Author: Elizabeth Wein
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication Date: May 5th, 2012
Page Count: 343
Genre: historical fiction, WWII
Audience: young adult
Source: bought
Rating: 5 I'd keep all this book's secrets to keep it safe
Goodreads Summary:
Oct. 11th, 1943--A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun.
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 and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy?
Anyway, this book will break your heart. It's a beautiful book about friendship. It made me ugly-cry and is one of those books you don't want to read in public. Also one of those books you just plain don't want to read around anyone else if you get annoyed like I do when people exclaim, as you sob into your book, "Oh my gosh, what's the matter?!" (as my husband always does. You'd think he'd learn!) This is supposed to be a review, but honestly, it's hard to talk about this book without giving anything away. So just do me a favor and trust me here. Go to your local library or your local bookstore and get a copy. And read it. (Make sure you don't have plans because, if you're like me, you won't be able to put it down.) And then come back here and tell me what you thought. Seriously, give it a go.
Now. :)
This is the second time I've read about this book today! You know, I've always been a little bit intimidated by this book and it is a little unfortunate. Here's what I told my other reading friend: I'm a little intimidated because 1) it's a historical book and although I LOVE history, I don't always love historical fiction books and 2) everyone everyone everyone that I know has loved this book, so I feel tremendous pressure to do the same (sort of like with TFiOS and Anna and the French kiss, both of which I didn't feel like lived up to the hype - see what I mean??).
ReplyDeleteI understand that there is such a important to reading books like this, such significance, and I don't want to undermine that by reading this book at the wrong time or in the wrong mood or with the wrong mindset. I have this one on my kindle and I *need* to read it, I'm just terrified of it. I WILL read it. I will. I just need to do it like you mention and make sure that I'm not bothered and not planning to go anywhere because I'll probably ugly-cry.
I'd be surprised if this isn't a major award winner. I'm glad to see that you liked this one so much. It makes me feel a little better about reading it (when I get the courage!).
I totally know what you mean. (I actually felt the same way about Anna and the French Kiss after reading that one!) I love historical fiction, but I feel like I have to be in a certain mindset to really enjoy them. I can't wait to see what you think. :) I hope you love it as much as I do when you get 'round to reading it!!
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