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Eagle & Crane
Two young daredevil flyers confront ugly truths and family secrets during the U.S. internment of Japanese citizens during World War II, from the author of The Other Typist and Three-Martini Lunch.
Louis Thorn and Haruto "Harry" Yamada -- Eagle and Crane -- are the star attractions of Earl Shaw's Flying Circus, a daredevil (and not exactly legal) flying act that traverses Depression-era California. The young men have a complicated relationship, thanks to the Thorn family's belief that the Yamadas -- Japanese immigrants -- stole land that should have stayed in the Thorn family.
When Louis and Harry become aerial stuntmen, performing death-defying tricks high above audiences, they're both drawn to Shaw's smart and appealing stepdaughter, Ava Brooks. When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor and one of Shaw's planes mysteriously crashes and two charred bodies are discovered in it, authorities conclude that the victims were Harry and his father, Kenichi, who had escaped from a Japanese internment camp they had been sent to by the federal government. To the local sheriff, the situation is open and shut. But to the lone FBI agent assigned to the case, the details don't add up.
Thus begins an investigation into what really happened to cause the plane crash, who was in the plane when it fell from the sky, and why no one involved seems willing to tell the truth. By turns an absorbing mystery and a fascinating exploration of race, family and loyalty, Eagle and Crane is that rare novel that tells a gripping story as it explores a terrible era of American history.
Louis Thorn and Haruto "Harry" Yamada -- Eagle and Crane -- are the star attractions of Earl Shaw's Flying Circus, a daredevil (and not exactly legal) flying act that traverses Depression-era California. The young men have a complicated relationship, thanks to the Thorn family's belief that the Yamadas -- Japanese immigrants -- stole land that should have stayed in the Thorn family.
When Louis and Harry become aerial stuntmen, performing death-defying tricks high above audiences, they're both drawn to Shaw's smart and appealing stepdaughter, Ava Brooks. When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor and one of Shaw's planes mysteriously crashes and two charred bodies are discovered in it, authorities conclude that the victims were Harry and his father, Kenichi, who had escaped from a Japanese internment camp they had been sent to by the federal government. To the local sheriff, the situation is open and shut. But to the lone FBI agent assigned to the case, the details don't add up.
Thus begins an investigation into what really happened to cause the plane crash, who was in the plane when it fell from the sky, and why no one involved seems willing to tell the truth. By turns an absorbing mystery and a fascinating exploration of race, family and loyalty, Eagle and Crane is that rare novel that tells a gripping story as it explores a terrible era of American history.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published July 3, 2018
112 people are currently reading
11229 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Rindell
11 books920 followersUpcoming novel:
SUMMER FRIDAYS
***May 28, 2024!!!***
Suzanne Rindell is the author of four previous novels: The Other Typist, which has been translated into 20 languages, Three-Martini Lunch, Eagle & Crane, and The Two Mrs. Carlyles.
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About my reviews/activity on Goodreads: I only rate and review books I *like.* If I'm not into it, I simply don't rate it/review it. So you'll only see four or five stars ratings from me, and maybe a few notes about who I think might best enjoy the book in question.
SUMMER FRIDAYS
***May 28, 2024!!!***
Suzanne Rindell is the author of four previous novels: The Other Typist, which has been translated into 20 languages, Three-Martini Lunch, Eagle & Crane, and The Two Mrs. Carlyles.
-----
About my reviews/activity on Goodreads: I only rate and review books I *like.* If I'm not into it, I simply don't rate it/review it. So you'll only see four or five stars ratings from me, and maybe a few notes about who I think might best enjoy the book in question.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 296 reviews
June 20, 2018
This was really a 3.5 book for me but I bumped it up to 4 stars because I think there is some good writing and great character development here.
We are introduced to a mystery right from the beginning of the novel. There is a police investigator looking into the plane crash of a private plane carrying a Japanese father and son who had escaped from an internment camp. The book is written in alternating perspectives by the main characters.
Harry Yamada and Louis Thorn grew up side by side on land on the California coast, both families farming, one more successful than the other. Louis grew up always being told that the Yamada’s somehow had stolen land that belonged to the Thorn’s and they had the richer more fertile parcel. He is never really given a true explanation of what happened.
Without going into the plot they eventually end up, boosted by Harry’s daredevil spirit, becoming wing walkers on an airplane for the sake of entertainment. They would travel to smaller towns where there wasn’t much in the way of excitement and gather as many people as they could, perform their show and then take people up for rides. Louis and Harry become comfortable with each other again, having to depend on each other for the show and the money that it enables them to send back “home”. We are able to see the effects of the depression on not only these families but those living in the small towns along the coast.
There is a love triangle with Ava being the center of attention and both Harry and Louis love her. Ava and her mother Chloe were working with a shady “cure all tonic” salesman, Earl, and they become the set up people advertising the show, selling lemonade and tickets for rides
There is a good story here and the characters are well developed. It does go back and forth in time but the story flows well. There is also the concurrent story of the investigator and how he gathers information and the conclusions he comes to. This book was a little slow going for me, there were definitely parts where it lagged but it was well worth the read and the ending is a good one.
While it is definitely historical fiction, it doesn’t really go into much depth about the Japanese internment camps, but that was fine, I don’t think it set out to be a story about that. There are quite a few other books that I’ve read if one wants to read about the internment camps more in depth. This was the story of these young people dealing with a decades old family rivalry and how it affected them and how they lived their lives.
The ending is a good one and I would recommend it for an easy day’s read. I will definitely look for more books by this talented author.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
We are introduced to a mystery right from the beginning of the novel. There is a police investigator looking into the plane crash of a private plane carrying a Japanese father and son who had escaped from an internment camp. The book is written in alternating perspectives by the main characters.
Harry Yamada and Louis Thorn grew up side by side on land on the California coast, both families farming, one more successful than the other. Louis grew up always being told that the Yamada’s somehow had stolen land that belonged to the Thorn’s and they had the richer more fertile parcel. He is never really given a true explanation of what happened.
Without going into the plot they eventually end up, boosted by Harry’s daredevil spirit, becoming wing walkers on an airplane for the sake of entertainment. They would travel to smaller towns where there wasn’t much in the way of excitement and gather as many people as they could, perform their show and then take people up for rides. Louis and Harry become comfortable with each other again, having to depend on each other for the show and the money that it enables them to send back “home”. We are able to see the effects of the depression on not only these families but those living in the small towns along the coast.
There is a love triangle with Ava being the center of attention and both Harry and Louis love her. Ava and her mother Chloe were working with a shady “cure all tonic” salesman, Earl, and they become the set up people advertising the show, selling lemonade and tickets for rides
There is a good story here and the characters are well developed. It does go back and forth in time but the story flows well. There is also the concurrent story of the investigator and how he gathers information and the conclusions he comes to. This book was a little slow going for me, there were definitely parts where it lagged but it was well worth the read and the ending is a good one.
While it is definitely historical fiction, it doesn’t really go into much depth about the Japanese internment camps, but that was fine, I don’t think it set out to be a story about that. There are quite a few other books that I’ve read if one wants to read about the internment camps more in depth. This was the story of these young people dealing with a decades old family rivalry and how it affected them and how they lived their lives.
The ending is a good one and I would recommend it for an easy day’s read. I will definitely look for more books by this talented author.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
April 6, 2022
I see that this author has a lot of dedicated readers, however, the style of writing is not for me. I found the prose to be very simple for me, for example “No need to knock; their boots make a good deal of noise on the wooden planks.” Also, the book starts with heavy dialogue, which I'm not a fan of. I prefer storytelling over dialogue.
June 24, 2018
I loved the book. Why, you ask?
• It is historical fiction, lovingly and accurately researched, realistic. I found myself over and over, truly picturing the characters and the California setting. It evoked in me a vision and feeling that is hard to describe.
• It is about aviation, a topic which became fascinating to me ever since reading 2 books about the Wright Brothers. Aviation history has taken on a new meaning for me and the story here about barnstorming pilots in a circus environment was enthralling.
• It is a mystery as well. The book starts with two deaths when a bi-plane crashes and the rest of the plot fleshes out the secrets and reasons behind this tragedy.
