The Aviator's Wife

In general, I am a fan of historical fiction because I feel like I’m getting some education while being entertained. I am fully aware historical fiction is, well, fiction. But, some of it is true! Either way, I picked up The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin from the library and settled in.

Source

Good Reads’ Synopsis: "For much of her life, Anne Morrow, the shy daughter of the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, has stood in the shadows of those around her, including her millionaire father and vibrant older sister, who often steals the spotlight. Then Anne, a college senior with hidden literary aspirations, travels to Mexico City to spend Christmas with her family. There she meets Colonel Charles Lindbergh, fresh off his celebrated 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic. Enthralled by Charles’s assurance and fame, Anne is certain the celebrated aviator has scarcely noticed her. But she is wrong.

Charles sees in Anne a kindred spirit, a fellow adventurer, and her world will be changed forever. The two marry in a headline-making wedding. Hounded by adoring crowds and hunted by an insatiable press, Charles shields himself and his new bride from prying eyes, leaving Anne to feel her life falling back into the shadows. In the years that follow, despite her own major achievements—she becomes the first licensed female glider pilot in the United States—Anne is viewed merely as the aviator’s wife. The fairy-tale life she once longed for will bring heartbreak and hardships, ultimately pushing her to reconcile her need for love and her desire for independence, and to embrace, at last, life’s infinite possibilities for change and happiness.
 
Drawing on the rich history of the twentieth century—from the late twenties to the mid-sixties—and featuring cameos from such notable characters as Joseph Kennedy and Amelia Earhart, The Aviator’s Wife is a vividly imagined novel of a complicated marriage—revealing both its dizzying highs and its devastating lows. With stunning power and grace, Melanie Benjamin provides new insight into what made this remarkable relationship endure."

What I Thought: I really enjoyed Anne’s narration in this and her story as a whole. Not knowing anything about Lindbergh really besides the famous flights and the devastating kidnapping, I was intrigued by the picture she painted of Charles’ personality. Benjamin does a great job of giving Anne a voice when, for most of her life, she didn’t feel as if she was allowed to have one. Some parts got a little wordy but even still, I recommend this if historical fiction is your thing.

Rating: * * * 1/2