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camiandkitread's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
“The Enigma Game” is an interesting historical thriller set in World War II that features multiple main characters and high stakes. It was an okay read, but it was not nearly as compelling as “Code Name Verity.”
This book jumped around so much it felt that my copy was missing pages—scenes and thoughts and interactions were rushed through with such breakneck speed I could hardly keep up. It’s disappointing that “The Enigma Game” had such pacing problems because Wein’s characters were interesting and I wanted to know what would happen to them next.
If I had read “The Enigma Game” before “Code Name Verity,” which is the chronological order of the books, I think I would have enjoyed it more. But alas, I went in publication order.
This book jumped around so much it felt that my copy was missing pages—scenes and thoughts and interactions were rushed through with such breakneck speed I could hardly keep up. It’s disappointing that “The Enigma Game” had such pacing problems because Wein’s characters were interesting and I wanted to know what would happen to them next.
If I had read “The Enigma Game” before “Code Name Verity,” which is the chronological order of the books, I think I would have enjoyed it more. But alas, I went in publication order.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Cursing, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Colonisation
lawbooks600's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Representation: Biracial (half Black and half white) and Black characters
Score: Six points out of ten.
I wanted to read this for a while but never got around to doing so until now. I thought The Enigma Game was new since it was on the new titles shelf at the library. Turns out they lied; they bought it around three years ago. I enjoyed this one but if the author improved her piece of literature, it could be better. I'm not rushing to read Code Name Verity, but I'll read it if I have time.
It starts with the first character I see, Louisa Adair, living in Britain during the early 1940s with World War Two ongoing. She is desperate after losing both her parents from different causes. Louisa soon meets two new characters, Ellen and Jamie who work for the Royal Air Force or RAF. The opening pages are slow but the action picks up around part two, where I see Louisa take part in the air forces fighting off enemy aircraft, which I enjoyed reading.
There's a plot twist when a defective German soldier has a package, and inside there's a typewriter called an Enigma, which soon plays a significant role in the narrative. Thus begins Louisa and other's quest to keep the Enigma as long as they can from malicious hands. The Enigma Game shines in its enthralling plot and immersion since I could never put it down. However, it has flaws with the characters; even though I liked them, I didn't find them that memorable nor could I sympathise with them, even with Louisa's hardship. It rubs me the wrong way when a white author writes about a person like Louisa. It feels like tokenism or cultural appropriation. The multiple POVs didn't work as they were almost indistinguishable other than their names. I wonder if Code Name Verity is better.
Score: Six points out of ten.
I wanted to read this for a while but never got around to doing so until now. I thought The Enigma Game was new since it was on the new titles shelf at the library. Turns out they lied; they bought it around three years ago. I enjoyed this one but if the author improved her piece of literature, it could be better. I'm not rushing to read Code Name Verity, but I'll read it if I have time.
It starts with the first character I see, Louisa Adair, living in Britain during the early 1940s with World War Two ongoing. She is desperate after losing both her parents from different causes. Louisa soon meets two new characters, Ellen and Jamie who work for the Royal Air Force or RAF. The opening pages are slow but the action picks up around part two, where I see Louisa take part in the air forces fighting off enemy aircraft, which I enjoyed reading.
There's a plot twist when a defective German soldier has a package, and inside there's a typewriter called an Enigma, which soon plays a significant role in the narrative. Thus begins Louisa and other's quest to keep the Enigma as long as they can from malicious hands. The Enigma Game shines in its enthralling plot and immersion since I could never put it down. However, it has flaws with the characters; even though I liked them, I didn't find them that memorable nor could I sympathise with them, even with Louisa's hardship. It rubs me the wrong way when a white author writes about a person like Louisa. It feels like tokenism or cultural appropriation. The multiple POVs didn't work as they were almost indistinguishable other than their names. I wonder if Code Name Verity is better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Full trigger warnings: Death of a friend, parents and other people, fire, plane crash, military violence and war themes, World War Two, racist slur, gun violence, physical assault and injury, blood depiction, murder, explosionsgoldendreams's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death, Blood, Vomit, and Death of parent
rach22's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
3.75
I quite enjoyed this book. I read Code Name Verity years ago and absolutely loved it, then recently discovered that there are other books in the series.
The story was a bit slow to get going, but I enjoyed it as it went on. It was interesting meeting (or remeeting) the different characters and getting to know them. I liked the setting.
