The Enigma Game
By Elizabeth Wein
Hyperion, 2020.
Pages: 434 Genre: Historical Fiction Grades: 8 and Up
Author, Elizabeth Wein, is a master World War II story teller. She always has diverse characters and weaves historical facts flawlessly into her stories. In The Enigma Game, 15 year old Louisa, of Jamaican descendant, has lived her life in london with her parents. By the year 1940, both parents have died in the war leaving her on her own and wanting to do something to help fight the Nazi Germans. She takes a job caring for an elderly woman, Jane, who is going to make her final residence in Scotland with her niece at the local pub–her secret is that she is German born. The pub is just off a RAF base where all the servicemen frequent. During their stay a German pilot mysteriously lands on the base and hides a secret code machine. Louisa uncovers the machine and she and Jane with the help on a RAF pilot uncover codes that help to bomb the Germans but the Germans are on to them and the drama unfolds. Wein does a great job intertwining discrimination into several of her characters that fit the time frame which adds depth to the story. Really enjoyed the book!
Reading in the Middle 