Great Circle: The soaring and emotional novel shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2022 and shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2021

Just finished 'Great Circle' by Maggie Shipstead and am honestly lost for words. I sat for 30mins in awe and then went back and read the first few chapters again!An epic, and I mean epic at over 600 pages, story about love, lose, family, friends, legacy and ultimately life.Follows the journey of a female pilot, Marian Graves, who in 1950 attempted to fly the 'great circle' around the earth, flying over both North and South poles.The story starts shortly before Marian's birth and takes us up to 2015 when a movie is being made about her life and journey.The book follows 2 narratives intertwined throughout; the past - of Marian's story through the years and the present; of the actress given the task (the honour) of bringing Marian to the big screen.The story is so well researched and planned; historical fiction standing side by side with history itself.I took my time reading this as I didn't want it to end, and wanted to appreciate every part of the story.

This big novel is fascinating on many levels. Firstly as a piece of masterly fiction, creating characters and storylines that you really care about. Secondly as a brilliantly researched insight into the art of flying. Thirdly as a historical insight into some of the last centuries biggest events and finally as a searing indictment of 21st century icon worship.Plus a brilliant and unanticipated ending .Cant recommend highly enough.

This is the truest piece of white fiction I have read in a long time, comparable in many ways to a lifelong favourite, Wuthering Heights. It is up there with the classic greats. It is not about flying, a mistake some disappointed readers, usually pilots themselves, have made, though the historical context of female WWII pilots is extremely interesting. Rather, flying is for Marion, the major character, a symbol of her horizons, as is art for Jamie, her twin. The novel's themes are as epic as life itself: self-fulfilment versus constraint, constancy versus loss, freedom versus confinement. Marion is a character who likes to be alone yet it is the emotional truth of her relationships that shines through the book.The plot is drawn tidily together by the device of a modern day film of Marion's life. Though this works on a certain level, intended parallels, or contrasts?, between the airhead film star's life and Marion's are heavy handed and intrusive. Much of this could have been omitted to good effect.It is a novel which compels contemplation on many levels. I urge you to read it.

I was with Marian Graves the whole Journey on this rather epic tale. I would of never of picked this up from the back cover and synopsis, won't lie it isn't my usual cup... So glad I took the bother as this is now one of my all time favourite books. This tale has hit me right in the feels. I started reading as on the longlist for the Booker Prize 2021. I dreaded the length, but honestly haven't felt the length and I am now in a state of melancholy like my own life has ended. To go "full circle" in someones life seems daunting but in Marians it was an utter pleasure.I know for some Hadleys story in the present felt lost but for me it gave me chances to recover and reflect with Marian. I liked the link but found it more as restbite and a clever way to break Marians story without stopping thinking of Marian. When reading Hadleys, I was always thinking what happens next with Marian.The relationship between Caleb and Marian was immense for me. Loved their dynamic. How to peoples souls can be so connected but need not be so near. Jamie and his life in parallel to Marian.So vivid were the locations (and there were a lot of them). I felt they were almost my memories, cannot praise this book enough. It capture my heart, Marian will be a part of my memory like it was real. An extraordinary life which made me think wtf am I doing with mine. The ending was just emotional and fulfilling.Thanks Maggie... What an epic read! 🖤

When I started this novel I found it beautifully written and engrossing. I was interested in Maggie Shipstead's portrayal of Marion Graves and thought this was going to be my favourite on the Man Booker Prize shortlist. However, by page 64, down bogged down in the detail of the life of Hadley, the (fictional) actress chose to play Marion in a film, I was sufficiently bored to check reviews for similar reactions and to write down my own thoughts in case I decided not to continue.An update at almost the halfway mark: - I am afraid I have abandoned my attempt to read this book, since I dread Hadley's timeline so much that, for me, it is detracting from Marion's. Had the novel been shorter I might have continued to the end but I can't see myself wading through the best part of another 300 pages. I am sorry to leave a negative review - and I realise that the majority of reviewers have absolutely loved "Great Circle' , but, sadly, this is simply not for me.

📖: Raised by her alcoholic uncle alongside her twin brother, Marian dreams of becoming a female pilot. Disguising as a boy to earn the money she hopes will necessitate flying lessons leads to her crossing paths with a narcissistic bootlegger who takes a particular interest in her. Marian seeks freedom in the skies. Years later Marian's logbook is discovered in Antarctica and her whereabouts are unknown. 64 years later, well known actress Hadley Baxter is taking on the role of Marian, whilst she pieces together the missing links in Marian's lifestory.💭: Great Circle started off well detailing Marian's childhood and adolescence but became boring and drawn out towards the end of this almost 600 page novel. The "Hadley present day chapters" were unnecessary, not particularly interesting and Hadley herself was unlikeable. Written well but too lengthy covering multiple topics and themes: family, love, abuse, childhood, sexuality, war and obsession.