Scan barcode
A review by clairechum
Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
4.0
UPDATE: I don't know why but I've been thinking about this book recently but I don't think I gave it as high of a rating as it deserves, so I'm updating it. I still agree it took forever to gain momentum, but I loved it once it did.
This book was good...except for the fact that it took ages to pick up. The whole novel was almost 600 pages and I definitely believe parts could have been omitted so it wasn't as long as it was. I almost lost complete interest because it took 150 or so pages to gauge my interest. I am so glad I didn't give up, though, because I loved Marian's story. It was fascinating hearing about her life, though fictional, as a female pilot in the mid-twentieth century. All the sections about Marian, specifically, were engaging and my favorite to read. Although, while in her relationship with Barclay, there were parts that might be sensitive to read.
As I said, I loved the story when it was about Marian. I did not, however, especially care for the random tidbits written about Hadley. I felt as though the subplot about an actress playing Marian Graves in an upcoming movie was not well-developed or necessary to make this novel strong. Overall, I enjoyed this read but felt like it could have been made better had Shipstead completely cut Hadley's part in it out and written as if it was following Marian's life from start to end as if it were in the moment.
3.5/5 stars
This book was good...except for the fact that it took ages to pick up. The whole novel was almost 600 pages and I definitely believe parts could have been omitted so it wasn't as long as it was. I almost lost complete interest because it took 150 or so pages to gauge my interest. I am so glad I didn't give up, though, because I loved Marian's story. It was fascinating hearing about her life, though fictional, as a female pilot in the mid-twentieth century. All the sections about Marian, specifically, were engaging and my favorite to read. Although, while in her relationship with Barclay, there were parts that might be sensitive to read.
As I said, I loved the story when it was about Marian. I did not, however, especially care for the random tidbits written about Hadley. I felt as though the subplot about an actress playing Marian Graves in an upcoming movie was not well-developed or necessary to make this novel strong. Overall, I enjoyed this read but felt like it could have been made better had Shipstead completely cut Hadley's part in it out and written as if it was following Marian's life from start to end as if it were in the moment.
3.5/5 stars