Great Circle - Maggie Shipstead

 

I WAS BORN TO BE A WANDERER

From the night she is rescued as a baby out of the flames of a sinking ship; to the day she joins a pair of daredevil pilots looping and diving over the rugged forests of her childhood, to the thrill of flying Spitfires during the war, the life of Marian Graves has always been marked by a lust for freedom and danger.

In 1950, she embarks on the great circle flight, circumnavigating the globe. It is Marian's life dream and her final journey, before she disappears without a trace.

Half a century later, Hadley Baxter, a brilliant, troubled Hollywood starlet is irresistibly drawn to play Marian Graves, a role that will lead her to probe the deepest mysteries of the vanished pilot's life.

An enthralling journey over oceans and continents and a drama of exhilarating power, GREAT CIRCLE is perfect for book clubs and fans of William Boyd and Donna Tartt.

What did I think?

I had to stop and gather my thoughts before writing my review of Great Circle as it's quite a chunky book with a lot to take in.  It's quite dry in places, as historical fiction often is, but I think it is well worth persevering with if you find you're struggling.  With a wonderful map in the opening pages, this is the story of female pilot Marian Graves and her mysterious disappearance which later becomes the subject of a Hollywood movie.

Although it did manage to hold my interest throughout, the book has its peaks and troughs.  The beginning is breathtaking as we are introduced to Marian and her twin brother Jamie in incredibly difficult circumstances which sees them cruelly separated from their parents.  I enjoyed watching the twins growing up, or dragging themselves up as their uncle doesn't put himself out for them.  Marian and Jamie are perfect opposites: Marian is an adventurer and risk taker whilst Jamie is artistic and compassionate.

Hadley is the actress who has landed the role of Marian in a film and to be honest I found Hadley to be selfish and shallow, however, I think these characteristics could apply to many in the film industry as it's such a cutthroat business.  I never really warmed to Hadley despite seeing the seedier side of movie making and what she is forced to do to get a starring role.  It all felt rather flat and I didn't look forward to Hadley's chapters at all.  Talking of Hadley's chapters, hers are numbered whereas Marian's are not and I found that having several chapters between numbered chapters really interrupted my reading rhythm.  I am very particular about numbers so this was probably only annoying to me.

Marian's compulsion to fly is beautifully portrayed.  Needing to fly higher, faster and farther is a complete addiction for her; like an alcoholic needing just one more drink, Marian will never be able to slake her thirst for flying.  I don't think she was looking for fame, she really was born to be a wanderer.  Jamie's story is beautifully written too; he is definitely my favourite character and I experienced a wealth of emotions as his story played out.

Whilst Hadley brings authenticity to Marian's story, Marian is a fictional character but there are some real life heroines mentioned in the book.  I didn't realise that there were so many women pilots during WW2 as I raced off to google Jackie Cochran.  I love books that lead me to discover fascinating facts and I can't believe that I hadn't heard of Jacqueline Cochran before.

I could write so much more about the book as there is a lot covered but it's well worth discovering these elements for yourself.  Filled with adventure, Great Circle is an epic historical fiction novel spanning both decades and the globe.  I'm really glad that I read it.  

I received a gifted copy as part of a Tandem Collective Readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: The Forbidden Promise - Lorna Cook

Can one promise change the fate of two women decades apart?

Scotland, 1940

War rages across Europe, but Invermoray House is at peace – until the night of Constance’s 21st birthday, when she’s the only person to see a Spitfire crash into the loch. Rescuing the pilot and vowing to keep him hidden, Constance finds herself torn between duty to her family and keeping a promise that could cost her everything.

2020

Kate arrives in the Highlands to turn Invermoray into a luxury B&B, only to find that the estate is more troubled than she’d imagined. But when Kate discovers the house has a dark history, with Constance’s name struck from its records, she knows she can’t leave until the mystery is solved . . .

A sweeping tale of love and secrets, perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Lucinda Riley.

What did I think?

With an amazing dual storyline, set 80 years apart, The Forbidden Promise is like two fabulous books in one.  Usually when I read a dual storyline book one story becomes more preferable to the other, but in the case of The Forbidden Promise they are both so compelling that I couldn't choose between them.

As we swap between 1940 and 2020 the stories intertwine as they are both set in and around Invermoray House.  In 1940 the house belonged to the McLay family and should have been passed down through the generations but for a shocking secret that saw the McLay children being disinherited.  Now in the hands of the Langley branch of the family, 2020 sees them reaching out to Kate, a PR executive, to help them save the house from its rapid decline.

Kate stumbles across an intriguing mystery around Constance McLay who was disinherited in 1940.  What could Constance have done to result in her name being scratched out of the family bible and her portrait desecrated?  While Kate helps to renovate the house she also does some research into the local history and thanks to the dual timeline, Lorna Cook takes us back to 1940 to relive Constance's story.

