mel_s_bookshelf's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/injury detail, Death, War, Child death, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Cancer, Rape, Terminal illness, and Abortion
srah's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
4.5
I took off a quarter point for being a bit longer and slower than it needed to be, and another quarter point for the graphic descriptions in the scene, which I have been thinking about all week since I read it.
Spoiler
Café de Paris
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, War, Death, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Violence, Child death, and Grief
Minor: Genocide and Homophobia
inked_in_pages's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Grief, Sexism, Death, and Child death
shortshortreads's review against another edition
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Revolving around the lives of three women at beltchley park we get an insight into three different compartments that made the clockwork of the park tick.
We were also given the POV of the women post war hinting at the scars and perhaps an unsolved mystery still lingering. This was really well written but I did have to wait for the pace to pick up around 50%. We got to see the women develop and learn their strengths and show they too could contribute to the war.
We were also given the POV of the women post war hinting at the scars and perhaps an unsolved mystery still lingering. This was really well written but I did have to wait for the pace to pick up around 50%. We got to see the women develop and learn their strengths and show they too could contribute to the war.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Rape, Domestic abuse, Death, and Child death
daniallreads's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Grief, Sexual assault, Child death, Death, and Rape
Moderate: Mental illness and Sexual content
rc05's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Murder, Confinement, Death, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Injury/injury detail, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexism
jillgoober's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This was one of those novels that reminded me why I should read more historical fiction. I've owned this book basically since it was released and hadn't read it until now and I simply do not know what I was waiting for.
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn follows three women (shifting perspectives chapter to chapter between each) who work at Bletchley Park, a code breaking center, during World War II. The book flips back and forth between the earlier days of the war (starting at 1940) and a few years post war (1947). At the start of the novel, you know that by 1947 these three women hate each other to some level but that when they worked at Bletchley Park, they were close friends. The big question: What happened between then and now?
This story includes romance, heartbreak, grief, friendship, and, of course, historical facts about the real Bletchley Park. As you can read in the Author's Note, Quinn modeled a good amount of her characters after real life people and did loads of research to make sure the book was as accurate as possible. This contributed greatly to the people and situations in this novel feeling so very real.
I will say that I'm partial to a historical fiction book that has a female protagonist (or multiple) but I do think any historical fiction reader would love this book, regardless of gender.
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn follows three women (shifting perspectives chapter to chapter between each) who work at Bletchley Park, a code breaking center, during World War II. The book flips back and forth between the earlier days of the war (starting at 1940) and a few years post war (1947). At the start of the novel, you know that by 1947 these three women hate each other to some level but that when they worked at Bletchley Park, they were close friends. The big question: What happened between then and now?
This story includes romance, heartbreak, grief, friendship, and, of course, historical facts about the real Bletchley Park. As you can read in the Author's Note, Quinn modeled a good amount of her characters after real life people and did loads of research to make sure the book was as accurate as possible. This contributed greatly to the people and situations in this novel feeling so very real.
I will say that I'm partial to a historical fiction book that has a female protagonist (or multiple) but I do think any historical fiction reader would love this book, regardless of gender.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, War, Forced institutionalization, Child death, and Death
fifteenthjessica's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This will probably be my last finished novel of 2022, and I'll definitely check out more by Kate Quinn.
World War II is in full swing, and decrypting German and Italian messages may be the difference between victory and defeat. Bletchley Park becomes a center of British Intelligence activity, and with many men at war, women are among the people brought in to help. Three of the women--Osla Kendall, a witty socialite who aspires to be seen as more than a ditzy debutante; Mab Churt, a jaded young woman from the poor side of London determined to make a better life for herself; and Beth Finch, a spinster near Bletchley Park who after years of bullying from her mother thinks she's not good for much else other than household help and solving crossword puzzles--form a strong friendship that breaks before the end of the war. A few years later, as the world prepares to watch Osla's war time beau Philip marry Princess Elizabeth, Osla and Mab receive coded letters from Beth saying that there was a traitor at Bletchley Park who was behind her commitment to an insane asylum, and she needs their help get out and catch them.
The novel is overall excellent, most of the characters are lovable (although the traitor felt very two-dimensional), and Quinn shows skill with the genres she blends for this. As someone who isn't that big on romance, I did find myself rooting for most of the couples, even to a certain extent Philip and Osla's doomed romance, however, it would have been nicer if there was more code breaking and mystery worked in. At times, Bletchley Park feels like it's only present in the novel to put higher stakes into the 1947 portion. Another thing is that Quinn paints a great portrait of how, even in relatively egalitarian places like Bletchley Park, misogyny still rears its ugly head.
I was initially going to give it 5 stars, but looking back over my notes, I remembered some pacing issues. At times the narrative switching between the war years and the madcap hunt for the traitor before Philip and Elizabeth's wedding (as well as between the three main characters' POV) was well done, other times it was questionable. Probably the worst incident of this is Beth coming to a (false) conclusion of who the traitor is, only for the very next chapter to reveal the traitor's real identity when they literally show up and tell her. Not to mention, chapter 3 gave such a strong portrait of Mab and Osla's characters that Chapters 1 and 2 seemed extraneous except for bring up some important relationships they have with people outside of Bletchley Park.
World War II is in full swing, and decrypting German and Italian messages may be the difference between victory and defeat. Bletchley Park becomes a center of British Intelligence activity, and with many men at war, women are among the people brought in to help. Three of the women--Osla Kendall, a witty socialite who aspires to be seen as more than a ditzy debutante; Mab Churt, a jaded young woman from the poor side of London determined to make a better life for herself; and Beth Finch, a spinster near Bletchley Park who after years of bullying from her mother thinks she's not good for much else other than household help and solving crossword puzzles--form a strong friendship that breaks before the end of the war. A few years later, as the world prepares to watch Osla's war time beau Philip marry Princess Elizabeth, Osla and Mab receive coded letters from Beth saying that there was a traitor at Bletchley Park who was behind her commitment to an insane asylum, and she needs their help get out and catch them.
The novel is overall excellent, most of the characters are lovable (although the traitor felt very two-dimensional), and Quinn shows skill with the genres she blends for this. As someone who isn't that big on romance, I did find myself rooting for most of the couples, even to a certain extent Philip and Osla's doomed romance, however, it would have been nicer if there was more code breaking and mystery worked in. At times, Bletchley Park feels like it's only present in the novel to put higher stakes into the 1947 portion. Another thing is that Quinn paints a great portrait of how, even in relatively egalitarian places like Bletchley Park, misogyny still rears its ugly head.
I was initially going to give it 5 stars, but looking back over my notes, I remembered some pacing issues. At times the narrative switching between the war years and the madcap hunt for the traitor before Philip and Elizabeth's wedding (as well as between the three main characters' POV) was well done, other times it was questionable. Probably the worst incident of this is Beth coming to a (false) conclusion of who the traitor is, only for the very next chapter to reveal the traitor's real identity when they literally show up and tell her. Not to mention, chapter 3 gave such a strong portrait of Mab and Osla's characters that Chapters 1 and 2 seemed extraneous except for bring up some important relationships they have with people outside of Bletchley Park.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Confinement
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, War, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Medical content, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Alcohol, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Animal cruelty, Homophobia, Blood, Chronic illness, Genocide, and Racism
time4tori2read's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Mental illness
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Child death, and Rape
anulaa's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Medical trauma, and Death