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carolpk's review
5.0
The Hook - I liked the writing in McLain’s Paris Wife but not the subject. After discussing it with my book group and meeting the author, I liked it better, but still the subject, anything to do with Hemmingway, was not for me. Circling the Sun sounded much more intriguing and I knew it was a better fit.
The Line – The publisher has requested that no quotes be used until the book is published late July. I’ll respect that and actually must, as you’ll discover if you read the rest of my comments.
The Sinker – My sincere thanks to Ballantine Books for providing the e-galley of Circling the Sun. Procrastination found me 30+ pages from the end when my copy expired. Imagine my surprise when I stopped reading to watch a movie and came back to the book only to find that little box with the dreaded words, expired, or whatever it says. A visit to Edelweiss, confirmed its demise. My fault clearly but oh, did I mourn all my lost highlighting and notes, etc. I had planned to document these the very next day, as I knew I was getting close to the possible pulling of the title. Now, I’ll just have to sum up my thoughts from what I remember and wait until the publication to read the ending.
I was hooked by Circling the Sun right from its first pages with Beryl (now Markham) getting ready for her transatlantic flight. McLain immediately takes a detour here, leaving the famous flight for someone else to probe. She moves us backward in time to Beryl’s childhood in Kenya and her early abandonment by her mother. Though her father is a presence the lack of the woman’s touch allows Beryl to grow into her own shoes, resilient, independent, with a strong love for nature and the land. After a few missteps, she becomes not only a horse trainer, but also owner and a woman with some tumultuous relationships with a variety of men. The sweep of the story reminded me of Out of Africa and then I realized one of Beryl’s triangular loves was Denys Finch Hatton who also was involved with Karen Blixen, who under the pseudonym of Isak Dinesen, wrote that stunning memoir.
I absolutely adored Circling the Sun. It is well researched and like any good fiction based on fact, it will find me finally adding West With the Night to my TBR pile. No matter that I didn’t quite finish Circling the Sun. I know a good book when I read one.
The Line – The publisher has requested that no quotes be used until the book is published late July. I’ll respect that and actually must, as you’ll discover if you read the rest of my comments.
The Sinker – My sincere thanks to Ballantine Books for providing the e-galley of Circling the Sun. Procrastination found me 30+ pages from the end when my copy expired. Imagine my surprise when I stopped reading to watch a movie and came back to the book only to find that little box with the dreaded words, expired, or whatever it says. A visit to Edelweiss, confirmed its demise. My fault clearly but oh, did I mourn all my lost highlighting and notes, etc. I had planned to document these the very next day, as I knew I was getting close to the possible pulling of the title. Now, I’ll just have to sum up my thoughts from what I remember and wait until the publication to read the ending.
I was hooked by Circling the Sun right from its first pages with Beryl (now Markham) getting ready for her transatlantic flight. McLain immediately takes a detour here, leaving the famous flight for someone else to probe. She moves us backward in time to Beryl’s childhood in Kenya and her early abandonment by her mother. Though her father is a presence the lack of the woman’s touch allows Beryl to grow into her own shoes, resilient, independent, with a strong love for nature and the land. After a few missteps, she becomes not only a horse trainer, but also owner and a woman with some tumultuous relationships with a variety of men. The sweep of the story reminded me of Out of Africa and then I realized one of Beryl’s triangular loves was Denys Finch Hatton who also was involved with Karen Blixen, who under the pseudonym of Isak Dinesen, wrote that stunning memoir.
I absolutely adored Circling the Sun. It is well researched and like any good fiction based on fact, it will find me finally adding West With the Night to my TBR pile. No matter that I didn’t quite finish Circling the Sun. I know a good book when I read one.
guylou's review against another edition
4.0
Circling the Sun is the story of Beryl Markham, a British-born Kenyan aviator, adventurer, racehorse trainer and author.
The book covers her childhood to her adulthood. Beryl was no ordinary woman. She was a complicated and libertine woman whose life was plague by numerous scandals. She, however, lived her life to the fullest and had more adventures than any woman from her time could have hoped for. Paula McLain also beautifully described Kenya and other parts of Africa. I hope to see them with my own eyes one day.
