The Rose Code audiobook

"Welcome to BP" I'm a bit surprised at myself for giving this one 5-stars... When a book gets a perfect rating from me, it's usually easy to pinpoint why, and that reason is, almost always, there is one exceptional thing working out for the book. But with Rose Code, it's everything from complex, mysterious, thrilling nature of the plot, beautiful writing to fascinating characters. This is one the most complete books I've read recently. Typically, I wouldn't've preferred for such a book to be this lengthy, but Rose Code kept me going quite easily till the end. "Three girls and a book - that was how it all began." This is the first time I'm reading a book by Kate Quinn, and if this is any indication as to how she usually writes her characters, she is going to easily become one of my favorite authors. The three protagonists are some of the fascinating main characters I've come across in a modern book, and the author develops them in a seemingly effortless manner. They are a very realistic trio, each with distinct positive and negative attributes, making all the interactions colorful. The plot is a unique, mysterious storyline about a WW-II military intelligence camp, with plenty of twists to keep the reader captivated throughout the book. But like I said before, it's not just a single thing that is remarkable about this book. It's a concoction of so many great things. "You had to respect a woman who could yawn with her mouth closed." Quinn users two timelines for the majority of the book, present and some years back during WW-II. The present timeline is being used to establish a unique flow to the story, while the latter narrates the entire backstory, from the point where out main characters get acquainted for the first time. There's just something about the author's story telling which makes the flow of story very natural. The immersiveness starts from the very first page, and you will not have any peace until you make it to the finish. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction. "A good university didn't mean a good man."

4.5 stars rounded to 5 starsWell, I am now convinced who the queen of WWII historical fiction is and that’s Kate Quinn! This lady can tell a story. The only reason The Rose Code doesn’t get a solid 5-star rating from me is that even though it is a brilliant read, I liked The Huntress better. So, Ms. Quinn, I’m sorry, but I have you competing with yourself!The Rose Code is just terrific. It starts a bit slow as the characters are introduced. There are essentially 3 protagonists so setting the scene takes a bit of extra time. It is all worth it though. I learned so much from this novel. Ms. Quinn does a dynamite job with her research giving us a wonderfully detailed picture of the happenings at Bletchley Park where German military codes are broken and our characters work. Mab, Osla, and Beth could not be more different. Despite that, their work binds them for life, through thick and thin, through multiple betrayals and tragedies. The characterization here is top-notch. My favorites are Francis Gray in his small role and Beth, a shy introverted code breaker. The setting is portrayed beautifully. I kept having flashes back to the movie Imitation Games, which also does a masterful job with the setting. That movie, BTW, stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing who makes a cameo appearance in The Rose Code. There are a number of storylines in this novel, all intertwined and contributing to a good pace once the book takes off. Even though there are over 650 pages, I don’t really see much I would cut out. There is plentiful suspense in the second half of the novel, which I really enjoyed. I also liked the fact that there is little actual war action, which is a nice change, and allows more time with the code-breaking process and the other sources of intrigue.We are treated to a short but welcome epilogue where we learn how much of the story is based in truth and get some follow up with our characters and Bletchley Park. Overall, this novel is a “can’t miss” in the now glutted field of WWII historical fiction. It offers a great immersive experience with wonderful characters based in truth, a strong learning opportunity, and a suspenseful story evolving around friendship, betrayal, loss, hope, and redemption. I highly recommend The Rose Code for all lovers of historical fiction. Many thanks to Net Galley, William Morrow, and Ms. Kate Quinn for an ARC of this book. Opinions expressed are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

