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rockshaw22's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and War
Minor: Racial slurs and Racism
rebe677's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
This was an enjoyable book with pleasant plot twists. I enjoyed reading about the code-breakers and learning more about that aspect of WWII, especially knowing many of the people mentioned actually existed. The characters aren't the most vivid but have enough depth to be relatable. I'm glad I read it - but not sure I'll ever read it again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Rape and War
leblcr1's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and War
coffeekitaab's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A striking novel standing at 656 pages in length and I devoured every single word. My first read by Kate Quinn, and certainly not my last.
We follow the story of Osla, Mab and Beth - three women from very different walks of life, who attend the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break military codes on the brink of the Second World War.
Vivacious debutante Osla comes from a family of wealth and connections, dating the dashing Prince Philip of Greece who share a deeper connection over their desire to contribute towards the British war effort and she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, putting her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets.
Imperious self-made Mab is a product of East-End London poverty, her love for literature gives fire to her determination to find a husband who will help give her status and help her rise through the social hierarchy. Mab arrives at Bletchley Park and becomes adept at working the machines used by codebreakers.
Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in timid Beth, a woman living with her parents, bullied by her mother after constantly being told she has no value and is not allowed to finish school; Beth's diminished confidence conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles and maths, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts.
But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.
A dual timeline takes place over 1940 - 1947 (events taking place before and after WW2) and yet there is a beautiful depth to the story, dealing not only with the work of those who are sworn to secrecy under the Official Secrets Act 1939 and how ultimately their work is monumental in impacting key events that take place in the war itself, but also about the friendship, love and humour that resounded within the walls of Bletchley Park; a camaraderie amongst those who were isolated from the world due to the nature of the work they were doing and had only each other to lean on. Sunbathing, laughing and dining together as a way to relieve the tension of long days filled with long hours of codebreaking.
This is one of the best works of Historical Fiction I have ever read and one which will no doubt stay with me. A gift that just kept on giving. After finishing the book, I wanted to dish out a review where I spilled everything; every twist that took me by surprise, every comment that made me laugh, those parts that threatened a tear and moments that touched my heart....but I really can't because I want every reader who reads this to experience the euphoria I am now...this book just has it all! The Rose Code is one of those books which makes the reader feel like they've achieved a great feat when they get to the end of it- but no. Kate Quinn is a mastermind, worthy of all accolades and deserves a huge congratulations for being such an incredible author and for writing this formidable masterpiece; the pure intelligence, emotion and daring in the plot needs it's own separate review before we even get on to the strength of the writing itself. I cannot recommend The Rose Code enough!
We follow the story of Osla, Mab and Beth - three women from very different walks of life, who attend the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break military codes on the brink of the Second World War.
Vivacious debutante Osla comes from a family of wealth and connections, dating the dashing Prince Philip of Greece who share a deeper connection over their desire to contribute towards the British war effort and she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, putting her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets.
Imperious self-made Mab is a product of East-End London poverty, her love for literature gives fire to her determination to find a husband who will help give her status and help her rise through the social hierarchy. Mab arrives at Bletchley Park and becomes adept at working the machines used by codebreakers.
Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in timid Beth, a woman living with her parents, bullied by her mother after constantly being told she has no value and is not allowed to finish school; Beth's diminished confidence conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles and maths, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts.
But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.
A dual timeline takes place over 1940 - 1947 (events taking place before and after WW2) and yet there is a beautiful depth to the story, dealing not only with the work of those who are sworn to secrecy under the Official Secrets Act 1939 and how ultimately their work is monumental in impacting key events that take place in the war itself, but also about the friendship, love and humour that resounded within the walls of Bletchley Park; a camaraderie amongst those who were isolated from the world due to the nature of the work they were doing and had only each other to lean on. Sunbathing, laughing and dining together as a way to relieve the tension of long days filled with long hours of codebreaking.
This is one of the best works of Historical Fiction I have ever read and one which will no doubt stay with me. A gift that just kept on giving. After finishing the book, I wanted to dish out a review where I spilled everything; every twist that took me by surprise, every comment that made me laugh, those parts that threatened a tear and moments that touched my heart....but I really can't because I want every reader who reads this to experience the euphoria I am now...this book just has it all! The Rose Code is one of those books which makes the reader feel like they've achieved a great feat when they get to the end of it- but no. Kate Quinn is a mastermind, worthy of all accolades and deserves a huge congratulations for being such an incredible author and for writing this formidable masterpiece; the pure intelligence, emotion and daring in the plot needs it's own separate review before we even get on to the strength of the writing itself. I cannot recommend The Rose Code enough!
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
emka12's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
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? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Rape, Sexism, and Xenophobia
greta_o's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Confinement, Medical trauma, and War
rochelleisreading's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
suzannewilliamson1's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, and War
rcv23's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.25
I was looking forward to this because I LOVED the Alice Network but this largely fell flat for me. The characters were great but the story unfolded slowly and large parts of the novel could have been taken out. That being said, I did appreciated the historical context of the characters' past lives. The ending was great and had all the tension I wanted from the book as a whole. Giving 3.25 stars because it is well written, well researched and I was invested in the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and War
jencolumb0's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
A sweeping historical war-time novel; almost a math geek's League of Their Own. I enjoyed learning about an aspect of WWII history that I had not previously heard about. I also thoroughly enjoyed coming along for the ride of the (fictionalized) rise, fall, and rise again of a trio of war-time friends. As one would expect with a novel set in England during WWII, there is a fair amount of discussion around loss and violence. As the book is centered on a trio of women, the loss and violence they experience is, to a certain degree, reflective of their gender and the patriarchal constructs of the time, though I do appreciate the author's challenge to these experiences. There was just enough romance blended into the book and a solid HEA/HFN for each of the primary characters to keep it from being a complete, war-time downer, though please do read through the content warnings if you have any sensitivity to specific issues because, in more than 600 pages, pretty much every type of loss/traumatic experience is explored to some degree. I did not love that the character coded as autistic ends up spending three and half years in a mental institution , even if it was completely irrelevant to their neurodiversity. It just felt kind of ick. Though I, overall, enjoyed the character development, after about 500 pages, had to chuckle at the neat twists that had to snap into place to get to the HEA/HFN. While improbable on balance, those twists make for a satisfying (if not slightly madcap) outcome to an interesting corner of well-fictionalized history.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Classism
Moderate: Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Torture, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Abortion, and Pregnancy
The racism and islamophobia are challenged to a degree. There is also a favorable depiction of an open marriage where criticism thereof is challenged.