Call number
MYST QUI
Collection
Genres
Publication
William Morrow Paperbacks (2021), 646 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Thriller. Historical Fiction. HTML: "The hidden history of Bletchley Park has been waiting for a master storyteller like Kate Quinn to bring it to life. THE ROSE CODE effortlessly evokes the frantic, nervy, exuberant world of the Enigma codebreakers through the eyes of three extraordinary women who work in tireless secrecy to defeat the Nazis. Quinn's meticulous research and impeccable characterization shine through this gripping and beautifully executed novel." Beatriz Williams, New York Times bestselling author of HER LAST FLIGHT The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Huntress and The Alice Network returns with another heart-stopping World War II story of three female code breakers at Bletchley Park and the spy they must root out after the war is over. 1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of east-end London poverty, works the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, 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. 1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter—the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger—and their true enemy—closer....… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member mdoris
This is a book club selection for December and I got to it a bit early. It is the story of three women involved with Bletchley Park during WW ll as code breakers and their work, their loves, their families, their friendships and their conflicts.. It is a well developed story full of atmosphere and
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"frightfully" British which is interesting because it is written by an American woman. Is this even allowed these days? Just kidding! It read like I was watching a movie. I could even visualize some of the characters (Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip). Show Less
LibraryThing member Romonko
I listened to this book on audible and I think it made it even better. This book was such a wild ride. It kept me going from beginning to end, and the tension never let up. The book gave me a real insider's look at Bletchley Park (BP) during WWII. There was some remarkable work done there for the
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war effort. Even though this was a work of fiction, the book had real historical people as part of the story. I love Kate Quinn's books, and this is the third that I've read. It centres around three female code breakers who worked at Bletchley Park from 1941 until the war ended. I really got to know and love Mab, Oslo and Beth. Each are from totally different backgrounds but become fast friends while pursuing their duties in and around Bletchley Park. Oslo is a deb from a privileged background with a Prince for a boyfriend. Mab grew up in London's east side and had a hard-scrabble life there. Beth grew up close to Bletchley Park. She had a very strict religious upbringing with a tyrant for a mother. All three pursue their careers as well as their love lives during their time at Bletchley. It was fascinating to hear about how friendship and courtship were conducted during the war. Time was short and no one knew what might be coming, so they lived life to the fullest. All is going along swimmingly until Beth discovers that there is a traitor in their midst. She uses her massive code breaking skills to try to discover who the culprit is, only to find herself picked up and taken to a mental asylum in the country before she learns who the traitor is. Somebody knew that she was getting close and wanted to get her out of the way. Mab suffers unspeakable horror too during a German bombing raid, and Oslo finds that the lovely life she had planned with her Prince is going to come crumbling down as he is being called to a much higher duty that doesn't include her. After 3 1/2 years, Beth manages to get her two friends to the asylum where she is being held, and all three decide that they must unmask the traitor as that person is still a real danger to England. They all work together to achieve that task. By the end of the book all is set right and I got a glimpse of these three women's lives after the war. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves WWII fiction as much as I do. Show Less
LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
*I receive a copy of this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.*
More books like this one, please! I loved this story about the female codebreakers at Bletchley Park, each of whom is very much their own person. While there's plenty of love and romance in this story, it's not the focus as these
More books like this one, please! I loved this story about the female codebreakers at Bletchley Park, each of whom is very much their own person. While there's plenty of love and romance in this story, it's not the focus as these
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ladies have more important things to do, like defeating Nazis, breaking top secret codes, and unveiling traitors. A good story, good characters, and a vivid historical era - I'll read as many books like this as Kate Quinn can write! Show Less
LibraryThing member mpmills
Osla, Mab, and Beth were women from totally different backgrounds who started work in 1940 at Betchley Park not knowing what they were doing there. They soon learned they would be helping to break the Nazi codes. All were assigned to different areas, didn’t quite know what the other was doing,
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and signed an oath they would never reveal what they did there. When, after the war, one of them needed help finding a spy, they came together to help. Some say the work at Betchley Park shortened the war by two years. I loved this book! Kate Quinn is such a talented author! Show Less
LibraryThing member SquirrelHead
Kate Quinn has done it again. If you liked her novel The Alice Network you will fall in love with this novel. It's detailed, informative and has me yearning to know more about the men and women who worked in secrecy for their goverment to help break codes during WW II.
