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The Pearl Thief
(Code Name Verity #1)
by
Before Verity…there was Julie.
When fifteen-year-old Julia Beaufort-Stuart wakes up in the hospital, she knows the lazy summer break she’d imagined won’t be exactly like she anticipated. And once she returns to her grandfather’s estate, a bit banged up but alive, she begins to realize that her injury might not have been an accident. One of her family’s employees is missing, ...more
When fifteen-year-old Julia Beaufort-Stuart wakes up in the hospital, she knows the lazy summer break she’d imagined won’t be exactly like she anticipated. And once she returns to her grandfather’s estate, a bit banged up but alive, she begins to realize that her injury might not have been an accident. One of her family’s employees is missing, ...more
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Hardcover, 326 pages
Published
May 2nd 2017
by Disney-Hyperion
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I enjoyed this, not quite as much as CNV, but I still really enjoyed it! It was awesome to get some backstory on Julie, she's such an interesting character. Overall a great read!
...more

Okay WOW this was so fantastic and my heart is so full of love for this beautiful story right now!! I absolutely adored Code Name Verity, so when I heard there was going to be a prequel about Julie, I just about lost my left sock in excitement. I am SO PLEASED!! Although fair warning: this is literally nothing like CNV. It is more like a whimsical Scottish frolic and romp in the 1930s when Julie was 15 and caught up in her family's estate that includes castles, pearls, and the occasional dead m
...more

Feb 01, 2017
Dannii Elle
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mysterious-miasmas,
historical-highness
You can find my full review on United by Pop.
Set in 1930s Britain, this focuses on Lady Julia’s return to her grandparents regal home, in the summer of her fifteenth year. However, she isn’t here for a holiday. With the death of her grandfather and the accumulation of a lifetime of debt, the house is to be sold and converted into a school. Julia is to assist her family in organising their ancestral belongings and heirlooms. Further troubles are heaped on this broken family when Julia is struck b ...more
Set in 1930s Britain, this focuses on Lady Julia’s return to her grandparents regal home, in the summer of her fifteenth year. However, she isn’t here for a holiday. With the death of her grandfather and the accumulation of a lifetime of debt, the house is to be sold and converted into a school. Julia is to assist her family in organising their ancestral belongings and heirlooms. Further troubles are heaped on this broken family when Julia is struck b ...more

My blog review:
Elizabeth Wein's books offer so much. The worlds she creates are remarkable in their textures; whether they are set in actual historical pasts or fantasy historical pasts, they are rich with touches large and small that bring the worlds alive for readers. She does something similar with characters, making them complex, flawed, and vivid whether they are the ones we care deeply about, those that terrify us, or simply those a bit more on the fringe of the story. All of them feel ful ...more
Elizabeth Wein's books offer so much. The worlds she creates are remarkable in their textures; whether they are set in actual historical pasts or fantasy historical pasts, they are rich with touches large and small that bring the worlds alive for readers. She does something similar with characters, making them complex, flawed, and vivid whether they are the ones we care deeply about, those that terrify us, or simply those a bit more on the fringe of the story. All of them feel ful ...more

Unfortunately a disappointing read in the end. I was fascinated by some of the historical material and loved learning about Scottish Travellers and river mussel pearls which kept my interest in the early parts of the novel. But the characters and the narrative itself fell flat. I never felt emotionally invested in any of the characters nor did the central mystery add any tension. No one really came alive; in fact the place felt more alive than the people. I wonder if others' glowing reviews of t
...more

Finished last night and dove straight back into Code Name Verity.
I picked up this book without knowing much about it. Yes, there's the blurb, but I didn't really pay attention to that. I just knew I adored Code Name Verity and as this was a prequel to that special book, I was reading it regardless (and hopefully loving it too). As it happens, I did love it. But it certainly wasn't what I was expecting.
I love the Pearl Thief for the innate Scottishness that infuses every page. I love it for the v ...more
I picked up this book without knowing much about it. Yes, there's the blurb, but I didn't really pay attention to that. I just knew I adored Code Name Verity and as this was a prequel to that special book, I was reading it regardless (and hopefully loving it too). As it happens, I did love it. But it certainly wasn't what I was expecting.
I love the Pearl Thief for the innate Scottishness that infuses every page. I love it for the v ...more

I planned falling in love with this book—just didn’t happen.
The plot seemed circuitous until the very ending. Additionally, does a girl of that age really have this much freedom?
The confusing part is that Elizabeth Wien clearly researched it very well. The section on river pearls and the Scotch lifestyle were strong points.
The Characters seem to be well rounded especially, the main character, Julie in her coming of age experience, was very impressive. The rest were questionable and if nothing ...more
The plot seemed circuitous until the very ending. Additionally, does a girl of that age really have this much freedom?
The confusing part is that Elizabeth Wien clearly researched it very well. The section on river pearls and the Scotch lifestyle were strong points.
The Characters seem to be well rounded especially, the main character, Julie in her coming of age experience, was very impressive. The rest were questionable and if nothing ...more

