Great Circle tells the story of a famous female aviator lost at sea and her rise in the field of flying. Marian Graves grows up an orphan with her twin brother Jamie in the rough and rural landscape of Montana in the early 1900s. You observe as she stops at nothing to learn the art of flying and become a pilot through unusual and sometimes sketchy means.

While you're introduced to Marian, you also meet tabloid heavy starlet, Hadley Baxter, who attempts to escape being pigeonholed from her lost role as a star-crossed lover and heroine of a series like Twilight with a superhero twist. She gets the coveted role in a new film about Marian and starts researching her role, gathering some unexpected information and insight. Both women seek out the near impossible--aviation and independence for Marian, love and acceptance or maturity for Hadley.

This is a very different turn for the author who wrote two great books before this. I was so excited to get a copy of this because I've been waiting for a new book from her. Her latest differs from the last two and is a sweeping saga with intriguing characterizations, good stories, and superb descriptions of the landscape.

Unfortunately, it is such a long book that some parts drag. Also, if you're not interested in the mechanics of flying, those parts become tedious. Same goes for the wartime scenes during World War II. You meet some interesting characters, but I would rather delve into the characters instead of the less colorful flying scenes.

The last flight, though, at times, is incredibly exciting even though you await for the gloom of the lost flight with bated breath. The author ties up the endings for Marian and the characters in her story very well without being too neat about it. As for Hadley, we never go past a certain point, which felt disappointing.

The author put a lot of heart and research into this book, so I don't really want to discount the effort. I'm not interested in dryer topics like flying mechanics and more in-depth descriptions of the terrain or animals near the terrain, but other readers may like it. No matter, it was worth reading, and I'm still thinking about it.

Great Circle spans the wilds of Prohibition-era Montana, the blustery Pacific Northwest, the unforgiving chill of Alaska, the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and the movie-making business, and the stark, brutal dangers of Antarctica, from the early twentieth century to modern day.

In interconnected stories--which felt equally compelling to me--Shipstead brings to life these disparate places and times and focuses on various colorful characters within them.

Great Circle traces events starting with a sinking ocean liner in 1914 and the introduction of Marian and James, twin babies rescued from that tragedy; it follows the path of the twins' lives as they grow up; the story tracks young Marian's ignited passion for aviation and her adventures; and the book injects a modern-day story line in which a famous young actress takes on the role of Marian for a film.

Shipstead has created two independent, defiant, appealingly strong young women split by time (and, secondarily, the complex male characters they each love as family or romantic partners). Both of the main characters are orphans, both were raised by indulgent, imperfect uncles, and both are constantly reinventing themselves as they aim to live fulfilling lives, but otherwise their situations are altogether different.

Shipstead is a wonderful writer, and I loved every word of this. Both of the timelines had me hooked.

I received a prepublication copy of Great Circle courtesy of Knopf Publishing Group and NetGalley.

An immersive, epic book. The story largely focuses on two characters: Marian, an aspiring pilot with a life that is truly exceptional, and Hadley, a popular Hollywood actress getting dragged through the tabloids. Great Circle throws A LOT at you throughout nearly 600 pages: a sinking ship, a plane crash, World War II, history lessons on Charles Lindbergh...and that's just scratching the surface. For a long book, it never drags or feels repetitive. New characters are introduced and they never feel unnecessary. I can imagine this being a terrific miniseries. This is a very special book.

Have you ever picked up a book, its cover nothing phenomenal nor eye-catching, read the synopsis and thought, “Ngeh, seems rather benign but let’s give it a go” and then next thing your know, you’re 250 pages in at nearly 3am on a Sunday, and not ready to put the book down or go to bed?

Maggie Shipstead’s Great Circle is that book and my biggest surprise read of 2021 (so far).

I chose this book on NetGalley because it was in the Read Now list, which could either end up being a bomb or a treat.

I'm glad it's the latter.

