Skip to main content

The Infinite Air by Fiona Kidman: A Book Review

The Infinite Air
Author: Fiona Kidman
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Aardvark Bureau
Release Date: March 6, 2016
Pages: 352
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: A superbly written novel offering an intriguing interpretation of one of the world's greatest aviators, the glamorous and mysterious Jean Batten. Jean Batten became an international icon in the 1930s. A brave, beautiful woman, she made a number of heroic solo flights across the world. The newspapers couldn't get enough of her; and yet she suddenly slipped out of view, disappearing to the Caribbean with her mother and dying in obscurity in Majorca, buried in a pauper's grave. Fiona Kidman's enthralling novel delves into the life of this enigmatic woman, exploring mysteries and crafting a fascinating exploration of early flying, of mothers and daughters, and of fame and secrecy.

      My Review: Jean Batten is one of the world’s greatest aviators. She is the first woman to fly solo across from England to New Zealand and also broke many records during her solo flights. However, while she is a famous icon, she has a mysterious life. In this historical novel, Mrs. Kidman tells a more intimate story of Jean Batten’s personal life. This book details Jean Batten’s accomplishments as well as her personal losses.

      Before reading this book, I did not know anything about Jean Batten’s life. This novel gives Jean a very humanizing portrait of this fascinating woman. Jean is a woman who is a big dreamer, and she is determined to make her dream come true. She is very ambitious, persistent, and courageous. She is a woman who has a commanding presence because she is very confident. Yet, Jean has also experienced many sadness in her life. While it seems that she is a woman who has everything that she has ever dreamed of, there are glimpses of where she is unhappy. She is very sad and lonely. This makes her seem cold and distant. Thus, Jean is a complex figure, and readers are drawn to her personal struggles as well as her triumphs.

      Overall, this book is an in-depth psyche to one of the world’s most iconic female aviators. This book is about love, family, loss, and dreams. It is also about a woman trying to find happiness. This book is filled with fascinating characters, and I loved Jean’s relationship with her mother. Jean’s mother, Nellie, was very supportive of Jean and always stood by her side. I found their relationship to be very touching.This book is very well-written, and I felt like I was there beside Jean. The Infinite Air is a great tribute to Jean Batten and her accomplishments.

 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Guest Post: The Ladies-in-Waiting: Lady Isabel Baynton by Alexandra Walsh

    Today's guest writer is Alexandra Walsh. She is the author of The Catherine Howard Conspiracy , which is a historical thriller surrounding the infamous Tudor queen. In this guest post, Mrs. Walsh discusses the life of Catherine's lady-in-waiting, Isabel Baynton. This post will be sure to fascinate fans of Tudor era. If you enjoy her post, please pick up a copy of The Catherine Howard Conspiracy ! Thank you, Mrs. Walsh! The Ladies-in-Waiting – Lady Isabel Baynton by Alexandra Walsh     One of the most enjoyable things about writing an historical novel is discovering the tiny details that make the period real on the page. While I was researching The Catherine Howard Conspiracy , I spent a great deal of time hunting out the life stories of the women who surrounded the young queen in order to create a group of realistic friends and confidants.       There are some well-known names linked with Catherine and her downfall: Lady Jane Boleyn,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar: A Book Review

Daughter of Rome Author: Tessa Afshar Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers Release Date: 2020 Pages: 416 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis : A woman with a devastating secret. A man bent on proving his worth. A chance encounter that catapults them into the heart of history.      When the daughter of a prominent Roman general meets a disinherited Jewish immigrant, neither one can dream of God’s plan to transform them into the most influential couple of the early church. Nor can they anticipate the mountains that will threaten to bury them. Their courtship unwittingly shadowed by murder and betrayal, Priscilla and Aquila slowly work to build a community of believers, while their lives grow increasingly complicated thanks to a shaggy dog, a mysterious runaway, and a ruthless foe desperate for love. But when they’re banished from their home by a capricious emperor, th...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Empress in the Pepper Chamber: Zhao Feiyan in History and Fiction by Olivia Milburn: A Book Review

The Empress in the Pepper Chamber: Zhao Feiyan in History and Fiction Author: Olivia Milburn Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography Publisher: University of Washington Press Release Date: May 24, 2021 Pages: 233 Source: Personal Collection Synopsis: Zhao Feiyan (45–1 BCE), the second empress appointed by Emperor Cheng of the Han dynasty (207 BCE–220 CE), was born in slavery and trained in the performing arts, a background that made her appointment as empress highly controversial. Subsequent persecution by her political enemies eventually led to her being forced to commit suicide. After her death, her reputation was marred by accusations of vicious scheming, murder of other consorts and their offspring, and relentless promiscuity, punctuated by bouts of extravagant shopping.      This first book-length study of Zhao Feiyan and her literary legacy includes a complete translation of The Scandalous Tale of Zhao Feiyan (Zhao Feiyan waizhuan) , a Tang dynasty (618–907...
Post a Comment
Read more