This historical fiction
Mab Churt is a dynamite 5'11" woman with a mission to better herself from her poor east London childhood. She has a few secrets which are slowly revealed. Mab is also recruited to break German codes. The third woman is Beth Finch and I can tell you ahead of time, you are really going to hate her mother! Beth starts off as a wallflower but her skills and dedication are astounding.
Three women from such different backgrounds who would never cross paths otherwise form an interesting friendship. To complicate their very complex lives comes the discovery of a traitor in their agency. It's a surprise, how it all works out.
The Enigma codebreakers worked tirelessly to serve ther country and can't talk about it to anyone. All the workers recruited, both military and civilan, signed an oath of secrecy. They couldn't talk to one another about what they worked on if they were assigned to different departments or Huts. As you can imagine, this would create problems in their personal relationships outside of Bletchley Park.
The characters were very well developed; the supporting characters included Prince Phillip (before his betrothal to Elizabeth), the mathmatical genuis Alan Turing and many historical figures woven into the storyline.
This advanced copy of The Rose Code was provided to me from LibraryThing and I was not compensated for the review. I loved this book. Be sure to look for a copy when it's published by Harper Collins on June 18, 2021.
This historical fiction
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centers around Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire. You will go back and forth between London and the Bletchley Park during the years 1940 and 1947. The three main characters are Olsa Kendall, a high society debutante who is dismissed as a silly rich girl, yet is fluent in German and French and is an ace code breaker.Mab Churt is a dynamite 5'11" woman with a mission to better herself from her poor east London childhood. She has a few secrets which are slowly revealed. Mab is also recruited to break German codes. The third woman is Beth Finch and I can tell you ahead of time, you are really going to hate her mother! Beth starts off as a wallflower but her skills and dedication are astounding.
Three women from such different backgrounds who would never cross paths otherwise form an interesting friendship. To complicate their very complex lives comes the discovery of a traitor in their agency. It's a surprise, how it all works out.
The Enigma codebreakers worked tirelessly to serve ther country and can't talk about it to anyone. All the workers recruited, both military and civilan, signed an oath of secrecy. They couldn't talk to one another about what they worked on if they were assigned to different departments or Huts. As you can imagine, this would create problems in their personal relationships outside of Bletchley Park.
The characters were very well developed; the supporting characters included Prince Phillip (before his betrothal to Elizabeth), the mathmatical genuis Alan Turing and many historical figures woven into the storyline.
This advanced copy of The Rose Code was provided to me from LibraryThing and I was not compensated for the review. I loved this book. Be sure to look for a copy when it's published by Harper Collins on June 18, 2021.
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LibraryThing member jetangen4571
WW2, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, family-dynamics, friendship, suspense, romantic, traitor, England
The work at Bletchley Park as a part of the WW2 codebreakers has become more familiar lately, but the stories of the women who worked there can
Narrator Saskia Maarleveld did a wonderful job with all the voices and really acted out the story and did not just read it. Her voice brings the characters to life with her inflections entirely suited the situations and characters.
I requested and received a temporary audio copy from Harper Audio via NetGalley. Thank you!
The work at Bletchley Park as a part of the WW2 codebreakers has become more familiar lately, but the stories of the women who worked there can
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do with a bit more imaginative stories. This one covers three such women of very different circumstances and even some interesting postscripts. The story is well written and engaging and with twists and suspense. It kept me up much too late!Narrator Saskia Maarleveld did a wonderful job with all the voices and really acted out the story and did not just read it. Her voice brings the characters to life with her inflections entirely suited the situations and characters.
I requested and received a temporary audio copy from Harper Audio via NetGalley. Thank you!
