For me, Code Name Verity's domination of the YA literary scene came about not from its compelling premise and thriller-like aspects, but from the strength of Elizabeth Wein's writing, of her writing voice. Which is why I never had a doubt that ROSE UNDER FIRE wouldn't be excellent. To have what the narrative voice that I associated with Julie/Maddie in CNV seemingly transplanted onto Rose was a little jarring at first for me--but then Rose's own unique brand of strength emerged, roaring, and fed my readerly sympathies and investment. She is smart, resilient, and a much more resonant writer than she gives herself credit for... in other words, exactly the kind of YA heroine that can win hearts anywhere.

ROSE UNDER FIRE deals with a particular dark chapter of World War II history: Nazi doctors performing torturous experiments in the name of "scientific advancement" on young prisoners. The very idea alone is chilling enough, but ROSE UNDER FIRE stays clear of historical moroseness and heavy-handed eulogizing by ensuring that its focus stays clearly on the characters. Rose is joined on the page by more admirable female supporting characters than I can keep track of. What Wein does so well in her two WWII historical novels is that she doesn't merely let the characters' predicaments demand readers' sympathies: rather, the characters--big-hearted, smart-mouthed, brave or frightened--and the empathy they deserve speak for themselves. These are characters we would like anywhere, in any story, in any time period.

Elizabeth Wein has accomplished what few YA writers have yet to do, and that is to make historical fiction popular and resonant. If she continues to write historical fiction, I'll for sure be glad, but I'd also be happy with whatever else she chooses to write in the future. Her surehanded characterization and narrative voice have made me a fan through everything.

Rose Justice is a pilot. A pilot that has logged more flight hours than most of her male co-pilots, but is denied active combat status. In the ATA, she helps the war effort, but is dismissed by the boys she know she can out-fly. She has high ideals for the war and when she signs up, she transports fighter planes that will get used on the European front. When a routine flight goes wrong, her plane goes down and Rose is captured by Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück--a notorious women's concentration camp.

Will she make it out alive? Will any of the people she's met and befriended? A companion novel to Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein delivers on another aspect of the war with strong writing and characters.

Sadly this book just didn’t grab as much as I hoped it would. I put it down and picked it up multiple times but I just couldn’t connect with it. Super bummed.

I was a big fan of Code Name Verity, so I was very excited to read this one. It's definitely a companion to CNV, rather than a sequel - a few characters are in both and the setting is similar. I was rather disappointed with RUF - unlike CNV there's no tension or suspense. I'm not sure why the author decided to let us know at the outset that Rose and her two companions were going to survive the horrors of Ravensbruck - it robs us of the constant fear that they would have felt, not knowing if they were going to survive from one day to the next (which was brilliantly done with CNV). I thought the characters were well-drawn and Wein's descriptions of the horrors of the camp feel very realistic, so it makes for a satisfying, if somewhat disturbing read.

It has been 8 years since I requested this title and I still haven't read it. I am still interested in the book and have since purchased a copy for my shelf but I don't know when I will get to this at this point, if ever. I appreciate the approval for this title and if/when I do decide to read I will leave a review on instagram, goodreads, storygraph, and amazon. thanks again for the approval.

For anyone who loved <i>Code Name Verity</i>, you need this book.

If you haven't read Elizabeth Wein's other books, you need this book.

Her historical fiction is more than true. I love reading Wein's work because her research is impeccable. Rose Justice leaves comfy America Pennsylvania behind it for the cold of England and the prospect of flying planes. Along the way she meets Maddie Brodart, who helps her feel less alone. But Rose is flying over the continent, and planes can get shot down, and concentration camps exist.

Beautiful writing, chilling subject matter, and a careful study of the characters, this is a definite add to any collection.

This highly-anticipated follow-up novel by Elizabeth Wein does not disappoint. Readers of Code Name Verity will not be able to put this down and new fans will certainly be made as well.

I read Code Name Verity and loved it. I enjoyed this book as well but struggled with it in places. Parts were a bit unbelievable and the story felt forced in places,

I unfortunately was not able to read this book. I was excited when ever I had chosen to download or pick this book up on Netgalley. However, time moves by so quickly and I never got to read it.

I enjoyed _Code Name Verity_ and this sequel is as moving a story as that. It's a good introduction to the women who served during World War II, not just those in uniform but those who helped fellow citizens as well.

A companion read to Code Name Verity by Wein. An incredibly raw and moving story about a young American girl, Rose, who joins the British Air Transport Auxiliary as a pilot during WWII. Rose is forced to land her plane behind enemy lines and she is captured and send to Ravensbruck concentration camp. This story is a haunting and heart rending story of survival, especially knowing that though this book is fiction, much of the atrocities that Rose witnesses and experiences really did happen to countless women at Ravensbruck. A must read for fans of Code Name Verity, The Book Thief, Skeletons at the Feast, and other WWII historical fiction.

A beautiful, moving story that doesn't shy away from the brutalities of war. The emotion in this book is tremendous, and I loved that it follows the characters beyond WWII, to give readers a glimpse of the aftermath of the war. So many people take for granted that the world acknowledges the Holocaust as horrific and wrong, but rarely do they know much about the Nuremberg Trials and the brave people who told the world about those atrocities. This was a spectacular book.

I have so many feelings about this book. I didn't think anything could live up to Code Name Verity, but Rose Under Fire doesn't try to. While the characters live in the same world, their stories are so different that the crossover doesn't really apply. And Anna, oh Anna.

I was a huge fan of Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire was great to see the other side of the story. Although, when I say great, the story wasn't, it was horrific and sad showing the people in the concentration camp.

According to GoodReads, I started reading this in May and got 20% through it, which is the point where I realized it was a concentration camp story and I had to put it on hold until I felt emotionally prepared to read it. I guess I decided that this weekend I was prepared to finish it, though this pile of used Kleenexes begs to differ.

When Code Name Verity first started getting buzz, I admit I thought, "Do we really need another WWII story? What's left to tell?" Then, of course, it was a fresh and brilliant novel and I loved it and so did basically everyone.

Same with Rose Under Fire--did we really need another concentration camp story? Well--maybe we needed this one.

(view spoiler)

I saw some reactions that were disappointed that this didn't have the same suspense/twists as Code Name Verity, but I... mean, I wouldn't want to read the same story twice, I guess, and I'm not sure how that kind of narrative would play out in this story.

Oh, also, as a longtime Girl Scout, I was VERY moved by reading all of Rose's Girl Scout songs and traditions and realizing how many had survived to present day. Such a powerfully humanizing and relatable element--I am sure many other present day Girl Scouts would respond similarly.

This is another powerful set of heroines written by Wein. The book is peripherally related to Code Name Verity (Maddie knows Rose), but it takes place in Ravensbruck concentration camp, where American pilot Rose has been sent after being captured. She makes friends of the Rabbits, a group women who are being experimented on by the Nazis. It's a gut wrenching tale, but well worth reading, as readers also get to learn what happens to the women after the camp is liberated.

This books is amazing and I am constantly recommending it