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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was beautiful. It was raw, and heartbreaking in places; but beautifully done. It was real. It never tied itself up in a neat little bow. It was complex, and deep. It was unfair, and unresolved. It was life. I liked the stream of consciousness narrative. I fell in love with Anne, the main character, as she copes with the unexpected ups and downs of marriage, fame, and life, while trying to find herself, and figure out what it means to be a woman. Historical fiction has always been my genre of choice, so of course, I also loved getting to know more about that time period, and the Lindberghs and the many things they accomplished. This fictional story, left me wanting to go learn more about the facts. I would really like to read Anne Morrow Lindbergh's book Gift From the Sea. I will be buying a copy of The Aviator's Wife, and I will also be reading the other books Melanie Benjamin has written.
Here are a few of the pieces I loved:
“Who was this woman before me, her face imprinted with the expectations of others? I was Mom. I was Wife. I was Tragedy. I was Pilot. They all were me, and I them. That was the fate we could not escape, we women; we would always be called upon by others in a way men simply never were. But weren't we always, first and foremost -- woman? Wasn't there strength in that, victory, clarity -- in all the stages of a woman's life?”
“A woman's life, always changing, accommodating, then shedding, old duties for new; one person's expectations for another until finally, victoriously, emerging stronger. Complete.”
“Mother shook her head impatiently. 'You need to...stop looking for heroes, Anne.' Her speech was slow, slurred, but understandable. 'Only the weak need...heroes...and heroes need...those around them to remain weak. You're...not weak.' I remembered those words. I knew they were true, all of them. True about me, and true about Charles. I brought them out, every now and then, as I kept working -- on both the manuscript and myself. And, perhaps on my definition of my marriage. No, my prayer for my marriage; a marriage of two equals. With separate -- but equally valid -- views of the world; shared goggles no more, but looking at the same scenery, at the same time.”
“Jealousy is a terrible thing. It keeps you up at night, it demands tremendous energy in order to remain alive, and so you have to want to feed it, nurture it -- and by so wanting, you have to acknowledge that you are a bitter, petty person. It changes you. It changes the very way you view the world; minor irritations become major catastrophes; celebrations become trials.”
“Dana taught me that the ability to grieve deeply also meant that a person had the capacity to love deeply, laugh deeply, live deeply -- and that this was a capacity to be cherished.”
“And I knew, as I had always known but somehow forgotten to remember in these past years, that I could never have done it, that no one else could ever have done it. That I would never know anyone as brave, as astonishing -- as frustrating, too, but that was, I was forced to admit finally, part of his charm -- as the slightly stooped elderly gentleman standing beside me in the shadows, listening while schoolchildren read of his exploits. The man who was, for better, for worse, my husband. The man who I loved, in spite of himself.”
“I will fly, alone. Wearing my own pair of goggles, my view of the world just as unique, just as wonderful, and his was, but different. Mine.”
Here are a few of the pieces I loved:
“Who was this woman before me, her face imprinted with the expectations of others? I was Mom. I was Wife. I was Tragedy. I was Pilot. They all were me, and I them. That was the fate we could not escape, we women; we would always be called upon by others in a way men simply never were. But weren't we always, first and foremost -- woman? Wasn't there strength in that, victory, clarity -- in all the stages of a woman's life?”
“A woman's life, always changing, accommodating, then shedding, old duties for new; one person's expectations for another until finally, victoriously, emerging stronger. Complete.”
“Mother shook her head impatiently. 'You need to...stop looking for heroes, Anne.' Her speech was slow, slurred, but understandable. 'Only the weak need...heroes...and heroes need...those around them to remain weak. You're...not weak.' I remembered those words. I knew they were true, all of them. True about me, and true about Charles. I brought them out, every now and then, as I kept working -- on both the manuscript and myself. And, perhaps on my definition of my marriage. No, my prayer for my marriage; a marriage of two equals. With separate -- but equally valid -- views of the world; shared goggles no more, but looking at the same scenery, at the same time.”
“Jealousy is a terrible thing. It keeps you up at night, it demands tremendous energy in order to remain alive, and so you have to want to feed it, nurture it -- and by so wanting, you have to acknowledge that you are a bitter, petty person. It changes you. It changes the very way you view the world; minor irritations become major catastrophes; celebrations become trials.”
“Dana taught me that the ability to grieve deeply also meant that a person had the capacity to love deeply, laugh deeply, live deeply -- and that this was a capacity to be cherished.”
“And I knew, as I had always known but somehow forgotten to remember in these past years, that I could never have done it, that no one else could ever have done it. That I would never know anyone as brave, as astonishing -- as frustrating, too, but that was, I was forced to admit finally, part of his charm -- as the slightly stooped elderly gentleman standing beside me in the shadows, listening while schoolchildren read of his exploits. The man who was, for better, for worse, my husband. The man who I loved, in spite of himself.”
“I will fly, alone. Wearing my own pair of goggles, my view of the world just as unique, just as wonderful, and his was, but different. Mine.”
The middle third of this book was well-written, but the story began at shallow and ended at meh for me. Charles Lindbergh was a real jerk apparently. Plus I thought the author was a little too diplomatic in her exoneration of the Lindbergh's anti-Semitic tendencies. I just expected more from this author because I enjoyed The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb, but I found this fake memoir tedious.
I really enjoyed this book even though I came away despising Charles Lindbergh. It was interesting to see the different roles/expectations of men/women in that time period/social class, and really to see this marriage. Certainly made me appreciate my wonderful husband! The story was interesting and the characters were moving. I would recommend this book!
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
http://www.girllostinabook.com/2013/01/review-aviators-wife-by-melanie-benjamin.html
i wanted to like this book - the historical information was fascinating - but anne herself was so put-upon and passive throughout the whole book. it was hard to read about someone so overwhelmingly miserable but so unable to help herself.
I loved this book. I want to go to a wine bar and talk forever with Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Maybe I recognize sone of myself in her - or some of what I want to be?
I loved the historical fiction portion of it as well. Maybe I recall want to talk forever with Melanie Benjamin instead ?
Stopping the review now to reread Gift from the Sea.
I loved the historical fiction portion of it as well. Maybe I recall want to talk forever with Melanie Benjamin instead ?
Stopping the review now to reread Gift from the Sea.
A historical fiction novel that definitely inspired me to learn more about the actual characters and events contained within. I loved every page and story and piece of insight into this man, woman and family.