Verity's friend) voices to tell the story, the author was able to deliver a wider view of their situation. Verity's account is very believable, which made me question the characters and their real motives. Kitty's account, on the other hand, shed light to the situation and tied some of the loose threads in the end.

I think the writing style is what I liked best in Code Name Verity. The story-telling within a story-telling approach made my reading more entertaining.

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Overall, I loved Code Name Verity! The plot, the characters, and the writing… I definitely recommend this book. And I can't wait to read the other book, Rose Under Fire, in this duology.



To know more about the author and her other works, visit her website at: http://www.elizabethwein.com/.