• It addresses the plight of the Japanese American before and after Pearl Harbor.
It is this last point that has affected me the most . Allow me to provide two quotes that really spoke to me:
1. Kenichi, Harry (Crane)'s father says:
“I don’t know,” he said. “But we will not be harmed. This is America. America is made up of many things, including many Japanese. We are not alone in this country. America is part of us, and we are part of it now. The government’s leaders will not look at us as they do their enemy.” It sounded right to everybody: Kenichi, Shizue, Harry, Mae— even to Cleo and Ava. It sounded right, and yet it did not sound quite true. Kenichi was speaking of the America as America wanted to be, not as America was.
2. How ironic, Ava thought, that the government had designated churches as the sites of so many pickup points. (to go to the Japanese detention camps)
The plot tends to jump around, but when the locale or year changes, the chapter starts out with that information. I found that I easily followed the shifts and the presentation made sense to me in the order it was written.
Well written, entertaining, and a book I strongly recommend. (What a book!!)
• It is historical fiction, lovingly and accurately researched, realistic. I found myself over and over, truly picturing the characters and the California setting. It evoked in me a vision and feeling that is hard to describe.
• It is about aviation, a topic which became fascinating to me ever since reading 2 books about the Wright Brothers. Aviation history has taken on a new meaning for me and the story here about barnstorming pilots in a circus environment was enthralling.
• It is a mystery as well. The book starts with two deaths when a bi-plane crashes and the rest of the plot fleshes out the secrets and reasons behind this tragedy.
• It addresses the plight of the Japanese American before and after Pearl Harbor.
It is this last point that has affected me the most . Allow me to provide two quotes that really spoke to me:
1. Kenichi, Harry (Crane)'s father says:
“I don’t know,” he said. “But we will not be harmed. This is America. America is made up of many things, including many Japanese. We are not alone in this country. America is part of us, and we are part of it now. The government’s leaders will not look at us as they do their enemy.” It sounded right to everybody: Kenichi, Shizue, Harry, Mae— even to Cleo and Ava. It sounded right, and yet it did not sound quite true. Kenichi was speaking of the America as America wanted to be, not as America was.
2. How ironic, Ava thought, that the government had designated churches as the sites of so many pickup points. (to go to the Japanese detention camps)
The plot tends to jump around, but when the locale or year changes, the chapter starts out with that information. I found that I easily followed the shifts and the presentation made sense to me in the order it was written.
Well written, entertaining, and a book I strongly recommend. (What a book!!)
April 6, 2022
This book never felt like a cohesive story to me, there was just a collection of bits. Part of the book follows the 1943 investigation by FBI Agent William Bonner into the crash of the biplane in which the internment camp escapees, Haruto (Harry) Yamada and his father Kenichi, were presumed to have burned to death. Bonner suspects that the crash was not an accident and that Louis was involved. There is also the 1940 story of how Harry and Louis Thorn came to join Earl Shaw's Flying Circus, and their love triangle with Earl's stepdaughter Ava Brooks. There are long chapters of backstory covering how Ava's mother came to marry Earl, detailing the histories of the Thorn and Yamada families and describing the Japanese internment camps. There is also a peculiar interlude between Bonner and his racist landlady. In addition, Bonner has a big secret that adds nothing to the story.
In a book with so many pieces, I'd have thought that I would find at least some of them interesting, but I did not. I made it half way through this book and then skipped ahead to find out how the mystery turned out. Although I'm not a fan of love triangles there are parts of this book that I might have liked (particularly the story of internment camps), if so much of it hadn't felt like padding. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
In a book with so many pieces, I'd have thought that I would find at least some of them interesting, but I did not. I made it half way through this book and then skipped ahead to find out how the mystery turned out. Although I'm not a fan of love triangles there are parts of this book that I might have liked (particularly the story of internment camps), if so much of it hadn't felt like padding. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
May 30, 2018
There are many WW2 historical fiction books out there but yet most of them do not explore the subject of Japanese internment camps. So I am thankful the author and publisher decided to make that a focus of the novel.
Louis Thorn and Haruto "Harry" Yamada, aka Eagle and Crane, are part of a daredevil aviation act in the 1930s and 40s. Ava Brooks is the stepdaughter of the owner of the Flying Circus and both young men find her appealing. But everything changes after the Pearl Harbor attack. While authorities conclude Harry and his father, Kenichi, died in a plane crash after escaping from an internment camp, a lone FBI agent thinks this isn't an open and shut case. This is a story about family, loyalty, and an ugly part of American history.
I've always been fascinated with this period of aviation where airplanes were becoming a more common thing but yet there was still a bit of wonder and excitement. I definitely enjoyed the Flying Circus bits of the story and the complicated relationship the men had with one another and with Ava. I thought the backstory of each family really set the stage for what was to come later on in the story.
My only complaint about the book is at times I thought the author fell into the trap of telling how bad internment camps were rather than just letting the story unfold naturally. It felt like I was hearing the voice of the author rather than the characters, if that makes any sense.
Overall, this was a good read that held my interest throughout. Definitely recommend if you enjoy WW2 historical fiction.
Thank you to First to Read for the advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
Louis Thorn and Haruto "Harry" Yamada, aka Eagle and Crane, are part of a daredevil aviation act in the 1930s and 40s. Ava Brooks is the stepdaughter of the owner of the Flying Circus and both young men find her appealing. But everything changes after the Pearl Harbor attack. While authorities conclude Harry and his father, Kenichi, died in a plane crash after escaping from an internment camp, a lone FBI agent thinks this isn't an open and shut case. This is a story about family, loyalty, and an ugly part of American history.
I've always been fascinated with this period of aviation where airplanes were becoming a more common thing but yet there was still a bit of wonder and excitement. I definitely enjoyed the Flying Circus bits of the story and the complicated relationship the men had with one another and with Ava. I thought the backstory of each family really set the stage for what was to come later on in the story.
My only complaint about the book is at times I thought the author fell into the trap of telling how bad internment camps were rather than just letting the story unfold naturally. It felt like I was hearing the voice of the author rather than the characters, if that makes any sense.
Overall, this was a good read that held my interest throughout. Definitely recommend if you enjoy WW2 historical fiction.
Thank you to First to Read for the advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
June 28, 2018
5 stars Thanks to Penguin's First-to-Read and G.P. Putnam's and Sons for the chance to read and review this ARC. Publishes July 3, 2018
This book came at a really good time for me. It has an author that I like, one who is able to pen characters that speak to you, who sets you in a story that is comfortable and likable, allowing you to become part of their world.
This novel brings in the historic past of the bi-plane, when it was in its glory. It delves into the profession of the barnstorming circuit and the people who ran the circus-like atmosphere. There are elements of the life of a Japanese American and the heartbreaking internment of all Japanese just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It is a love story, a story of adventure, and a murder mystery told in both the past and the present.
If you have never read Rindell, this is a good novel to begin your adventure with her.
This book came at a really good time for me. It has an author that I like, one who is able to pen characters that speak to you, who sets you in a story that is comfortable and likable, allowing you to become part of their world.
This novel brings in the historic past of the bi-plane, when it was in its glory. It delves into the profession of the barnstorming circuit and the people who ran the circus-like atmosphere. There are elements of the life of a Japanese American and the heartbreaking internment of all Japanese just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It is a love story, a story of adventure, and a murder mystery told in both the past and the present.
If you have never read Rindell, this is a good novel to begin your adventure with her.
June 15, 2018
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: PENGUIN GROUP Putnam
Pub. Date: July 3, 2018
On the first page of this historical fiction is an old black and white picture of a handsome young man with laughter in his eyes and a cocky grin on his face. He is standing in front of a biplane – a small plane for two, with an open cockpit. Over the picture, it reads, “In memory of my grandfather, Norbert.” The image and words left me with a feeling that I would enjoy this novel, which I did.
