The Enigma Game is brilliant, important, and thrilling. Give me more stories in the Code Name Verity world, and I’ll be set for life!

Love Elizabeth Wein. This book was every bit as good as Code Name Verity. Highly recommend especially for anyone who likes WWII books and espionage. Although written for young adults, anyone would enjoy.

Wein has added to her set of books set in WWII. This one involves three young people in a small town in Scotland near a military airfield. Louise, a Jamaican born British subject, newly orphaned by the bombings in England, has been hired to take care of an elderly German woman, the aunt of the local pub owner. Both Louise and Jane, her elderly charge, face prejudice because of their race/nationality. There’s also young Ellen, a volunteer whose main job is to be the driver for military personnel to and from the airfield. She lives above the pub along with Louisa and Jane. Jamie Beaufort-Stuart is a pilot who leads a group of British airmen. He tries to do his best but isn’t able to please his commander. Across the sea in Norway are the Germans and their Messerschmitts, the nemesis of Jamie and his men.

In a surprising event, a machine is left behind by a German pilot who lands at the airfield, looking for a British Intelligence Officer. This machine brings Jamie, Louisa and Jane together as they try to decode messages between the enemy pilots. Ellen assists them in keeping their find and their efforts secret. When a young woman from British Intelligence arrives, things get more complicated.

As in Wein’s other books, Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire, young heroic women prove they can and do play an essential role in war. Quite a bit of the story centers on the air battles between Jamie’s pilots confronting the better equipped and faster German fighter planes. Those air battles are riveting and gruesome, showing the harsh realities of war and the hazards the young men faced.

The Enigma machine will enlighten some readers to the story of the efforts to break the code the Germans used to communicate. For readers interested in learning more about the intense work of the British to use the Enigma machine, a new book called The Rose Code by Kate Quinn will be published shortly. That adult novel goes into great depth in describing the intense efforts of codebreakers, many of them women, as they work to crack the code and the workings of the machine.

Though not quite as strong as Wein’s other two WWII books, this one will still delight readers. The characters are diverse and well-developed. They are stalwart and dedicated in their commitment to their task, whether it’s fighting the Germans or tending to an elderly woman who is in their charge. What they demonstrate is a courageousness and commitment to helping their country defeat the enemy.

DNF. I had high hopes because I love Elizabeth Wein, but her writing is starting to feel repetitive to me. This one was too bogged down in the technicalities of aviation for me to get invested in the story. That said, the story does capture the lesser-known story of the Enigma code in World War II. An essential purchase given the author's popularity, and strong, accurate historical fiction. 12 and up.

I'm new to Elizabeth Wein, but I was excited to pick up The Enigma Game after hearing so much about Wein's other works. From the beginning, I found the story dragged while simultaneously introducing more characters than I was ready to keep up with. I'm not sure the first part of this book would engage most of my students, but if my historical fiction lovers stuck with it to the end, I'm sure they would enjoy it.

I can’t overstate how much I love this series by Elizabeth Wein. Each is a delightful visit with old friends, but each stands well on its own.

Reading this was a no-brainer since it's part of the Code Name Verity series, although this one failed to suck me in as much as the others. I still enjoyed it, it just dragged a little bit and I didn't feel quite as invested in the characters as I have in the other books. That being said, I did really love Louisa, and how can you not root for Jamie? It's certainly worth picking up if you're a fan of Wein's thrilling WWII stories (per usual, featuring tons of info about planes and flying!).

I will preface this review with the admission that I *adored* Code Name Verity, enjoyed Rose Under Fire, and have not read The Pearl Thief.

I found this book to be very engaging. I read the eARC on my Kindle so the formatting left a lot to be desired, but I was able to read and enjoy it. I read almost half of it in one day, I was so engrossed in the story. I really liked Louisa and I hope that Wein is able to write another book where she makes an appearance. I liked Ellen and Jane, and of course have a soft spot for Jamie. The plot was engaging and the supporting characters added a lot. It is not super gory, but Wein does not shy away from some of the harder details of war, and although not miserable and depressing, this is not a lighthearted read. If you enjoy WWII historical fiction you'll probably get a lot out of this. I'm not a big historical fiction reader, but the character development and relationships still drew me in and I'm glad I had an opportunity to read this book.

