This is a heartbreaking story about terrible things like war, the things that happen in war, and other human atrocities. But, underneath all the pain, this story also weaves a beautiful message of healing, moving forward, and rekindled hope.
I really loved the author's prose, and she pulled off all the hidden secrets and revealing of information very well. I was very drawn into the story, need to know what happens next. I, however, did not expect some of the themes this books would address in the latter half because of how well hidden those secrets and themes were. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, I do think that one theme in particular should be foreshadowed in the book's description due to the potential of being triggering.
I am always appreciative of books that address mental health topics, and this book did a very good job portraying what PTSD can look like. I am excited for the release and hope to discuss the story with other readers when it becomes available!

This was my first time reading a book by Monica Hesse, but I enjoy YA historical fiction, especially when it has a touch of mystery, so I was eager to read The Brightwood Code. Edda has just returned to the states after a brief stint in France as part of the "Hello Girls," young American women who were hired as switchboard operators in France during World War I. Although employed by the US Army, they were not given any recognition or status as such.

At the beginning of the book, Edda is working for Bell Telephone having just recently returned from wartime France. It is clear that Edda has suffered some type of trauma, and she finds that someone else seems to know her story. We as readers are given hints and flashbacks until the whole story is finally revealed. I enjoyed the mystery aspect as much as I was fascinated by the history of the Hello Girls.

Monica Hesse knows how to write a compelling historical fiction that will appeal to adults as much as it appeals to teens.

I will recommend this to teen and adult readers who like wartime historical fiction featuring women.

Thank you to Little Brown Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. Edda is back from the front lines where she worked as a “Hello Girl”, as a switchboard operator. While at the front, she spent her nights memorizing connection codes to stay ahead of the enemy. Her days were spent connecting calls and vital lines between the front lines and bases. Now back in Washington, she works for American Bell Telephone as an operator. One night, just as her shift is ending, she gets a phone call and the caller utters a codeword “Brightwood” that sends her spiraling back to her time in France. She must confront her past and attempt to uncover the secrets that have followed her home.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book faster. I couldn’t put this down. The suspense and the writing easily pulled me in and kept me engaged. I eagerly flipped the pages, trying to figure out who was calling Edda and keeping her on edge. I was on edge while reading it and Monica Hesse is a fantastic writer who engages her readers with each page turned. I didn’t know anything about HR the Hello Girls prior to this story and now I cannot wait to read more about them. Highly recommend this for a unique WWI story.

A really interesting historical mystery about the Hello Girls of WWI. I will say, I wish we had more scenes of what happened on the front, but still a very compelling story.

thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my review.

Monica Hesse is the queen of YA historical novels in my opinion! The Brightwood Code is a step away from her usual WWII repertoire and dives into the "Hello Girls" of WWI. Edda is a switchboard operator in the US Army and is sent overseas to memorize secret codes. These codes are to relay messages back and forth between English and French front lines when something happens to make Edda second guess everything. Flashing back to her time in France and right before the war ends in Washington, The Brightwood Code has you second guessing everyone in Edda's path right up to the very end of the book.

I loved reading this novel about the Hello Girls (telephone operators during WWI) that I only know about because my school did a musical about them last year. This YA novel is fantastic! It explores a lesser known part of history while touching on some tougher topics (sexual abuse) that still resonate today. 4.5⭐

Edda comes home from Europe after serving as a Hello Girl during WWI. A Hello Girl was a telephone operator for the military. Edda is suffering from what we now would call PTSD from a couple of traumatic events that happened in the war. It is not clear what those are until toward the end of the book. The story feels chaotic, and I wasn’t sure I enjoyed it until the end; when it hit me, it was written in the way how Edda had been feeling being home and working as an operator when someone calls and uses the code word from the war.

The book does need a warning. There is a scene of assault on Edda.

Thank you, NetGalley and Little Brown Books, for an ARC. This was on my “must-read list” for 2024.

