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_wmjb_'s review against another edition
3.0
Overall I liked the book but the middle really dragged. I know the barnstorming and stunt flying were central to the story but I was bored with it. There was also some heavy foreshadowing and hints about what really happened. I was right in my guesses with the ending just filling in the details. The tragic treatment of Japanese Americans was more interesting.
nlheiser's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
novelvisits's review against another edition
3.0
{My Thoughts}
What Worked For Me
The Flying Circus – The parts of Eagle & Crane that revolved around the barnstorming daredevil flying acts of the 1930’s and 1940’s were truly amazing. When the act came to their small California town, both young men were drawn to the allure of flying and everything that went along with it. Through a series of dares and one-up-manships they made themselves indispensible as wing walkers and flying stuntmen. What made it so incredible was that the two did their stunts without in any way being tethered to the plane itself and with absolutely no formal training! Can you imagine? It was almost too much to believe, but a little research shows that was exactly how it worked back then.
Strong on History – Besides getting the Flying Circus right, Suzanne Rindell did a terrific job with the other historical aspects of her third novel. She set her book in California’s Central Valley, where my grandparents owned a ranch, and though I didn’t know the area that far back, everything about the setting felt accurate. The storyline around Harry and his family and the suspicion they came under after the bombing of Pearl Harbor was a reminder of just how wrong we’ve been in the past. Harry and his sister were born in California and his parents had lived there for many, many years contributing to the community.
“I don’t know.” He said. “But we will not be harmed. This is America. America is made up of many things, including many Japanese. We are not alone in this country. America is part of us, and we are part of it now. The government’s leaders will not look at us as they do their enemy.”
And yet, they were stripped of all they owned and essentially sent to prison. Very real, very sad, and frighteningly current.
A Love Triangle – Both Louis and Harry were drawn to Ave Brooks, stepdaughter of the act’s owner. All three were very young and inexperienced, not knowing quite what to do with their feelings. Add to that the facts that Harry was Japanese and that there was much bad blood between the two young men’s families, and you have a perfect set up for tension, young love, and heartache.
What Didn’t
The Mystery – While I thoroughly enjoyed the historical side of Eagle & Crane, I had a harder time with the mystery side of it. In the opening pages a small plane crashed in the field below Louis’s home. In the charred wreckage were the bodies of Harry and his father, who had recently escaped the internment camp. Tied into the rest of the book was the mystery of what happened to them and why this crash occurred. Sadly, many of the elements of the mystery and the investigation surrounding it felt forced to me. Like pieces of a puzzle that don’t quite fit together, but are crammed into place anyway.
Believability – Some of the key elements of the story surrounded Earl Shaw, owner of the flying circus. I found his character to be a little too much of a heavy-drinking, gambling, dishonest charicature. But, even moreso, I found it almost impossible to believe that the others in the troupe (including two older, more experieinced pilots) kept falling for his schemes over and over again. Elements of Loius’s story also felt like a stretch to me. I’d thought he’d grown, but then he’d revert back to the black and white views of the rest of his family. He frustrated me.
Roosevelt’s Declaration of War – The text of Roosevelt’s speech declaring war on Japan was included Eagle & Crane. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it was to give context to the anti-Japanese feelings of the era, but it wasn’t needed. I pretty much skipped it, as I suspect other readers will do.
{The Final Assessment}
As a historical fiction novel Eagle & Crane checked all the boxes for me. It took a meaningful time in American history and inserted the flying circus angle to give it a twist. I learned a little more about the era and a lot more about early daredevil flyers. I’d have been happy to have that side played up even more and the mystery side to have been played down. In fact, had Rindell eliminated the storyline around the FBI agent investigating this case, the entire book would have been more to my liking. If you’re a fan of mysteries, especially those set in the past, then Eagle & Crane will make a perfect read for you. Grade: B-
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, and Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.
What Worked For Me
The Flying Circus – The parts of Eagle & Crane that revolved around the barnstorming daredevil flying acts of the 1930’s and 1940’s were truly amazing. When the act came to their small California town, both young men were drawn to the allure of flying and everything that went along with it. Through a series of dares and one-up-manships they made themselves indispensible as wing walkers and flying stuntmen. What made it so incredible was that the two did their stunts without in any way being tethered to the plane itself and with absolutely no formal training! Can you imagine? It was almost too much to believe, but a little research shows that was exactly how it worked back then.
Strong on History – Besides getting the Flying Circus right, Suzanne Rindell did a terrific job with the other historical aspects of her third novel. She set her book in California’s Central Valley, where my grandparents owned a ranch, and though I didn’t know the area that far back, everything about the setting felt accurate. The storyline around Harry and his family and the suspicion they came under after the bombing of Pearl Harbor was a reminder of just how wrong we’ve been in the past. Harry and his sister were born in California and his parents had lived there for many, many years contributing to the community.