Louisa has recently lost her parents in two different enemy attacks. She has taken on a position to be a companion for an elderly woman in Scotland. She doesn’t think what she is doing is helping the war, until a German pilot lands in Windyedge and brings an Enigma machine that can translate German code. Luisa is now working with a volunteer driver and a flight leader to decipher the puzzle that could change the course of the war. How far can these young people push the Enigma machine without the Germans finding out? Will they be able to help the war and keep themselves safe?

The Enigma Game is a companion novel to Code Name Verity. Readers do not need to have read any of the other books in this series to enjoy this historical fiction novel. World War II was a war with so many facets that are still being unearthed and I feel that makes it a treasure trove for any historical fiction fan. Wein has once again taken an aspect of this time that is not normally written about and crafted a story that is easy to fall for. The story is told in alternating voices, so readers will need to make sure they are paying attention to who is the current narrator. I recommend The Enigma Game to all readers who enjoy historical fiction or just a good story.

I really, really hate to say this, but The Enigma Game is a DNF for me at 45%. I had to read Code Name Verity for school and even though I don't like historical fiction, it kept my attention the whole time and blew me away by the end. When I heard this author was doing a book in the series around the Enigma machine, I thought it would be about codebreaking, and so far, it's not. And I'm very, very bored. I just can't finish it. Maybe I'll go back and finish one day out of curiosity, but given that it's taken me 2 months to get less than halfway through, maybe not! *shrugs*

The Enigma Game is an interesting story, but it just didn't flow. It felt choppy and disjointed. It's a shame because it could have been a great read.

Another fabulous read by Elizabeth Wein. I enjoyed this much more than The Pearl Thief but nowhere near as much as Rose Under Fire. I attempted to read Code Name Verity years ago and couldn't get into it. In my opinion, Wein spent too much time talking about planes instead of telling a story, and for someone who doesn't care about planes I was merely bored and passed on the book. I understood that the details of planes were used by the character to prolong her time alive, but I still could not make myself finish it.

The Enigma Game thankfully didn't spent ample time discussing planes. There was a story (and backstory) with the three characters Jamie, Louisa, and Ellen. Jamie and Ellen are returning characters from previous novels, though I didn't remember Jamie and barely remembered Ellen from reading The Pearl Thief two and a half years ago. I liked all characters since they each possessed a passion to contribute to the war in their own way. I initially thought I wouldn't like Jamie's narrative because of all the plane details, but I relaxed when I realized it wasn't overboard.

Jane was a tough but sweet character that I adored. Her bond with Louisa was unbreakable and I loved watching their interactions. Jane took Louisa under her wing right away and stood up for her when someone questioned her background. Felix was enjoyable too and I hope to see more of him and Louisa in future novels.

I somewhat knew where the ending would go, but it still came as a shock. I had to reread passages just to make sure I understood what happened because my mind didn't want to believe it.

Thanks NetGalley for an ARC.

When 15 year old Louisa took a job caring for a elderly woman she had no idea what a adventure it would be. Louisa having lost both her parents to bombing wants desperately to do something, anything to help fight back against Germany but she is not sure how to do this as a a 15 year old. When Louisa and her charge reach the small village of Windyedge in Scotland, Louisa meets some friends (if you have read other books by Ms. Wein, but not necessary) that will help her on her way.

Like I said if you have read Code Name Verity, and some of the other books, you will be reunited with some friend, if not don't worry you can read them after this book. You will find all Ms. Wein's books are wonderful. I really with I could have learned history this way. While the book is fiction some of the facts are based in history. I love all of her books where the main character is female, but the action and suspense is strong enough to hold anyone's interest.I really loved this book and hope you will too.

This review will appear on my blog on May 26th.

This was the kind of smart, engaging historical fiction that fans of Elizabeth Wein have come to expect. I loved the mix of new characters and familiar, and how Wein always places such importance on the role of girls and women in WWII, something I feel like a lot of hist fic overlooks. Fans of Code Name Verity will love The Enigma Game!

