Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

11 reviews

megritchey's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, and War

Moderate: Cancer, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Genocide, Suicide, Blood, Excrement, Antisemitism, Abortion, and Pregnancy

julia_treat99's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Sexual assault, Grief, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cancer, Genocide, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Blood, Alcohol, and War

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

Café de Paris

scene, which I have been thinking about all week since I read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Forced institutionalization, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Violence, and Grief

Minor: Genocide and Homophobia

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Genocide, Homophobia, Racism, and Blood

franklola's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Genocide

beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition

emotional informative tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

For the most part, The Rose Code was a gripping, compelling work set against the backdrop of the Bletchley Park codebreaking operation in Buckinghamshire, England, during the Second World War.

The novel follows three women who worked there - socialite Osla Kendall, working-class Mabel "Mab" Churt, and shy but brilliant local girl, Bethan "Beth" Finch who today would probably be diagnosed as autistic.

Kate Quinn excels in creating a vivid atmosphere, rich in historical detail with characters who feel three-dimensional.  These characters are either composites of real people, fictionalised versions of real people, or actual historical figures - such as the late Prince Philip

(who the fictionalised Osla is in a relationship with, as was the real Osla before he married the now-late Queen)

, the-then Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret and Winston Churchill.

But even though it's clear that Quinn did her homework on history, I found that upon reading the extensive author's note, I disliked the way she adapted characters and historical events to suit the plot. I know most authors of historical fiction do this, and normally I don't have a problem with it, but somehow it kind of rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it's because the backdrop of the novel is set in (relatively) recent times. I don't know - maybe it's just me.

Anyway, The Rose Code is still a beautifully written and excellently-paced novel - but if you're a historical purist, it might not be your cup of tea.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting

Minor: Genocide and Antisemitism

A past gang rape attempt is described. The survivor, Mab, manages to fend off her attackers, and as a result of this, she has a fear of sexual intimacy. Another main character, Beth, is probably autistic - although this is never stated explicitly. She is bullied by her mother. Once employed at Bletchley Park, Beth experiences breakdowns and burnout, and works for hours at a time. She is later sent by one of the other employees at Bletchley Park to a sanatorium in order to ensure her silence about an act of treason. Once there, she is coerced, abused and gaslighted by the staff and on one occasion exchanges sexual favours for information. She also later is threatened with undergoing a lobotomy, and the procedure is described in detail. It does occur to another minor character, but Beth is rescued before the procedure is carried out.

She also has an affair with a married man called Harry Zarb. Harry and his wife Sheila have an open marriage, staying together for the sake of their only son, who has polio.

navayiota's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative sad 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? Yes

4.5

Kate Quinn DOES NOT MISS! So far, she is one of my favourite authors. She has such an engaging writing style and I have a real soft spot for historical fiction so her stuff is right up my alley, though I was a bit worried when I saw that prince Philip was a love interest in this one, haha. Seriously did not disappoint, I will definitely be reading the rest of her books. I loved Mab, and I think she is one of the best characters in the book. I really felt her pain and wanted to beat up the ones who hurt her. I really recommend this book, but be sure to check the triggers!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Infidelity, Sexual content, Vomit, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Classism

Minor: Cursing

abby_p's review against another edition

adventurous informative inspiring tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Infidelity, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and War

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

I had no idea about Bletchley Park or the work that was done there during World War II. This historical-fiction did a great job of giving me some insight into what went on at BP and who the people working there were. This book is equal parts funny, hopeful, devastating, thought-provoking, and sad. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, and War

kerrygetsliterary's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Cancer, Child death, Death, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, and Medical trauma