Book 2

“A novel inspired by real female pilots during World War II” was how this book was described, so naturally I added it to my cart.

The Flight Girls begins in Hawaii just a few days before the attacks on Pearl Harbor. I was imagining a lot of the scenes from the Pearl Harbor movie (yes, the one with Ben Affleck, I’m obsessed with it. Go ahead and keep your feelings to yourself if you disagree) when Salazar describes the attack itself.

One of things I really enjoyed about this book was learning about the role female pilots and the Women Airforce Service Pilots program played in America’s war efforts. I was shocked to learn about the training and work these female pilots committed to, and how they were (and were not) recognized by the US military. When one of the female characters perishes in a flight mission, we learn that the cost of transporting her remains is not something the military will cover. Truly mind boggling to me.

Like all good stories, this one does have a romantic twist, which is one of the reasons I found myself reading late into the night. The premise of the book was certainly interesting, and I was definitely invested in how the main character, Audrey, would choose between her love of flying and love itself.

To me this was a bit more of a “beach read” than some other books I’ve read. Though the book is a fictional story, there are a few plot lines I found to be a little unrealistic and at some points rushed. We certainly meet a lot of characters though very few have much depth.

With that said, I do think Salazar does a nice job portraying the special relationships between the female pilots, the struggles they encountered, and the extraordinary sacrifices they made for the love of flying and their country.

If you’re looking for a story about strong women with a little bit of a history and love braided in, I would give The Flight Girls a try!