On a whim while passing through Chicago O’Hare a few weeks ago, I picked up a novel for the combination of its title—Great Circle—and the sketch of a diving biplane on its cover. But it wasn’t without a certain amount of trepidation. It’s a tall order to weave realistic flying into a fictional piece, especially when the author is not themselves a pilot.
But with raves from the New York Times Book Review and a Booker Prize Finalist seal jumping out at me—along with the need to have something analog for the airplane flight ahead—I took a chance. I’m glad I did.
