chloehui106's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Alcoholism, War, and Pedophilia
madamelacy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I really liked Marian’s story, but there were so many digressions, insertions about aviation history and bits which simply felt irrelevant.
I didn’t like Hadley’s story and I really didn’t feel like she added anything to the story. The denouement could have been done without her.
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and War
Minor: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, and Homophobia
rly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and War
bookzofonzarelli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
The story of Hadley echoes this too, all that surrounds her and her personality is also wonderful, showing sides of modern people not often reflected in a way that Maggie writes them.
Marians love of flying, her growing up, girlhood, her marriage, her love and her sexuality is all explored incredibly, and I would really recommend this to ANYBODY.
An absolute work of art. A wonderful book, thank you.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, War, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Incest
tangleroot_eli's review against another edition
Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Sexism
Moderate: Xenophobia, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Death, Incest, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
Minor: Infidelity, War, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury
Postpartum depressionhinkleh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Rape, Stalking, Emotional abuse, and War
Moderate: Abortion and Pregnancy
ell_n's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abortion, Suicide, and Sexual assault
ms_gouldbourne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I did find it interesting to note that several reviewers gave up before the 20% mark, because the beginning was definitely the weakest part of the novel for me. I didn't particularly enjoy Shipstead's depiction of female sexuality, with multiple assaults and rapes happening within the first few chapters. However, I persisted, and ultimately I'm glad I did.
Great Circle tells the story from birth to death of female pilot Marian Graves, from her early disastrous marriage to gangster Barclay Mcqueen to her final flight attempting to circumnavigate the globe in the 1950s. This covers about 80% of the novel, but it's interspersed with chapters told from the modern-day perspective of troubled actress Hadley, who has been cast as Marian in a biopic about her life.
Like other reviewers, I didn't feel that Hadley's perspective added much to the novel, except for a few interesting juxtapositions between the truth of Marian's life and the warped way it had been interpreted for the modern-day film. I found Hadley's voice irritating for the most part! However, I have to admit that Marian wasn't much better. Although I absolutely loved the writing and the flow of the narrative, I found most of Shipstead's characters fairly annoying.
It may be that this style of novel just isn't for me; I don't tend to enjoy deeply tragic stories in which a group of tragic characters are depicted following tragic narratives and coming to tragic ends. It feels very literary and beautiful, but ultimately I prefer a happy ending. However, Maggie Shipstead is undoubtedly a wonderful writer, so I would read her again.
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, War, Domestic abuse, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Animal cruelty
Minor: Alcoholism and Abortion
beatriks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I‘m pretty sure this will be on top of my List for 2023.
The story is everything I want, characters are so complex and well-explained, the plot is so carefully planned and built up.
The writing is superb. There is no book so far with so many highlighted sentences and passages.
Graphic: War, Sexism, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, and Rape
Moderate: Death of parent, Alcoholism, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Addiction