Spitfires by Beck Aikman

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Spitfires:

You don’t need people shooting at you to be in danger.

Quick synopsis:

A look at the American women pilots in Britain during World War II.

Fact for Non-History People:

Women flew 80% of ferrying missions during World War II.

Fact for History Nerds:

3% of WASP pilots died in service due to mostly equipment failures.  

My Take on Spitfires:

There is a wonderful movement right now in history where more books are being published that focus on women’s stories. I am always up to read about someone or something which has generally been overlooked. The one issue I have noticed is that some authors will forget to make their subjects human. A tendency towards heroine worship leads to bland books that strip the humanity from people who were complicated and often do not fit neatly into contemporary narratives. Luckily, Becky Aikman does not fall into this trap with her exceptional Spitfires.

The book focuses on American women pilots who ferried aircraft in England at the beginning of World War II. The job was obviously dangerous, and these women had to go to England because the U.S. was not allowing women to be pilots in the war effort. Aikman makes two decisions here which make the book such an easy and enjoyable read. First, she doesn’t get caught in the minutiae of the war and the planes. She keeps her descriptions short, sweet and gets back to the truly important part of the narrative, the women themselves.

As mentioned, Aikman presents these women as the complex humans they are with warts and all. One is a closeted lesbian whose singular focus makes her hard to engage with. Another is a relentless social climber who refuses to connect with her fellow pilots. One is the quintessential partyer who spends as much time at the bar as she does flying. All of them are also driven at a time when their options were few and their ambition made them stand out for both good and bad. Aikman masterfully juggles many different characters but doesn’t overwhelm the reader. It is a delicate balancing act, but she nails it and the book is that much better for it.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Bloomsbury USA.)

Verdict:

A really fun and important read. Buy it here!

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