Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

I wasn't sure what this book was about, just that it was good. So I took a chance and was thrust into the interrogation of a Scottish World War II war prisoner for the Germans. The subject of the interrogation? Not your usual WWII prisoner, as it's a female. And she seems especially...perky?...for being interrogated. Okay, maybe perky isn't the best choice of words, but she's definitely not short on wits, snark, or even a sense of humor. And who can resist someone who says things like, "buckets of blood" as an expletive? It is this voice that kept me intrigued as I progressed through the first part of the book.

I wasn't sure the story was interesting by that point. And it wasn't clear where things were headed, but I damn well knew I liked this chick and wanted to hear what she had to say.

We eventually get the gist that there are two women serving in the military, one as a pilot, and another a radio operator, or something...They develop a friendship that is forged by the vagaries of war. Their unique positions in the British war effort offer a refreshing take on the genre as well.

One of the best things about this book is how each detail is carefully researched by the author. She tried to make things historically accurate, and where she took liberties, she tried to at least make things plausible, asking some literary forgiveness in that respect. In doing so, she provides an amazing war story whose unfolding is a slow-burn, but well-worth the wait.