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LibraryThing member sue222
Fascinating, well-written historical fiction about Bletchley Park, the home of the famed British code-breakers of World War II. Wonderful and enlightening to read about how so many women contributed in so many ways. Long read but so well worth it!
LibraryThing member tamidale
This is the third novel I have read by Kate Quinn and she’s definitely set the bar high for anything she writes in the future. Don’t be put off by the hefty page number. Once I started reading, I was eager to continue and find out all the secrets that the three main characters had hidden
Set in WWII, readers are introduced to three very different women who end up hired on at Bletchley Park as code breakers for the war effort. As part of their employment agreement they must agree not to divulge what the work is or anything about Bletchley Park.
This ends up proving more difficult than they first thought and eventually becomes the reason for the breakup of their friendship. But when one the women finds herself in trouble because of a traitor at Bletchley Park, the three women join together to break the codes that will lead them to the traitor’s identity.
I loved each of the characters, but I have to admit my favorite was Mab and her relationship with Francis Gray. Excellent story and I was happy to win an advance copy from LibraryThing and give an honest review.
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away.Set in WWII, readers are introduced to three very different women who end up hired on at Bletchley Park as code breakers for the war effort. As part of their employment agreement they must agree not to divulge what the work is or anything about Bletchley Park.
This ends up proving more difficult than they first thought and eventually becomes the reason for the breakup of their friendship. But when one the women finds herself in trouble because of a traitor at Bletchley Park, the three women join together to break the codes that will lead them to the traitor’s identity.
I loved each of the characters, but I have to admit my favorite was Mab and her relationship with Francis Gray. Excellent story and I was happy to win an advance copy from LibraryThing and give an honest review.
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LibraryThing member fredreeca
Three women, smart and creative, have been called to be code breakers. Beth, Mab and Oslo, all from different backgrounds. They become fast friends and then they become enemies, all because of a traitor.
This is Kate Quinn’s best book yet. I love the way she managed the timelines. And her
And the narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, she struck the right note with intensity and emotion. She pulled me in and kept me there. I do not think I have ever listened to a book narrated by her before. But, I will definitely be on the look out for her!
Grab your copy today…FANTASTIC!
I received this audiobook from the publisher for a honest review.
This is Kate Quinn’s best book yet. I love the way she managed the timelines. And her
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characters…wow! I love Oslo and Mab, but Beth is my favorite. Most likely because she received the most emotional response from me. Plus, the story itself had me mesmerized. I had no idea where it was going. I love a story which keeps you guessing and this one did…NO DOUBT!And the narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, she struck the right note with intensity and emotion. She pulled me in and kept me there. I do not think I have ever listened to a book narrated by her before. But, I will definitely be on the look out for her!
Grab your copy today…FANTASTIC!
I received this audiobook from the publisher for a honest review.
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LibraryThing member brangwinn
If you love watching The Crown and enjoy World War II novels, this book will appeal to you. Three vastly different women answer the call to help Britain. In 1940, they join the supersecret work at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire. They are working on decoding the Nazi military messages. Moving back
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and forth between 1940 and 1947 where the Royal Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip is the news of the day. Its personal, because Osla, one of the Bletchley Park women working on translating the German messages into English, has dated Prince Phillip. Beth whose parents despise an education for women, turns into one of the top decoders and finds herself spirited off to a mental institution because she has been decoding Russian messages which show a traitor is working at Bletchley Park. Meg, the third of the women, lost her husband and child in a German air raid and deals with coming to terms with her future. After the war, with Beth held captive in the mental asylum, Osla and Meg go their own ways only to reunite with Beth to catch the traitor who is still working for Russian intelligence. And it all comes to a whizbang of an ending, during the Royal Wedding in London as they capture the traitor. I listened to the audio version. With the number of characters with dialogue, Saskia Maarleveld was the right narrator for the story. She’s up to the task of creating both female and male voices. Show Less
LibraryThing member Twink
The Rose Code is bestselling author Kate Quinn's latest release - and it's another fantastic piece of historical fiction.
Quinn takes us back to WWII, Bletchley Park and code breakers. The Rose Code is told through three very different young women - debutante Osla, self-made Mab and spinster Beth.