The characters include two friendly but highly competitive male teens living on their farms in California during the 1930s to the 1940s. Both are the sons of farmers who have been feuding for years. One of the boys is shy despite a handsome, all American face. The other boy is also handsome. His face displays his Japanese American features. This teen’s nature is much more outgoing than his friend’s, but because we are in the years prior to and during WWII, he hides his true personality, emulating humility to stay out of harm’s way. We also meet a young teenage girl, her mother, and her con artist stepfather who makes a living by selling snake oil. He usually gambles away what little money they have. But, one time he is lucky and wins two biplanes. Eventually, they all meet, and so begins the story of their traveling flying circus, known as barnstorming. The conman gathers the crowds with their act, which consists of two biplanes, two stunt pilots, and two wing walkers. They make their money by selling tickets to the crowds for biplane rides. This is all illegal, but lots of fun. In case you haven’t guessed, the boys are the wing walkers and they both fall for the girl.
The young love triangle is written sweetly. The description of farming during the depression and life during WWII is spot-on. But, what I really enjoyed is learning how the early Japanese found their way into the United States. This book didn’t concentrate on the Japanese railroad workers but rather on the Japanese farm workers. I was completely ignorant that in the 1880s Japanese immigrants first came to the Pacific Northwest to farm. They traveled throughout the States buying land. Many became very successful farmers. Sadly, these farmers lost everything when the war led to the internment of Japanese Americans. Not a proud moment in our history. I found this beautiful sad poem that I encourage you to read. “Japanese-American Farmhouse, California, 1942” by Sharon Olds: https://www.poemhunter.com/best-poems....
There is also a mystery in this story, which I didn’t think enhanced the novel at all. Rather, the extra plot detracts from it, causing the tale to be too long. In 1943, an FBI agent comes looking for the Japanese teen and his family. (Eerily similar to today’s unfair treatment of immigrants coming to the US.) While there, he witnesses a biplane crash. The passengers are burned to death and not recognizable. The pilot and the passenger are assumed to be the Japanese father and son. Now, the agent’s job is to investigate the crash. I felt as though this added plot is to ensure a bestseller. The author would have been better off deciding to write one or the other, a mystery or a historical fiction. But it wasn't enough to stop me from enjoying the novel overall.
I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Leave Me Alone I am Reading & Reviewing: https://books6259.wordpress.com/
Twitter: Martie's Book Reviews: https://twitter.com/NeesRecord
Publisher: PENGUIN GROUP Putnam
Pub. Date: July 3, 2018
On the first page of this historical fiction is an old black and white picture of a handsome young man with laughter in his eyes and a cocky grin on his face. He is standing in front of a biplane – a small plane for two, with an open cockpit. Over the picture, it reads, “In memory of my grandfather, Norbert.” The image and words left me with a feeling that I would enjoy this novel, which I did.
The characters include two friendly but highly competitive male teens living on their farms in California during the 1930s to the 1940s. Both are the sons of farmers who have been feuding for years. One of the boys is shy despite a handsome, all American face. The other boy is also handsome. His face displays his Japanese American features. This teen’s nature is much more outgoing than his friend’s, but because we are in the years prior to and during WWII, he hides his true personality, emulating humility to stay out of harm’s way. We also meet a young teenage girl, her mother, and her con artist stepfather who makes a living by selling snake oil. He usually gambles away what little money they have. But, one time he is lucky and wins two biplanes. Eventually, they all meet, and so begins the story of their traveling flying circus, known as barnstorming. The conman gathers the crowds with their act, which consists of two biplanes, two stunt pilots, and two wing walkers. They make their money by selling tickets to the crowds for biplane rides. This is all illegal, but lots of fun. In case you haven’t guessed, the boys are the wing walkers and they both fall for the girl.
The young love triangle is written sweetly. The description of farming during the depression and life during WWII is spot-on. But, what I really enjoyed is learning how the early Japanese found their way into the United States. This book didn’t concentrate on the Japanese railroad workers but rather on the Japanese farm workers. I was completely ignorant that in the 1880s Japanese immigrants first came to the Pacific Northwest to farm. They traveled throughout the States buying land. Many became very successful farmers. Sadly, these farmers lost everything when the war led to the internment of Japanese Americans. Not a proud moment in our history. I found this beautiful sad poem that I encourage you to read. “Japanese-American Farmhouse, California, 1942” by Sharon Olds: https://www.poemhunter.com/best-poems....
There is also a mystery in this story, which I didn’t think enhanced the novel at all. Rather, the extra plot detracts from it, causing the tale to be too long. In 1943, an FBI agent comes looking for the Japanese teen and his family. (Eerily similar to today’s unfair treatment of immigrants coming to the US.) While there, he witnesses a biplane crash. The passengers are burned to death and not recognizable. The pilot and the passenger are assumed to be the Japanese father and son. Now, the agent’s job is to investigate the crash. I felt as though this added plot is to ensure a bestseller. The author would have been better off deciding to write one or the other, a mystery or a historical fiction. But it wasn't enough to stop me from enjoying the novel overall.
I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Leave Me Alone I am Reading & Reviewing: https://books6259.wordpress.com/
Twitter: Martie's Book Reviews: https://twitter.com/NeesRecord
July 4, 2018
I love this author and this book was a fantastic read. I'll read anything she writes after The Other Typist, which had me bewitched but also bewildered. Eagle and Crane fortunately skips the bewilderment and goes straight to endearment and heartbreak.
Two boys, one a Japanese American, the other white, grow up on the same section of farmland in pre - World War II California. Their common age and venue make friends out of them despite their families' histories. Eventually they join a flying circus together and spend some time away from home learning to be stunt men and pilots. Their friendship hits some bumps but nothing like when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor and the war and internment camps are in their backyard. Oh, and there is also a young woman involved.
To avoid spoilers I'll simply say that the ending has some nice twists, one you might see coming or not, which is always a good thing. The characters and the story, adventures and history galore, will stay with me for a long time to come.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.
Two boys, one a Japanese American, the other white, grow up on the same section of farmland in pre - World War II California. Their common age and venue make friends out of them despite their families' histories. Eventually they join a flying circus together and spend some time away from home learning to be stunt men and pilots. Their friendship hits some bumps but nothing like when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor and the war and internment camps are in their backyard. Oh, and there is also a young woman involved.
To avoid spoilers I'll simply say that the ending has some nice twists, one you might see coming or not, which is always a good thing. The characters and the story, adventures and history galore, will stay with me for a long time to come.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.
January 29, 2019
I’ve had a copy of this book sitting in my TBR pile for a while, courtesy of the lovely people at Allison & Busby, and I’m now kicking myself that I didn’t get to it earlier because I thought it was absolutely terrific.
Starting with FBI Agent Bonner’s arrival at the home of the Yamada family in 1943, the book moves between his tenacious investigation and scenes from the turbulent events in the years running up to the plane crash. The reader witnesses Ava’s childhood, the creation of the original Flying Circus by her stepfather, Earl Shaw, and the arrival of Louis Thorn and ‘Harry’ Haruto Yamada. It’s a story that involves a longstanding family feud involving the Thorns and Yamadas, strained friendships, a love triangle, deceit, betrayal and ghosts of the past.
Harry’s and Louis’s relationship is particularly complicated. Harry has the skill and daring when it comes to performing the aerial stunts (emulating his hero Harry Houdini) but it’s Louis who has the imaginative ideas. He also fits the ideal of an ‘all-American boy’ which Harry, with his Japanese heritage, does not. Their competitive nature leads them to attempt more and more daring and potentially dangerous stunts. As it turns out, that’s not the only source of competition between them. Their success and the fame it generates brings a potentially life-changing opportunity but with conditions attached. How they each respond to this will test their relationship possibly beyond breaking point.
There are some brilliant scenes depicting the thrill of their daredevil stunts and I particularly loved the section of the book that evoked the glamour of 1940s Hollywood. I also loved the character of Ava, who’s survived a tough upbringing and itinerant lifestyle with the Flying Circus but is clever, practical and a brilliant organiser. And how can you not feel drawn to a character for whom books are ‘treasures’.
However, the book also explores more serious themes such as identity and discrimination. The latter comes particularly under the spotlight following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. The anti-Japanese sentiment that results and the government decision to intern Japanese living in the US has tragic consequences for the Yamada family, and for others as well.