Monica Hesse's compelling historical fiction novel "The Brightwood Code" brings readers to the early aftermath of World War I. Hesse does an excellent job of depicting the hardships women faced in that era's male-dominated culture. I as I read I also observed personally how important the woman's role as a switchboard operator was to the war effort. The author skillfully incorporates the female character's personal development, mystery, and intellect.

In this novel author Monica hesse explores the topics of resilience, identity, and the long-term impacts of conflict, all while encouraging serious and rigorous reading. I suggest it, especially if you enjoy mysteries, historical literature, and strong female characters; it is a fantastic book. Monica Hesse's storytelling skills kept me hooked in this novel till the last page.

Monica Hesse also ensures that the story is enjoyable, especially because it takes place in the postwar era. Not only does she provide precise information throughout the novel, but she also strives to make the characters as relatable as possible. I also admire her completing her homework before creating such a compelling novel back then.

Thank you netgalley and little brown books, for young readers for the ARC

Edda St. James was one of the Hello Girls, young American women who operated telephone switchboards in Europe during World War I. But after cutting her service short and returning to America, she’s working as a switchboard operator at Bell, living in a room at her aunt’s boarding house, and trying to hold herself together when her memories threaten to tear her apart.

One morning, as she’s wrapping up her night shift, she picks up her cord only to hear a voice beg, “Help. . . . You have to tell the truth. The fa— . . . Brightwood.”

Brightwood. The word sends Edda into a spiral: it was the code word for a group of US soldiers who died behind enemy lines when she froze, unable to remember the day’s codes, delaying an urgent message from reaching them.

She sets out to discover who it is that’s harassing her by visiting the families of the soldiers who died, aided by Theo, the young man who lives in the room next to hers at the boarding house. But Edda and Theo are both holding back parts of their past that threaten their partnership.

This is an engaging pageturner: we wanted to know what was going to happen and get to the bottom of the Brightwood incident (and we think students will, too). In some ways, the novel was frustrating because as a reader, we can see that Edda’s response is irrational: she’s taking far too much responsibility for a simple mistake. But as the novel comes to an end, it’s clear that this is part of Hesse’s purpose: Edda has a lot of healing to do from her experiences in the war, and part of that healing process is accepting that you won’t always get the endings and closure you want. The novel is ultimately about grief, guilt, and overcoming trauma, and it sheds light on a lesser known role women played in the war.

The novel is appropriate for a wide range of young adult audiences, but do be aware there is a scene of attempted rape.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are our own.

Review will be posted at https://threeheads.works/category/blog/ya-books/ on May 20, 2024.

Read this if you love:
🤍 well-researched historical fiction
🔎 mysteries that keep you guessing
🩶 unreliable narrators

Since I had a hard time putting The Brightwood Code down, I read it in a little over 24 hours. What a heart-pounding, tightly-plotted piece of historical fiction! Monica Hesse’s prose is electric. Every word packs a punch as we move between Edda’s past and present, slowly uncovering what exactly happened in France. As we get further into the story, you start to question who to believe and who can trusted.

Our main character, Edda St. James, has just returned from the front lines and works as telephone operator in D.C. She’s traumatized, depressed, and struggles with guilt from her time in France as a Hello Girl. Her only company is the occasional visit from her plucky architect neighbor Theo. Edda’s wears her past like an old coat, unable to move on from the thoughts that haunt her day and night. All of that changes when Edda receives a call referencing the code word that won’t leave her mind, the one that no one else was supposed to know: Brightwood.

The Brightwood Code is set during and shortly after the Great War. This is a period of history underrepresented in historical fiction (especially in YA!), so I appreciate the author giving the era its due. I had no idea that dozens of women were sent to the front lines in France to operate military switchboards, yet were not recognized as veterans until the 1970s. I glad that the author came across this piece of history and brought it to light in such a well-written manner.

If you enjoy books by Ruta Sepetys or Amanda McCrina, you’ll LOVE The Brightwood Code.