ALL THE STARS!This is one of the times I didn’t want to let go of the characters. My attachment to them was tangible.After spending days listening to these three women, I just didn't want to leave and never hear from them again.Meet the women:Osla, A Canadian-born debutant, the smart and pretty socialite who wants more in life. In 1939, her friend introduces her to a young Navy officer, Phillip of Greece and she becomes his girlfriend.Mab, "Queen Mab", who has fought for an education and wants to find a man who can provide for her and her sister Lucy.Then, there is Beth. She's already considered a spinster. Her mother treats her poorly and she uses the Bible as a physical punishment. Her self-esteem is non-existent. All three will work at Bletchley Park, the mansion used as the center of the allied code-breaking during the Second World War. Osla will find a place as a linguist. Mab working with fixing the machines used for code-breaking and Beth as a cryptanalyst. Sworn to secrecy by the Official Secrets Act of 1939, these three women will become fast friends until there is a betrayal. A betrayal that will leave Beth at Clockwell's sanitarium. Then in 1947, the year that Phillip marries a Queen, a coded message will be delivered to Osla and Mab asking for help. It is a message that neither woman can dismiss before a third one loses her mind for good.Kate Quinn does a fantastic job at describing these women, their timelines, and their stories. I was wholeheartedly invested in them. I felt their happiness, their sorrows, and their pain. The secondary characters were excellent too. Mr. Grey, Harry, Boots, all a great addition to the story.As I get near the end of my review, I can forget to mention the amazing job that Saskia Maarleveld did as a narrator. She was fantastic. I think this book was perfect as an audiobook. 5 stars to her.One last thing, and just for those curious minds. Osla Benning was a real person. She was fluent in German and she did work at BP.How many years until I can see the movie?Cliffhanger: No5/5 FangsA complimentary copy was provided by Harper Audio via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Is anyone surprised that I loved this novel?Strong female characters? Check. Strong plot? Check. Imperfect parents? Check. Highly readable writing? Check.First of all, I would be remiss without thanking Brandon Sanderson for his Five Tips for Writing Your First Novel whose influence greatly shaped this review.If you follow my reviews, you will know that I don’t particularly care for character-based books but greatly prefer plot-based books. The Rose Code is heavily plot-based, and Quinn knows how to properly benchmark the plot so we feel like we are making progress. In The Rose Code, we have two shifting timeliness: 1947 and another timeline starting around 1939. In 1947, we find Osla preparing for the royal wedding between Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth. In the other timeline, we meet three women, Beth, Osla, and Mab, who meet at Bletchley Park and work as codebreakers during World War II.Although The Rose Code is set in World War II, Quinn did an excellent job of only including details which moved the plot forward which kept the book incredibly interesting. The author didn't get lost in world building.Beth, Osla, and Mab are imperfect characters, and Quinn writes them so that they develop over time. In addition, they have interesting family stories to give them some nice backstory. One of the themes throughout The Rose Code is that many of the women really enjoy codebreaking and contemplate their future in the workforce after the war is over. Recently, I heard someone talking about how women are now equal in the workforce and can perform any job. However, I wonder how true this is. When I was applying for jobs in the recession, I was told by employers that I didn’t need a job because “my father would take care of me.” At another job, my employer told me that they wouldn’t hire another female. That was in 2014, less than 10 years ago. *A big thanks to the Baldwin Public Library located in Birmingham, Michigan and the Emmelene Hornac Endowment for a free copy of this book.Connect With Me!Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta

Three ‘gals’, one war, once best friends until D-Day when events splintered their tight knit secret world of Bletchley Park after which one ends up in Clockwell Sanatorium in Yorkshire. Fast forward to 1947 and the wedding of the century of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip of Greece ( regarded as a ‘dish’) but the prospect of the wedding is putting former deb Osla Kendall in a funk. What unfolds in the dual timeline will get your unmentionables into a bit of a swither in this bally marvellous novel. Glued. Transfixed. Enthralled. I could go on but suffice it to say this is an exceptional story. It’s a novel of how three women from very different backgrounds helped in the Enigma codebreaking which in itself is an absorbing story. The characters are terrific, there’s wealthy Canadian debutante and later Tatler journalist Osla Kendall who is utterly spiffing, there’s (Queen) Mab Church from the East End who is a literary filly with plenty of gumption and a dark secret and Beth Finch, dubbed hopeless by her odious mother but who is in fact a whizz at seeing patterns in codebreaking. We rub shoulders with the ‘great and good’ - enter Philip, his uncle Dickie Mountbatten and our leader Winnie makes an appearance, there’s Alan Turing and Dilly Knox, there’s a traitorous cad and a wonderful but very damaged WW1 war poet. Fabulous. The book captures the times in the use of language, sadly there’s awful racism with some words that make your toes curl and there’s ever present sexism because why on earth would women possibly have brains, what? It’s also a mystery as it’s about betrayal of your country, it’s about how the codebreakers help turn the tide of war and keep that knowledge to their cost. The war imposes hugely on the characters lives and brings tragedy to some with some vivid, terrifying panic stricken descriptions in places such as Coventry and London. The cryptography element is absolutely fascinating and you marvel at the tenacity with accompanying hours and hours of eye straining effort especially on Beth as she eats, sleeps and breathes it. At times it’s so tense and gripping you hardly dare to breathe. The parts that take place at Clockwell shock you to the core and it’s the ‘Rose Code’ that leads to this place of horrors. The ending builds extremely well as it becomes a tense and exciting race against time to unmask the traitor and this nail baiter takes place against the backdrop of the royal wedding. Overall, I think it’s apparent I love this book! You can’t read it in a jiffy or a tick, it’s one to savour and reread in the future and it will stay with me for a long time. It’s spiffing, top notch, tip top etc etc!!! This one is a must read and is highly recommended. With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Harper Collins for the much appreciated arc and to Kate Quinn for writing it.