This is a wonderful historical book. A story that praises the accomplishments of an extraordinary woman in a time when there were no opportunities for the "weaker sex". Great read!
The book covers her childhood to her adulthood. Beryl was no ordinary woman. She was a complicated and libertine woman whose life was plague by numerous scandals. She, however, lived her life to the fullest and had more adventures than any woman from her time could have hoped for. Paula McLain also beautifully described Kenya and other parts of Africa. I hope to see them with my own eyes one day.
This is a wonderful historical book. A story that praises the accomplishments of an extraordinary woman in a time when there were no opportunities for the "weaker sex". Great read!
bridget_h's review
5.0
Absolutely stunning book. I haven't (yet) read the Paris Wife, so I went into this book with no preconceived notions about the author or her style. I really enjoyed Circling the Sun, it was moving and sweeping and rich with character development. I felt the descriptions of the scenery and the landscape were enough to immerse the reader into Africa, without distracting from the story line by having pages after pages on scenery alone. A rare-5 start rating from me, this was definitely one of my favorites of 2015.
karenreads1000s's review
4.0
Fast read. Interesting. A pioneering female who did not live by conventional means. Seems we've made some progress at least!
seachell1's review
3.0
Although this is really well written book, I had a hard time liking the main character. I don't know why. I should love a proud, trailblazing woman, but some of her choices really turned me off.
tensy's review against another edition
3.0
McLain's fictionalized account of aviatrix Beryl Markham's life was interesting, but not quite engaging. Perhaps it was the audio version which was a bit monotone, but Markham's life which is truly remarkable in everything she accomplished at such a young age was somewhat lackluster in the telling. Markham was the first woman horse trainer in Africa, learned to fly aeroplanes and had been married twice with a child and an ongoing affair with the famed Denis Finch Hatton (as depicted by Robert Redford in Out of Africa) all before she was 30 years old.
rainynook's review
5.0
I adored this book. Yes, I'm aware that it is a fictionalized novel, and that's ok with me. I read "West with the Night" directly after I finished "Circling the Sun" and although it was very interesting, it didn't hold my attention in the same way as Paula McLain's story. I would read it again in a heartbeat. LOVED it!
kategci's review against another edition
3.0
I chose this for one of my book groups and am so glad I did. I enjoyed The Paris Wife and Paula McLain is an excellent writer and this book did not disappoint. I had read Beryl Markham's West with the Night years ago and loved it. This book was initially a walk down memory lane, but I had forgotten parts of her story and this book was a great retelling. This story focused more on her early life and life as a horse trainer while I remember more details about flying and her career as a pilot being the focus of West with the Night. Regardless, Beryl Markham lived an amazing life and Paula McLain's depiction is a worthwhile read. 3.5 stars
jayceecee0716's review
4.0
Beautiful story about a strong willed young woman who refused to play by the rules that society in the early 1900's said she should. She excelled in male-dominated fields, creating what would have appeared to be a wonderful legacy (the reality was less so). Paula McLain did a great job of researching Beryl in creating this story weaving in all the controversy of the day as well as Beryls achievements and lows into a gripping tale.
The only reason i didn't give it 5 stars is I felt that the ending was a bit rushed and what I had thought was Beryl's greatest achievement was covered in only a few pages, so a tad disappointing. Otherwise well worth the read and the hours of Google searches afterwards to find images or mention of the people she encountered.
The only reason i didn't give it 5 stars is I felt that the ending was a bit rushed and what I had thought was Beryl's greatest achievement was covered in only a few pages, so a tad disappointing. Otherwise well worth the read and the hours of Google searches afterwards to find images or mention of the people she encountered.
jenndanblake's review
3.0
I enjoy historical fiction a lot more when I don't know as much about the subject. Good story, but felt modernized to me. It did make me want to read West with the Night, which is Beryl Markham's autobiography. It was fun to listen to while I painted my laundry room though.