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laurenbookishtwins's review against another edition
4.0
A fantastic, well-researched, engaging historical fiction with important messages about identity. Ida Mae was an exceptional protagonist. The plot was a bit clumsy at times, but the distinct characters certainly made up for it. For fans of historical fiction or women in aviation, I would certainly recommend.
kimreadz's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. I had heard about the WASP in WWII, but really didn’t know much about it. It was a surprise to me to learn that the WASP were not ‘officially’ part of the military. I think it will be interesting for young women born after 1970 to learn just how ‘unaccepted’ women were in a traditionally male occupation, and give some insight into how many more choices they have than did women just a few years older than them.
I also enjoyed reading about Ida Mae’s experiences as she passed for white and how difficult this role was for her. Though she didn’t actively decide to be white at the beginning, she did allow others to draw their own false conclusion. This created tension for her in keeping up the pretense, and division at home when her family did not support this pretense. It was frustrating, but enlightening, to see just how bad things were for African Americans in the 1940’s.
While I really enjoyed this book, one thing I really did NOT like was the ending. It just kind of left things hanging. The war ends, the WASP dissolves, and Ida Mae.....well, what DOES Ida Mae do? There are decisions to be made, but we really don’t know what she decides. Even so, this is a book worth reading and I recommend it for anyone middle school or above.
I also enjoyed reading about Ida Mae’s experiences as she passed for white and how difficult this role was for her. Though she didn’t actively decide to be white at the beginning, she did allow others to draw their own false conclusion. This created tension for her in keeping up the pretense, and division at home when her family did not support this pretense. It was frustrating, but enlightening, to see just how bad things were for African Americans in the 1940’s.
While I really enjoyed this book, one thing I really did NOT like was the ending. It just kind of left things hanging. The war ends, the WASP dissolves, and Ida Mae.....well, what DOES Ida Mae do? There are decisions to be made, but we really don’t know what she decides. Even so, this is a book worth reading and I recommend it for anyone middle school or above.
merricats_cuppa_tea's review
3.0
Most people that know me know that Historical Fiction, Especially WWII fiction is my favorite genre. I had such high hopes for this book and there were moments it met some of those expectations and hopes and others I found myself wanting and craving more. It was still a good book I will give it that. I wish there had been more detail in some of the descriptions, I found myself having to google a lot of the things and those searches still came up empty. I do wish the ending had been fleshed out more with Ida Mae.. see how the rest of her life had gone after the war and what all happened and if there were any consequences for the things she did, but still it was good just not my favorite and as I mentioned before left me wanting so much more.
cornmaven's review
5.0
Lovely historical WWII novel set entirely in the states. Tells the story of the WASP, its founding, and its fragile position in the history of the military. I knew nothing about this 'branch' of service. The history unfolds side by side with the day's cultural mores regarding African-Americans and women. The protagonist is a young girl living on a rural Southern Louisiana farm, whose father taught her to fly, and whose passion is flying.
Her brother goes off to war, and she wants to help, too, but she's stuck cleaning white people's houses. Until the call for women pilots. The kicker is that they aren't going to take black women, but she's light skinned enough to 'pass'.
The whole 'passing' thing is treated well, including the different views of it from the black perspective. Nowadays Ida Mae would be condemned by all, but not then.
The training is rigorous, and laid out in good detail. The longer she stays in the program, though, the riskier it gets to be faking your racial identity, and there's good tension about that.
The treatment of women as second class citizens by the enlisted and the officers is described and re-enacted, too. You understand at the end that the WASP program was a political and motivational stunt which proved to be successful, on many fronts, and there could be some good dicussions about that, including whether one would want to be part of that kind of manipulation.
Ida Mae's journey to discovering and accepting her full identity co-exists with these tensions, and that makes the story that much fuller. My favorite quote: "We grow up into people our families don't always recognize." But she had to recognize herself for who she is, and she has to make some decisions at the end about how she is going to go forward once she does.
The notes at the end tell of the fate of the WASP program, and it's current status in history. I had no idea how mistreated these women were, from a benefits standpoint, until I read this book.
Her brother goes off to war, and she wants to help, too, but she's stuck cleaning white people's houses. Until the call for women pilots. The kicker is that they aren't going to take black women, but she's light skinned enough to 'pass'.
The whole 'passing' thing is treated well, including the different views of it from the black perspective. Nowadays Ida Mae would be condemned by all, but not then.
The training is rigorous, and laid out in good detail. The longer she stays in the program, though, the riskier it gets to be faking your racial identity, and there's good tension about that.
The treatment of women as second class citizens by the enlisted and the officers is described and re-enacted, too. You understand at the end that the WASP program was a political and motivational stunt which proved to be successful, on many fronts, and there could be some good dicussions about that, including whether one would want to be part of that kind of manipulation.
Ida Mae's journey to discovering and accepting her full identity co-exists with these tensions, and that makes the story that much fuller. My favorite quote: "We grow up into people our families don't always recognize." But she had to recognize herself for who she is, and she has to make some decisions at the end about how she is going to go forward once she does.
The notes at the end tell of the fate of the WASP program, and it's current status in history. I had no idea how mistreated these women were, from a benefits standpoint, until I read this book.
sarahbeth621's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
kim_j_dare's review
3.0
The extent to which Ida Mae Jones will go to be a WASP during World War II brings to life a fascinating piece of history. During the war years, it was almost impossible to earn the opportunity to be a pilot as a white woman. And if you were not white... well, the doors were pretty firmly shut against you. Unless the US Army didn't know that you weren't white. A great piece of historical fiction, although I think the present-tense narration weakened it some.
sarahpreno's review
2.0
Super interesting and a good story but then the ending ruined it for me. I just wasn’t happy at all with the way the book finished...unless there is going to be a sequel...
clara99's review
medium-paced
3.25
read for school. why i repeat why did patsy have to die? i also feel like it was lacking a real ending it just kind of stopped abruptly. i also wish she had told patsy and lily her secret. i kept waiting for that to happen and it didnt.
book_addict1259's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Grief
Moderate: Death, Sexism, and War
Minor: Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail