May Spotlight // Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

My Thoughts:

THIS BOOK! 😍😍😍

Yes, it’s ambitious (600 pages of ambition). Yes, it spans a huge timeline. Yes, there are a lot of characters and side stories.

But Shipstead handles every piece of this story with such detailed thoughtfulness that I was enthralled the entire time!

What shines through the most in this story are the characters and their relationships. Marian is bigger than life and determined to make her way in a man’s world, no matter what barriers stand in her way. Her brother, Jamie, is softer and a hopeless romantic that can’t handle the thought of cruelty to any creature – including animals. He is an incredibly talented artist, and he finds his outlet through his creations. Caleb, their childhood friend, is a constant source of companionship and support for the twins, and somehow finds a way to offer protection to them both throughout their lives.

The vast timeline brought so much depth and insight into the story. Through Marian’s love of flying, we learn about other great pilots and their accomplishments in aviation. In WWII, we learn about combat artists and the role women were allowed to play in furthering the war efforts. And throughout the fictional lives of the characters, we learn about love, sacrifice, determination, loyalty, unrequited love, and loss.

It all compiles into one epic saga of a story and I loved every minute of it. It reminded me of so many of my favorite books, including: The Goldfinch, The Heart’s Invisible Furies, The Resurrection of Joan Ashby, and The Aviator’s Wife.

This book is definitely one of my favorite reads of 2021 so far! What’s been one of your favorite reads so far this year?