There is a brilliant final revelation with clever references to earlier events and to clues that were there all along if only you’d had the wits to notice them. Full disclosure: I didn’t.
I thought Eagle & Crane was a fantastic story, brilliantly told, that combines mystery, action and romance whilst exploring more serious themes and revealing a dark aspect of American history that was certainly new to this reader. On finishing the book with a satisfied sigh, I immediately added the author’s two previous books – The Other Typist and Three-Martini Lunch – to my wishlist.
I received a review copy courtesy of publishers, Allison and Busby. The book is now also available in paperback.
Starting with FBI Agent Bonner’s arrival at the home of the Yamada family in 1943, the book moves between his tenacious investigation and scenes from the turbulent events in the years running up to the plane crash. The reader witnesses Ava’s childhood, the creation of the original Flying Circus by her stepfather, Earl Shaw, and the arrival of Louis Thorn and ‘Harry’ Haruto Yamada. It’s a story that involves a longstanding family feud involving the Thorns and Yamadas, strained friendships, a love triangle, deceit, betrayal and ghosts of the past.
Harry’s and Louis’s relationship is particularly complicated. Harry has the skill and daring when it comes to performing the aerial stunts (emulating his hero Harry Houdini) but it’s Louis who has the imaginative ideas. He also fits the ideal of an ‘all-American boy’ which Harry, with his Japanese heritage, does not. Their competitive nature leads them to attempt more and more daring and potentially dangerous stunts. As it turns out, that’s not the only source of competition between them. Their success and the fame it generates brings a potentially life-changing opportunity but with conditions attached. How they each respond to this will test their relationship possibly beyond breaking point.
There are some brilliant scenes depicting the thrill of their daredevil stunts and I particularly loved the section of the book that evoked the glamour of 1940s Hollywood. I also loved the character of Ava, who’s survived a tough upbringing and itinerant lifestyle with the Flying Circus but is clever, practical and a brilliant organiser. And how can you not feel drawn to a character for whom books are ‘treasures’.
However, the book also explores more serious themes such as identity and discrimination. The latter comes particularly under the spotlight following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. The anti-Japanese sentiment that results and the government decision to intern Japanese living in the US has tragic consequences for the Yamada family, and for others as well.
There is a brilliant final revelation with clever references to earlier events and to clues that were there all along if only you’d had the wits to notice them. Full disclosure: I didn’t.
I thought Eagle & Crane was a fantastic story, brilliantly told, that combines mystery, action and romance whilst exploring more serious themes and revealing a dark aspect of American history that was certainly new to this reader. On finishing the book with a satisfied sigh, I immediately added the author’s two previous books – The Other Typist and Three-Martini Lunch – to my wishlist.
I received a review copy courtesy of publishers, Allison and Busby. The book is now also available in paperback.
March 14, 2022
📚 Hello Book Friends! EAGLE & CRANE by Suzanne Rindell is a beautiful novel about friendship, family, and loyalty. This historical fiction takes place in the 30s and 40s and has a mystery aspect. The novel starts with the death of two Japanese-Americans who escaped a Japanese internment camp. An FBI agent tries to figure out why and how they died, and he will discover the story of a strong friendship between three young adults (Louis Thorn, Harry Yamada, and Ava Brooks), their involvement in a flying circus, and the complicated dynamics of their family connections. This book is well written, and the characters are believable. I truly enjoyed this read.
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July 6, 2018
Many, many thanks to Putnam Books for my free copy in exchange for my honest review. It is a pleasure to share my thoughts!
When I first saw this book on Goodreads, I didn’t even read the blurb because the cover was so gorgeous, I knew the inside had to be just as beautiful. I was immediately intrigued (helloooo, historical fiction + Taylor) and pulled into a world I knew NOTHING about. Barnstorming?? Who knew such a thing existed?! The story is split into two times, early 1940’s, moving forward and then separately in 1943. Basically, these two storylines could not be any more different.
In 1943, Agent Bonner from the FBI has come to Newcastle, California to investigate two missing Japanese men from the Tule Lake Relocation Center, where they are being held by the federal government after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. While questioning Louis Thorn, they watch as a biplane falls from the sky and erupts in a ball of fire. You could say this complicates things…
In the early 40’s, we meet Earl Shaw and his Flying Circus. As they make their way through small towns in Depression-era California, they are careful to keep under the radar as much as they can, while still making a profit. (Side note: you’re going to LOATH Earl Shaw.) When they reach Newcastle, two young men with a competitive relationship take their plane ride to the next level and decide to wing-walk while in the air. This launches a Flying Circus with daredevils and all Earl can see are dollar signs. Thus we have, Eagle & Crane.
I would say that the first 60% of the book focuses more on the traveling circus and the bonds and relationships formed between Eagle & Crane (Louis and Harry) and Earl’s stepdaughter, Ava. The fact that Harry is Japanese-American is brought up many times, illustrating the presence of racism, but more so after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The last half of the book was a bit harder to read, as the author describes the internment camps the Yamada family and the rest of the Japanese-Americans were forced into. I’m sure I learned about this in school but I didn’t remember any of it. I was shocked to read about the conditions these people were forced to live in. Most people know about Concentration Camps but you don’t really hear talk about the Internment Camps the Japanese-Americans were forced into—because Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. In the US Governments mind, it was safer to evacuate and detain ALL Japanese-Americans, rather than take the chance they might miss someone who was disloyal to the US. I found myself shocked..and infuriated..my blood was boiling as I read.
“I don’t know,” he said. “But we will not be harmed. This is America. America is made up of many things, including many Japanese. We are not alone in this country. America is part of us, and w are part of it now. The governments leaders will not look at us as they do their enemy.”
It sounded right to everybody: Kenichi, Shizue, Harry and Mae-even to Cleo and Ava. It sounded right, and yet it did not sound quite true. Kenichi was speaking of the America as America wanted to be, not as America was.
The middle of the book is a bit slower, as Agent Bonner is floundering in his investigation and Eagle & Crane and flying around having a good old time, but there are important nuggets thrown in that help to tie everything together. Stick with it and you’ll love this ending!
That ending. Never saw it coming.
The writing is superb and there’s excellent character development. I loved seeing the transformation illustrated. Well done, Suzanne Rindell!
When I first saw this book on Goodreads, I didn’t even read the blurb because the cover was so gorgeous, I knew the inside had to be just as beautiful. I was immediately intrigued (helloooo, historical fiction + Taylor) and pulled into a world I knew NOTHING about. Barnstorming?? Who knew such a thing existed?! The story is split into two times, early 1940’s, moving forward and then separately in 1943. Basically, these two storylines could not be any more different.
In 1943, Agent Bonner from the FBI has come to Newcastle, California to investigate two missing Japanese men from the Tule Lake Relocation Center, where they are being held by the federal government after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. While questioning Louis Thorn, they watch as a biplane falls from the sky and erupts in a ball of fire. You could say this complicates things…
In the early 40’s, we meet Earl Shaw and his Flying Circus. As they make their way through small towns in Depression-era California, they are careful to keep under the radar as much as they can, while still making a profit. (Side note: you’re going to LOATH Earl Shaw.) When they reach Newcastle, two young men with a competitive relationship take their plane ride to the next level and decide to wing-walk while in the air. This launches a Flying Circus with daredevils and all Earl can see are dollar signs. Thus we have, Eagle & Crane.
I would say that the first 60% of the book focuses more on the traveling circus and the bonds and relationships formed between Eagle & Crane (Louis and Harry) and Earl’s stepdaughter, Ava. The fact that Harry is Japanese-American is brought up many times, illustrating the presence of racism, but more so after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The last half of the book was a bit harder to read, as the author describes the internment camps the Yamada family and the rest of the Japanese-Americans were forced into. I’m sure I learned about this in school but I didn’t remember any of it. I was shocked to read about the conditions these people were forced to live in. Most people know about Concentration Camps but you don’t really hear talk about the Internment Camps the Japanese-Americans were forced into—because Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. In the US Governments mind, it was safer to evacuate and detain ALL Japanese-Americans, rather than take the chance they might miss someone who was disloyal to the US. I found myself shocked..and infuriated..my blood was boiling as I read.
