Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein #2 *SPOILERS*

          This week I have continued reading the book Code Name Verity. As I read further into the story, the character development and plot become more evident. In the past week, Verity describes how her best friend Maddie learned how to fly a plane, and gradually worked her way up the ranks while assisting the British war efforts during World War II. Verity describes how Maddie become a respected radar operator, and how she helped land and navigate many of the planes. Verity also describes being tortured by the officers at the prison, Engel and Thibaut.

          A part that stood out to me was the introduction of a new character, Queenie. Queenie comes from a privileged family, and she has studied in Switzerland. Verity explains how Maddie took an instant liking to Queenie, and how the two gradually became friends. What strikes me is that Verity still has not mentioned how she herself fits into the plot. The book is supposed to show how Verity and Maddie's friendship prevailed, but Maddie seems to be growing attached to Queenie. As the reader, I can infer that Queenie and Verity might actually be one and the same. As I continue to read, it will become evident whether my predictions are correct or not.

          An interesting element in Code Name Verity would be the plot structure. There is in fact two plots occurring at the same time. This is similar to the book we are reading in class, The Color of Water by James McBride. In The Color of Water, McBride narrates the present tense, while his mother narrates the past tense. In Code Name Verity, Verity's perspective narrates her current imprisonment, while Maddie's perspective, narrates the past. This allows the reader to observe two plots at the same time. It also adds a greater meaning to the past tense, since it will eventually explain why some things are true in the present, such as how Verity came to be in her current predicament.