The main reason why I wanted to read The Pearl Thief is because British Travellers are prominent in the plot. Travellers are often confused with the Romani who are now believed to have originated in India. Travellers are native to Britain. They were also called Tinkers because they mended pots and kettles, but the term Tinker was used as an insult. I was astonished to read in this book that Tinker Bell was given that name to show that she was "a low class fairy". James Barrie, the creator of Tin
...more

She was coming home, not for a visit, but to help liquidate her deceased grandfather’s estate. The debt collectors were at the door and the house was to become a school. Fifteen-year-old Julia must be part of the dismantling of lifetimes of accumulated family treasures and heirlooms, but an attack by a shadowy figure leaves her comatose, awaking a victim of amnesia. She is only alive because of two young Travelers.
When things go missing, the Travelers are accused and now it is up to Julia, her ...more
When things go missing, the Travelers are accused and now it is up to Julia, her ...more

Code Name Verity fans will be overjoyed to learn that Elizabeth Wein has written a brilliant prequel to her bestseller spy thriller. The Pearl Thief is set in 1938 Scotland, where 15-year-old Julie is spending one final summer on her deceased grandfather's estate. This parlor mystery is far more innocent and sweet than Wein's World War II novels. The Pearl Thief reads like an Agatha Christie mystery for young teens, but the gorgeous writing, Shakespearean themes, and historical details would app
...more

I received a free advance copy of The Pearl Thief through Netgalley in return for a (brutally) honest review.
Vintage mysteries are one of my favourite genres when I need entertaining escapism, I like a quirky amateur detective and a case that's all about the puzzle rather than the crime itself. It's a simple formula but it is difficult to get right and The Pearl Thief fails on several levels. The setting is Scotland, it's impossible to miss it with the superabundance of dialect words and phrases ...more
Vintage mysteries are one of my favourite genres when I need entertaining escapism, I like a quirky amateur detective and a case that's all about the puzzle rather than the crime itself. It's a simple formula but it is difficult to get right and The Pearl Thief fails on several levels. The setting is Scotland, it's impossible to miss it with the superabundance of dialect words and phrases ...more

@ELIZABETH WEIN: I WILL PAY YOU TO KEEP WRITING PREQUELS ABOUT JULIE
i'm going to miss adventuring with julie soooo much!!! also spoiler but (view spoiler) honestly makes me want to sob and now i am just really hankering to throw my tbr pile out the window and just reread code name verity and have a good cry ...more
i'm going to miss adventuring with julie soooo much!!! also spoiler but (view spoiler) honestly makes me want to sob and now i am just really hankering to throw my tbr pile out the window and just reread code name verity and have a good cry ...more

I was surprised and a smidge trepidatious to learn that this was a prequel to the much-beloved Code Name Verity, but this works surprisingly well as a stand-alone, as an entry to the loosely connected Code Name Verity series, or as a treat for those who've already read and loved Verity.
In this book, we meet 15-year-old Julie, who goes on to become the heroine of Code Name Verity. But in these more innocent pre-war years, Julie's concerns are focused on her family estate in Scotland, where her fa ...more
In this book, we meet 15-year-old Julie, who goes on to become the heroine of Code Name Verity. But in these more innocent pre-war years, Julie's concerns are focused on her family estate in Scotland, where her fa ...more

4 stars
⛤⛤⛤⛤
Back in March 2016, I shelved a book called Code Name Verity. I cannot for the life of me remember why I shelved it into my TBR, but it's been sitting there patiently waiting to be the book of the day. The team at The Morning News then put a book called The Pearl Thief (Code Name Verity #0.5) onto the longlist for the Tournament of Books for 2018. I thought, oh hang on that rings a bell. My library had a copy of this on audiobook, so with nothing to lose, I downloaded it and started l ...more
⛤⛤⛤⛤
Back in March 2016, I shelved a book called Code Name Verity. I cannot for the life of me remember why I shelved it into my TBR, but it's been sitting there patiently waiting to be the book of the day. The team at The Morning News then put a book called The Pearl Thief (Code Name Verity #0.5) onto the longlist for the Tournament of Books for 2018. I thought, oh hang on that rings a bell. My library had a copy of this on audiobook, so with nothing to lose, I downloaded it and started l ...more