Thank you to Little, Brown and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5. Excellent historical fiction about the role of women in WWI. Compelling characters, and enough real details to pull the reader into the story. I could easily use this as a literature circle selection. There is so much to talk about here; WWI, the profound losses of war, grief, healing, PTSD, the draft, women’s suffrage. Every time I start a book set during war time, I brace myself, because war is horrible, but this is one of those stories that I found myself fully immersed in. High school students, particularly girls, will not be able to put this down. It’s great ‘herstory’—offering a unique pov on WWI. I really like that it focuses on the aftermath of war, on the hurt and healing that occurs. I really loved these characters, I’ll still be thinking about this book for awhile. A superb YA novel.

Edda wants to prove herself as a respectable young woman, which is the reason why she takes a job as a “Hello Girl” on the World War I frontlines. By operating the telephones overseas, she can actively assist in the war by connecting important calls. She finds herself feeling accomplished until a catastrophic event sends her back to Washington, DC, and reeling from the fallout.

At night, Edda operates the phones for American Bell Telephone, and by day she is haunted by the memories of what happened overseas; she cannot forgive herself for a lapse in judgment resulting in the deaths of many men. Now it would appear someone close to her knows where she failed and wants her to repent, and Edda must find a way to right her wrongs. As she tries to make amends, the truth behind what happened boils over, and Edda must come to terms with the real event she has been running from.  

The Brightwood Code is an interesting book because the direction it ends up taking feels far from how it begins. What seems to be an intriguing mystery is instead a complex story about processing trauma, and it takes many heartbreaking turns.

This book is well-written and compelling. The subject matter could be challenging for some readers and Edda’s relationship with her family could have been explored more, but overall this is a great piece of historical fiction.

An easy-to-read peice of historical fiction, this book read like a light mystery. Who is Edda running from? What happened while she was over-seas? There are not a lot of quality WWI novels around--and certainly none about the Hello Girls and their important part in the war. The author treated the subject in an interesting fashion. I think students will pick it up for the history and stay for the mystery.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of The Brightwood Code. Honestly, Monica Hesse never disappoints, and The Brightwood Code was riveting. Set in WWI (which I had to keep reminding myself of), this story focuses on one of the Hello Girls, American women who worked as telephone operators in the European theater, as she navigates undiagnosed PTSD following her return to the States. Nearly every reveal was surprising, and I enjoyed this glimpse into a piece of history not often shown in YA historical fiction.

My only quibble comes with Edda's reaction to learning how her fellow operator in DC passed. Her reaction to this news seemed less than I would have expected given her feelings toward other tragedies that occurred prior (if you know you know... I'm trying to avoid spoilers here!).

Overall, this was a great, engaging read that I'll look forward to adding to our Monica Hesse shelf. I'm sure it won't sit there long!

After her service as a Hello Girl is cut short, Edda returns home from France and works for the Bell Company. When she receives a call from a person who mentions Brightwood, Edda is forced to come face to face with her past. She embarks on a journey trying to solve the mystery of the curious caller.

This was such a hard book to put down. The story was engaging from beginning to end. There were so many twists and turns that it kept me sucked it. Every time I felt like I had the answer, the story line threw a wrench. It was great!

Thank you to Little Brown and NetGalley for the ARC.

4.5

I started this book after work one day, intending to read just a couple of chapters before doing other things. I ended up reading about 85% before I'd even realized it, and decided to push through the last bit before the end of the day. It's been a long time since I've read a full length book in a few hours, but this book was so gripping I couldn't stop.

This book follows Edda, a former Hello Girl during World War I. I didn't know much about the Hello Girls, as I'm not well-versed in much of WWI. They were bilingual English/French switchboard operators who helped connect the different American and French troops, and were essential to the war effort. Edda was discharged from her duty early and returned to the US, intending to forget her mistake which she believes cost the lives of the entire Forty-Eighth Baltimore Regiment. As we follow Edda, we learn more about how she became a Hello Girl, and what led up to the tragedy that caused her to return home. This book brilliantly crafts another aspect of the war that many people didn't give much thought to and didn't have words for - PTSD. Edda's struggles with her PTSD are woven throughout the tale and offer great insight into her character.

