Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein ★★★★★ Oct. 11th, 1943-A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. When "Verity" is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn't stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she's living a spy's worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution. As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage, failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy? Code Name Verity is the most most heart-stopping, heartbreaking book I have ever read. The first time I read it, I couldn't finish it - I didn't like it. A few days ago I found it under a pile of laundry and decided to have another go at it and my god am I glad I did. I honestly can't say why I didn't like Code Name Verity the first time I tried to read it, because I am head-over-heels madly in love with this book. On the outside, it's a story about girls who love each other fierce and true, fighting for their country, but underneath is the brutal life of a captured spy and an airwoman behind enemy lines. Verity and Kittyhawk, even the Nazis, are some of the best written, well-rounded characters I've ever read. They were all real, the whole book seemed real to me, and just as terrifying and heartfelt as a real-life account of the events would be. I cried for hours after finishing Code Name Verity. I could gush (possibly incoherently) about it for hours, but I don't want to give anything away, so I'll only say this: Code Name Verity is just grand, a masterpiece of storytelling and a piece of history brought back to life.
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Once Upon a Time...As a longtime lover of stories and a believer in the power and magic of books, I've spent my life seeking out the best reads. This blog is dedicated to reviewing the books I read - good, bad, or magnificent - to help other readers find their next favorite books. Currently ReadingKing Zeno
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