But the narrative also takes us to 'after the war' in 1947. One of the three is in a desperate situation and needs the other two to help save not just her, but to find a traitor.
What is it about WWII novels that we enjoy so much? I think it's the people and their attitudes. Keep calm, carry on. Needs must. Honor, duty, loyalty, a sense of camaraderie and much more from not just those in uniform, but those holding the home front as well. And although we know the outcome of the war itself, there are so many stories to be told.
Quinn does a fantastic job telling this tale. The characters were all so different and wonderfully drawn. I loved Osla's sassy spirit, upbeat attitude and quick mind. Mab has overcome much to get where she is - she presents a hard front to the world, depending on no one but herself. Beth has a brilliant mind, but has been stymied by her overbearing mother. The war gives her a chance to escape her heavy hand. Three unlikely women thrown together by the war. I can't say I liked one more than the other, they each brought so much life to the plot. Supporting characters are wide and varied and include Prince Philip with a cameo from Lilibet.
I was fascinated at the behind the walls look at Bletchley Park and what it took to break codes and how those breakthroughs shortened the war. Fact is woven through Quinn's plot as well - there were indeed traitors and spies passing on information. The mystery of who that is in The Rose Code is slowly played out in a back and forth from during the war and after.
Love - and loss - also play a part in The Rose Code. Wartime romance is much different than present day with distance and uncertainty playing a large part back then. The romances were well written, poignant and tugged at the heartstrings.
I chose to listen to The Rose Code. It was narrated by one of my favorite readers - Saskia Maarleveld. She has the most wonderfully expressive voice. She provided different voices for each of the three lead characters that very much suited the mental images I created for each. (I really did like Osla's!) There are many male characters as well and the voices and tones Maarleveld provided were believable. She captures the tone and tenor of Quinn's work easily with her voice. And the emotions of the characters as well. Her voice has a lovely British accent that is pleasant to listen to. She enunciates well and her speaking voice is well paced. Her voice has a rich tone to it. I've said it before and I'll say it again - when listening to a book, I find I am much more immersed in the story and that was definitely the case with The Rose Code. The audiobook is 15 hours and 40 minutes long - and it never lags or drags. In fact I would have been happy with more!
And excellent historical read based on fact, populated with engaging characters I cared about and a mystery to boot. I was caught up immediately in the story and loved every bit. Five stars from this listener.
Quinn takes us back to WWII, Bletchley Park and code breakers. The Rose Code is told through three very different young women - debutante Osla, self-made Mab and spinster Beth.
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Each brings with them a skill set that will help to defeat the Nazis.But the narrative also takes us to 'after the war' in 1947. One of the three is in a desperate situation and needs the other two to help save not just her, but to find a traitor.
What is it about WWII novels that we enjoy so much? I think it's the people and their attitudes. Keep calm, carry on. Needs must. Honor, duty, loyalty, a sense of camaraderie and much more from not just those in uniform, but those holding the home front as well. And although we know the outcome of the war itself, there are so many stories to be told.
Quinn does a fantastic job telling this tale. The characters were all so different and wonderfully drawn. I loved Osla's sassy spirit, upbeat attitude and quick mind. Mab has overcome much to get where she is - she presents a hard front to the world, depending on no one but herself. Beth has a brilliant mind, but has been stymied by her overbearing mother. The war gives her a chance to escape her heavy hand. Three unlikely women thrown together by the war. I can't say I liked one more than the other, they each brought so much life to the plot. Supporting characters are wide and varied and include Prince Philip with a cameo from Lilibet.
I was fascinated at the behind the walls look at Bletchley Park and what it took to break codes and how those breakthroughs shortened the war. Fact is woven through Quinn's plot as well - there were indeed traitors and spies passing on information. The mystery of who that is in The Rose Code is slowly played out in a back and forth from during the war and after.
Love - and loss - also play a part in The Rose Code. Wartime romance is much different than present day with distance and uncertainty playing a large part back then. The romances were well written, poignant and tugged at the heartstrings.
