Official Review: Sticks in the Clouds by Willard Howe

Standor5865 · Post by **Standor5865** » 31 Dec 2020, 18:27

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Sticks in the Clouds" by Willard Howe.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Matt Lavery is a pilot at "South Tropic Airways." He is not satisfied with his job, as he works countless hours and has to deal with his boss cutting corners consistently. He, however, draws the line and quits his job after he finds machine gun bullets smuggled aboard an airplane he flew. He finally lands a better job at "Arkansas Airways." However, the economic climate of the country and the poor treatment of pilots present challenges for Matt. He also has to deal with his constant inability to seize moments to achieve his heart desires, especially in the romance department. How does Matt handle these challenges and face his fears? Willard Howe's Sticks in the Clouds provides answers to this question.

Told in the third-person perspective, Sticks in the Clouds is a historical fiction story set in the late 1900s and, through its characters, explores living in America under President Jimmy Carter's and President Ronald Reagan's reigns. The author also incorporates Cuban history, from their fight for independence to living under Fidel Castro and how the citizens of Cuba were affected over this period. This book was very educational for the most part, as I got to learn a lot about a lot of historical events while I read.

Picking up this book, I wasn't particularly sure what to expect. The opening chapter excited me because I felt that Matt would be drawn into the dangerous world involving guns after he found machine gun bullets. However, Matt quickly distanced himself from that life, and the suspense level and pace of the story dropped while I joined Matt on his self-discovery journey. While I was a bit disappointed about this, the story had much to offer and was brilliantly executed. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars, even though I have some minor complaints.

The book explores themes of friendship, faith, love, endurance, and seizing moments. One of my favorite parts of the novel revolved around Matt's encounters with his previous love interest, Karen, and Olga, who he was attracted to later on. These relationships were not only fun to see, but they helped in unlocking new levels to Matt's character growth, especially with respect to his bravery and faith. Willard Howe also does a fantastic job in his descriptive writing to paint clear pictures of what that era felt like, characters' emotions, and even characters' physical features. This feature also extends to the author's exploration of a pilot's experiences. I did get lost a couple of times when he went into detail about how flights are operated, but I mostly enjoyed his accurate descriptions and could see that he had some experience in that field or had done a lot of research.

Furthermore, Sticks in the Clouds is a well-edited book. I found just one punctuation error while reading, and this ensured that my reading was seamless throughout. The story also comes together well to produce a satisfying, albeit rushed, ending. I would recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction novels. Romance lovers may also find some parts of the book engaging to follow, even though sexual content is almost non-existent.

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Sticks in the Clouds
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Pluma · Post by **Pluma** » 08 Jan 2021, 18:47

I like that this book was informative about historical events while still having an enjoyable storyline. It can be a balance that is hard to get right, but it sounds like the author did well in this case. Thanks for the great review!

Praise GodWord · Post by **Praise GodWord** » 14 Jan 2021, 23:39

I quite understand Matt's predicament. It was an awesome time reading through this review. You write very well.

Goodness C N · Post by **Goodness C N** » 19 Jan 2021, 00:50

I love that this book explores topics I find fascinating. Coupled with a well-written review, I'll give this a try.

Hiruni Hansika · Post by **Hiruni Hansika** » 06 May 2021, 07:37

My sister is going to love this book as her ambition is to be a pilot. But it is not my thing. I'll let her read this one for sure!

Abacus · Post by **Abacus** » 06 May 2021, 07:41

"Sticks in the Clouds" by Willard Howe - Matt Lavery, the protagonist, loves flying. His boss Wally gave him a chance by hiring him with little experience. But, eventually, this job becomes too hot to handle when passengers (thugs) use his plane to smuggle machine gun bullets. Matt leaves his job abruptly and his journey into self-knowledge begins. Very thoughtful review. Thanks.

meike schroeder · Post by **meike schroeder** » 06 May 2021, 07:44

The Cuban crisis has been going on for so long that all of us have a idea of the situation. It’s looks like this book has a lot of details about the struggle Cubans face after arriving to The USA. I’m a thriller reader, so this book although been interesting sounds to slow paced for me.

AntonelaMaria · Post by **AntonelaMaria** » 06 May 2021, 07:52

This seems right up in my alley with historical fiction and romance as a huge part of the story. I love the Cuban aspect of the story. I will check it out. Great job with the review.

Post by **Theresa Moffitt** » 06 May 2021, 08:10

I enjoy historical fiction books so I think I will have to give this a try. Great review! It sounds like an interesting book. You can understand the pilot not wanting to help smugglers who used his plane to smuggle machine gun bullets

Post by **Bertha Jackson** » 06 May 2021, 08:14

This is an interesting book for readers who like aviation and romance stories. Thank you for your review.

Post by **Lauren Hanna** » 06 May 2021, 08:22

I like that even though this is a book of fiction, it still offers an educational value with the historical events. If I were Matt, I wouldn't want to smuggle bullets on my plane either. But, with that, I could see how the excitement of the story slows down. Thank you for your interesting review.

Sou Hi · Post by **Sou Hi** » 06 May 2021, 08:32

Thanks for your review. Matt's life as a pilot sure is eventful. While he escaped the danger of becoming a weapon smuggler, he still has to face the hardships of the national economic climate and the poor treatment towards pilots. I'm curious how he will handle his life under these circumstances.

Ivy Thuo · Post by **Ivy Thuo** » 06 May 2021, 08:35

I like the fact that one gets a history lesson while enjoying fiction.
Thanks for the review.

Timothy Rucinski · Post by **Timothy Rucinski** » 06 May 2021, 08:39

I agree with the official review that the first chapter is certainly a page-turner. The author does a great job in creating a palpable sense of menace. I would hope that the rest of the book is just as intriguing. Congratulations to the author for BOTD.