“I don’t know,” he said. “But we will not be harmed. This is America. America is made up of many things, including many Japanese. We are not alone in this country. America is part of us, and w are part of it now. The governments leaders will not look at us as they do their enemy.”
It sounded right to everybody: Kenichi, Shizue, Harry and Mae-even to Cleo and Ava. It sounded right, and yet it did not sound quite true. Kenichi was speaking of the America as America wanted to be, not as America was.
The middle of the book is a bit slower, as Agent Bonner is floundering in his investigation and Eagle & Crane and flying around having a good old time, but there are important nuggets thrown in that help to tie everything together. Stick with it and you’ll love this ending!
That ending. Never saw it coming.
The writing is superb and there’s excellent character development. I loved seeing the transformation illustrated. Well done, Suzanne Rindell!
July 1, 2018
My Review of "Eagle & Crane" by Suzanne Rindell
Kudos to Suzanne Rindell Author of "Eagle & Crane" for writing such an inspiring, intense, captivating, intense, emotional and intriguing novel. The Genres for this novel are Historical Fiction and Fiction. The timeline for this novel is around the Great Depression and the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, and World War Two. The location of the story is in California.
The author describes her characters as complicated, complex, and torn by both events and family expectations. Louis Thorne and " Harry Yamada" were friends for a short time when they were little boys. Harry loved magic, and Louis loved comic book heroes. The Thorne family believed that the "Yamada" family had stolen their land, and from that become a great hatred.
Louis meets a young girl, Ava, who is selling tickets for a flying show. Louis comes back with money and reunites with Harry. Somehow the two young men become aerial stuntman doing life-threatening and dangerous acts. The two work together as a team. Despite set backs and major problems, the two become known as "Eagle" and "Crane", nick names assigned to them with a racial intonation.
When the tragedy of the Pearl Harbor bombing occurs, the United State government puts all of the Japanese people in internment camps. Many are Japanese Americans, both citizens and American born. This is a terrible time that is not always revealed in history books. The homes, land, possessions were supposed to be temporarily taken away from these people. There was inadequate medical care, cramped quarters, and poor living conditions. I appreciate the research and the resources the author used to provide the information. It is both thought-provoking and very emotionally charged. . Do we learn from history?
Somehow, both Harry and his father escape the camps, but there is an airplane found with two charred bodies. The local government finds it an open and close case. One FBI agent with a personal agenda suspects foul play, and starts to investigate. Will the deep secrets between the two families be revealed? I highly recommend this amazing novel to readers that appreciate Historical Fiction.
Kudos to Suzanne Rindell Author of "Eagle & Crane" for writing such an inspiring, intense, captivating, intense, emotional and intriguing novel. The Genres for this novel are Historical Fiction and Fiction. The timeline for this novel is around the Great Depression and the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, and World War Two. The location of the story is in California.
The author describes her characters as complicated, complex, and torn by both events and family expectations. Louis Thorne and " Harry Yamada" were friends for a short time when they were little boys. Harry loved magic, and Louis loved comic book heroes. The Thorne family believed that the "Yamada" family had stolen their land, and from that become a great hatred.
Louis meets a young girl, Ava, who is selling tickets for a flying show. Louis comes back with money and reunites with Harry. Somehow the two young men become aerial stuntman doing life-threatening and dangerous acts. The two work together as a team. Despite set backs and major problems, the two become known as "Eagle" and "Crane", nick names assigned to them with a racial intonation.
When the tragedy of the Pearl Harbor bombing occurs, the United State government puts all of the Japanese people in internment camps. Many are Japanese Americans, both citizens and American born. This is a terrible time that is not always revealed in history books. The homes, land, possessions were supposed to be temporarily taken away from these people. There was inadequate medical care, cramped quarters, and poor living conditions. I appreciate the research and the resources the author used to provide the information. It is both thought-provoking and very emotionally charged. . Do we learn from history?
Somehow, both Harry and his father escape the camps, but there is an airplane found with two charred bodies. The local government finds it an open and close case. One FBI agent with a personal agenda suspects foul play, and starts to investigate. Will the deep secrets between the two families be revealed? I highly recommend this amazing novel to readers that appreciate Historical Fiction.
September 7, 2018
This was a fabulous dual time historical fiction novel set in California before and during World War Two. I’ve read a quite a few books set in Europe during this era but nothing set in the US, so I was very keen to read this when I had an email from the publisher Allison & Busby. I didn’t realise that there was a large Japanese community in California in the early 20th century and didn’t know much at all about the treatment and internment of Japanese Americans following the attack on Pearl Harbour.
This book instantly transported me to California with it wonderful descriptions of the land and the people. I loved reading about Ava, she was a wonderful character who sadly had to grow up too quickly during the Great Depression when her father killed himself and her mother didn’t know how to cope. Ava is an incredibly resourceful child and learns a lot about people, especially when her mother is swept off her feet by Earl Shaw who ends up running a barnstorming act. This was fascinating reading as I didn’t really know much about the ins and outs of these early display shows.
The mystery of the plane crash in 1943 was slow and very atmospheric. I didn’t know who my loyalties should side with, the FBI or the local towns folk? It was a very good mystery that I didn’t manage to work out at all and it had a very satisfying ending.
I loved the author’s note at the end of the book, about who inspired her it write the story, it was fascinating and should definitely not be ignored.
I read this over the course of a few weeks and I’m really disappointed I didn’t have the time to sit down and just read it a couple of sittings like it deserves. I definitely recommend this to lovers of historical fiction.
Thanks to Ailsa at Allison & Busby for my lovely hardback copy.
This book instantly transported me to California with it wonderful descriptions of the land and the people. I loved reading about Ava, she was a wonderful character who sadly had to grow up too quickly during the Great Depression when her father killed himself and her mother didn’t know how to cope. Ava is an incredibly resourceful child and learns a lot about people, especially when her mother is swept off her feet by Earl Shaw who ends up running a barnstorming act. This was fascinating reading as I didn’t really know much about the ins and outs of these early display shows.
The mystery of the plane crash in 1943 was slow and very atmospheric. I didn’t know who my loyalties should side with, the FBI or the local towns folk? It was a very good mystery that I didn’t manage to work out at all and it had a very satisfying ending.
I loved the author’s note at the end of the book, about who inspired her it write the story, it was fascinating and should definitely not be ignored.
I read this over the course of a few weeks and I’m really disappointed I didn’t have the time to sit down and just read it a couple of sittings like it deserves. I definitely recommend this to lovers of historical fiction.
Thanks to Ailsa at Allison & Busby for my lovely hardback copy.
July 30, 2018
An outstanding story that takes you to the 1940s and all the shenanigans going on during that time. There are highs (stunts on airplane wings), and lows (Internment camps for US citizens who were of Japanese dissent), and much more in between. The characters were so well developed, you truly understand their plight. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
July 18, 2018
Many thanks to Putnam Books for providing my free copy of EAGLE & CRANE by Suzanne Rindell - all opinions are my own.
A few years back I read THE OTHER TYPIST and as it turned out to be one of my all-time favorite books, so I was over the moon when I received a copy of Rindell’s new novel. The story takes place during WWII, mostly in California over the course of several years. Louis Thorn and Haruto “Harry” Yamada are daredevil flight partners (Eagle & Crane) at the Earl Shaw’s Flying Circus. The two men have known each other a long time and their families are neighboring farmers. Their relationship is a complicated one and to make matters worse they are smitten for the same woman, their boss’ step-daughter, Ava Brooks. The novel starts off with a bang - literally a plane crash - and at this point you backtrack to find out what happened.
The first thing I love about this gorgeous book is the very strong character development. Louis, Harry, and Ava are very well thought-out characters; they shine and come to life on the pages. Their story is compelling and I was completely intrigued by the love triangle, and the backstory behind each family. I admire that the author delves deeply into the effects of war on the Japanese Americans, including the internment camps, both before and after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It’s an incredibly tragic part of history that doesn’t get talked about enough. The chapters alternate between the main characters which just keeps you compulsively flipping the pages and the historical details are well-researched. Between an escape from an internment camp, a plane clash, and an FBI investigation, there is a fantastic amount of mystery to this story. I’m not even kidding when I say EAGLE & CRANE has a little bit of everything. If you are looking for a different perspective, a sense of adventure, mystery, intrigue, and a story about family, then this is the book for you. Needless to say, I loved it!
