Bookanistas: CODE NAME VERITY by Elizabeth Wein

Plot without spoilers...Is this possible? Britain. WWII. Two young girls--one a pilot, one a society girl--find themselves behind enemy lines in Germain-occupied France.

Of literary interest...The book deals with dualities in both structural and thematic ways. Two nations, two young women, two narrators, two identities (not gonna give you more on this, just trust me). Yet, like the story itself, the dualities shift and slide, narrators name themselves then reveal other identities; good and evil, right and wrong, hope and despair, are continually questioned and redefined. A breathtakingly well-written book--a breathless read.

Finally, just gotta say...This is an astonishing, well-crafted and finely-researched novel.  It is a spy story, laden with twists, so it's difficult to say too much without giving something away, which would be very unfair to the many readers this book should have. Sometimes I read a highly-hyped book and kind of finish with, "huh, well, a good read but maybe not the great read I was expecting." CODE NAME VERITY lives up to its praise and exceeds expectations. Definitely destined for "Best Lists."