Review: Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

 Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Author: Elizabeth Wein Website|Twitter
Published: 3 June 2013
Format: Paperback
Pages: 469
Buy the paperback: Amazon|Hive|BookDepository
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Borrowed from library

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Rose Justice is a young American ATA pilot, delivering planes and taxiing pilots for the RAF in the UK during the summer of 1944. A budding poet who feels most alive while flying, she discovers that not all battles are fought in the air. An unforgettable journey from innocence to experience from the author of the best-selling, multi-award-nominated Code Name Verity. From the exhilaration of being the youngest pilot in the British air transport auxiliary, to the aftermath of surviving the notorious Ravensbruck women's concentration camp, Rose's story is one of courage in the face of adversity.

My Review:
I'd placed a hold on this book before I'd even finished Wein's previous novel, Code Name Verity, because I knew I would need to read this one as soon as possible afterwards. Rose Under Fire documents Rose Justice's journey from pilot to prisoner through her diary.

First of all, I think this is billed as more of a companion novel to Code Name Verity than a sequel, and you could certainly read it on its own without having read CNV. Saying that, characters that appear in the previous book to crop up in this one, and if you were to go back and read Code Name Verity afterwards then you may find some of the references in Rose Under Fire spoil that story. I'd definitely recommend reading Code Name Verity first so you get to enjoy the mention of the characters that appear in both novels. Plus Code Name Verity is a must read anyway.

Rose Under Fire introduces us to main character Rose Justice who is an air transport auxiliary pilot in the second world war. I absolutely fell in love with her from the very beginning of the book. Most of the story is told through her diaries so you get to hear her voice as you read. But what was most wonderful about Rose was that she loves poetry. Incorporated into the story are poems, both those she has written herself and ones she has picked up along the way. These really gave you an insight into her life and demonstrated her flare for writing. I loved her positive, forgiving attitude throughout the story as well.

Through Rose's poems and writings you get this real appreciation of the art of writing and how much of a priveledge it is. Rose is often denied access to pens and paper in her time in captivity so you really feel how passionate she is when she's finally able to express herself on paper. I think it's a sentiment that any reader or writer will appreciate. I adored the fact Rose is documenting her story in this one particular notebook which she treasures so much. It made the whole thing feel so special.

Obviously with a book set during the war, you are going to come across some pretty tough times for the characters. After having my heart shattered when I read Code Name Verity, I was pretty fearful for what would happen in Rose Under Fire, and how that would affect my emotions! It was about a hundred pages into this book when something that happened that shook me up and set up the rest of the story. Rose finds herself in a very bleak situation, and throughout Rose Under Fire you get to see the harsh conditions of concentration camps through Rose's eyes.

Whilst the camp scenes were incredibly hard to read, they also provided the sense of camaraderie which became one of my favourite things about the story. We see Rose bond with the girls in her bunk. It's not all smooth sailing and it was interesting to see the clashes in nationalities and backgrounds, but ultimately these girls pull together. The friendship between Rose and Eloide, and Rose and Roza were two of the highlights of the story for me. These people are forced together by circumstance yet they find ways to connect with everyone and help each other through. The friendships definitely provided some uplifting moments. Like Code Name Verity, I loved that book focussed on the stories of women, especially in a role such as a pilot. Rose was a real inspriation.

So this book completely shattered my heart in the same way Code Name Verity did, but I wouldn't change a thing. I was moved, inspired and uplifted by the wonderful characters and vivid storytelling. I was completely lost in Rose's story and what happened to her as well as the stories of those around her. Of course what is even more powerful about what happened is that it is based on real events. The names of real prisoners at the Ravensbruck camp are listed at the front of the novel and it's a stark reminder of what really happened to these people during the war. If you are reading this review and thinking to yourself "oh I don't really like historical" then I urge you to give it a try, because Rose Under Fire provides so much more than just a history lesson. There are fantastic characters and friendships that anybody will be able to appreciate.

Rating: 5*
Books like this: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

Review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein 

Author: Elizabeth Wein Website|Twitter
Published: 6 February 2012 (Electric Monkey)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 447
Buy the paperback: Amazon|BookDepository
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Bought

Plot Summary (from Amazon):
Two young women become unlikely best friends during WWII, until one is captured by the Gestapo. Only in wartime could a stalwart lass from Manchester rub shoulders with a Scottish aristocrat, one a pilot, the other a special operations executive. Yet whenever their paths cross, they complement each other perfectly and before long become devoted to each other. But then a vital mission goes wrong, and one of the friends has to bail out of a faulty plane over France. She is captured by the Gestapo and becomes a prisoner of war. The story begins in “Verity’s” own words, as she writes her account for her captors. Truth or lies? Honour or betrayal? Everything they’ve ever believed in is put to the test… 

My Review:
This book has been on my to-read list for so long. I've heard so many incredible things about it, so when it was announced the author would be at Leakycon London, I knew I had to give in and read it. Code Name Verity tells the story of two friends during the second world war. One is held captive by the Gestapo, and must write a diary detailing her mission.

I'm writing this the morning after finishing the book, and my heart is still a little bit fragile. This is truly one of the most phenomenal books I have read. I'll start by saying that usually I'm not a big fan of historical novels, which is possibly why I've been putting this book off, but I've read a few books set during WWII and really enjoyed them so I had hope for Code Name Verity. Whilst reading it, I didn't really think about the fact it was historical. I was so caught up the two girls' story and the atmosphere of the war that it felt as if I was right there living it with them, which I think is one of the best compliments I can give a novel.