I was aware of reading a black character written by a white author, however after reading the author’s note, she took care in getting help and advice on this issue and I think it worked well. There were some parts of it that annoyed me, being from Scotland as they weren’t accurate and I didn’t find it fair to depict some of the children in the way that they were.
Overall, great story, very sad. I was not expecting that ending, rather depressing but good story.
I also now want to go back and reread Code Name Verity yo.
The story was a bit slow to get going, but I enjoyed it as it went on. It was interesting meeting (or remeeting) the different characters and getting to know them. I liked the setting.
I was aware of reading a black character written by a white author, however after reading the author’s note, she took care in getting help and advice on this issue and I think it worked well. There were some parts of it that annoyed me, being from Scotland as they weren’t accurate and I didn’t find it fair to depict some of the children in the way that they were.
Overall, great story, very sad. I was not expecting that ending, rather depressing but good story.
I also now want to go back and reread Code Name Verity yo.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and War
rubylovesbooks13's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, and Death of parent
celebrationofbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was so excited for this book to arrive as an advance reader copy at the store and I quickly read it in the hopes of being done before it’s original release date back in May. And then, like so many other spring titles, it was postponed until the fall due to Covid. A smart person would have written this review back in April when she actually read the book, not two days before it’s release in November. I’m not always a smart person, so I will do my best.
Louisa is a great new addition to the Verity world, as is the older woman in her care, a delightfully spritely grandmotherly woman with an important role to play in this book. Chronologically, for those who are interested, this is second book in the Verity series:
- The Pearl Thief (first chronologically, third published)
- The Enigma Game (fourth published, second chronologically)
- Code Name Verity (first published, third chronologically)
- Rose Under Fire (second published, fourth chronologically)
I include this here, because as Elizabeth Wein’s characters frequently visit in her other books, knowing where you are chronologically is always helpful, and therefore less surprising and unsettling, when unexpected visitors arrive, as they do in The Engima Game. But they’re still surprising and, without giving away any series spoilers for those who haven’t read any of the books thus far, there will be tears and anguish on your part as a reader.
While I overall enjoyed the story, told in alternating perspectives between Louisa, Ellen, and Jamie, there was a great deal that I found lacking. First, the suspension of belief required to image that a German pilot would leave an enigma machine in the care of a young caretaker is a bit more preposterous than I was willing to accept. Second, there is little tension in any of the air battles – they just happen. And then characters are gone, and while I’m sure this is how a real life air battle was, it’s something that could have been a great addition to the narrative, but instead winds up falling flat.
My high hopes and excited anticipation waned somewhat quickly, unfortunately, and I found myself rushing through certain parts to get to the characters I cared about more. If you’re a diehard fan of the Verity series, it’s a nice read for nostalgia. But if you haven’t yet read any of the books, I would suggest reading Code Name Verity first, and then deciding from there if you want to stick with the story. A part of me wishes I’d just read Verity and then left well enough alone.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Medical trauma, and War
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Fans of Wein's novels will recognize nods to other characters from other novels--which I love! I haven't read all her books, but I remember enough to recognize how they cross over. That always makes an author's books fun.
I love how Wein makes women front and center in her historical fiction novels, especially where that isn't always the case, like on military bases. I really liked the narrators in this book, and Wein does an excellent job in differentiating between the three of them. The way she writes dialect is fantastic and almost makes me wish I would have listened to this on audio.
While at times, some of the plane terminology and other aspects went over my head, I appreciated the amount of research Wein put into writing this book.
Another great addition to Wein's historical fiction works!
I love how Wein makes women front and center in her historical fiction novels, especially where that isn't always the case, like on military bases. I really liked the narrators in this book, and Wein does an excellent job in differentiating between the three of them. The way she writes dialect is fantastic and almost makes me wish I would have listened to this on audio.
While at times, some of the plane terminology and other aspects went over my head, I appreciated the amount of research Wein put into writing this book.
Another great addition to Wein's historical fiction works!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Xenophobia and Antisemitism
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
Not very invested in the story as I would have liked to have been.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Gore and Antisemitism
One of the POV characters is a Traveller (Irish Romani) and there is one direct slur mentioned. Also the story is set during WWII and several characters are flyers for the Royal Air Force. There are several scenes depicting aerial confrontations between said flyers and Nazi planes/submarines.azebrareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
After reading Code Name Verity, reading this made me feel tense the whole way through. The last few chapters were heartbreaking.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Racial slurs, Suicide, and Xenophobia