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sjanke2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Biphobia, War, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Homophobia, Gun violence, Grief, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Death, Cursing, and Child death
lbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Rape, War, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Adult/minor relationship
oliviaja's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and War
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Great Circle is the story of Marian Graves, a female aviator who attempts to become the first person to circle the globe longitudinally, taking in both north and south poles. Marian is a fantastic character, a spunky girl who overcame a hardscrabble upbringing and developed into a determined, if not stubborn, woman with an adventurous spirit who refused to conform to the norms of her day. Her story incorporates some key historic events - the Depression, Prohibition and World War II, as well as all the aviation history of the era - and these are integral to the plot rather than mere background noise. Marian‘a is also a story that contains elements all too familiar to far too many women, most notably rape and domestic abuse.
Interspersed with Marian’s story is that of Hadley Baxter, a Hollywood starlet who hopes to revive her career by playing Marian in a biopic. Hadley’s character lacked the charisma of Marian, and her storyline felt trite by comparison, even though there were many points of similarity linking the two women.
This is undeniably well-researched and well-written and I enjoyed reading it. The story telling is great and the book has an almost epic feel, covering more than half a century and much of the globe. And yet if failed to wow me, lacking that undefinable x-factor.
Final Verdict - Solid, engaging historical fiction (albeit one with a less engaging second storyline) featuring a feisty female protagonist.
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Rape, and Toxic relationship
emilygigs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Incest, Rape, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Sexism, Alcoholism, and Homophobia