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A review by serendipitysbooks
Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
*Booker Longlist 2021 Book 7*
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.
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