A few years back I read THE OTHER TYPIST and as it turned out to be one of my all-time favorite books, so I was over the moon when I received a copy of Rindell’s new novel. The story takes place during WWII, mostly in California over the course of several years. Louis Thorn and Haruto “Harry” Yamada are daredevil flight partners (Eagle & Crane) at the Earl Shaw’s Flying Circus. The two men have known each other a long time and their families are neighboring farmers. Their relationship is a complicated one and to make matters worse they are smitten for the same woman, their boss’ step-daughter, Ava Brooks. The novel starts off with a bang - literally a plane crash - and at this point you backtrack to find out what happened.
The first thing I love about this gorgeous book is the very strong character development. Louis, Harry, and Ava are very well thought-out characters; they shine and come to life on the pages. Their story is compelling and I was completely intrigued by the love triangle, and the backstory behind each family. I admire that the author delves deeply into the effects of war on the Japanese Americans, including the internment camps, both before and after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It’s an incredibly tragic part of history that doesn’t get talked about enough. The chapters alternate between the main characters which just keeps you compulsively flipping the pages and the historical details are well-researched. Between an escape from an internment camp, a plane clash, and an FBI investigation, there is a fantastic amount of mystery to this story. I’m not even kidding when I say EAGLE & CRANE has a little bit of everything. If you are looking for a different perspective, a sense of adventure, mystery, intrigue, and a story about family, then this is the book for you. Needless to say, I loved it!
July 2, 2018
Rating: 3/5
Suzanne Rindell combines historical fiction, mystery, romance and family drama in her third novel Eagle and Crane.
A plane crash and two dead bodies, one too badly burned to even identify, opens up the story immediately bringing to the fore the mystery that readers will have to puzzle out throughout the whole book. At the center of it all are three characters – Haruto “Harry” Yamada, Louis Thorn and Ava Brooks. FBI Agent Bonner adds up tension to the story, playing the role of a connector stitching together the pieces of the story. The narrative toggles back and forth detailing the family feud between the Yamadas and the Thorns, the beginning of Harry and Louis’ daredevil act, and the internment of Japanese immigrants in the U.S. during World War II.
This was a slow starter for me. Rindell’s story took time to unfold, her prose stilted at times and meandering even at some points. Eagle and Crane is not the type of book you just pick up and read in one go. This sometimes counts against the book for me, but somehow I just couldn’t put this one down and let it go unfinished.
Meticulously researched and carefully detailed, Eagle and Crane is an immersive work that will transport readers to a time when America let fear rule over her.
I’ve read quite a few historical novels set during WWII but not one of them included anything about Japanese internment camps, so this was both a revelation and an informative bit of history for me. I didn’t know that this happened and I just can’t help thinking how it somehow mirrors what is currently happening in U.S. right now.
But more than the strong historical foundations of this story, it was the characters that made me stick through finishing this book.
All three of the main characters – Ava, Harry and Louis- were well-developed and complex. Their trio is Eagle and Crane’s heart and soul. Harry and Louis' complicated friendship, Ava's love for both boys, Louis' conflicted loyalties - these fuel most of the book, and it were these parts I loved most. I think it brought out the human factor I’m looking for in every historical fiction and allowed me to connect more to the story. Though I must say, Agent Bonner's parts often felt pat and contrived to me.
Overall, Eagle and Crane was a satisfying read. If you're one for historical fiction, then I definitely recommend this one to you.
Digital ARC graciously provided by publisher via Edelweiss. This review was first published on In Between Book Pages.
Suzanne Rindell combines historical fiction, mystery, romance and family drama in her third novel Eagle and Crane.
A plane crash and two dead bodies, one too badly burned to even identify, opens up the story immediately bringing to the fore the mystery that readers will have to puzzle out throughout the whole book. At the center of it all are three characters – Haruto “Harry” Yamada, Louis Thorn and Ava Brooks. FBI Agent Bonner adds up tension to the story, playing the role of a connector stitching together the pieces of the story. The narrative toggles back and forth detailing the family feud between the Yamadas and the Thorns, the beginning of Harry and Louis’ daredevil act, and the internment of Japanese immigrants in the U.S. during World War II.
This was a slow starter for me. Rindell’s story took time to unfold, her prose stilted at times and meandering even at some points. Eagle and Crane is not the type of book you just pick up and read in one go. This sometimes counts against the book for me, but somehow I just couldn’t put this one down and let it go unfinished.
Meticulously researched and carefully detailed, Eagle and Crane is an immersive work that will transport readers to a time when America let fear rule over her.
I’ve read quite a few historical novels set during WWII but not one of them included anything about Japanese internment camps, so this was both a revelation and an informative bit of history for me. I didn’t know that this happened and I just can’t help thinking how it somehow mirrors what is currently happening in U.S. right now.
But more than the strong historical foundations of this story, it was the characters that made me stick through finishing this book.
All three of the main characters – Ava, Harry and Louis- were well-developed and complex. Their trio is Eagle and Crane’s heart and soul. Harry and Louis' complicated friendship, Ava's love for both boys, Louis' conflicted loyalties - these fuel most of the book, and it were these parts I loved most. I think it brought out the human factor I’m looking for in every historical fiction and allowed me to connect more to the story. Though I must say, Agent Bonner's parts often felt pat and contrived to me.
Overall, Eagle and Crane was a satisfying read. If you're one for historical fiction, then I definitely recommend this one to you.
Digital ARC graciously provided by publisher via Edelweiss. This review was first published on In Between Book Pages.
January 17, 2018
This book starts with a mystery. Two men have escaped from a Japanese internment camp during WW2 - Harry Yamada and his father, Kenichi. As the police and FBI go to investigate, a plan crashes containing what seems to be the bodies of the escapees. An open and shut suicide case to some. But for agent Bonner, something seems off. As he dives deeper in an attempt to find the truth behind the crash, he uncovers a sweeping story behind a generational feud between the Yamadas and the Thorns. We follow Harry Yamada and Louis Thorn - raised to hate the others family due to their grandfathers’ feud over farming land. They form an unlikely barnstorming duo brought together by chance by Ava Books and her traveling family. We follow them as they travel around depression era Northern California trying to become a successful stunt act while navigating the tense relationship between Harry and Luis. When Pearl Harbor is bombed the Yamadas are at risk and thus begins the unraveling of how the plane crashed with the bodies of Harry and Kenichi.
Told with stunning descriptions of Northern California and amazing detail around Japanese interment this story is one of loyalty, friendship, family and loss.
Told with stunning descriptions of Northern California and amazing detail around Japanese interment this story is one of loyalty, friendship, family and loss.
November 2, 2018
So much wrong with this book. The annoying folksy tone of the narrator trying to use the slang of the time period. Way too much of the story was about the flying circus and not nearly enough about the Japanese internment camps (which was why I wanted to read the book.) Annoying coincidences that did nothing to add to the story.
August 3, 2018
This was a book that I wasn’t really that excited to read when it initially came up for review. In my mind all I kept thinking was….ugh another WWII book. Don’t get me wrong, WWII is one of my favorite periods to read about, but lately I’ve read a lot of WWII books and I just wasn’t in the mood for another when it was time to review this one.
But this one set itself apart with the Japanese interment camps angle. Everyone is so focused on the holocaust that they forget that Japanese interment camps were yet another unfortunate by product of a very ugly war.
My brother in law’s grandparents spent time in Japanese interment camps during the war so I have heard about these camps through my brother in law’s stories. That was why I agreed to review this book—I was intrigued by the possibly of something different when it came to WWII stories.
