Wein, Elizabeth - Code Name Verity - Informal Buddy Read - Start Date November 5, 2014

[Snowtulip]

June, you hit is when you say looking back on the clues, that's one of the things I liked best after I finished this.

I absolutely love The Book Thief, more than this book :)

[Srividya]

Sorry June. I never got the notification for your message! I am still struggling as I am juggling too many books. Hope to get back to this one some time in the coming week.

[Stacie]

I finally got my copy of this if anyone is still around that wants to read it.

[Stacie]

Just started. Hopefully it gets better. Just a little unsure about things but I'm going to keep going.

[Stacie]

The comments you guys are making is what is keeping me going with this book. I'm only three sections in and I'm really tired of plane talk though I understand how it makes sense for the character. I'm looking forward to it getting more exciting.

[Srividya]

Stacie - I am also having the same problem. Got stuck in the first quarter of the book and am not getting the motivation to go ahead. Also it doesn't help that I have numerous other BRs and stuff to read! However, I am also continuing, albeit at a really slow pace, with the hope that it gets gripping soon.

[Stacie]

Srividya wrote: "Stacie - I am also having the same problem. Got stuck in the first quarter of the book and am not getting the motivation to go ahead. Also it doesn't help that I have numerous other BRs and stuff t..."

Maybe we can support each other. It's a Verity Support Group :)

[Srividya]

Hahaha.. Sure Stacie :)

[Stacie]

Logan (~Daeris the Shadow Elf Queen~) wrote: "I'm through page 112 now. The beginning really hooked me, but the longer we spend hearing Queenie (or whoever she truly is) recount endless details from her past, the more frustrated I get. Am I th..."

That's where I am. I'm having trouble caring. I don't like torture and I sort of want to know what is happening but there's a reason I don't really read books with war and history, etc. I'm much more of a fast paced what is going on with this girl.

[Stacie]

Okay. I've made it into part 2 and I'm enjoying it much more. I think that part of my issue is that (view spoiler)[I have a hard time with Queenie's POV. I realize that now that I'm in Maddie's section. I'm loving how things are coming together and this section seems less dry to me than part one. I think I get why the author did it but not everyone is going to be patient. (hide spoiler)] Now that I'm further along I want to know how it ends much more and am reading with more interest and excitement.

[Stacie]

I was pretty convinced that (view spoiler)[Julie was still alive. I was not right. (hide spoiler)] I loved the end when Julie's mom (view spoiler)[ wrote that beautiful letter to Maddie. I'm still secretly hoping in an alternate universe that Maddie and Jamie are together. (hide spoiler)]

It was refreshing to read a story with two strong female characters and to see how true the statement is to not judge a book by its cover, especially when looking at some of the characters in this book.

[Srividya]

Am about 40% into the book now. (view spoiler)[While I find the humour really good, I have to admit that I am confused as to where all this will lead. I get the feeling that Queenie is the narrator but there are times that I feel that it is Maddie, given that she knows so much about Maddie and her flights. On the other hand, given that she knows both French and German, I feel that it is Queenie as I think it was mentioned that Maddie had no knowledge of these languages.

One big thought in my mind right now is whether this ambiguity regarding the narrator is deliberate or incidental?

Like many people who were at this part earlier, I am not quite sure why the Nazis are being so generous about giving her the paper and listening to her story, be it Queenie or Maddie. Would love to know the reason behind it and am sure it will be explained soon.

What I love best is the flow of narration, which despite being confusing at times is really cheerful and happy. It makes me wonder how a person who has been arrested and will soon be executed can be happy and cheerful. Is it because she has come to terms with the whole thing and is trying to make the most of it or I wonder whether there will be a twist at the end.

However, I have to admit that the book literally draws you in. Despite my initial issues (which I feel were totally my own mental blocks) am now totally into this one as of now (hide spoiler)]

[Srividya]

Just finished Part one. (view spoiler)[Finally we know that it is Queenie or Julie who is the narrator but I still don't get why that whole part was written in the form of an interview. Am hoping for some revelations in the second part. (hide spoiler)]

[Stacie]

I think this book made my wheels turn more than any has in a while. I was also glad when (view spoiler)[the narrator was finally revealed because I was having a hard time with the switching. (hide spoiler)] Part 2 is when I had a really hard time putting the book down and kind of sped through.

[Srividya]

I agree with you Stacie. I was also confused throughout the first part of the book and was glad when the second part started. I hope to finish this book today. Won't be reading much during the day today (its morning here already) but hope to read some in the night and finish it!

[Srividya]

At about 75% now and things are definitely getting clear. (view spoiler)[All I can say is WOW. I never expected this twist in the tale. But I am definitely amazed at the depths of intelligence as shown by Julie and the others! (hide spoiler)]

[Stacie]

Srividya wrote: "At about 75% now and things are definitely getting clear. [spoilers removed]"

Much better now, right? I wasn't expecting most of what happened in the last half of the book.

[Srividya]

Absolutely Stacie. Now I just can't wait to read what happens next. Should finish it today for sure. Couldn't get to it yesterday but I am dying to know how it ends!

[Srividya]

Finished! While it did become really interesting in the beginning of the second part, I did not like the ending. (view spoiler)[I found the ending lacking in drama, given the story and the pace that was set in the first as well as the initial portions of the second part. It was just too tame. While I did not really want Julie to die, I could accept that part but what I just couldn't accept was the ease with which everything ended. Till that portion it seemed like a 4 star book for me but the last whining on Maddie's part made me change my mind. I just expected more - not sure what but definitely not this tame ending. However, I will say that my heart went out to Julie's mom in the end. (hide spoiler)]