Parallel stories of Sookie, a modern woman who discovers she’s not who she thought she was, and Fritzi, a woman who flew military aeroplanes in the Second World War. The author also wrote ‘Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café’.
This book came as a Book Group selection, not one I’d choose because I’m not keen on American novels, and it was not to my taste. When Sookie read the letter that was to change her life I thought things were looking up, but I found much of the first 300 pages tedious. The only time I related to her was when she talked about being scared to get up at night and go to the bathroom in case she put her foot down on something unpleasant. I learned to always wear slippers when we had a cat who was inclined to leave dead offerings on the carpet.
The parts about the contribution to the war made by American woman pilots were the most interesting parts of the book. What surprised me most about this was that they were never given proper military rank and the fact that the role they played was hidden for so many years (until 1977). The novel is promoted as being a comedy, but I found the over-the-top characters hard to take.
I was fully engaged in the story for only the last fifty pages, when Fritzi and Sookie finally met, and I was deeply moved by the final reunion, especially the surprise speaker.
“These dames flew planes to help the war
but the reward they got was poor.”
I knew a woman who did this work during WWII in the Arctic. Indeed it was outrageous how poorly their treatment when it came to the handing out of accolades. She died a couple years ago and there was a nascent appreciation for her duty that I hope gains attention through novels of this sort. I’m curious why you dislike American novels? They are so broad in scope there must be at least some you find interesting?
LikeLike
Lucia, good to hear from you. I think it’s the very different culture of some American novels that fails to appeal to me. There are so many good books from other parts of the world, and I now tend to avoid the U.S. ones in case I’m disappointed.
LikeLike
Ruth, I think for the last 20 years the focus on memoir in creative writing classes caused a lot of American writers to “write what you know”. Unfortunately, it has led to a lot of writing that is self-absorbed and apolitical. We seem to have become a country of writers who avoid conflict and curiously conflict is the vehicle for great lit.
LikeLike
That’s an interesting observation. The earlier writers are more appealing to me, e.g. I loved Willa Cather.
LikeLike
Try Wallace Stegner. I love the book “Angle of Repose”.
LikeLike
BTW, I’m reading In Another Light by Andrew Greig. He is a Scot and lives in Orkney. This book is a delight and I’m pacing myself to make it last. It is set in Orkney and Panang.
LikeLike
I rarely read anything by male authors. It’s my form of affirmative action.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have been with you on American novelists Ruth, but am recently converted by Ann Patchett, Anne Tyler, and Anna Quindlen. Nicely paced and good plots, about ‘ordinary’ people.. Must be something about their first names??
LikeLike
Thanks, Sue. I’ll keep an eye out for your Anns.
LikeLike