Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Rose Under Fire

By Elizabeth Wein

Published by Disney-Hyperion, September 10, 2013

368 pages (hardcover)

Source: NetGalley

While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, American ATA pilot and amateur poet, Rose Justice, is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbr ck, the notorious women's concentration camp. Trapped in horrific circumstances, Rose finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery and friendship of her fellow prisoners. But will that be enough to endure the fate that's in store for her?

Elizabeth Wein, author of the critically-acclaimed and best-selling Code Name Verity, delivers another stunning WWII thriller. The unforgettable story of Rose Justice is forged from heart-wrenching courage, resolve, and the slim, bright chance of survival. (from barnesandnoble.com)

I was thrilled when I found out that Elizabeth Wein wrote a companion novel to Code Name Verity. Her last novel quickly became a favorite of mine that I recommended to students and adults alike so I was excited to find out a bit more about the Code Name Verity characters and see what other awesome things Wein had in store for readers. While Rose Under Fire isn’t as shocking as Code Name Verity, it is a heart-wrenching page-turner that was appalling, informative, hopeful, and sad all at the same time.  

Not to give too much away about either book, Rose Under Fire does tie up some Code Name Verity ends (to my delight!) and then takes us into the evils of Nazi concentration camps with a different and rarely discussed perspective. I have spent a good chunk of my life reading books about and studying WWII/the Holocaust and some of the things Elizabeth Wein writes about were events/situations I had never heard of. There were times I had to put the book down for a few days just so I could process what I had just read. But then I would pick it back up because I just had to find out how it all ended.

Once again Elizabeth Wein gives readers some female heroes for WWII as well as an intriguing story that can’t be missed. And, yes, I will be getting a copy for the UMS library as well as a copy for my own personal library because it is just that good/important.