Challenge Corner discussion

Spanning Prohibition-era Montana, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, New Zealand, wartime London, and modern-day Los Angeles, Great Circle tells the unforgettable story of a daredevil female aviator determined to chart her own course in life, at any cost.

After being rescued as infants from a sinking ocean liner in 1914, Marian and Jamie Graves are raised by their dissolute uncle in Missoula, Montana. There—after encountering a pair of barnstorming pilots passing through town in beat-up biplanes—Marian commences her lifelong love affair with flight. At fourteen she drops out of school and finds an unexpected and dangerous patron in a wealthy bootlegger who provides a plane and subsidizes her lessons, an arrangement that will haunt her for the rest of her life, even as it allows her to fulfill her destiny: circumnavigating the globe by flying over the North and South Poles.

A century later, Hadley Baxter is cast to play Marian in a film that centers on Marian's disappearance in Antarctica. Vibrant, canny, disgusted with the claustrophobia of Hollywood, Hadley is eager to redefine herself after a romantic film franchise has imprisoned her in the grip of cult celebrity. Her immersion into the character of Marian unfolds, thrillingly, alongside Marian's own story, as the two women's fates—and their hunger for self-determination in vastly different geographies and times—collide. Epic and emotional, meticulously researched and gloriously told, Great Circle is a monumental work of art, and a tremendous leap forward for the prodigiously gifted Maggie Shipstead.

Trisha, I'm starting this one tonight because it's due in 3 days and it's longer than I Must Betray You and I still have that one for a couple weeks. I might take a few days for this one since I have other books I'm reading for Wheel-a-thon.

Haha, I didn't even get to this one yesterday. My ebook is due back in 2 days but my audiobook is good for 3 weeks, so I'll start it tomorrow and hope to finish it before my ebook is due because I like to see the spelling of names and any parts I want to re-read, etc. I just like having a print copy/ebook so I'll try to finish even though Scott is off Thursday.

Through Five - Stopped at Six Manifest Manifest Page 177 26%

There's so much that's happened that I don't know what to comment on but here goes anyway: (view spoiler)[First, I am a lot more into the chapters/storyline about Marian and Jamie, mostly Marian, than I am Hadley's chapters/POV.

I liked the backdrop telling how the twins were born. What a jerk Matilda's husband was to insist on christening their boat the name of his affair...ugh. But I think it added to my understanding going forward after reading everything about Josephina Eterna.

I felt bad for Addison for getting 9 years! Jeez...he dealt a lot with his wife not caring for the twins, the explosion, and he meant well. Annabel was molested by the worst person ever, so that probably messed with her psychological well-being and why she is an "unnatural" mother.

I'm glad Wallace stepped up to the plate but his gambling...ugh. I knew that would likely become a problem.

Caleb and Marian, her first experience, exploring sexually etc. wasn't the best for her BUT I was so worried the creep was going to rape her. I was happy that she finally found someone to give her pilot lessons until I found out who was behind it. She needs to stay away from him! (hide spoiler)]

Through Twelve - Stopped at Thirteen Red Herrings Page 337 51%

Taking my sweet time with this one and I really like it. I think some people might think it's too slow but the writing is so good.

(view spoiler)[OMG What a JERK Barclay is! I am so sorry that Marian married him and she's basically imprisoned! He's obviously totally not supportive of her dreams. He's very controlling and he's a rapist!

I'm also sad that Jamie is potentially a drunk or becoming an alcoholic. I hope he stops his drinking before it's too late.

Still not into Hadley's storyline as much. She is definitely a wild one! (hide spoiler)]

Jeez, I finished this one a few days ago but, as you know, had my grandkids but I don't think I have any spoilers since I wrote a couple things down to note and where I ended my reading.

Through Sixteen The War - Stopped at Ratcliffe Hall, Leicestershire, England March 1943

(view spoiler)[I was so sad that Jamie died! And (unless I missed it earlier) I was pretty surprised to find out that he was Adelaide's biological father. Wow! I thought it was kind of interesting that evidently Marian is bisexual, but when she really needed comfort after Jamie died, she didn't turn to Ruth but to Caleb. (hide spoiler)]

The End

(view spoiler)[So, Eddie was gay? Hmm...wouldn't you think if Ruth was gay/bi and Eddie was also gay/bi that they would've somehow known that about each other? Shared it? Anyway, I wasn't expecting that one.

I was happy that Matilda felt the need to reach out to Marian and offer some kind of compensation, if you will, for Addison being thrown in prison all those years. I thought that was the right thing of her to do.

I was also sad that Eddie was fine with just staying back and dying alone. Broke my heart. I'd feel so guilty if I were Marian. I couldn't believe the book ended the way it did. Wow! Marian simply didn't want to be found and changed her look. I guess she had no one that truly mattered to her anymore. (hide spoiler)]

Page 34 (just realised there are no chapter numbers!) (view spoiler)[Annabel story makes me angry... For her... But I don't like the "motger that didn't like her babies" trope... (hide spoiler)]

Vicki wrote: "Through Five - Stopped at Six Manifest Manifest Page 177 26%

There's so much that's happened that I don't know what to comment on but here goes anyway: First, I am a lot more into the chapters/sto..."

Page 181: (view spoiler)[I agree about the creep, I'm with Marian with not wanting to own him a debt... (hide spoiler)]

Page 316: (view spoiler)[I might be stupid, but I did not realise he was actually a gangster? (hide spoiler)]

Page 357: (view spoiler)[I'm glad Marian took Jamie somewhere else. I hope he's not going to become another Wallace. I wonder how the emptiness of the northern countries / states doesn't drive people mad, sometimes... I know I couldn't live so isolated... (hide spoiler)]

Page 427: (view spoiler)[I like that Marian has actually grown up and is now able to talk to Caleb.
They have all grown up, it is good to read it. (hide spoiler)]

Page 546: (view spoiler)[Poor Jamie... (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[A surprisingly good ending! But what about Hadley? I wanted a bit of a conclusion for her, too... (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Sorry I didn't see your comments before! I guess you're right about the ending and Hadley, but I loved this book! I know it's not for everyone but I found it so interesting. (hide spoiler)] I'm glad you liked it too!