Imitation Game meets the Crown with PBS Bletchley Circle series vibes; three unique women’s stories intercepted in two time lines: 1940’s England, preparing to fight against Germany and 1947’s England where Claire Foy’s Elizabeth ( sorry not sorry for visualizing that brilliant actress as young queen and also the best queen of the Crown series) marrying with Prince Philip. When the author is queen of historical thrillers: Kate Quinn on the board, I’m sold! I’m already ready to give at least four stars after reading the blurb and knowing the creator of this intriguing concept! Let’s meet with Olsa,Beth and Mabs. Olsa, striking beauty, high society’s shining star, courted by Prince Philip of Greece, but their love story is doomed to last! Because Olsa is ambitious and destined to achieve big things. When the war is approaching, she has to use her proficient German skills for the benefits of her country. Poor Beth is so exhausted to live under strict rules of her mother, wasting her potential. She’s secret genius hiding under local spinster image who can solve a puzzle in record time. Mabs, courting a wealthy husband, finds herself working with code breaking machines, keeping a big secret from her past. Her path crosses with genius Beth while she is renting a room from her parents. As they spend more time together, gathering at book club meetings, she realizes her talent at solving enigmatic codes, she introduces Beth to her colleagues. We observe how three women’s fates intercepted, how their friendship blooms and when a decoded message reveals treason and the sensitive information is shared with the wrong people, they find themselves locked in the asylum, waiting for truth’s coming out. It was so riveting experience to read how Bletchley circle system works: how those brilliant women try to break the codes, solving their small piece of puzzle as their country is bombarded by Nazis. As the circle closes, mystery keeps you drawn into the story, you keep sit on the edge of your seat, squirming nervously, biting your nails, turning the pages faster to find out what happens in the end! The wrapping up is heart pounding and so much exciting as well! No more words! This is the best historical thriller of the year! Giving my Second World War, espionage, brilliant mind of women empowerment, spies, page turner, I couldn’t put it down, I’m so hooked five stars!

I wish to express my thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio for this compelling historical novel in audiobook format. Kate Quinn has written a vivid and gripping account set in wartime London. She uses her great storytelling talent and research to describe what the experience must have been like working under wartime secrecy in Bletchley Park where German codes were broken and translated. It has been estimated that the Enigma codebreakers shortened WW2 by as much as two years using early computers and the formidable skills of an inspiring group of people. I listened to The Rose Code by the audiobook version. It was enhanced by the superb narration of Saskia Maarleveld who voiced the conversations of all the characters. This was a lengthy audiobook of over 16 hours. I felt more time was required than reading the print version. The story revolves around three remarkable and different women during their employment at Bletchley Park during WW2. Three diverse personalities were brought together. They developed a close friendship which was shattered by the end of the war. It describes the causes of their broken friendship. It involves their family backgrounds, romantic loves gained or lost, deaths, betrayal, treachery, and a traitor in their midst. The women gained great satisfaction from their undercover role in defeating the Nazis. After the war ended their friendship was in tatters. One was unjustly punished by being locked up in an insane asylum. The leading characters were; 1. Mab, with an impoverished working-class background. She hides a personal secret and her goal is to marry a man who would raise her out of poverty and give her some social standing. She became highly skilled in working the codebreaking machines. 2. Osla, who was a beautiful debutante with wealthy family connections which gave her a place in high society. She is being courted by Prince Philip but knows it must end due to her role in the war effort. She uses her fluent German to translate the decoded Nazi secrets. 3. These two women meet Beth, a shy, introverted spinster. She has little formal education, lacks self-esteem and confidence in social situations. She has been isolated under the domination of a cruel and deranged mother. Her skill with puzzles brings her to the notice of those in command at Bletchley Park. She soon asserts herself as one of the few female cryptanalysts. We also get glimpses of real-life characters, such as Prince Philip, Princess Margaret, Alan Turing, and Winston Churchill. Two of the former friends reluctantly meet again in 1947 when the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip is approaching. They both have received a coded message from the woman confined in the mental institution begging for their help. She has been there for over three years and is desperate. She has learned she has been scheduled for a lobotomy. They must hurry to put aside their anger and suspicions and decode a difficult message with the purpose of determining who was a paid spy in their midst who passed on military secrets to the Germans and now the Russians. The conclusion is an exciting and frantic chase through the crowds lined up to witness the Royal Wedding procession. Recommended to readers who enjoy historical novels set in London during the war and are interested in the codebreaking that helped to end the war. The characters are well developed and intriguing.

