literarylover37 's review for:

The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin

1.0

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Ugh. What to say? About halfway through (pg 235, right as they go to Germany) I finally just started skimming. I detested Charles for being such an egotistical, self-centered SOB and ANNE....OMG ANNE! I wish I could have given Anne a good, hard shake! I know times were different back then but even before she got with Charles she was so pitiful and woe-is-me and I'm not the one they like, waaah. Seriously, Anne, stop being weak! Argh. I can't argue with the actual writing in the book but clearly Melanie Benjamin had a different view than I did, "She also recognized that she had been the strong one, all along...Anne-tender, courageous, resilient Anne-is the reason we all "love the Lindberghs.""(pg 400). Nope, not feeling the love and still not able to understand Benjamin's defense of this awful marriage and sad main character. People can be flawed and still loveable but if nearly all of what you show us is flaws then I can't buy in. Even (most of) the great things Anne did were forced upon her by her no-good, "hero" husband so they weren't really her triumphs anyways. Okay, done with my rant. Sorry, I just really did not like this book! (Alice I Have Been was definitely more enjoyable for me).