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sarakomo 's review for:
The Rose Code
by Kate Quinn
2022: blew my socks off how much I enjoyed this one!
This was the first audiobook in a while where I specifically was like, so sorry "to do list", I simply cannot do anything else tonight but focus on this audiobook. I was fully invested in the story and enjoyed every minute of it. What a change from my usual experience with historical fiction! This one was definitely a crossover hit in my book. I definitely almost did not pick it up simply based on the front cover having a woman facing backwards (why are all the WWII novels like that?!?!) but I am so glad that I did.
My first note that I wrote down, about 20 pages into the novel, was "Oh so this is the girl version of The Imitation Game" and the short answer is yes, it is that. But Quinn did a hell of a job making some delightfully complex characters to carry her story. Yes, Alan Turing makes an appearance, but this story is for and about the women at Bletchley Park. This goes up there with [b:The Four Winds|53138081|The Four Winds|Kristin Hannah|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594925043l/53138081._SY75_.jpg|79888572] as a historical fiction novel that I can actually see myself in the main characters.
About a third of the way into the novel, I was actually annoyed with the double timeline. I couldn't see where the overlap was going to be, and I didn't think that it added much to the story to just highlight how mad everyone was at each other in the future. But Quinn did an incredible job of adding tension and once I saw what they were also counting down to (not just the Royal Wedding), I was holding my breath during certain moments, waiting to see how it was all going to unfold. I was also screaming expletives at some of the later reveals in the book, making many heads turn while I was on my afternoon walk and listening to the audiobook at the same time.
I, being a fool who hates reading about history, immediately started learning everything I could about Bletchley Park as soon as the book ended. I also (again, see note about being a fool who hates history) did not realize until WAY TOO LONG into the book that the Philip that Olsa was dating was THE PRINCE PHILIP who married THE QUEEN ELIZABETH lololol The best part of all was that Quinn included an extensive recap at the end of the book detailing who was real and who was fictionalized in this story. Bless her for that! Some of us really needed it!
This was the first audiobook in a while where I specifically was like, so sorry "to do list", I simply cannot do anything else tonight but focus on this audiobook. I was fully invested in the story and enjoyed every minute of it. What a change from my usual experience with historical fiction! This one was definitely a crossover hit in my book. I definitely almost did not pick it up simply based on the front cover having a woman facing backwards (why are all the WWII novels like that?!?!) but I am so glad that I did.
My first note that I wrote down, about 20 pages into the novel, was "Oh so this is the girl version of The Imitation Game" and the short answer is yes, it is that. But Quinn did a hell of a job making some delightfully complex characters to carry her story. Yes, Alan Turing makes an appearance, but this story is for and about the women at Bletchley Park. This goes up there with [b:The Four Winds|53138081|The Four Winds|Kristin Hannah|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594925043l/53138081._SY75_.jpg|79888572] as a historical fiction novel that I can actually see myself in the main characters.
About a third of the way into the novel, I was actually annoyed with the double timeline. I couldn't see where the overlap was going to be, and I didn't think that it added much to the story to just highlight how mad everyone was at each other in the future. But Quinn did an incredible job of adding tension and once I saw what they were also counting down to (not just the Royal Wedding), I was holding my breath during certain moments, waiting to see how it was all going to unfold. I was also screaming expletives at some of the later reveals in the book, making many heads turn while I was on my afternoon walk and listening to the audiobook at the same time.
I, being a fool who hates reading about history, immediately started learning everything I could about Bletchley Park as soon as the book ended. I also (again, see note about being a fool who hates history) did not realize until WAY TOO LONG into the book that the Philip that Olsa was dating was THE PRINCE PHILIP who married THE QUEEN ELIZABETH lololol The best part of all was that Quinn included an extensive recap at the end of the book detailing who was real and who was fictionalized in this story. Bless her for that! Some of us really needed it!