Scan barcode
A review by coffeekitaab
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
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