I chose to listen to The Rose Code. It was narrated by one of my favorite readers - Saskia Maarleveld. She has the most wonderfully expressive voice. She provided different voices for each of the three lead characters that very much suited the mental images I created for each. (I really did like Osla's!) There are many male characters as well and the voices and tones Maarleveld provided were believable. She captures the tone and tenor of Quinn's work easily with her voice. And the emotions of the characters as well. Her voice has a lovely British accent that is pleasant to listen to. She enunciates well and her speaking voice is well paced. Her voice has a rich tone to it. I've said it before and I'll say it again - when listening to a book, I find I am much more immersed in the story and that was definitely the case with The Rose Code. The audiobook is 15 hours and 40 minutes long - and it never lags or drags. In fact I would have been happy with more!
And excellent historical read based on fact, populated with engaging characters I cared about and a mystery to boot. I was caught up immediately in the story and loved every bit. Five stars from this listener.
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LibraryThing member JanaRose1
In 1940's England, three women have stepped up to work in Bletchley Park - Osla, a pretty debutante, Mab, a hard working east-end woman, and Beth, a brilliant local girl who lives with her oppressive mother. Osla seems to have everything, wealth, intelligence, and is dating Prince Philip of Greece.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I've read other books about Bletchley Park, but they seemed to either give vague information about the secretive work, or too many details for an interesting story. The shifting dynamic between the three heroines was fascinating, and really drove the story. I look forward to reading more from this author!
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Mab, a flirtatious girl, is determined to find a husband, while she still can. Beth flings herself into her work as one of the secretive exclusive code breakers. Alternating with their work at Bletchley Park, is their story set in 1947, days before Princess Elizabeth is set to marry Prince Philip.I really enjoyed reading this book. I've read other books about Bletchley Park, but they seemed to either give vague information about the secretive work, or too many details for an interesting story. The shifting dynamic between the three heroines was fascinating, and really drove the story. I look forward to reading more from this author!
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LibraryThing member bookczuk
Pandemic read, Wasn’t sure how I’d like yet another Bletchley Park book, but this author has ever failed me, plus this one had a different feel and clever angle. I like a book I can both learn from and enjoy.
LibraryThing member Nancyjcbs
The Rose Code was the first book I’ve read in a while that had me aching to return to it. The time/setting is fact based, characters are multi dimensional, and the mystery intriguing.
Bletchley Park was the location of an “army” of codebreakers assigned the task of reading and misleading
I had read about Bletchley Park before. In Farleigh Field was also a good novel. Having read The Rose Code’ epilogue and Kate Quinn’s acknowledgement I appreciated the level of research and inclusion of actual heroes/heroines portrayed. I will be highly recommending The Rose Code.
Bletchley Park was the location of an “army” of codebreakers assigned the task of reading and misleading
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Allied enemies in World War II. Most of the code breakers were women and The Rose Code focuses on three from very different backgrounds who performed different skills in service to their nation.I had read about Bletchley Park before. In Farleigh Field was also a good novel. Having read The Rose Code’ epilogue and Kate Quinn’s acknowledgement I appreciated the level of research and inclusion of actual heroes/heroines portrayed. I will be highly recommending The Rose Code.
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LibraryThing member susan0316
Kate Quinn, the author of the highly reviewed novels - The Alice Network and The Huntress gives us a new view of WWII through the eyes of female English code-breakers who worked night and day to crack the codes used by the German command. They put their lives on hold to help England and the allies
1940 - Three totally different women go to work at the mysterious county estate Bletchley Park along with some of the most intelligent people in England at the time to work to break German military codes.
-Oslo is a debutante who has everything but wants to prove that she is more than a society girl. She puts her fluent use of German to work as a translator.
-Mab is from the poverty area of London. While she is working on the code breaking machines, she's looking for a rich husband who will better her social standing and help her escape her past.
-Beth is the village spinster who has been told that she is stupid by her mother for her entire life to the point that she believes she is stupid and that her future will be to live at home and take care of her parents. Her shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon she becomes one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts.
