The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
megritchey's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: War, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Child death, Sexual assault, and Death
Moderate: Cancer, Racism, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, and Racial slurs
Minor: Abortion, Excrement, Antisemitism, Genocide, Blood, Suicide, and Pregnancy
jbpalumbo's review against another edition
- 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
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.brttbwrs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Death, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization
bringmybooks's review against another edition
- 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
✨ 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!
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, and War
Moderate: Mental illness, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Infidelity
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
- 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
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
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.
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
kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Blood, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, War, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Rape, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Hate crime, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Cursing, and Child abuse
jlewis's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
The book moves between the war years and 1947, with a slow build-up to why the relationship between the 3 women has gone so badly wrong, and then quite a fast-paced and tense resolution at the end.
So what are the faults? Well, the author is American and there is quite a lot of American vocabulary that could have done with being edited by a British editor. And she seems oblivious to how rare household telephones were in the war years in Britain, and certainly would not have been found in an impoverished East End house. Worst of all, in the audio version, the narrator pronounces Keswick as Kes-Wick.
Some of the plot centres around one of the lead characters being in a relationship with Prince Philip. While I think his character is drawn with a good deal of respect, I’m not sure it adds much to the book and an alternative, fictional aristocrat would have fitted the bill equally.
But my biggest complaint is the liberties she takes with her characters, particularly Beth, in order to drive the plot along. Her behaviour in the situation in which she finds herself in 1947 is utterly out of character, and there are other anomalies earlier in the book.
Having said which, I look forward to reading more by this author.
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mental illness, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, and Racism