Things I hated aside, I honestly didn't care for this much. The mystery was dull, and it didn't work very well at all as a prequel for Code Name Verity. Julie didn't feel like Julie and the whole tone felt off.
Now for the hate.
The romances. Julie is attracted to and makes out with
A. an older man
B. a girl
C. the girl's brother.
How about no.
It was just weird and badly written. 10/10 would not recommend. ...more
Now for the hate.
The romances. Julie is attracted to and makes out with
A. an older man
B. a girl
C. the girl's brother.
How about no.
It was just weird and badly written. 10/10 would not recommend. ...more

as should be abundantly clear by my GR reviews, e. wein is one of my favorite living authors; i don't think a single one of her books has ever failed to delight. given that, you'd think i'd have read and reviewed this straight away - but because she is one of my favorite authors, i wanted to wait until i had a free weekend to just read. i don't know what i was thinking; weekends haven't worked like that for me in a depressingly long time! eventually i realized how stupid i was being and moved th
...more

Graded By: Jennie
Cover Story: Go On, Take The Money and Run
BFF Charm: Yay!
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: I Capture the Castle
Bonus Factors: Crumbling Aristocracy, Sweet Ride, History’s Mysteries
Relationship Status: It’s Like Being In Love, Discovering Your Best Friend
Read the full book report here. ...more
Cover Story: Go On, Take The Money and Run
BFF Charm: Yay!
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: I Capture the Castle
Bonus Factors: Crumbling Aristocracy, Sweet Ride, History’s Mysteries
Relationship Status: It’s Like Being In Love, Discovering Your Best Friend
Read the full book report here. ...more

I received this free from the publisher via NetGalley
Before Verity, and before Queenie, there was Julie Beaufort-Stuart. It’s 1938 and Julie Beaufort-Stuart is heading back to her family’s ancestral home, the Strathfearn estate, in Perthshire. Her grandfather’s death and debts have led to the forced sale of the estate, all the belongings, and Julie’s childhood goes with it. But not just that, the McEwens family, a Scottish Traveller family, have been a part of the landscape for as long as Julie ...more
Before Verity, and before Queenie, there was Julie Beaufort-Stuart. It’s 1938 and Julie Beaufort-Stuart is heading back to her family’s ancestral home, the Strathfearn estate, in Perthshire. Her grandfather’s death and debts have led to the forced sale of the estate, all the belongings, and Julie’s childhood goes with it. But not just that, the McEwens family, a Scottish Traveller family, have been a part of the landscape for as long as Julie ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

Apr 12, 2019
Kathryn
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
added-because-part-of-series,
audiobooks,
reading-list-2019,
fiction,
4-stars,
aty-2019,
ps-2019
Not quite as good as Code Name Verity or Rose Under Fire, but still a great story. And like the other two, I listened to this as an audiobook and the narration was wonderful!! I think it added to the story!

Sep 12, 2018
Book Concierge
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
audio,
coming-of-age,
historical-fiction,
mystery,
concierge,
library,
series,
social-commentary,
strong-women,
nature
Book on CD performed by Maggie Service
3.5***
15-year-old Julia-Beaufort Stuart comes home from finishing school for one final summer at the family’s ancestral home: Strathfearn House. She has many fond memories of time spent with her older brothers, Sandy and Jamie, and especially with her grandfather, the recently deceased Earl of Strathfearn. Now the property has been sold and is being converted into a school for boys. The construction workers have pretty much taken over the house and grounds, ...more
3.5***
15-year-old Julia-Beaufort Stuart comes home from finishing school for one final summer at the family’s ancestral home: Strathfearn House. She has many fond memories of time spent with her older brothers, Sandy and Jamie, and especially with her grandfather, the recently deceased Earl of Strathfearn. Now the property has been sold and is being converted into a school for boys. The construction workers have pretty much taken over the house and grounds, ...more

Oct 18, 2017
Pocket Full of Pages
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
on-our-shelf
“The wave of memory had submerged me for a whole minute, while I’d just sat staring and let it all come flooding back”.
We received a copy of this novel from Bloomsbury Australia in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Bloomsbury!
We were just so excited to read ‘The Pearl Thief’ when it arrived in the mail, which was such a lovely surprise! We have been wanting to read ‘Code Named Verity’ for a while now which we can’t wait to pick up! When reading this prequel story, we weren’t sure what to ...more
We received a copy of this novel from Bloomsbury Australia in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Bloomsbury!
We were just so excited to read ‘The Pearl Thief’ when it arrived in the mail, which was such a lovely surprise! We have been wanting to read ‘Code Named Verity’ for a while now which we can’t wait to pick up! When reading this prequel story, we weren’t sure what to ...more

Oh, how I adored this book.
First things first: thanks to my coworker Tory for grabbing an ARC for me at ALA Midwinter. I'd forgotten this book was even coming out and she presented it to me one evening at work with no fanfare whatsoever and I think I may have scared her a bit with my enthusiasm. Thanks, Tory.
(Okay, from here on this review has SPOILERS for CODE NAME VERITY. If there are spoilers for Pearl Thief, they'll be at the end and I'll put a line before them so you can stop if you need t ...more
First things first: thanks to my coworker Tory for grabbing an ARC for me at ALA Midwinter. I'd forgotten this book was even coming out and she presented it to me one evening at work with no fanfare whatsoever and I think I may have scared her a bit with my enthusiasm. Thanks, Tory.
(Okay, from here on this review has SPOILERS for CODE NAME VERITY. If there are spoilers for Pearl Thief, they'll be at the end and I'll put a line before them so you can stop if you need t ...more

