Code Name Verity (Audiobook)

Bibliography:

Wein, Elizabeth. Code Name Verity (Audible Audiobook - Unabridged). Read by Morven Christie and Lucy Gaskell. Tullamarine: Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd, 2012. ASIN: B0089CJZD4

Plot Summary:

Upon her capture by the Gestapo in Nazi-occcupied France, secret agent “Verity” unfolds a complex and captivating tale in the form of a written confession, scrawled on scraps of paper between threats of torture from her captors. Like a modern Scheherezade, Verity (a woman of many names and code names) delays her inevitable execution by handing over memorized lines of code and recounting the details of her friendship with Air Transport Auxiliary pilot Maddie Brodatt. Verity, an upper-class Scottish woman with a knack for spy work, and Maddie, a working-class Englishwoman with a passion for mechanics and flying, discover a unique bond of friendship, trust, and teamwork as they navigate the harrowing landscape of World War II Europe. Gripping night flights, coded messages, secret missions, and jaw-dropping plot twists make this novel a thrilling read as well as a poignant tribute to valor, friendship, and sacrifice.

Critical Analysis:

The brave female protagonists of this remarkable novel endear themselves to the reader almost immediately with their intense courage, humanity, and sharp sense of humor. Clear differences in voice, culture, personality, and vocabulary distinguish the characters from each other, and their use of period-specific slang provides a believable sense of place in time and geography. References to pop culture such as the song “April in Paris” and literary works such as Peter Pan and the early writings of George Orwell establish the setting and the zeitgeist in which the novel takes place. While many names and locations used in the novel are invented, Elizabeth Wein, a pilot herself, notes in her “Author’s Debriefing” (read by the author) that she carefully researched the facts surrounding the work of female pilots and agents during WWII and attempted to keep her story as authentic as possible, even down to details such as the invention and use of the ballpoint pen. That women struggled to be allowed to use their tremendous talents in the war effort reoccurs as a central theme, with characters like pilot Dympna Wythenshawe embodying the pride and determination representative of these capable heroines: “There’s going to be air work for girls in this war. You wait.” This aspect of the novel serves as both a window into the plight of women during WWII and a relevant commentary on the continuing struggle for gender equality today. However, the novel never veers into didacticism. A brief bibliography at the end of the novel discloses Wein’s research sources on such topics as the Air Transport Authority, Special Operations Executive, and France during the German occupation.

Morven Christie’s masterful performance of the novel, including skilled pronunciation of German, French, English, and Scottish languages and accents (and even a gorgeously sung passage), creates an absorbingly realistic portrayal of these fascinating characters. The reading is well-paced and dramatic, enhancing the listener's connection with the characters and the novel's sustained sense of suspense. Though the audiobook is an excellent work on its own, readers may enjoy following along in the printed book to appreciate the visual representations of flight logs, prescription notepads, and other interesting visual elements. It should be noted, however, that there are quite a few minor differences between the audio and the paperback edition in terminology and phrases (“right away” vs. “straight away,” etc.) used in the different editions. Nevertheless, for anyone interested in historical fiction, particularly related to World War II, Code Name Verity is not to be missed. The adventure will keep readers captivated, and its earnest tale of friendship will stay in the reader’s memory long after the novel has drawn to a close.

Awards and Review Excerpts:

2013 Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book
2013 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Top Ten
2012 Boston Globe Horn Book Award Honor
2012 Booklist Books for Youth Editors’ Choice

“If you pick up this book, it will be some time before you put your dog-eared, tear-stained copy back down. Wein succeeds on three fronts: historical verisimilitude, gut-wrenching mystery, and a first-person voice of such confidence and flair that the protagonist might become a classic character-if only we knew what to call her.” Booklist

“This novel positively soars, in part no doubt because the descriptions of flying derive from Wein's own experience as a pilot. But it's outstanding in all its features-its warm, ebullient characterization; its engagement with historical facts; its ingenious plot and dramatic suspense; and its intelligent, vivid writing.” The Horn Book

Connections: 

Read Elizabeth Wein’s companion novel to Code Name Verity:
Rose Under Fire. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2013. ISBN: 1423183096

Explore the history of the Air Transport Auxiliary and primary source documents at the ATA Museum website:
https://atamuseum.org

Discover the true stories of female Soviet pilots with Elizabeth Wein’s nonfiction: 
A Thousand Sisters: The Heroic Airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War II. New York: Balzer + Bray, 2019. ISBN: 0062453017

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