tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4354528689599607554.post5822195758801396374..comments2023-09-17T11:13:17.741-04:00Comments on With My Book and a Quilt: Code Name VerityCGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05256456742503046710noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4354528689599607554.post-34317402587962171232014-08-07T12:40:59.071-04:002014-08-07T12:40:59.071-04:00I almost put Code Name Verity down. It is so well ...I almost put Code Name Verity down. It is so well written, but, became almost too much to bear. It was what was implied about the torture that was the worst, for me. As I said, I almost put it down, especially midway through. The second part took me completely by surprise; so much so that I actually gulped and went back to read the beginning of the chapter again. I never saw it coming. <br /><br />I did pick up "Rose Under Fire" recently. I never opened it up. I had just finished "Those Who Save Us" and just didn't think I needed this right now. All that to say that life is too short, there are too many books to be read. Putting a book down is perfectly fine. <br /><br />I'll miss reading you while you take a break. Best wishes.<br /><br />Penny O'Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14665025558373015362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4354528689599607554.post-41641922731647001542014-07-28T15:03:34.566-04:002014-07-28T15:03:34.566-04:00Amen to your young adult observations! I do have ...Amen to your young adult observations! I do have to say, this book wasn't written down. In fact, I'm not quite sure why this book was labeled Young Adult. But if you think about so many young adult books, they deal with really sad, dark issues, (of course there's the unbelievable romance variation, too) just packaged up in a fluffy, dumbed-down way.CGracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05256456742503046710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4354528689599607554.post-20637633434978370052014-07-28T15:01:24.632-04:002014-07-28T15:01:24.632-04:00I've decided to skip Rose Under Fire for that ...I've decided to skip Rose Under Fire for that very reason. I'm glad that other people have had the same reaction I did to this book.CGracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05256456742503046710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4354528689599607554.post-47264515824022481842014-07-28T13:52:16.246-04:002014-07-28T13:52:16.246-04:00Though I did finish the book, I find this reaction...Though I did finish the book, I find this reaction quite understandable. Sometimes I wish Elizabeth Wein would write a book without any torture in it. She's such a great writer and I'd love to be able to read her without wincing! I ended up skimming the follow-up, Rose Under Fire because it was too much for me. Loryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08519976394732029323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4354528689599607554.post-88837496217285295142014-07-28T12:57:26.034-04:002014-07-28T12:57:26.034-04:00I haven't read this particular book but I agre...I haven't read this particular book but I agree with the problems you had with it.<br />Firstly, the concept of a 'young adult' novel - I suppose this actually means a book for teenagers who are not quite up to reading a book for adults, which in a sense is a contradiction as the book you've reviewed shows (if you're able to tolerate a book about brutality why does it have to be written 'down'?)<br />More importantly, books about the Second World War and Nazi atrocities in particular are a very dangerous area in terms of fiction. Over on Girl with her Head in a Book she reviewed The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (negatively) and I commented and discussed it with her, it epitomises almost everything that is wrong about writing for teenagers and fictional accounts of WWII.<br />As for abandoning a book, why not? I have to admit it took me many, many years to realise this - when I was younger I felt you had to finish a book, but in my thirties someone I got talking to in a hotel over breakfast convinced me you didn't have to, there are so many books to read and so little time; so sometimes you just have put it down and pick up something else!Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07627279197391969703noreply@blogger.com