I do have to say that I wasn't expecting the ending at all. Everything is not as it seems, as Edda isn't always the most reliable narrator due to her trauma. However, once you get to the end, you understand completely why Edda is suffering the way she is. There is a second part to the ending, which weaves in another thread of the story that packs an emotional punch. This story moves at a fast pace, with very few unnecessary words or scenes. It's easy to get pulled in by the narration and even easier to keep flipping the pages to find out what really happened. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a bit of mystery involved. Just be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was about my third or 4th boob by this author and didn't disappoint! A change in my usual time period that I read about and learned a few things too!

3.75 rounded up to 4.

I enjoyed the overall premise of the story, the beginning, and the ending. The middle seemed to drag a little bit and some sub-plots seemed a bit forced. Some of the historical information was new for me, so I thoroughly enjoyed that aspect!

Not recommended for younger teens.

An Examination of Trauma and Historical Omissions in Monica Hesse's "The Brightwood Code"

Monica Hesse's "The Brightwood Code" offers a deftly crafted historical mystery intertwined with a nuanced interrogation of trauma and the systematic erasure of women's wartime contributions. The novel centers on Edda, a former "Hello Girl" – one of the courageous female switchboard operators whose skills were indispensable on the World War I frontlines. Hesse meticulously reconstructs the harrowing atmosphere of the war, juxtaposing the relentless tension of Edda's past with the stifling expectations of post-war America.

In portraying Edda's psychological struggles, Hesse transcends the conventions of historical fiction. The novel delves into the complexities of a condition that would not be fully recognized for decades: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Edda's flashbacks, hypervigilance, and desperate attempts to numb her pain are rendered with both visceral immediacy and profound sensitivity. Hesse illustrates the profound isolation experienced by those whose trauma is invisible and often dismissed, particularly within the historical context of a society ill-equipped to acknowledge the psychological cost of war.

"The Brightwood Code" also exposes the historical injustice perpetrated against the "Hello Girls." Despite their undeniable role in the Allied war effort, their service was denied veteran status and largely omitted from official narratives. Hesse weaves a compelling thread of righteous anger through the narrative, highlighting the systemic silencing of women whose wartime sacrifices were deemed inconvenient. The novel thus serves as a corrective, amplifying a hidden history while simultaneously indicting the mechanisms of erasure.

Beyond its thematic depth, "The Brightwood Code" succeeds as a captivating thriller. The central mystery involving the cryptic code word "Brightwood" propels the narrative forward, engaging the reader in the unraveling of secrets and the pursuit of truth. Hesse's prose possesses a historical sensibility that transports readers to the era, yet remains unburdened by archaisms, ensuring a seamless reading experience.

This multifaceted novel offers profound insights into both individual wartime experiences and the broader societal consequences of downplaying women's contributions. It stands as a testament to the enduring power of historical fiction to both illuminate forgotten corners of the past and resonate with the ongoing human struggle to heal from unseen wounds.

4.5 stars

Monica Hesse has once more written a historical novel, ostensibly YA, that brought this not-young adult close to tears. Unlike her three most recent novels ("They Went Left," "The War Outside," and "Girl in the Blue Coat"), "The Brightwood Code" takes place during the First World War, not the Second. Here, Edda has returned to the States after a brief, and apparently traumatic, stint as a Hello Girl, one of several dozen young American women employed by the U.S. Army as switchboard operators in France.

In trying to solve one mystery—the identity of a caller urging her to "tell the truth" about a project dubbed Brightwood—Edda reveals to us another, while discovering truths she never expected. It's a fast, tight read, with no wasted words or passages, several unanticipated reveals, and a final act that sucker-punched me. War is hell, in ways one might never imagine, and sometimes everyday life can be too—but as Edda learns, "you expect that as time passes grief will get small, but grief doesn't get smaller. It's just that life gets bigger."

Thank you, Little, Brown Books and NetGalley, for providing me with an advanced copy is exchange for an honest review.