I’m handing this out for World Book Night 2014 and decided that before doing so I should probably give the thing a read, no? It won a Printz Honor when it was released and the sequel has been earning extra heapings of praise for both books. When choosing my WBN selection, I wanted something that lots of people, particularly young readers, could really sink their teeth into. A book with meat, plot, and purpose. Code Name Verity seemed just the thing.
Here’s where a synopsis should go, but I don’t want to reveal too much. How about…two friends are involved in some espionage during WWII that gets one of them captured in occupied France after their plane crashes. Oh, and the two friends (the pilot and the spy) are teenage/college-aged girls. Did that synopsis work at all? Just go read the thing.
SO GOOD. I could not put this down. I’d lowered my expectations going in because so many had warned me the book bored them and was bogged down under dull aviation details that wouldn’t interest anyone who wasn’t a pilot. Wein, herself, is a pilot. But I didn’t find this to be the case at all. The details that were included just made the story feel more authentic and gave the tone of the novel a gripping sense of realism.
The writing is wonderful and smart and emotionally riveting. The girls are well written and believable. The plot is nonstop – full of twisty, turny moments that genuinely shocked me more than once. It is so rare for a plot twist to find me unawares these days, but Code Name Verity pulled it off not once, but twice. The ending was gut-wrenching, and I can understand why so many previous readers were moved to tears. The story manages to be centered around a beautiful female friendship and themes of feminism in the best and most brilliant of ways. This is a book that shows you a thing instead of telling you a thing. And I loved it.
After having read and loved and read and hated a vast plethora of WWII fiction and nonfiction, I really didn’t think it possible for a book set during this time period to feel fresh and to teach me something I didn’t know. But Code Name Verity does this – excels at this – and deserves all its praise and accolades. I can’t wait to hand this book over to people of all ages in April and to get my greedy little hands on the sequel!!
The Blog of Litwits 
For some reason I kept passing this one up, but your review is terrific and I’m adding this book to my list right now. Thanks for the recommendation, Brooke!
I hope you get around to it and enjoy, Beth!!
I read this last year and loved it to bits. The plot twist in the middle took my breath away and I was in tears at several points. I have Rose under fire on my Kindle and am looking forward to it.
The plot twist really was great and completely surprising. I’ve heard that Rose Under Fire reads really differently.
I hadn’t ever considered reading this but you make it sound great.
It was a blast to read! Emotionally moving and quite the page-turner!
One of my two favorites books of last year–my favorite was the sequel, Rose Under Fire! I recommend reading it very, very soon!! )
ON IT! Can’t wait to read the sequel.
I still want to read this! Great review
Read it, read it!!
Fresh is a perfect word to describe this book. I absolutely loved it, and then made my daughter read it and she loved it, too, though she thought it was a little slow to start (I didn’t feel that way, though). I bought but still need to read Rose Under Fire. I’ve heard that one is even better.
I’ve heard Rose Under Fire is better as well, just really different than CNV. Can’t wait to hand it out on WBN.