Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

15 reviews

jennp28'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A fascinating story of secrets, friendship, love, treason, and code breaking during WWII. And an interesting connection to the royal wedding! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and War

Moderate: Child death, Forced institutionalization, and Xenophobia

Minor: Infidelity

jbpalumbo'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. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Confinement, Abandonment, Cancer, Classism, Child death, War, Violence, Sexual violence, Rape, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, and Bullying

Moderate: Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Torture, Terminal illness, Racism, Racial slurs, Islamophobia, and Infidelity

Minor: Vomit, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, and Abortion

The racism and islamophobia are challenged to a degree. There is also a favorable depiction of an open marriage where criticism thereof is challenged.

jenn_reads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Death, and War

Moderate: Infidelity, Alcohol, Child death, and Rape

Gang rape, bombings, lobotomy

bringmybooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring mysterious sad

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

5.0

One more book finished for #12BooksRecommendedBy12Friends and it was FANTASTIC.

✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷

Yet another perfect example of being intimidated by a chunky 500+ pg book and then finishing it in less than a week because you just can’t put it down!

I already knew a fair bit about Enigma and Bletchley Park before reading The Rose Code, but Kate Quinn brings Station X alive in such an amazing way. I loved the narrative format of the book, the dual timeline + multiple POV that kept your attention throughout the entire book.

I loved learning more about the intricacies involved in the actual codebreaking, and I loved the way Quinn explains all of it in a way that mostly feels like you get what’s happening (I say “mostly” because although I thought Quinn did a great job explaining, there were still some situations where I had trouble picturing exactly what the machines looked like).

Seriously in love with this entire book, and with all of the characters - so much. The three female characters felt SO REAL to me, and I was an anxious mess as the book came to it’s climax waiting to see what would happen to all of them.

This is my second Kate Quinn (the first being The Alice Network, which I also loved) and I own both The Huntress & The Diamond Eye - The Diamond Eye is another one I plan on reading this year for the 12Books12Friends challenge and I can’t wait!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, and War

Moderate: Mental illness, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Infidelity

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Mental illness

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Child death, and Rape

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

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

Minor: Antisemitism and Genocide

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.

amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring mysterious slow-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? No

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death, Racial slurs, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, and War

Moderate: Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

Minor: Slavery

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

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

Minor: Cursing

annaledbetter's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective 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? Yes

5.0

So good!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Forced institutionalization, Death, and Child death

Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual assault, and Vomit

fivecatsinacoat's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free review copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this book! It's a perfect complement to the typical WWII books and I've always been interested in the Bletchly Park codebreakers. I did feel that it was a little too long, but it was beautifully written and I can't wait to read more by Kate Quinn. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Torture, Violence, War, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Racism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Blood and Classism

Minor: Sexual content and Animal cruelty