*Scottish pride intensifies*
Y'all, I loved this book. I mean?? 1920s Scotland?? Proud aristocrats sitting in the ruins of their ancient land-holdings?? Class and race prejudice??? Bagpipes??? Tam-o'-shanters???Murder???? PEARLS???? WHAT IS THERE NOT TO LIKE HERE?!
Also, the descriptions were beautiful. I'm just sayin'. And Julie is such a fun, flirty, spunky heroine--definitely a realistic teenage girl, so A++ for that. *nods* (view spoiler) ...more
Y'all, I loved this book. I mean?? 1920s Scotland?? Proud aristocrats sitting in the ruins of their ancient land-holdings?? Class and race prejudice??? Bagpipes??? Tam-o'-shanters???Murder???? PEARLS???? WHAT IS THERE NOT TO LIKE HERE?!
Also, the descriptions were beautiful. I'm just sayin'. And Julie is such a fun, flirty, spunky heroine--definitely a realistic teenage girl, so A++ for that. *nods* (view spoiler) ...more

-POTENTIAL SPOILERS-
Around this time last year, maybe a little bit earlier, I read Elizabeth Wein's newest book at that time, Black Dove, White Raven. Much like her previous two books, I really enjoyed it. So I knew I would go into this book liking it too.
At first I was a bit confused about who Julie was supposed to be. I didn't remember her from Code Name Verity, even though I have read it. I then looked it up and found out SHE'S supposed to be Verity. Alright then.
Anyway, much like her othe ...more
Around this time last year, maybe a little bit earlier, I read Elizabeth Wein's newest book at that time, Black Dove, White Raven. Much like her previous two books, I really enjoyed it. So I knew I would go into this book liking it too.
At first I was a bit confused about who Julie was supposed to be. I didn't remember her from Code Name Verity, even though I have read it. I then looked it up and found out SHE'S supposed to be Verity. Alright then.
Anyway, much like her othe ...more

Feb 24, 2017
Kristin
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
friendship,
historical-fiction,
mystery,
read-in-2017,
ya,
relationships,
identity,
best-of-2017
Completely different from Code Name Verity, but it still employs the same elements in many ways. By no means a show stopper, but it tells a realistic story of a teenage girl coming into her own. I can absolutely see how Julie the 15-year-old grows up to become a spy. Here she's just a greener version of that person - courageous, privileged, a little thoughtless, in love with being in love, and totally mercenary. In fact the mercenary side of her was nearly as enjoyable as the stuff that reminded
...more

It was wonderful to be reunited with Julie, one of my favorite characters of recent years, in this prequel to Code Name Verity. Elizabeth Wein gives her such an appealing voice as well as creating a new cast of interesting characters that I loved this one. Didn't want it to end. Bonus that without a war backdrop it could be a mystery linked with local history and a glimpse into the life of an old Scottish family, and none of the horrors that were WWII. Now I will need to read her earlier books w
...more

As a formation story--Julia's--for Wein's genius, riveting Code Name Verity, this is quieter stunner which deepens the first, makes it the more poignant, (if such a thing is possible).
Read alone or first, I don't think The Pearl Thief would have had the same power over me, but it's a beautifully written coming-of-age story and a solid mystery, where the highborn Julia returns home pre-war and draws strength, character, and courage from her family, community, and Traveller friends for the shatte ...more
Read alone or first, I don't think The Pearl Thief would have had the same power over me, but it's a beautifully written coming-of-age story and a solid mystery, where the highborn Julia returns home pre-war and draws strength, character, and courage from her family, community, and Traveller friends for the shatte ...more

july 2017: i absolutely adored it, it's the perfect light summer historical scottish mystery with sensational young teenagers going around living The Life (and being alive). it gives even more depth to julie's character and makes you want a CNV #0,5...
to be noted, the Traveller, the scottish setting and the pearls mystery were well researched by EW and it's not such a common effort in YA.
may 2017: CHEWIE WE'RE HOME!!!!! imagine all the julie x jamie!!!!! ...more
to be noted, the Traveller, the scottish setting and the pearls mystery were well researched by EW and it's not such a common effort in YA.
may 2017: CHEWIE WE'RE HOME!!!!! imagine all the julie x jamie!!!!! ...more
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Paste Magazine has listed Code Name Verity as the best YA novel of the 2010 decade! The full list is here:
https://www.pastemagazine.com/article...
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https://www.pastemagazine.com/article...
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