“I don’t know.” He said. “But we will not be harmed. This is America. America is made up of many things, including many Japanese. We are not alone in this country. America is part of us, and we are part of it now. The government’s leaders will not look at us as they do their enemy.”
And yet, they were stripped of all they owned and essentially sent to prison. Very real, very sad, and frighteningly current.
A Love Triangle – Both Louis and Harry were drawn to Ave Brooks, stepdaughter of the act’s owner. All three were very young and inexperienced, not knowing quite what to do with their feelings. Add to that the facts that Harry was Japanese and that there was much bad blood between the two young men’s families, and you have a perfect set up for tension, young love, and heartache.
What Didn’t
The Mystery – While I thoroughly enjoyed the historical side of Eagle & Crane, I had a harder time with the mystery side of it. In the opening pages a small plane crashed in the field below Louis’s home. In the charred wreckage were the bodies of Harry and his father, who had recently escaped the internment camp. Tied into the rest of the book was the mystery of what happened to them and why this crash occurred. Sadly, many of the elements of the mystery and the investigation surrounding it felt forced to me. Like pieces of a puzzle that don’t quite fit together, but are crammed into place anyway.
Believability – Some of the key elements of the story surrounded Earl Shaw, owner of the flying circus. I found his character to be a little too much of a heavy-drinking, gambling, dishonest charicature. But, even moreso, I found it almost impossible to believe that the others in the troupe (including two older, more experieinced pilots) kept falling for his schemes over and over again. Elements of Loius’s story also felt like a stretch to me. I’d thought he’d grown, but then he’d revert back to the black and white views of the rest of his family. He frustrated me.
Roosevelt’s Declaration of War – The text of Roosevelt’s speech declaring war on Japan was included Eagle & Crane. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it was to give context to the anti-Japanese feelings of the era, but it wasn’t needed. I pretty much skipped it, as I suspect other readers will do.
{The Final Assessment}
As a historical fiction novel Eagle & Crane checked all the boxes for me. It took a meaningful time in American history and inserted the flying circus angle to give it a twist. I learned a little more about the era and a lot more about early daredevil flyers. I’d have been happy to have that side played up even more and the mystery side to have been played down. In fact, had Rindell eliminated the storyline around the FBI agent investigating this case, the entire book would have been more to my liking. If you’re a fan of mysteries, especially those set in the past, then Eagle & Crane will make a perfect read for you. Grade: B-
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, and Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.
yellowchevron's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
rachelwrites007's review against another edition
4.0
The twist I didn’t see coming!!! I loved all the twists and turns I didn’t guess. I also really appreciated that it was about 1940’s and the Japanese internment camps which we didn’t talk nearly enough about it in American education.
itsasamthing's review against another edition
4.0
What an interesting read! In middle school I was obsessed with Holocaust literature, non-fiction, historical fiction, anything holocaust I was ready to read. After about 2 years, I moved on to other types of reading. This book was really great and re-inspired my love of Historical Fiction. It was a little slow going at first. Some chapters are set in the past and some chapters are set in the present, so it took my brain a few chapters of each to get the context of the time frame. Overall, great storyline. I fell in love with Ava, who I imagine is the cover art depiction. The story was really well written and tied up all the loose ends I could think of by the end of the book. There were plenty of colorful back stories that really established the characters. I visited Manzanar in the past, so it was interesting to read a (perhaps fictional) depiction of another internment camp. I highly recommend this book, whether you like historical fiction or not.
chris_is_very_small's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
mhoffrob's review against another edition
4.0
Eagle and Crane is historical fiction set in California shortly before and shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. We meet the Yamoda family and the Thorne family, who are neighbors in the fertile valleys near Sierra Madre. Through back and forth of time and story, we know of their feud, as well as the friendship of their younger members, forged as children amid the orchards at their property lines. As young adults, these young men become stunt men in a traveling air show somewhat by chance. Their worlds are drastically changed with the US entry into the war, in predictable and unpredictable ways. A thoroughly enjoyable read with a different view on an era much covered in historical fiction.
Recommend for fans of Jamie Ford, Robin Maxwell, and general fans of historical fiction.
Recommend for fans of Jamie Ford, Robin Maxwell, and general fans of historical fiction.
bibliopage's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of my favorite novels I have read this year! What an incredibly good story full of adventure and mystery. I highly recommend it--I got my copy from the library but I just might have to buy it! Yes, it's really that good.