Book Club: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

The October Book Club read was Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

 

 

Code Name Verity is a story told by 2 young women in the 1920s who worked as service women in the war. Set in the era when women had different rights to men and in war time how things changed and they allowed women to serve in the war although not always seen as equal and having to work twice as hard as men and often were twice as good at it!

 

The story is told by 2 characters and split into 2 chapters, it is rough and tumble honest writing coming straight from their minds and hearts and spilling onto the page. The first half of the book is told by Queenie a Scottish girl captured by the Germans and thought to be a spy and the second half is told by Maddie who flys planes for the British Army  - both tell their tale of how they came to be where they are.  

This was a fantastic story, from the first few lines I was hooked and had to keep reading to see where this adventure would take me. The characters are so likeable they became like my best friends by the end. I think this book would have been easier to follow if it was in 3 chapters, the first about their friendship as it was a bit confusing working out who was narrating at times, then the Queenie and Maddie chapters.
 

I would recommend this book as young adult fiction and anyone with an interest in aviation. I especially think women will enjoy the friendship in this book.

 

I give this book 4 stars out of 5

 

Jarrah Jungle's Star Rating:

1 Bad - I'd rather eat brussel sprouts topped with anchovies than read this again
2 Not Good - I'd rather watch re-runs of Neighbours than read this again
3 Ok - I'm sitting on the fence - its not great but not terrible either
4 Good - I'd pass up a pack of tim tams for this read
5 Great - I'd pass up a date with Johnny Depp for this read

 

[Image via Goodreads]