1947 - Everyone in London is excited about the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. With the wedding excitement taking over the town, two of the former friends are contacted by the third who is an insane asylum. She tells them that there was a traitor at Bletchley park who had made sure she was confined before she could reveal his identity and at the same time broke up the friendship of the three women. Can they let their feelings of betrayal go and work together to find the traitor despite the danger? Will they be successful in finding out WHO the traitor is and bring them to justice?
If you enjoy historical fiction - The Rose Code is a MUST read. It's a well-researched novel with characters you won't soon forget. It's long - over 600 pages - but you don't even notice that as the pages keep turning and you get into the lives of the three main characters. It's not only a book about history but there is a mystery full of twists and turns with an ending that amazed me. It's a novel about friendship that survives no matter the obstacles or the time that has passed.
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win the war and their work and sacrifices were pretty well forgotten after the end of the war. Here is a story about three of those code breakers.1940 - Three totally different women go to work at the mysterious county estate Bletchley Park along with some of the most intelligent people in England at the time to work to break German military codes.
-Oslo is a debutante who has everything but wants to prove that she is more than a society girl. She puts her fluent use of German to work as a translator.
-Mab is from the poverty area of London. While she is working on the code breaking machines, she's looking for a rich husband who will better her social standing and help her escape her past.
-Beth is the village spinster who has been told that she is stupid by her mother for her entire life to the point that she believes she is stupid and that her future will be to live at home and take care of her parents. Her shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon she becomes one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts.
1947 - Everyone in London is excited about the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. With the wedding excitement taking over the town, two of the former friends are contacted by the third who is an insane asylum. She tells them that there was a traitor at Bletchley park who had made sure she was confined before she could reveal his identity and at the same time broke up the friendship of the three women. Can they let their feelings of betrayal go and work together to find the traitor despite the danger? Will they be successful in finding out WHO the traitor is and bring them to justice?
If you enjoy historical fiction - The Rose Code is a MUST read. It's a well-researched novel with characters you won't soon forget. It's long - over 600 pages - but you don't even notice that as the pages keep turning and you get into the lives of the three main characters. It's not only a book about history but there is a mystery full of twists and turns with an ending that amazed me. It's a novel about friendship that survives no matter the obstacles or the time that has passed.
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LibraryThing member PattyLee
Excellent.
LibraryThing member Herenya
My favourite out of the books I’ve read so far this year. It’s about three young women who worked at Bletchley Park during WWII: Osla, a half-Canadian debutante who is fluent in German; Mab, a secretary determined to secure for herself a more prosperous life than the one she had growing up in
I loved this, but at times found it stressful and heartbreaking! The writing is so lively and effective and emotional -- Quinn has a knack for portraying her characters in such a way that I become quickly invested. I keep wanting to reread bits, and I’ve been surprised to realise that the story doesn’t spend more time and pages on some of their relationships.
I also love how this story captures both the delights and the difficulties of working at BP: the community and camaraderie; opportunities for meaningful and challenging employment; the demands of shift work, the intense pace and pressure; the toll of keeping secrets.
I also liked the way it weaves Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland references through the story, from the BP literary society that dub themselves the “Mad Hatters” to Beth’s experiences with codebreaking and at the sanitarium.
The ending doesn’t quite maintain the earlier intensity -- I was expecting it to pack more of a punch. But at the same time I’m relieved that, given everything the characters have endured, Quinn didn’t try to ramp up the intensity by creating further horror or heartbreak. I will accept happy-ish endings, please and thank you.
And while I thought the epilogue was unnecessary, the Author’s Note, about the real people some of the characters were loosely based on, was fascinating. (Apparently Prince Philip really did have a wartime girlfriend called Osla.)
Most people were cautiously jubilant—but when Beth heard the words When we win the war, she had to push down a surge of panic. Without a war she didn’t have this work. Without a war there was no excuse to see Harry. Without a war, would she be an unemployed spinster with a dog, forced back home because she no longer had a billet and a salary? [...] the only thing that made Beth’s mind bend at the edges was the thought of losing all this. She could take the hours, she could take the secrecy, she could take the gruelling pace, but she couldn’t take the thought that it would all someday disappear.