Fifteen-year-old Louisa Adair is a recent orphan on Jamaican and English descent. She needs a job and a way to survive, but her skin color is standing in her way. When she is hired by phone to take a job caring for an elderly, stubborn, German woman her skin color doesn’t come up. Together they will travel to Scotland to reside with the woman’s distant family. Their new home is in a remote area near an airbase. When a German airman happens upon their home for the night, Louisa will be embedded into a world of spies, double agents, and secret codes. This World War II novel ties into her pervious novels and gives the reader additional background into Ellen McEwen and Jamie Beaufort, Stuart. Fans of Wein’s previous novels, as well as those who like strong female characters, spies, and WWII historical fiction will want to read this book. Wein’s WWII novels can be read in any order. Ages 12+

I have to confess, I don't actually care that much about airplanes. They're just not my thing. That said, I have absolutely adored every book of this (loosely connected) series, which really tells you just how amazing they are since aviation plays a rather significant role. "The Enigma Game" is another stellar addition to the Verity story, falling after the events of "The Pearl Thief" but obviously before "Code Name Verity".

Enigma splits narration between three viewpoint characters: returning characters Jamie Beaufort-Stuart, a flight leader in the British air force and Ellen McEwan, and introducing the wonderful new character Louisa Adair. Louisa is fifteen, the child of a Jamaican father and British mother, both of whom were recently killed by bombs. Desperate for something to do, she takes a job as companion and caregiver for an elderly German opera singer in Scotland, where her path intersects those of Ellen and Jamie. The lives of Louisa, Ellen, and Jamie are further complicated when they gain control of the only Enigma machine in Britain.

This book seems slow at points, but in the end turned I think that this was entirely deliberate. The slow build up is crucial in allowing us to get to know all of the different characters and truly immerse ourselves in their world before we get to the final events of the book. The climax would not have hit me nearly as hard if not for the attention given to character development earlier on. As it is, it was an emotional gut punch that has me still thinking about it days later.

The new characters are wonderful. The relationship between Louisa and Jane (her elderly charge) is particularly well drawn. There is also an appearance by Julie, in her role as trainee intelligence officer (which was both great and horrible since anyone who has read Verity knows exactly where her intelligence career is going to bring her). My only problem now is that I really want to know what happens to Ellen and Louisa during the rest of the war. Hopefully Elizabeth Wein is equally curious and will someday give us the next parts of their stories.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was an absolutely amazing historical fiction set at the start of WWII in Britain. The characters and their relationships were very well developed. I loved Jane and Louisas love for each other, Ellen and Jamie's friendship, and the minor characters like Silver, Nan, and Phyllis. I loved the authors note telling about the coins, enigma machine, etc. I loved the multiple perspectives that the author told the story from and especially how such unique characters as a Traveller and Jamaican national were used. This is the best WWII novel I have read this year! Such a fantastic read!!!!!

I am fascinated with the history behind World War II. Most tell about the effects of war on the citizens who suffered. I liked reading in this novel, The Enigma Game, about the way the military and people of the small village called Wyndyedge experienced and helped to win on the home front. What made the story more interesting was that it was told through the words and actions of a few characters: Louisa, a young teenager from the West Indies; Jamie, a pilot; and Ellen, a WAF.
The story was very realistic. The battle scenes let the reader experience the chaos of dogfights. Meanwhile the effects and heroic efforts of average people are integral to understanding what happened in England after the Battle of Britain. The key that tied the elements together was the coding machine known by the name Enigma.
I enjoyed reading this book. I would recommend it to anyone who likewise likes to read about this time in history.

This had all the code breaking and suspense and high stakes that I could have hoped for. I simultaneously wanted to keep reading to find out what happened and wanted to put it down because it was making me anxious not knowing what was going to happen. I loved how the characters worked together. I loved the friendship between Louisa and Jane. I loved how the stories of each character overlapped and interconnected and we got just enough of each to put the big picture together.

I believe this book takes place between The Pearl Thief and Code Name Verity, and characters from those books are in this book, but I don't think it's necessary to have read either. This book stands alone well.