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“Circling the Sun” by Paula McLain is a fictional adaptation of Beryl Markham’s life. Markham being the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic ocean from east to west. The novel is an exciting adventure and romance giving life to the historical figure as she faces issues like women roles, adultery, and abortion. It also has its flaws such as plot deterioration. It is all in the hands of the reader as he handles the novel. But here is the download on the novel’s pros and cons.
The book is an excellent choice of readers who want to get to know the historical love triangle of Beryl, Denys Fitch Hatton, and Karen Blixen. They will be able to hold hands with Beryl as she struggles to deal with her genuine friendship with Karen and her irresistible connection to Karen’s lover Denys. They will also be able to walk through Beryl’s insights on love and lust with her other husbands and lovers including royal princes. These people may be based on historic accounts but readers will be able to truly see behind the eyes of each person. Through the author’s words the reader will experience how to relate to these historical figures, with McLain’s knack of making them more humane.
“Circling the Sun” though seems to have a plot deterioration. After its climax of Beryl’s many life choices, the falling action plunders down sinking fast into the novel’s ending. The book focuses mostly on Beryl’s childhood and love life. It does not give much onto the details of her training as a pilot. The book simply describes Beryl’s trainer and few sessions. It barely touches her reasons for considering flying in her life. It seems to center on Beryl’s struggle with love, marriage, and economic dependence than being her as a flyer.
Despite its flaws, readers will still be able to enjoy the book. It has a lot of Beryl Markham’s insights of being a woman I her society during her times. Woman issues along with the other major problems Beryl faced like health awareness and land ownership are still relevant for today’s readers. Author McLain was able to capture that and wrote she was inspired to tackle Markham’s life because of their similar childhood experience. McLain also felt the need to show off Markham’s success since her counterpart Blixen has become of more popularity.
If one wants an adventure out in the bush and be able to relate to historical figures, “Circling the Sun” is one of the good reads to fit that need. You will be able to fall in love with its settings and people. You will see Kenya bring to life the true human side of Beryl Markham, Denys Fitch Hatton, and Karen Blixen. You will be motivated to strive and achieve as much as Markham or more.

I wholeheartedly agree with joanofarc2015's review of "Circling the Sun." I did enjoy the book but it lagged in several places. The best part to me was her description of life in Africa in the early to mid 1900's. With her description of the landscape as well as towns/cities where the story took place, I actually felt I was there!!! I would give this book 3.5 stars but since there are no 1/2 stars, I rated this book 4 stars.

cool glad to know we share the same opinions. I do hope though to see improvement with mclain. she did maintain to keep my interest with books

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain

Paula McLain is a Cleveland author that has written several novels including The Paris Wife, A Ticket to Ride, and a memoir Like Family: Growing Up in Other People’s Houses. She has also written to collections of poetry including Less Of Her and McLain was abandoned with her sisters by both parents at a young age. She began exploring the working field after leaving the system and discovered she had a knack for writing.

Her book Circling the Sun is one of this months (August) Book Of The Month Club books. It is a historical fiction novel based on a girl named Beryl who grew up in the wild country of what is known as Kenya. The book is based in the 1920s when the area was just becoming a colony. Beryl is young when her father moves their family there to begin a horse racing business and mill. She is soon abandoned by her mother and left with her father to see to her. She learns things most women of the era would dare not learn including how to hunt as a Kip warrior, ride straddling a horse rather than side saddle, and how to live in the bush an not worry as much about finer things. Her best friend is a young Kip boy from the village near by who becomes Ruta after he matures. They are thick as thieves. When her fathers racing business turns belly up she is faced with a difficult decision. Does she move with him or marry a man who has a farm nearby so that she may continue on with her comfortable life near her old home. The choice she makes leads her through a hard time that helps shape and build her up. She learns genuine life lessons, finds romance, and matures into a marvelous woman. She defies all odds by challenging the system when it comes to roles that certain genders are to stick too. She chooses to ride and become the first female professional horse trainer and also the first female pilot to earn a professional B license.

I really enjoyed following this exquisite story as the young Beryl developed into an amazing woman. It was almost a coming of age story for this young woman. I loved how brave she was and that she never gave up no matter how hard things were. I also really enjoyed learning snippets of what life was like for women in the past. The story also being based in Kenya kept it very interesting. Just imaging the surrounding nature had me imagining myself following along in her shadow.
The author did an amazing job in writing this book. The story flowed easily and never got boring. I found it easy to keep track of what was happening but at the same time she had me guessing of what would happen next and how would our main lady handle it. There were also a few spots that jerked at my heart and made me sad that Beryl was dealing with this. I couldn’t imagine how it would affect me.
With all this being said I should mention that I could not find one thing that I did not like about this book. The author obviously put a lot of time into her work and it shows. That is why I give this book a 4 out of 4 stars.