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East London; and Beth, their landlady’s mousy, neurodivergent daughter with a talent for crosswords. Most of the narrative is set during the war, but it’s interspersed with sections set in 1947 -- Beth, who is in a sanitarium after a breakdown, has sent her two estranged friends a coded message, begging for help.I loved this, but at times found it stressful and heartbreaking! The writing is so lively and effective and emotional -- Quinn has a knack for portraying her characters in such a way that I become quickly invested. I keep wanting to reread bits, and I’ve been surprised to realise that the story doesn’t spend more time and pages on some of their relationships.
I also love how this story captures both the delights and the difficulties of working at BP: the community and camaraderie; opportunities for meaningful and challenging employment; the demands of shift work, the intense pace and pressure; the toll of keeping secrets.
I also liked the way it weaves Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland references through the story, from the BP literary society that dub themselves the “Mad Hatters” to Beth’s experiences with codebreaking and at the sanitarium.
The ending doesn’t quite maintain the earlier intensity -- I was expecting it to pack more of a punch. But at the same time I’m relieved that, given everything the characters have endured, Quinn didn’t try to ramp up the intensity by creating further horror or heartbreak. I will accept happy-ish endings, please and thank you.
And while I thought the epilogue was unnecessary, the Author’s Note, about the real people some of the characters were loosely based on, was fascinating. (Apparently Prince Philip really did have a wartime girlfriend called Osla.)
Most people were cautiously jubilant—but when Beth heard the words When we win the war, she had to push down a surge of panic. Without a war she didn’t have this work. Without a war there was no excuse to see Harry. Without a war, would she be an unemployed spinster with a dog, forced back home because she no longer had a billet and a salary? [...] the only thing that made Beth’s mind bend at the edges was the thought of losing all this. She could take the hours, she could take the secrecy, she could take the gruelling pace, but she couldn’t take the thought that it would all someday disappear.
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LibraryThing member shazjhb
A novel about the most fascinating aspect of WWII. The women were probably a mixture of truth and fiction with some of the real people making up the background of the story. Interesting aspects of mental health in the late 1940’s. Also a wonderful romantic story
LibraryThing member KateBaxter
This was a most engaging, suspenseful and evocative tale. Author Kate Quinn revealed an amazing amount of historical research within this doorstop of a book. But never once did the story drag over its 656 pages. Centering on the lives of three women of disparate backgrounds, each of whom was
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employed by British Intelligence at the codebreaking Bletchley Park facility, this tale deftly weaves their intermingled stories. We have a Canadian debutante fluent in German, a driven middle class young woman eager to land herself a respectable husband and the mouse of a local girl with incredible problem-solving analytic capabilities. Each young woman carries a tremendous burden of secrets and encounters betrayal of a magnitude no one should have to endure. The writing is atmospheric and sets the scenes well. The characters are equally well developed, some more complex than others. If you enjoy well-written historical fiction, then this may be the perfect book for you. Show Less
LibraryThing member BookAnonJeff
Wow. All the feels. I make no secret that Alan Turing is a personal hero. He is *very* much suspected of being a fellow Autistic, and because of his brilliance I was able to follow in his footsteps to rise myself out of being a trailer park kid into a career that has already made me far more
And while Turing himself (along with a handful of other particularly significant real-world people of the era) *does* appear in the book - and even helps in the endgame itself - this book is NOT about him. Instead, this is effectively a book about the *other* people there at Bletchley during the period and what *they* went through... while spinning a tight tale of personal and national betrayals as a solid fiction story should. :) We see the era and the place through three very different eyes - a likely (female) Autistic (though Quinn never uses that word to describe the character, as it wouldn't be period-authentic) who is over-protected by her very religious parents (gee, where does *that* feel familiar? ;) ), a poor, down on her luck girl from the "wrong side of the tracks" just trying to get by and become better than her birth (again, where does this seem familiar? :D), and a well-connected socialite who wants to prove that she is more than just her birth. And we see how friendship and even family can grow between such disparate people. Truly an outstanding work that hooks you from Chapter 1 and keeps you reading through the final words... even though those words come over 650 pages later! Oh, and if you're familiar with The Imitation Game (the 2014 movie focusing on Turing's work at BP)... you may just have its theme running through your head when you finish this tale. Very much recommended.
