Author: Kate Quinn
Genre: Historical, Fiction, Adventure, Fiction Modern Fiction, Wartime.
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Year of release: 2021
Release Date 03/08/21
Rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
TW Death of a Child, Sexual Assault, Some Physical Mental Abuse.
Reviewers note Bletchley Park is written as BP throughout this review.
Synopsis
1940, Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire.
Three very different women are recruited to the mysterious Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes.
Vivacious debutante Osla has the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses – but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, working to translate decoded enemy secrets. Self-made Mab masters the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and the poverty of her East-End London upbringing. And shy local girl Beth is the outsider who trains as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts.
1947, London.
Seven years after they first meet, on the eve of the royal wedding between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, disaster threatens. Osla, Mab and Beth are estranged, their friendship torn apart by secrets and betrayal. Yet now they must race against the clock to crack one final code together, before it’s too late, for them and their country.
Review:
1940, Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire London, are on a mission to break German military codes in the hopes of bringing Hitler to his knees once and for all, three women answer the call the trio couldn’t be more different. A top-secret dangerous mission begins, and it soon becomes clear to the new recruits that only the best minds are selected to work at the mysterious Bletchley Park.
Osla Kendall a cheerful young debutante has caught the eye of a dashing bachelor who goes by the name Prince Phillip of Greece he’s sending Osla roses she longs to prove to everyone that Osla Kendall is capable of being more than just a society girl. Upon arrival at BP, she is tasked with translating decoded enemy secrets.
Another of the new arrivals to BP Mable Churt now goes by the name Mab conquerors the codebreaking machines during her time at the park, she keeps hidden old wounds she would much rather forget and find a way to make a better life for herself and her loved ones rather than the life of poverty she endured growing up on streets of London’s East-End.
Beth Finch a shy young lady who may not be as experienced in life as her newfound friends Mab and Osla. Beth finds herself placed in a position of high knowledge and power that even Beth herself didn’t realise she was capable of as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts.
1947 Seven years after the trio first met, on the eve of the royal wedding disaster threatens to place Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, in grave danger, Osla, Mable and Beth haven’t spoken to each other in seven years secrets and a betrayal tore the trio apart. Yet now they must race against the clock to crack one final code together, before it’s too late, for them and their country. Will they succeed before time runs out for one of their own?
I have read all bar one of Kate Quinn’s novels at the time of writing this review, I am a little chuffed at realising this little achievement. I began my reading journey with Kate Quinn’s The Alice Network back in 2018 and was wowed by her fierce woman protagonists and strong storytelling ability and have endeavoured to read all other novels by this author in the Historical Fiction genre.
“She’d learned something these last few days about dealing with cryptanalysts: point them at the coffee, point them at the problem, then get out of the way.”
― The Rose Code
Whilst I adored the premise of The Rose Code, I struggled with some of the mannerisms and the English culture depicted as it felt at times forced and awkward. Perhaps if the author had removed some of the stereotypical attributes to the English culture and their unique language it might not have felt as forced.
The reader is first introduced to Mable Churt and it doesn’t take long to see that Mab wants more in life than what she has been offered thus far, as an avid reader of this genre I was immediately drawn to Mab and her 21st century views and who hasn’t dreamed of a little something more at one time or another.
As the novel advanced it was clear that each of the characters had evolved, personally as well as professionally, when it comes to Mab, she learns to live with the demons that haunt her past and put to rest old hurts to save someone she cares for deeply even if that could be risky.
Osla to let go of an unrequited love and thus discover it doesn’t matter what others think of you but rather what you think of yourself that holds the most importance in the end.
The biggest character development was hands down Beth Finch! This young woman who was raised in a strict household with a somewhat abusive and controlling mother and a timid father, Beth then begins work at BP as a cryptanalyst where she soon blossoms and discovers she is more than her mother’s low opinion of her. Beth even realises her childhood ambition of having a dog, at last, a friend of her own. It was such a joy to watch this young woman become a fiercely strong and independent woman, Beth’s journey throughout The Rose Code is the reason behind my 5-star rating for this novel.
There were a few times I was a little confused when it came to the technical jargon used to describe the activities undertaken by the staff at BP, Kate has done a great job in trying to describe them at length.
The Rose Code and all 621 pages used to tell the story might be off-putting to some readers however, I always delight in a mammoth Historical Fiction novel, there are times when the book does slow but that only adds to the anticipation and suspense that awaits you as find yourself flying to the nail-biting conclusion.
It is my belief that at no point does the plotline suffer from a too-early reveal, I had no idea that the story would turn out this way thanks to Kate Quinn’s skilled writing she can leave this reader guessing at times and even a little shocked regarding the conflicts and outcomes.
Subplots + tropes included in The Rose Code:
- Strained mother/daughter relationship- mother knows best
- Coming of age- Mab wishes for something more for her life
- Secrets- the activities that take place at BP
- Lies- espionage
- Sexual assault
- Death of a child
- Self-discovery
- Female friendship
- Terminal illness
- Historical Figures- Hitler, Churchill and Royalty
- Marriage of convenience
- That one religious person-Mrs Finch
- Protagonists ahead of the time- Mab, Osla
- Political or social upheaval- WW2
I find that the bigger the story the harder it can be to farewell an ensemble of characters, for me saying goodbye was harder than I thought but the author has done an amazing job in concluding the story, I feel as if even the minor details and characters were left with an ending that was satisfying to this reader.
The Rose Code left me with feelings of anger, sadness and even grief at different times throughout the novel, I won’t go into too much detail in case you have yet to read this Historical Fiction triumph.
I highly recommend The Rose Code to a mature audience, readers of the Historical Fiction genre will no doubt be aware of this novel or other novels by Kate Quinn, if you are new to this genre, it is in this reviewer’s opinion that The Rose Code is perhaps a good novel to sink your teeth into.
With Continued thanks to HarperCollins Australia and author Kate Quinn for sending a physical copy of The Rose Code to read and review in exchange for my honest opinion.