review of great circle by maggie shipstead

It’s not an easy life, but a spirited, hard-fought one. The book opens with the closing entry of Graves’ logbook, as she prepares to embark on the last (and fateful) leg of her journey, and thereon, traces her life in a big circle - from her childhood in Missoula to her flight over the Antarctica.

Shipstead does that all, while making it look easy. It’s not often that a 600-page novel justifies its length, let alone makes one step back every now and then to appreciate how cleverly it’s put together. Spanning decades and featuring one of the more well-developed cast of characters in contemporary fiction, the novel revolves around the stories of aviatrix Marian Graves, who disappeared over the Southern Ocean while attempting to circumnavigate the globe by flying over the North and South Poles (a great circle) in 1950 and actor Hadley Baxter, who is about to play Graves in an upcoming film, as she navigates the turbulent waters of Hollywood in 2014. But even with the boisterousness of such promotional one-liners, it somehow undersells its author’s remarkable storytelling skills within. The vivacious cover of Maggie Shipstead’s Great Circle paints the book as an “enthralling journey over oceans and continents and a drama of exhilarating power”. Maggie Shipstead dots Graves' journey with those of the real-life pioneers of aviation.Her story is juxtaposed with that of actress Hadley Baxter, who is about to play Graves in a biopic, in 2014.Great Circle revolves around Marian Graves, who disappears over the Southern Ocean while attempting to circumnavigate the globe in 1950.

Review of great circle by maggie shipstead