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

Interview with Melanie Dickerson

     Today, I have the honor to host Melanie Dickerson, who is not only the author of The Healer’s Apprentice , but also of her latest novel, The Captive Maiden . She is a young adult author that spins classic fairy tales into a historical and Christian perspective. I have all of her books. I am still in the process of finishing her series, but the books that I have read, I love them. I even went to her book signing to get her to sign my copy of The Healer’s Apprentice . This interview gives readers a good insight to her writing and style of her novels. I would like to thank Mrs. Dickerson for her time and cooperation with the interview and generosity to give my readers a book giveaway. 1. Can we learn from fairytales, and why do they appeal to you? Fairy tales have amazing themes, and I think we can learn from them. Most of  them have some sort of moral or takeaway, a lesson we can learn. I like  them, but it's hard to say what it is about them that ap...
2 comments
Read more

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki: A Book Review

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post Author: Allison Pataki Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Release Date: February 15, 2022 Pages: 381 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you. . . . So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted, and work hard—even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds. Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie Merriweath...
2 comments
Read more

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn: A Book Review

The Rose Code Author: Kate Quinn Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Harper Collins Release Date: 2021 Pages: 635 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: 1940, Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire.        Three very different women are recruited to the mysterious Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes.       Vivacious debutante Osla has the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses – but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, working to translate decoded enemy secrets. Self-made Mab masters the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and the poverty of her East-End London upbringing. And shy local girl Beth is the outsider who trains as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts.       1947, London.        Seven years after they first meet, on the eve of the roya...
4 comments
Read more