This book was a dark horse for me. I wasn’t excited about it, but yet by the end I was engrossed in the story. This is a new to me author but one that quickly proved her abilities in this book. When I first read the description of this book, I thought that it would be more focused on the investigation/mystery and not have any romance in it. The cover suggests a possible romance, but the summary really gave minimal hints that a romance would be a big part of the story. So, I was surprised that there was a rather well written love triangle and love story mixed throughout the story. I’m always a sucker for love triangles—especially when they are done right—which was the case with this book. I loved the development of the romance and watching the characters navigate it.
There were a lot of exciting things happening in this book—romance, adventure, mystery, history. I personally loved the adventure feel of this one and how well the romance highlighted different angles of the story. I would hesitate to label this book just a romance because there are so many different elements that go into making this a great read.
The only downside for me was that some of the dialogue seemed a little contrite or basic, and lacked some luster. Some parts of the book were a little on the slow side but the majority moved fairly well. If you focus on the story itself, I think readers will enjoy the overall narrative. While there are a few stylistic things that bugged me, the overall story was well done and engaging. As I said, this book came in like a dark horse and I ended up liking it way more than I was expecting!
See my full review here
But this one set itself apart with the Japanese interment camps angle. Everyone is so focused on the holocaust that they forget that Japanese interment camps were yet another unfortunate by product of a very ugly war.
My brother in law’s grandparents spent time in Japanese interment camps during the war so I have heard about these camps through my brother in law’s stories. That was why I agreed to review this book—I was intrigued by the possibly of something different when it came to WWII stories.
This book was a dark horse for me. I wasn’t excited about it, but yet by the end I was engrossed in the story. This is a new to me author but one that quickly proved her abilities in this book. When I first read the description of this book, I thought that it would be more focused on the investigation/mystery and not have any romance in it. The cover suggests a possible romance, but the summary really gave minimal hints that a romance would be a big part of the story. So, I was surprised that there was a rather well written love triangle and love story mixed throughout the story. I’m always a sucker for love triangles—especially when they are done right—which was the case with this book. I loved the development of the romance and watching the characters navigate it.
There were a lot of exciting things happening in this book—romance, adventure, mystery, history. I personally loved the adventure feel of this one and how well the romance highlighted different angles of the story. I would hesitate to label this book just a romance because there are so many different elements that go into making this a great read.
The only downside for me was that some of the dialogue seemed a little contrite or basic, and lacked some luster. Some parts of the book were a little on the slow side but the majority moved fairly well. If you focus on the story itself, I think readers will enjoy the overall narrative. While there are a few stylistic things that bugged me, the overall story was well done and engaging. As I said, this book came in like a dark horse and I ended up liking it way more than I was expecting!
See my full review here
July 15, 2020
Detailed and interesting historic fiction. The storyline itself stretched my suspension of disbelief a little too far, and there were a couple characters I wanted developed further. But overall, a good way to disappear into a book this summer.
January 18, 2018
I expected a lot from this book and got a whole lot more. A transportive tome that gives you the feeling of being right there with the fully-realized characters, this mystery had me trying to put together what I thought was going to happen, second-guessing myself, and ultimately being surprised and (spoiler-free hidden emotion) at the end. There are little vignettes, mini folk tales within that were just so interesting, they could have even been their own little spin-off books based around their own main characters, and the events they set in motion were very engrossing. I found I was really invested in what was going to happen, and there was so much intrigue there was always a reason I couldn't put it down. Overall, if you are looking for something to keep you guessing and take you away to another time and place full of interesting people mired in all the love and tragedy life has to offer, this book is for you. I'll be giving it another read to walk back through the mystery with my post-read perspective.
January 13, 2019
When I finish books like this one, I am reminded how much I appreciate a straight-forward, intelligent yet non-pretentious writing style. In a moving yet effortless way, we are given a glimpse into the world of the barnstorming acts of the early to mid-20th century and learn the basics about aviation stunt work. We also see into the lives of a Japanese family and their long-time American neighbors and whether their friendship is strong enough to withstand the harsh, reflexive backlash after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. We learn that the question of loyalty does not just exist between countrymen but between the citizens and its country - whether the ideals the government represents are furnished to all her subjects equally. This topic, obviously, is extremely relevant today and I was genuinely interested to learn how these characters faced the challenge. On top of it all, there is a love triangle and a murder mystery which kept me guessing until the end!
August 2, 2018
Those magnificent men in their flying machine...
When Earl Shaw wins two small planes in a poker game, he decides to put his skills as a showman to good use by taking the planes barnstorming round Depression-era California, tempting customers to go up for a scenic flight. One day, the pilots take up two young men, Louis Thorn and Harry Yamada. Daredevil Harry decides he will walk along the wing, and Louis, feeling challenged and a little humiliated, follows suit. Earl offers them both jobs as aerial stuntmen and so the act of Eagle & Crane is born – Eagle to represent the good ol’ US of A, and Crane to represent the villainous and untrustworthy Japs of Harry’s heritage. But the war is about to begin, and suddenly white America will begin to see its Japanese-heritage fellow citizens as more than a comic-book threat. And Harry and Louis will find their friendship altered and strained...
Suzanne Rindell has rapidly become one of my most highly anticipated must-read authors. This is only her third book, after The Other Typist and Three-Martini Lunch – both excellent. But she’s still improving with each book, and the joy is that each time she comes up with an entirely different and fascinating setting and story. I had mentioned in my reviews of both her earlier books that she sometimes gets so involved in creating an authentic setting that the descriptions can become overly long, creating a bit of drag in the mid-section. Not here! She achieves a pretty much perfect balance between scene-setting and plot, so that the pacing is steady and the forward momentum is maintained beautifully.
The book begins with FBI Agent Bonner showing up at the Yamadas’ farm looking for Harry and his father, who have apparently escaped from one of the Relocation Centers (concentration camps) to which people of Japanese heritage were sent following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. From here, we are taken back to the past to learn how Harry and Louis befriended each other as children, across a racial divide and a family feud. We follow them as they develop into Eagle & Crane, seeing how their very different backgrounds (different in not quite the way you may be thinking – Rindell doesn’t do clichés) have made them the men they have become. We see how Depression and war affect California, and our young heroes in particular. And we get to know Ava, Earl’s step-daughter, who travels with the barnstormers and forms a firm friendship with both boys, gradually complicated by the growth of romantic attraction. Every now and then we flash back to the present of 1943 (the only part of the book written in present tense), where slowly Agent Bonner discovers what has happened to Harry and his father, and lets us see too how the other characters have fared.
It’s a slow-paced book that takes an in-depth look at the impact of the internment of Japanese-Americans. While it has some elements of the thriller, it definitely falls far more into the category of literary fiction for me. Rindell’s research is skilfully fed to us through the development of her characters and her story, so that we gradually get a real feel for rural Californian life and attitudes in this period. She is clearly making a point about the racism underlying the internment policy, but she doesn’t thump the reader with polemical rants. Instead she lets us see through Harry’s eyes – a boy who thought he was American even though he knew he would never be treated in quite the same way as other Americans who looked like Louis rather than him. We also see through Ava’s initially innocent eyes – gradually awakened to an understanding of how thoughtless, low-level racism runs almost unnoticed as a backdrop to every aspect of Harry’s life.
But don’t let me put you off with my usual concentration on the political themes of the book! It also has an excellent story and the characterisation is wonderful. I loved learning all about the stunts the boys do, and about barnstorming in general. I enjoyed watching the careful way Rindell develops the setting, and found it so absorbing that I would find myself looking up after an hour or two, surprised to discover I was in 21st century Scotland rather than Depression-era California. The three major characters gained all my sympathy, even though they’re very different from one another, and I grew to care deeply about the outcome for each of them. And I was equally impressed by the depth Rindell puts into the supporting cast of characters – Agent Bonner, Earl, Ava’s mother, Louis’ family, and most of all the Yamadas as they find their American dream turning into a nightmare.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller, this isn’t it. But if you want a beautifully written and insightful story about a time when political America showed itself at its worst and yet still with love and loyalty and friendship running through the lives of the people affected by it; if you want to be absorbed by the hopes and fears of a set of superbly observed characters; if you want to spend some time in a wonderfully authentic historical setting, then I highly recommend this book to you.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Allison and Busby.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
When Earl Shaw wins two small planes in a poker game, he decides to put his skills as a showman to good use by taking the planes barnstorming round Depression-era California, tempting customers to go up for a scenic flight. One day, the pilots take up two young men, Louis Thorn and Harry Yamada. Daredevil Harry decides he will walk along the wing, and Louis, feeling challenged and a little humiliated, follows suit. Earl offers them both jobs as aerial stuntmen and so the act of Eagle & Crane is born – Eagle to represent the good ol’ US of A, and Crane to represent the villainous and untrustworthy Japs of Harry’s heritage. But the war is about to begin, and suddenly white America will begin to see its Japanese-heritage fellow citizens as more than a comic-book threat. And Harry and Louis will find their friendship altered and strained...
