Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Code Name Verity is the gripping tale of two friends who work for the Allied forces during World War II. The first is Julie (aka Queenie in the first part of the book) and the second is Maddie, a pilot. After a flight gone wrong, Julie and Maddie are separated, and Julie is soon caught by the German Gestapo in the fictional town of Ormaie, France. After being tortured, Julie finally agrees to write down the story of how she came to be arrested and reveal all of the secrets she has been keeping for the Allies. Her story is the first part of the novel. It begins with Maddie and how she first came to be involved with the Allied forces and follows with how they met, their developing frienship, and the fateful night that tore them apart. The second part of the book is titled "Kittyhawk" and follows what happens after Julie concludes her tale. At the great risk of giving far too much away in this fantastic book (including spoiling important plot points), I will conclude my summary there. What I will tell you is this: the books is filled with the plot twists you can only hope for, the courage that you only dream of possessing, and the friendship that is found only in the truest of friends.

While Code Name Verity was enthralling, various parts were confusing, especially with the variety of acronyms and jargon pertaining to the girls' jobs. Some of the plot was also blurry along with a bit of the girls' timelines. However, once you get past that, the book is fantastic. Though I only picked it up from my library on a whim and had a bit of difficulty getting into it, it was well worth it. The writing style is fabulous; Julie's voice is both humorous and eerily spot-on with regards to so many different things from cultural aspects to her fears and then some. And, even if the plot was confusing at times, the sheer writing was enough to make me continue reading.

This book is for ages 15 and up; thematic materials are intense and prominent throughout the book from talk of torture (one or two graphic descriptions, but not until the latter end of the book) to dealing with unwanted advances from men (no sexual abuse is present though), and the book is riddled with curses.

A phenomenal novel that will leave your mind spinning, Elizabeth Wein's Code Name Verity is a superbly written tale on the will to live, the strength to persevere, and the love between friends that you will never forget.

Happy readings!