Flygirl (edició 2009)

Pretty good, but I wish there was more tying up of loose ends at the end. I wanted to know what happened next! ( )

A lot less fraught and complicated than the last book I read about WWII but it has women flying aeroplanes (or airplanes, as the Americans will insist on calling them) and more diversity. In 1943, Ida Mae Jones from Louisiana applies to join the Women Airforce Service Pilots, knowing that she will only be allowed to fly if she can pass for a white girl.

The WASP are another part of history I didn’t know very much about, so I enjoyed seeing what their training process involved. There’s the appeal of boarding school/training school stories: young people living and training together, teamwork and camaraderie, friends supporting each other, standing up to bullies, and so on.

But what I found most interesting was how passing as white is an everyday concern for Ida -- it’s not just about getting through the initial interview. She doesn’t want to risk that someone will get suspicious, so she has to be vigilant about things like what she says about her family and avoiding a tan. And what does it mean for her future, for going home when the war ends, that she’s put so much effort into making a place for herself in a white world where she can’t reveal her true identity?

I wish the army had taught us how to navigate feelings as easily as they did a starless night sky. ( )

3.5 stars ( )

A good read for historic information, but I felt like I had to force myself to finish it. I kept waiting for the combat part, or for her to confess how she made it in to the WASPs. ( )

More like a 3.5 stars


This book was interesting to say the least. I enjoyed getting to read about Ida Mae and her struggles with her identity as a really light-skinned Black person as well as being a woman who wants to fly. I don't often read things where skin color is a big thing for the main character and I have to say that it's almost eye opening to read about Ida Mae's challenges in those regards, especially when she has to deal with her mother's anger and Jolene's jealousy about her (Ida Mae's) ability/desire (in order to fly) to pass as White. The time period (World War II era USA) makes things even more difficult for her since racism and segregation is still running rampant.

The scene with Ida Mae when she goes to buy the awl for her grandfather made me worry for her, especially when the elderly farmer recognized that she was just light-skinned and there was a chance that the (White) store helper might have overheard the comment.

The extra challenges of being a woman were just as intriguing and they angered me a little too. The fact that women were that looked down upon and constantly had barriers thrown in their way is appalling. The scene where Ida Mae and Lilly were thrown into the B-29 plane, which was still experimental and had earned the name "Widow Maker", without being told any details of why, is infuriating. When 2 engines gave out, one catching on fire, I truly feared for Ida Mae and Lilly and couldn't help but think of what happened to Patsy.

In the end when I learned that the WASP program was disbanded rather than given military status, I was angry too.


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