The Forbidden Promise is doubly compelling with its contemporary storyline set in 2020 and its historical story in 1940.  I loved how the two stories repeatedly flowed towards and away from each other, like the gently lapping water of Invermoray Loch, until the threads all came together at the end.  With a huge jaw-dropping secret to be revealed along the way, the pages of this breathtaking novel can't be turned fast enough.  Highly recommended, especially to fans of historical fiction. 

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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The Perfect Girlfriend - Karen Hamilton

Juliette loves Nate.

She will follow him anywhere. She's even become a flight attendant for his airline, so she can keep a closer eye on him.

They are meant to be.

The fact that Nate broke up with her six months ago means nothing.  Because Juliette has a plan to win him back.

She is the perfect girlfriend.

And she'll make sure no one stops her from getting exactly what she wants.

True love hurts, but Juliette knows it's worth all the pain...

What did I think?

A clever, but terribly sad, prologue gives the reader an instant insight into why Lily aka Juliette is the way she is.  This terrible event moulded her into the person she has now become: a terrifying bunny-boiler.  Reader, meet Juliette - the character you will love to hate.

Juliette had the perfect relationship with Nate until they broke up.  Nate just doesn't realise how much he loves Juliette and how they're meant to be together forever, that's all.  Once he comes to his senses, Juliette will get her man back and if he doesn't realise how much he loves her then she'll darn well make him!

Juliette is a scary character; she is completely unhinged and selfish but as much as I wanted to dislike her I really couldn't.  Reading her back story made me feel so sad for her but sometimes she really didn't help herself.  As scary as Juliette was, I couldn't help but think that Nate caused a lot of Juliette's neuroses by being so spineless.  Change your locks, man!  Nate played into Juliette's hands so easily, partly because she knew him so well and partly because he is weak.  I didn't like Nate much, did I?

It's a very fast-paced story as Juliette's plan to win Nate back picks up speed and I didn't know whether to applaud her or call the psychiatrist when parts of her plan were revealed.  I loved some of Juliette's ideas to get back with Nate and, epitomising the true meaning of obsession, she really will do anything to ensnare her man.  If Nate had a bunny, it definitely would have been boiling on his stove when he got home from work.

A fast-paced page turner that really gets under your skin.  A riveting and addictive debut by Karen Hamilton that makes her one to watch in the psychological thriller genre.  When love and obsession collide, be prepared for anything to happen in The Perfect Girlfriend.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Sketches of a Black Cat: Story of a Night Flying WWII Pilot and Artist - Ron Miner

This beautiful, new B&W second edition is now one hundred pages longer, filled with additional fresh stories, artwork, photos, and adventures. Since the release of the original, I’ve interviewed seven Black Cats and PBY crew members, discovered a host of new writing, over a hundred letters and documents, and had the pleasure of meeting and corresponding with an array of squadron family members. "Sketches of a Black Cat" will interest first time and repeat readers alike. 

Howard Miner was a student at a small Midwestern college when the War broke out. His journey through training and tours of duty as a PBY pilot in the South Pacific are skillfully captured in his art and narratives, framing a wartime drama with a personal coming of age story. This memoir has been reconstructed from a small library of unpublished artwork, journal entries, and writing, providing an enjoyable behind the scenes look at the Navy Black Cats. The descriptive verse from the artist’s viewpoint gives us a creatively told and intriguing portrayal of WWII’s Pacific Theater. 

What did I think?

I am a firm believer that we should never forget the history that our ancestors lived through, although I did admit to Ron Miner that every time my Grandad mentioned the war I appeared to develop selective deafness.  How I wish I had listened to him now, but when you are younger history is boring and it is through reading books such as this that we realise what danger these young men and women put themselves in to secure our freedom.  A freedom we often take for granted.

I am not terribly familiar with the war in the Pacific which is mainly where Sketches of a Black Cat is based, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Howie learning to fly and some of the scrapes he got himself into and out of.  There are photographs included at the end of each chapter to bring the story to life, along with some amazing sketches by the incredibly talented Howard Miner.  I felt completely honoured and humbled to read excerpts from his letters to his parents, and chuckled at the code they developed to get through the censors.

Sketches of a Black Cat is going to appeal to anyone with a love of history, especially World War II, as it gives us Brits a completely different perspective on this devastating war.  I even learnt something new about the Normandy landings when around 1000 personnel were killed during Operation Tiger, a D-Day practice, at Slapton Sands in Devon.  Ron Miner has ensured that these brave men and women are remembered by mentioning them in his book and I am ashamed that I had not heard of this before.

A refreshing and personal account of the war in the Pacific, Ron Miner has very kindly given us a glimpse into the life of a World War II pilot.  The sketches are outstanding and remind us that the war wasn't all about the fighting as Howie spent some time on remote Pacific islands.  Not just from the photos but from the writing itself, it was clear that these young men fought, lived and died together. The war was devastating for some families whose loved-one never returned home but for others who survived, life long friendships were forged.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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