The Rose Code

1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Kate Quinn has written several novels set before, during, and after World War II, such as The Alice Network, The Huntress, and The Diamond Eye. How does this novel compare with Quinn’s other work set in this era? How does the perspective of this novel differ from the others?
• Had you heard about the Bletchley Park codebreakers before reading this novel? What else did you know about World War II-era codebreaking before reading this? How did your knowledge and perception of codebreaking in this era influence your reading?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• The novel’s three protagonists are Osla, Mab, and Beth. Whose story and personality do you relate to most and why?
• Osla, Mab, and Beth’s friendship goes through ups and downs. Does this resonate with you when it comes to your own friendships and relationships?
• At a crucial point in the novel, Beth’s decision not to break the Official Secrets Act indirectly leads to the death of two of Mab’s loved ones. This creates a rift between the women. What are your opinions on juggling loyalty to the laws of one’s country versus loyalty to one’s friends?
• The novel’s three main women each mourn tangible or intangible losses through the novel, and these losses change them and make them grow. How do loss and trauma help one grow? How is this process of growth different from more uniformly positive processes of growth?
• Various characters attach meaning to Boots, the rescued stray. What role does Boots play in the novel when it comes to symbolism and character arcs? Do you believe pets can really help people grow and find their identities? Have you had a pet that did this?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• The codebreaking facility at Bletchley Park brings together women of drastically different social classes. For instance, Osla is a socialite and debutante who dated Prince Philip, the eventual husband of Queen Elizabeth II. Mab, on the other hand, comes from a working-class family, and her main goals include building a better life for her descendants. In what ways do their social differences affect the way the women interact with one another throughout the novel? Do they present any unique obstacles? In what ways are they able to form a community and transcend their social differences?
• How do systems of inequality besides class and economic inequality operate in this society? What actions, small and large, inform the reader about how these systems work in the novel’s time period? Consider how people are treated based on their gender, race, and perceived mental health. How does the novel portray the characters who perpetuate these prejudices about marginalized identities?

4. Literary Analysis 

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• The structure of this novel, like much of Quinn’s work, involves chapters with plots that unfold in two timelines. What do these dual timelines add to the story? How do they create tension and momentum in the novel’s plot?
• How do the fluctuations between the functionality of Osla, Mab, and Beth’s friendship group affect the unfolding of the narrative? Consider the tone, plot, character development, and main themes.
• Each of the three main female characters has a fate whose resolution fulfills something important about their larger character. Considering their three fates, how do these endings relate to the women’s personalities and the character arcs that brought them there? Do you find their endings fulfilling?
• How was the plot point about Giles’s betrayal revealed? Was there foreshadowing earlier in the novel? Did you see his betrayal coming? Why or why not?
• Roses show up in myriad ways through the novel, from the moment Beth admires the rose petals to the naming of the eponymous “Rose Project.” What are the various meanings of roses as a symbol throughout the novel?

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• The fictional Osla Kendall is based lightly on the real-life Osla Benning, who worked in Bletchley Park’s Hut 4 as a linguist and codebreaker. Reimagine a moment in the novel with one of Benning’s real-life colleagues, such as racecar driver Margaret Allen Jennings, socialite Sarah Baring, or former actress Pamela Rose, Benning’s supervisor. 
• Novels about World War II have found great success in their film adaptations and often draw celebrated actors into their main roles. Who would you cast in a film or television adaptation of this novel?
• Online, find a beginner’s codebreaking activity that can be attempted in a relatively short period of time. Take some time to try this activity. Then, share with the group how your experience went. Was it more difficult or easier than you imagined? Does it make you think differently about the tasks the women dealt with in the novel?

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