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

Audio Review: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3) by Suzanne Collins

Spoiler warning! This is the 3rd and final book in The Hunger Games trilogy and will contain plenty of spoilers for the first two books. If you haven't read them then look away now! You can read my audio review of The Hunger Games here and Catching Fire here.

 

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

[Goodreads page]

Author: Suzanne Collins. Website
Narrator: Carolyn McCormick. IMDB
Published:  1 September 2010 (Scholastic Audio)
Format: Audio download
Running time: 11 hours, 43 minutes
Audible: Audio download
Waterstone's: MP3
Book Depository: CD

Source: Borrowed from e-library

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. 

Audio Review:
I've been listening to the whole Hunger Games trilogy on audiobook as a way to re-read the series, and I was so excited to get to Mockingjay, the final installment.

What struck me about listening to this book in particular was how well the narrator managed to get across the fear and turmoil each of the characters was feeling. Both Katniss' inner monologue and the other character voices were spoken with such emotion. This is a book that really packs a punch when it comes to certain emotions and the narration really added to that.

Like the previous books, I found listening to the book made me focus on some of the smaller details that I missed on my initial reads. The books are so fast paced and addictive that it's easy to get carried away and miss things. In the case of Mockingjay, I really appreciated some of the atrocities that took place in a way I didn't the first time round. Listening to it at a much slower pace (McCormick's reading speed is quite gentle) made me even more horrified at what was going on.

I think of all the audiobooks, this is by far my favourite. I didn't really have any niggles or problems with it as I was so absorbed in the story. I'd highly recommend listening to this trilogy and in particular this book. It brings the story to life and makes everything that bit more real. A thrilling end to a gripping trilogy.

Audio Rating: 5/5

Plot Review: 
As this was a re-read, I was already aware of the plot of Mockingjay, but there were plenty of moments I'd either forgotten about or were just as exciting second time round. The book starts out with the reader learning of the destruction of District 12 and discovering more about the mysterious District 13.

What I really like about Mockingjay is that it feels completely different to the previous two books. Whereas they relied on the Hunger Games to provide the action and main plot, this book steps away from the completely and turns to the harsh realities of war in the real world. It makes for a different structure and a more powerful story.

Collins has really succeeded in highlighting the effects of what has been happening in Panem. Every character is showing some sort of scar from the events of the past few months, whether it be physical or mental. I thought the mental distress of several of the characters was handled really well and demonstrated clearly just how horrifying and traumatic war can be.

What I loved about Catching Fire was the imaginative ideas used in the arena, and in Mockingjay all the imagination is channeled into the way of life in 13 and more information about the Capitol. All those ideas of things we see in the arena are even more terrifying in the real world. There were some truly powerful ideas and moments that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

There's a great focus on the characters, their loyalties and their roles in the war. I thought it was really interesting getting a look at these characters we've come to love in such a troubling situations. It really tests them and shows their true colours. Everyone gets their moment to shine, or highlights why they're not as perfect as they seem. I thought it was great how everyone's story gets wrapped up in some way, whether that be good or bad. There were some heartbreaking moments for me as the war starts to take its toll.

It's a phenomenal end to the trilogy but I liked that not everything was made to be happy and perfect. I liked certain elements of the ending and how certain questions were answered but there was still so much to think about once you've finished. It's a book that stays with you for a long time.

Plot Rating: 5/5
Books like this: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Review: How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

[Goodreads page]

Author: Meg Rosoff. Website|Twitter
Published: 30 June 2005 (Puffin)
Pages: 224
Amazon: paperback|Kindle
Waterstone's: paperback|e-book
Book Depository: paperback

Source: Borrowed e-book from library

Plot Summary:
To get away from her pregnant stepmother in New York City, fifteen-year-old Daisy goes to England to stay with her aunt and cousins, with whom she instantly bonds, but soon war breaks out and rips apart the family while devastating the land.

My Review:
I discovered this book purely by chance whilst browsing my library's e-book catalogue. It sounded like my kind of book so I added it to my to-read list. Whilst a lot of people have shelved this book as a dystopian/post-apocalyptic book on Goodreads, it's really more of a modern day wartime story. Daisy has landed in England to stay with her cousins as the world is on the brink of war.

The book is told from Daisy's point of view and she's a fascinating, beautifully written character with a lot of depth. She's never known her mother and has had to flee her stepmother, and found herself in the midst of war in a foreign country. As well as all that, she struggles with an eating disorder. I liked how that issue was dealt with. You get to see inside her head and it's continually referenced throughout the book, but it doesn't dwell on it too much. I felt it was a very accurate portrayal as well.

The writing style itself is quite quirky. It's written as if Daisy is telling her story to somebody and as such has a spoken quality to it, including long sentences that sometimes felt quite ramble-y (for want of a better word!). And there's no speech marks as well, but I still found the text easy enough to follow. The writing style certainly added to the reading experience.

There's a romantic storyline weaved into the main plot but I won't go into too many details about. I think it was really a sensitive reflection of how people come together in tragic situations, although I don't know if everyone would be comfortable with the relationship. It did make me slightly uncomfortable at times.

I really liked the fact that unlike the wealth of post-apocalyptic novels I've read, this one takes place when the war is actually happening. It was interesting to see a wartime Britain set in the present day where suddenly the absence of electricity has a massive impact and because phone lines and internet connections are down, families, like Daisy's, are struggling to stay in touch. The book really got across the harsh realities of war as well as the devastating effects it has on people and the aftermath of all that death and destruction. There's some pretty brutal scenes of violence and emotional trauma but it was all done really well.

The only flaw I really had with this book was that it was so short! The characters still go through of a hell of a lot for such a short book, and for the first half I liked the pacing (it tailed off a bit at the end for me) but I felt like there was so much more potential in those characters that I could happily have spent another 100 pages with them.

How I Live Now is a wonderful tale of that fight for survival and really gets across the bleakness and brutality of living through war. I will definitely be checking out more by this author and I'd really recommend this book.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: What I Was by Meg Rosoff
Books like this: Blood Red Road by Moira Young