The plot revolves around what happens to the two girls when they become separated after a plane crash. All the time there are hints at what's to come and I was constantly on the edge of my seat waiting to find out the fate of each character. It's hard to write this review without giving too much away! The narrator for the first half of the book keeps her true identity secret for a while (although it's easy to figure out just who she is in the story). Throughout the book the characters are known by several names (code names and such, as the title would suggest!).

That first half is told through diary entries as one of the girls is holed up after being captured by the Gestapo. What she goes through is brutal and horrible, but even though there's this suffering going on, she manages to keep this fantastic humour as she tells her story. Her voice throughout the diary entries is incredibly strong and she's definitely somebody I wouldn't want to mess with! It was just amazing how I could go to being shocked, to scared, to saddened and then be laughing at the same time. She makes jokes and witty observations about her captors and really speaks her mind. I adored the storytelling in the entries and how wonderfully the tale was told.

Code Name Verity contains some incredible female characters. From the two main characters whose tale is being told - Queenie and Maddie - to the people they are surrounded by who have an influence on them. Maddie is a pilot, and an extremely capable one. Throughout the book we see how she's surprised and impressed people with her skill and determination. Queenie on the other hand is a talented linguist, with the ability to speak English, French and German, something vital to the war effort. I loved seeing the other female characters' roles play out as well, such as the pilot Maddie takes inspiration from - Dympna - and Engel, the female captor we see present throughout the capture scenes.

The book may be set during the war but ultimately it's a tale of friendship. The relationship between the girls is so strong, and defies so many boundaries. The girls come from different social backgrounds and have different skills and personalities, yet they fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. Some of my favourite scenes were the ones in which they share their fears with each other. It was so personal and touching to see that close relationship and trust between them. The two of them are facing some pretty horrible circumstances and have to be brave and focused, so it was really moving to see that vulnerable side of them both that they felt comfortable enough to share with each other.

I found the WWII stuff itself to be completely fascinating. The book features life inside the Women's Auxiliary Airforce which was something I knew little, if anything, about before picking up Code Name Verity. I loved the insight into the lives of women during the war, and particularly the pilots whose job it was to ferry people around. It's a dangerous job and my heart was in my mouth throughout the book as we see the characters face the reality of flying during the war. I have family in Stockport, where large parts of the book is set, so I was particularly wrapped up in those moments and that setting.

The story was so intricate with all the pieces starting to fall into place at the end as the story concludes. There were some incredible twists that I didn't see coming, and most of them just shattered my heart into a thousand tiny pieces! It's rare a book stirs up so much emotion in me, and all ranges of emotion at that. When I finished the book I had to take a moment to absorb everything that had happened. The story and characters will stay with me for a very long time. Despite how much this book tore me up inside, it's one of the few books I have wanted to read all over again the second I finished it. It's a book I'll be recommending and sharing with others and I can't wait to reread it in years to come.

Rating: 5*
What to read next: Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
Books like this: My Family for the War by Anne C. Voorhoeve, The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

News Round Up! 4th May

Time for my latest round up of the week's YA and book related news! Here are the stories that have popped up on my radar this week.

The most exciting news stories this week were the announcements of guests at Leakycon London. In honour of there being 100 days to go (even less now!) they organisers revealed some exciting names who'll be at the con in August. They include Code Name Verity author Elizabeth Wein, as long as a load of actors from the films. Chris Rankin (Percy Weasley), Scarlett Byrne (Pansy Parkinson) and Alfie Enoch (Dean Thomas) will be joining previously announced guest Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood). On top of that some of the younger cast from Deathly Hallows will be attending including Ellie Darcey-Alden (young Lily), Rohan Gotobed (young Sirius) and Ryan Turner (Hugo Weasley). The graphic design duo MinaLima will also be there. Phew! That's a lot to get excited about, especially as I'm attending this year. I can't wait to get there! Check out all the latest annoucements about Leakycon on the Twitter and Facebook pages.

It seems like every week there's news about The Mortal Instruments series and this week is no different! An international trailer for City of Bones was released this week with extra footage. You can view the trailer below.

The plot synopsis for City of Heavenly Fire (the final book in The Mortal Instruments series) also appeared online this week. It will contain spoilers for previous books so read it over on Cassandra Clare's website at this link.

There have also been some great cover reveals this week. Meagan Spooner revealed the cover for Shadowlark (sequel to Skylark) over on YABooksCentral.com. Read the post and see the cover here. And Marie Lu revealed the cover for Champion, the final book in the Legend trilogy. You can see the cover and read an interview with Marie Lu here on EntertainmentWeekly.com. What do you think of these covers? Are you excited for the release of these books?

It was also announced this week that the cover reveal for Allegiant by Veronica Roth will go ahead on 9th May on The Today Show. Read more about this story and see a sneak peak of the Today Show segment in this article on Hypable.com.

In The Fault in Our Stars film news, several actors have been testing for the role of Gus. They include Brendan Thwawites, Nat Wolff, Nick Robinson, Noah Silver and Ansel Elgort. Interestingly, Ansel Elgort is already starring against Shailene Woodley (Hazel Grace) in the Divergent film adaptation. Do you have any preferences for the role?

And finally the book trailer for If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch was revealed on the Dark-Readers blog this week. Check it out at this link!

New book releases:
As You Wake by Amy Martin
Amazon|Smashwords|Goodreads

Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O'Porter
Amazon|Book Depository|Goodreads

The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise
Amazon|Book Depository|Goodreads

Absent by Katie Williams
Amazon|Book Depository|Goodreads

The Ward by Jordana Frankel
Amazon|Book Depository|Goodreads

The Program by Suzanne Young
Amazon|Book Depository|Goodreads