Title: Code Name Verity
Author: Elizabeth Wein
Teen Reviewer: Brittany Palandra
Rating: 5/5 stars
Two British
women land in France, a pilot and her passenger. They are best friends. And
they are a sensational team. Verity is an English- sorry, Scottish- spy who was working in Nazi-occupied France, captured by
the exact organization she was plotting against during her trip. A prisoner of
the Gestapo, she strikes a deal with the captain. She has 2 weeks to make her
confession, written on as much paper as she needs. As she tells the story of
her treason, Verity reveals how she became friends with the pilot who dropped
her, Maddie, and how the two of them ended up in the midst of a war. She
uncovers her fears, along with her thoughts on war, courage, and coping. She
knows that she’ll die anyway. She just hopes they’ll be easy on her.
Well, this was
certainly a remarkable story. A remarkable story told from the point of view of a remarkable woman.
Verity wasn’t excessively brave or strong. Just resourceful enough that she
didn’t need to be. Verity wasn’t above acting like scum, losing her dignity, to
ease her way through the prison. So when she faces a situation with a grim and
permanent ending, all she can do is try to ease it with this confession. What I
like is that although she’s this clever spy, she can be defeated. The torture
actually works. The kerosene in her hair and cigarettes against her neck break
her down. Because no one can sit with a brave patriotic face while the enemy
cuts your tongue, breaks your teeth, and sticks you with pins incessantly. It was gritty and realistic.
Verity and Maddie
tell conjoined stories, and you need the both of them together. The novel
wouldn’t mean anything with only Verity’s confession or only Maddie’s notes.
Maddie fills all the holes we were left with after Verity tells her story. It
had glorious closure, the kind you often feel you need but never get in some of
those emotionally wrecking tales of endless uncertainty. The story is a happy,
satisfying one in the end.
5/5 stars.
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