School Library Journal Review
Gr 6 Up--Wein's latest historical fiction entry displays a wonderful understanding of both the complexity of the interwar years in Europe and the complicated motivations of the human condition. Stella is a young pilot selected to represent Britain in Europe's first air race for young people, an effort to promote peace amid lingering resentments, the ongoing Spanish Civil War, and the rise of Nazism. She is the lone female pilot and must continually prove her skill as an aviator and her ability to navigate treacherous social situations under the ever-present newspaper camera lens. Set in August 1937, when most Europeans liked to believe that peace between nations was still possible, hopes for a friendly air race to inspire national camaraderie are shattered on the first day when Stella observes one pilot force another to crash into the English Channel. Wein skillfully intertwines the mystery surrounding the crash and the increasingly suspicious behavior of various race participants and officials with the escalating tensions induced by episodes of sabotage and unsportsmanlike actions, both in the air and on the ground. Wein's prose shines especially bright during her descriptions of the landscape from the air, particularly the lasting effects of trench warfare on the terrain of Europe and the dread of another war. Her thorough research and attention to detail make the era come alive for readers. Back matter includes an extensive author's note and brief bibliography of works that inspired this novel. VERDICT Fans of Wein's earlier works, Keith O'Brien's Fly Girls, and Steve Sheinkin's Born to Fly will greatly enjoy this novel. Highly recommended for all libraries.--Susan Catlett
Publisher's Weekly Review
This suspenseful murder mystery by Wein (The Enigma Game), set in 1937, centers a group of stellar young pilots competing in a European air race. Striving to promote peace during a period of international unrest, pioneering British female aviator Lady Firth organizes Europe's First Youth Air Race, comprising 12 pilots aged 17--20 from 12 nations, flying over seven cities. Seventeen-year-old Stella North, Britain's representative and the only female participant, hides her Russian origins, fearing exposure by the press as a stateless refugee. When one pilot disappears before the first leg of the race is completed, Stella believes she witnessed his murder in the sky. Each contestant--and their respective chaperone--is a possible suspect, and Stella, externally cool and collected, privately worries about potential sabotage to her plane. She also wrestles with misgivings about her competitors, each of whom represents a different facet of the imminent war. Danger and intrigue abound in this historically accurate aeronautic adventure, which boasts a large cast whose unusual and dramatically shifting dynamics make for a savory read. Major characters cue as white; one chaperone is a highly regarded Black aviator. A concluding author's note details context regarding pre-WWII and aviation history, plus extensive source notes. Ages 12--up. Agent: Ginger Clark, Ginger Clark Literary. (Mar.)
Booklist Review
Wein's (Code Name Verity, 2012) new stand-alone thriller centers on a fictional 1937 European youth air race promoting peace between nations. Twelve pilots fly solo from country to country, dogged by the press and paired with aviation heroes of the Great War who serve as their chaperones. Stella North, 17, an orphaned Russian refugee living in England, represents the UK. The sole woman, she races to prove both her talent and her patriotism. On the very first day of competition, Stella witnesses one pilot force another's plane into the English Channel. Too far away to identify either, she comes to believe that the murderer killed the wrong pilot by mistake--but who is the real target, and why? Tony Roberts, the secretive pilot representing France, is also stateless; feeling a kinship, Stella and Tony collaborate to uncover the saboteur. Dramatic chase scenes in the skies above the Alps and on the streets of Nazi-controlled Hamburg, Germany, climax in a terrifying airborne confrontation over Paris. Throughout, readers feel the tensions that would soon catapult Europe into war.