Code Name Verity - July 2013

[Rhaine]

Do you like it? What are your impressions of the characters? What did you think of this book?

*Also, please remember to put spoiler tags around anything that may be considered a major spoiler.*

[Grace]

The unreliability of the narrator through me off for awhile, and I ended up rereading it so that I could be in the know from the beginning. Overall I really enjoyed this book.

[Kathy]

I loved it but I was never sure if she was telling the truth and then you get to the end and want to re-read. I should go back to the library. It was a really original young adult idea though, which I loved. I need more WWII YA in my life :-)

[Rhaine]

I have to agree with you, Kathy, about wanting to re-read Code Name Verity. I really enjoyed this book and I think its now one of my favourites. One of the things I loved best about Code Name Verity was the friendship between Maddie and Julie. Also I found the switch between narrators to be quite a surprise. I was expecting Julie to narrate the novel the whole way through.

I was wondering what everyone else thought (view spoiler)[about Maddie shooting Julie. It did come quite as a shock to me, however I thought it was much more realistic than if Julie had been rescued right at the end. (hide spoiler)]

[Emma Louise]

Hello! It's the last day and I'm so sorry but I just wasn't able to make the deadline. However, I am just about to begin Part 2. Overall, of what I've read, I enjoyed it. The narrator has a very clear voice but I like how she likes to throw you off her scent in using her aliases. All the stuff with Von Linden, Engel and the prison was very interesting and also funny. And, i know this may seem insignificant but I ADORE the title. The author uses language incredibly well and I was happy to be using the Kindle because I was able to lift out quotes.
However, I can't say that I enjoyed Queenie's testimonial. I felt that it was way too factually written for my taste (which makes sense considering the circumstances) and I didn't really see her friendship with Maggie as very strong or complex. In fact, to me Maggie wasn't very fleshed out (and, yes, I know the 2nd part is hers). Also, Julie never detailed her time as a spy and her training process, which, to me, is more interesting than Maggie's flight training.
I also think that it was definitely a very modern book, which is good and bad. Good in that it has good pacing and complexity but bad in the fact that I didn't see society of the 1940s.
I can't wait to read the rest!
Emma Louise