This review was first posted on Mystery and Suspense. Check it out for features, interviews, and reviews. https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/th...The Rose Code follows three young women who worked at England's Bletchley Park, a country estate converted to a code-breaking facility during World War II.Bletchley ParkEmployees at Bletchley Park deciphered encrypted Nazi communications, providing vital information to the Allies. The story alternates back and forth between the war years 1940 to 1945 - when England was imperiled, and the postwar year 1947 - when Britain was agog over the upcoming marriage of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. The main characters are Osla Kendall, a beautiful wealthy socialite with ties to the royal family; Mab Church, a go-getter who grew up poor, but means to better herself; and Beth Finch, an unsophisticated country girl who's bullied by a selfish mother. In 1940, Osla and Mab meet on the train to Bletchley Park, which has recruited them for war work. After accepting their positions and signing the Official Secrets Act, the girls are billeted at the Finch family home, where they meet Beth. Though Beth is almost pathologically reclusive, Osla and Mab note her facility with puzzles, and Beth is soon working at Bletchley Park as well.Each of the girls is assigned to a different unit. Osla's fluency in German eventually lands her a translation job; Mab maintains the Bombe machines used to decipher messages encoded with German Enigma devices;Bombe MachineEnigma Machineand Beth is a gifted cryptanalyst with an almost preternatural ability to decode covert transmissions.Working and living together fosters close friendships among Osla, Mab, and Beth. This camaraderie is important because the ladies are forbidden to talk about their jobs to outsiders, and must tell family and friends they're file clerks. The women can be more honest amongst themselves, but are nevertheless prohibited from revealing classified information even to each other. The work at Bletchley Park is difficult and stressful, and England is being bombed by the luftwaffe......... but the girls still manage to have some fun and search for romance. Mab meets a war poet, Beth gets involved with a fellow cryptanalyst, and Osla dates Prince Philip, who's an eligible bachelor in the early 1940s.Prince PhilipSkip to 1947, and Osla, Mab, and Beth are angry, estranged, and haven't spoken since the end of the war. Beth is a mental patient in Clockwell Sanatorium;Mab has a husband and children; and Osla is preparing to attend the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Osla is hurt by Philip's engagement to another woman, but knows she must present a brave face and carefree attitude.Princess Elizabeth and Prince PhilipAs the royal nuptials approach, Osla and Mab each get a letter from Beth. Beth claims she discovered a traitor at Bletchley Park, who - fearing exposure - got her committed to Clockwell asylum. Beth writes that Osla and Mab 'owe her', and asks them to get her out so she can expose the Judas. The book contains fascinating details about England breaking Nazi codes, leading to the discovery of German plans. The Brits then have to use the information in way that doesn't alert the enemy to the exposure of their secrets. There are also appearances by real historical figures, including naval admiral Lord Mountbatten, codebreaker Dilly Knox, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, computer scientist Alan Turing, Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, and others.This compelling and suspenseful historical novel is an excellent example of the genre. Highly recommended.Thanks to Netgalley, Kate Quinn, and William Morrow Publishers for a copy of the book. You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

The Rose Code is an interesting book. I liked how this book is a mix of a historical fiction novel and mystery. World War II is my favorite time period to read about and the aspect of trying to figure out who is responsible for one of them entering an asylum. I was intrigued by the dual time line between past and present. In the past, the women are developing a friendship and learning how to break codes. In the present, the women have to work together and put their personal differences aside. They each have to decide if the one in the asylum belongs there and what happened in the years they didn’t talk. The Rose Code kept me thinking throughout the book. All of the characters are interesting and use their different talents towards the same goal. Osla, Mab, and Beth are very unique characters but easily develop a friendship. Thank you Harper Audio, William Morrow, and NetGalley for The Rose Code.Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...

4.5 rounded to 5 stars. I love some good goosebumps.Just a tip for potential readers: if you are looking for historical accuracy you should not read a fiction book (I’m just venting because of some reviewers). There are a few things that I expect from a fiction book, and if I have to name just two, I would say plausibility and entertainment. And I got it with this one.If there is a word that I rarely use to describe a book, that word is riveting. And that word fits this book perfectly (in my opinion).I was captivated from the very beginning, and mostly because of the author’s writing style. It was gripping. She made everything so vivid, so believable. The characters are amazing and the dialogues were excellent.Ah… the characters!I fell in love with Osla.I loved Mab and I wished that I could comfort her.I sympathized with and cared for Beth and I wanted to slap her mother, who was an hypocritical religious person and a very selfish one.This is a great drama that I read as if I were watching a TV series or a soap opera. It has all the right ingredients.The structure, the storyline line and its development is superb.But the author’s talent of telling a story is what really makes this book so great.Having read her previous books I can say that her talent has exceeded my expectations.What else can I say?Read it and see (feel) it for yourself.

A fantastic read! So honored and thrilled to provide a cover quote: Readers: Prepare to be swept away by The Rose Code. A richly deserved tribute to the WWII codebreakers of Bletchley Park, Kate Quinn’s latest novel is a tour de force. Exhaustive research, vibrant characters, and pulse-pounding suspense combine in a riveting tale destined to be a book-club favorite. I absolutely loved it.