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successful than I ever dared imagine. So when a book is set at Bletchley Park during World War II - where Turing built the first physical "Turing Machines" after having theorized them before the war - ... it gets my attention.And while Turing himself (along with a handful of other particularly significant real-world people of the era) *does* appear in the book - and even helps in the endgame itself - this book is NOT about him. Instead, this is effectively a book about the *other* people there at Bletchley during the period and what *they* went through... while spinning a tight tale of personal and national betrayals as a solid fiction story should. :) We see the era and the place through three very different eyes - a likely (female) Autistic (though Quinn never uses that word to describe the character, as it wouldn't be period-authentic) who is over-protected by her very religious parents (gee, where does *that* feel familiar? ;) ), a poor, down on her luck girl from the "wrong side of the tracks" just trying to get by and become better than her birth (again, where does this seem familiar? :D), and a well-connected socialite who wants to prove that she is more than just her birth. And we see how friendship and even family can grow between such disparate people. Truly an outstanding work that hooks you from Chapter 1 and keeps you reading through the final words... even though those words come over 650 pages later! Oh, and if you're familiar with The Imitation Game (the 2014 movie focusing on Turing's work at BP)... you may just have its theme running through your head when you finish this tale. Very much recommended.
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LibraryThing member tinkerbellkk
A fantastic historical fiction book that tells the story of three women who form an unlikely friendship through their code breaking work during the war. I loved the characters - each interesting in their own way. The author creates a terrific story while entwining real life events and situations
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that occurred during WW2. I loved each character for different reasons and was fascinated to learn about this specific role that many women took on during that time. Great book and highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member deslivres5
I enjoy Historical Fiction; I especially enjoy diving into the plethora of WWII Historical Fiction when I'm in the proper mindset.
This new title by Kate Quinn started off one way, touching on the war time romance between one of the main characters and Prince Philip. I didn't think I could suffer a
But the Prince Philip romance is just one small facet of this story.
The The Rose Code is more about the friendship between 3 young women, their wartime lives and romances and their various secret jobs amongst the code breakers at Bletchley Park in England. The action is doled out in interwoven narratives, those taking place during the 1939-1945 wartime years and those leading up to the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1947 when there is an old mystery to be solved.
This new title by Kate Quinn started off one way, touching on the war time romance between one of the main characters and Prince Philip. I didn't think I could suffer a
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fictionalized take on an actual true-life romance about him so close to his passing.But the Prince Philip romance is just one small facet of this story.
The The Rose Code is more about the friendship between 3 young women, their wartime lives and romances and their various secret jobs amongst the code breakers at Bletchley Park in England. The action is doled out in interwoven narratives, those taking place during the 1939-1945 wartime years and those leading up to the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1947 when there is an old mystery to be solved.
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LibraryThing member erinclark
Kate Quinn is a master storyteller of the WWII female/spy/wartime experience. Once again she does not disappoint. I will always be looking for more from this author. Highly recommended.
LibraryThing member hobbitprincess
This historical fiction novel is about three women who work at Bletchley Park in England during WWII, breaking codes. Be sure to read the author's notes in the back - it was wonderful that this amazing novel is based largely on fact. I read more about Bletchley Park as I read so I could learn more
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about something I knew little about. The stories of the women are interesting, and Quinn does a good job of incorporating the work that they do with personal stories that are also intriguing. This is definitely a 5-star book in my opinion. Show Less
LibraryThing member DrApple
I really enjoyed this book. It follows the lives of three women who work at Blechley Park as part of the Enigma team. They meet because of their jobs, become friends, suffer tragedies, have moments of job, and support one another.
Awards
Alex Award (2022)
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Historical Fiction — 2022)
LibraryReads (Annual Voter Favorite — Hall of Fame — March 2021)