Summary:
"Oct. 11, 1943
A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France.
Its pilot and passenger are best friends.
One of the girls has a shot at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun.
When "Verity" is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn't stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she's living a spy's worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.
They'll get the truth out of her. But it won't be what they expect.
As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage, failure, and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from a merciless and ruthless enemy?
Harrowing and beautifully written, Code Name Verity is the story of an unforgettable friendship forged in the face of the ultimate evil."
My Thoughts:
Wow, this book was definitely original and great. The way Verity tells her story is quite interesting, jumping from an event several months earlier to an event a week earlier, while also recapping on whatever happened to her that day. I also have to say that it was really intriguing that though the story is told somewhat in first person by our narrator Verity, she mostly tells Maddie's story, making Verity a storyteller in her own right. That storytelling aspect is such that when Verity actually brings herself into Maddie's story, I didn't realize it until the "villain" pointed it out to one of his comrades.
As the title states, Verity is her code name, but even the other names she uses for herself throughout the story are false names. We don't even know her true name until the very end of the story as told by Verity. The last quarter or so of the book shifts perspective entirely and Maddie is able to tell her own story of the final events in this remarkable and moving story.
I don't want to give any spoilers or ruin the story for anyone who hasn't read it, but I do want to say that it is an incredible read and I highly recommend it to anyone, teen or adult. This is a story of friendship and of loyalty, the bonds created between Verity and Maddie, and the lengths they will go to in order to help one another, save one another, and do their part for the war effort. Code Name Verity is extremely moving and I found myself tearing up a few times. I will be quite interested to see what other books Elizabeth Wein will write. She has made it on my author watch list.
As the title states, Verity is her code name, but even the other names she uses for herself throughout the story are false names. We don't even know her true name until the very end of the story as told by Verity. The last quarter or so of the book shifts perspective entirely and Maddie is able to tell her own story of the final events in this remarkable and moving story.
I don't want to give any spoilers or ruin the story for anyone who hasn't read it, but I do want to say that it is an incredible read and I highly recommend it to anyone, teen or adult. This is a story of friendship and of loyalty, the bonds created between Verity and Maddie, and the lengths they will go to in order to help one another, save one another, and do their part for the war effort. Code Name Verity is extremely moving and I found myself tearing up a few times. I will be quite interested to see what other books Elizabeth Wein will write. She has made it on my author watch list.
Code Name Verity at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/code-name-verity-elizabeth-e-wein/1105027889?ean=9781423152194
Code Name Verity at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Code-Name-Verity-Elizabeth-Wein/dp/1423152190/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1357602525&sr=1-1&keywords=Code+Name+Verity
Other Readings:
Wow...already halfway through the month. I really need to focus on the book pick for Vaginal Fantasy because I actually haven't started it yet. I also need to finish Unearthly by Cynthia Hand since it is due back to the library on Saturday. So, I guess you know what I'm doing this week, reading those books while also following up on some applications and putting in some more. Job hunting is not fun at all.
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