Suzanne Rindell has rapidly become one of my most highly anticipated must-read authors. This is only her third book, after The Other Typist and Three-Martini Lunch – both excellent. But she’s still improving with each book, and the joy is that each time she comes up with an entirely different and fascinating setting and story. I had mentioned in my reviews of both her earlier books that she sometimes gets so involved in creating an authentic setting that the descriptions can become overly long, creating a bit of drag in the mid-section. Not here! She achieves a pretty much perfect balance between scene-setting and plot, so that the pacing is steady and the forward momentum is maintained beautifully.
The book begins with FBI Agent Bonner showing up at the Yamadas’ farm looking for Harry and his father, who have apparently escaped from one of the Relocation Centers (concentration camps) to which people of Japanese heritage were sent following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. From here, we are taken back to the past to learn how Harry and Louis befriended each other as children, across a racial divide and a family feud. We follow them as they develop into Eagle & Crane, seeing how their very different backgrounds (different in not quite the way you may be thinking – Rindell doesn’t do clichés) have made them the men they have become. We see how Depression and war affect California, and our young heroes in particular. And we get to know Ava, Earl’s step-daughter, who travels with the barnstormers and forms a firm friendship with both boys, gradually complicated by the growth of romantic attraction. Every now and then we flash back to the present of 1943 (the only part of the book written in present tense), where slowly Agent Bonner discovers what has happened to Harry and his father, and lets us see too how the other characters have fared.
It’s a slow-paced book that takes an in-depth look at the impact of the internment of Japanese-Americans. While it has some elements of the thriller, it definitely falls far more into the category of literary fiction for me. Rindell’s research is skilfully fed to us through the development of her characters and her story, so that we gradually get a real feel for rural Californian life and attitudes in this period. She is clearly making a point about the racism underlying the internment policy, but she doesn’t thump the reader with polemical rants. Instead she lets us see through Harry’s eyes – a boy who thought he was American even though he knew he would never be treated in quite the same way as other Americans who looked like Louis rather than him. We also see through Ava’s initially innocent eyes – gradually awakened to an understanding of how thoughtless, low-level racism runs almost unnoticed as a backdrop to every aspect of Harry’s life.
But don’t let me put you off with my usual concentration on the political themes of the book! It also has an excellent story and the characterisation is wonderful. I loved learning all about the stunts the boys do, and about barnstorming in general. I enjoyed watching the careful way Rindell develops the setting, and found it so absorbing that I would find myself looking up after an hour or two, surprised to discover I was in 21st century Scotland rather than Depression-era California. The three major characters gained all my sympathy, even though they’re very different from one another, and I grew to care deeply about the outcome for each of them. And I was equally impressed by the depth Rindell puts into the supporting cast of characters – Agent Bonner, Earl, Ava’s mother, Louis’ family, and most of all the Yamadas as they find their American dream turning into a nightmare.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller, this isn’t it. But if you want a beautifully written and insightful story about a time when political America showed itself at its worst and yet still with love and loyalty and friendship running through the lives of the people affected by it; if you want to be absorbed by the hopes and fears of a set of superbly observed characters; if you want to spend some time in a wonderfully authentic historical setting, then I highly recommend this book to you.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Allison and Busby.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
July 9, 2018
Louis and Harry are friends but yet enemies. To say their relationship is complicated is an understatement. Harry and Louis attend a flying circus. Harry decides he wants to WALK THE WING of the plane. Well! Louis is not to be outdone. They both do it and do it splendidly! They decide to join this flying circus and be stuntmen. This is just the beginning of their tale.
Harry is Japanese at a time in our country’s history when it is not too popular to be Japanese. His family is ridiculed and eventually placed in an internment camp due to Executive Order 9066. He and his father escape and this puts the FBI on their trail. Then they are both killed in a plane crash…so what happened?
This is just one of the great storylines in this read. The camps, the flying circus, the mystery of the plane crash kept me glued to this book. I read it in two days!
The author did a fabulous job with the historical research. And there is a lot of history in this read and it ties the whole story together. How the flying circus survived, how awful the camps were, how terrible it was to be Japanese are just a few fascinating facts floating throughout this tale.
The story is a little long and has a large amount of description. But, it is unique in many ways. With the flying circus, WWII, Japanese Camps and the mystery, I was hooked.
Harry is Japanese at a time in our country’s history when it is not too popular to be Japanese. His family is ridiculed and eventually placed in an internment camp due to Executive Order 9066. He and his father escape and this puts the FBI on their trail. Then they are both killed in a plane crash…so what happened?
This is just one of the great storylines in this read. The camps, the flying circus, the mystery of the plane crash kept me glued to this book. I read it in two days!
The author did a fabulous job with the historical research. And there is a lot of history in this read and it ties the whole story together. How the flying circus survived, how awful the camps were, how terrible it was to be Japanese are just a few fascinating facts floating throughout this tale.
The story is a little long and has a large amount of description. But, it is unique in many ways. With the flying circus, WWII, Japanese Camps and the mystery, I was hooked.
September 1, 2018
Wow. Just wow. That was an incredible flight. More to come.
Eagle & Crane is the story of a conflicted relationship between a young Japanese man, Harry, and his friend and neighbor, Louis, at the start of WW2. With many dynamics, the novel starts out a bit slow. Still, it held my interest throughout until the last 100 pages when the pace accelerated to breakneck speed.
This book was full of delightful and nuanced characters and twists and turns that I never saw coming. And I loved the different POV of WW2; this one takes place in America and includes the horrific treatment of the Japanese people by our government. Highly recommend. 5/5 stars.
Eagle & Crane is the story of a conflicted relationship between a young Japanese man, Harry, and his friend and neighbor, Louis, at the start of WW2. With many dynamics, the novel starts out a bit slow. Still, it held my interest throughout until the last 100 pages when the pace accelerated to breakneck speed.
This book was full of delightful and nuanced characters and twists and turns that I never saw coming. And I loved the different POV of WW2; this one takes place in America and includes the horrific treatment of the Japanese people by our government. Highly recommend. 5/5 stars.
June 3, 2019
Suzanne Rindell has done it again! Love her writing style; love her story telling; love her character development. This one is a complete package with an ending that you may or maynot see coming. (I guessed part of it but not all).
This one I would highly recommend! 4.5 stars
This one I would highly recommend! 4.5 stars
June 8, 2021
An amazing mixture of things in this story — a whodunit-type mystery, historical fiction, family drama, and a little bit of a love story.
Definitely not what I expected, but so very enjoyable!
Definitely not what I expected, but so very enjoyable!
January 16, 2018
A page-turning historical mystery that tells an astonishingly contemporary story of an unexpected friendship that leads to the ends of a bi-planes wings. If this were a movie the trailer would have so many cool takes you wouldn't believe it was all from the same film. You can taste California in all its beginnings as a state, its hope and its richness and its beauty, and eventual sadness. Rindell does a great job telling the haunting story of WWII-era Japanese internment camps, and the psychological effects it had on families of the era. But mostly this is just a very good, deeply imagined story, with a classic Rindellian twist at the end! Haruto "Harry" Yamada is a character I won't ever forget.
December 14, 2020
An enlightening look at what it meant to be a Japanese American during WW2. Eagle and Crane was well researched and well developed. The characters were relatable and the story drew me in. The "mystery" was a bit transparent and the love triangle predictable, but the history and the emotive quality of the story made up for that.
I would definitely recommend this to a friend!
I would definitely recommend this to a friend!
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