Review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Code Name Verity
Elizabeth Wein
May 15th, 2012
343 pages (hardcover)
Hyperion Books for Children
Source - Netgalley

Oct. 11th, 1943—A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance 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.

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 and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy? 

I can count the number of books that have left me in tears¹ using only one hand, and I can now count Code Name Verity among those select few stories. Admittedly, my first attempt at reading it ended after only 34 pages. But, then the glowing reviews kept coming and I was determined to finish and see what I was missing out on. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised. Code Name Verity is a unique and skillfully woven tale of friendship in a time of war that will undoubtedly become a favorite story for many readers.

Part One is narrated by a girl with the code name Verity, while Part Two is narrated by a girl with the code name Kittyhawk². Verity carefully bares her soul and secrets onto scraps of paper in exchange for more time to live, and gives out code in exchange for her clothes back. As she writes about the past and present, it's at first difficult to see how her stories about Maddie (a pilot and a friend of Verity's) will prove to be useful information to her cruel interrogators. Yet, with every new detail Verity reveals on each page, the story becomes more engaging and surprising. Kittyhawk's continuation of the story even strengthens the compelling aspect to the writing. In the end, Code Name Verity is a story you shouldn't miss out on. 

Highlights: Brilliantly written. When I reached Part Two, I realized how smart Verity's narration was as everything fell into place. Emotional and compelling, this is the kind of story that will linger in your thoughts. I love how developed the characters are, especially Verity and her firecracker personality. Setting, plot – everything was extraordinary. And, despite the amount of somber moments, there are many delightful ones too. 

Lowlights: A bit disorientating in the beginning, and very slow moving. 

Rating:  

1 The last "KISS ME, HARDY!" scene got me good (quote doesn't mean what you may think). So heartbreaking. *looks for tissues*
2 You learn both of their actual names with time.

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Bitterblue
Kristin Cashore
1st May 2012
576 pages (hardcover)
Publisher - Dial
Source - Purchased

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

I enjoyed Graceling, adored Fire, and absolutely loved Bitterblue. Unlike the protagonists of Cashore's previous novels, Bitterblue is not Graced or a monster. Instead, she's a queen who enjoys numbers, ciphers and stories. Throughout the novel, her deceased father's terrible Grace and actions still linger in Monsea. Betrayal, secrets, and lies run deeper than imaginable. Her kingdom is filled with oddities that no one wants to explain or fix. Each new twist brings another round of suspects, questions, and ultimately creates even more doubts about everything and everyone.

Curious revelations, first love, and Bitterblue's transformation into the queen Monsea needs, Bitterblue gradually builds into a phenomenal story. Bitterblue herself is a remarkable young woman with a subtle strength, sharp humor, and a need for truth. It was intriguing to watch her character grow with each chapter. Bitterblue delves deeper and into darker places in order to unravel the mysteries in Monsea. There are lovely, lighthearted moments, along with others that will have you near (or in) tears. All in all, Bitterblue is an outstanding novel well worth the time it takes to read each page.

Highlights: It was nice to see characters from Cashore's previous books be present in this one, and through Bitterblue's very observant view of them. Characters as a whole were very well written (especially Death¹, Teddy, Saf, Po, Giddon, Leck, and Thiel). The extras at the end (cast of characters, drawings, et cetera) were fascinating. The ending, while a little bittersweet, was nicely done. 

Lowlights: I wanted more pages. Seriously. 

Note: As this is a sequel, reading Graceling is a must. I would recommend reading Fire since it will help make many moments more meaningful in the story. 

Rating:  

1 Coolest librarian ever. I kind of wish I had his Grace.