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charlottiec's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore and Violence
Minor: Death, Gun violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
blewballoon's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I honestly only picked this audiobook up because it was narrated by my favorite narrator Moira Quirk and I have been in the mood for historical fiction. Apart from the narration, I went in with very low expectations and was pleasantly surprised! Due to the choice of setting, there is so much tension right from the start and all the way to the end. Not only do we have the sexism faced by a lone young woman in the group of pilots, the underlying competition among the flyers, and the clashing political views from the various countries the pilots represent, it's also right at the edge of WWII breaking out for real. There's plane sabotage and a murder mystery on top of all that! I enjoyed the characters of the young pilots and how (mild spoiler) despite the suspicion just after the first instances of sabotage, they did come together as friends and help each other. It was wholesome how much they cheered each other on in the race and celebrated each other's successes. This book is categorized as young adult, but I would often forget how young the characters were, they were quite capable and mature. Poor Moira Quirk was really put through her paces here having to cover such a wide range of accents, but she did a fantastic job and made the characters distinct and the action sequences engaging.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Antisemitism, Medical content, and Murder
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I did not set out to write a book about refugees. This isn't a book about refugees; it's a book about belonging, about belonging to no place and every place.
--Elizabeth Wein, Stateless, Author's Note, Bloomsbury YA paperback edition, p. 381
This book was one hell of a rollercoaster ride.
It did, however, suffer from pacing problems, which is all I can remember since I read it over a month ago now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, and Antisemitism
Minor: Misogyny, Suicide, and Pandemic/Epidemic
The novel is set in August and September of 1937 during an international flight race across the United Kingdom and Europe. Fascism and Nazism are on the rise. Various historical events are referenced throughout the novel: World War One, the Spanish Civil War (with many references to the bombing of Guernica), and the growing tide of antisemitism. Murders (and attempted murders) are committed in the air. There is minor gun violence. There is a mass stabbing event referenced. The author's note references the Holocaust, Kristallnacht, the current war in Ukraine, and the COVID-19 pandemic.