There's a lot of historical back and forth, which I often find distracting but works here. One moment you're in the 1900s, next you're in 2014, then the 18th century, and so on, but it’s not done in a way that gives you whiplash and a bad case of “what’s the point of all this?” The storytelling is excellent. There are a number of characters to focus on, namely Marian, who became enthralled with flying since a very young age; Jamie, Marian’s twin brother and lifeline; and Hadley, an actress who “became” Marian a century later.

The story builds up into a crescendo with orchestra-like precision. We ache as the twins find out their father never cared about them; we hiss at the leering Barclay, Marian’s entitled gangster husband, whose goal in life is to control everything Marian does; we lust for Caleb and his emotional detachment; and we question Hadley’s suitability in her role as Marian, if her own loss at a young age should warrant such a possibility.

In its essence, the book is about being free to be who you want to be; not necessarily freedom per se, but the realisation that other people’s hope for you will always imprison you, and that all you have to do is not give in to them and just BE.

Thank you for the advance copy of this book. I’m not sure how there can be so many excellent reviews. I made it 20% in and can’t make myself read any more of it. What I’ve read seems disjointed, even though I know why the timeline flips back and forth. I’m giving up, maybe I’ll pick it up again later.

This is captivating historical fiction (aviation intrigues me), but it was just a bit too long. About halfway thru, I found myself skimming some of the detailed parts. Others may love all the details, but I just wanted to get to the guts of the story.

Marian's story was fascinating, and I always love books that switch between the past and the present. Unfortunately, we did not get enough of Hadley's story. I was left hoping for more. However, there are many twists & turns throughout Marian's journey that I did not anticipate, and I think it's exactly what readers will love about this book.

Another one of my mixed reviews. So I am going to go with my formula of "the good and the bad" and let you decide.

The good.
The story has two timelines with two different women and we switch back and forth,.
The bad.
Usually, I hate when it switches and i am caught up on each story. This time I didn't love the current story - the past one was way better.

The good
The storytelling was really good and I could visualize the place and the characters.
The bad
Super interesting stories, but I didn't feel any connection to the characters.

The good
There was a lot going on, and the book took directions that I did NOT see coming. There were many surprises.
The bad
I felt like everything was thrown in and it made the book really long. And it felt long reading it. At once point, I thought I must be coming to the end, and I was only halfway through. I found myself skimming once in a while.

I do want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review. If you are one of those readers who gets impatient, or needs to feel a connection to the characters, this book is NOT for you. However, if you are more about the journey than the destination, and you love long beautiful descriptions, this book IS for you.

GREAT CIRCLE is a tale of two women: one an aviator and the other an actress. Author Maggie Shipstead writes in two styles, the actress’ story is told in first person, the aviator’s is not. While the scope of the story, in time, location and pace, is wide ranging and in-depth, I found the book as a whole difficult to enjoy or finish. There was an emotional distance from the story-telling that made none of the characters particularly likeable or engaging. I found it difficult to care about any of them. The notion of an adventurous female aviator is so striking, there’s just so much to explore, that the plot alone is enticing. But, for whatever reason, the style did not connect with me. I am an outlier on this; the book is widely loved. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Marian Graves is a renaissance woman. Her colorful life starts with a rescue from a sinking ship with her twin brother as an infant, being raised by her uncle in Montana, falling in love with flying and piloting during Prohibition and then in Alaska. She, her twin brother, and their childhood best friend have numerous romantic entanglements and interesting lives. Marian's life and mysterious death are so interesting that Hollywood actress Hadley wants to turn her career around by starring as Marian. As she films the movie, she digs into Marian's life and what really happened to her.

This is a very long, yet attention holding book. It is not an easy, breezy read but an epic that spans many years of a wholly original character. If you like books that create vivid characters and relationships, this book is for you. I loved this book. There were times when I was genuinely surprised with the storyline and I was angry at everything in my life that kept me from reading this book straight thru! It reminded me some of The Nix, another longer book that is unforgettable. 4.5 stars, well earned.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance readers copy. I am so pleased to have read this book and hope it gets the attention it deserves.

This is a dual timeline historical fiction, and I didn't realize that going into the book. When we switched to the second timeline, I was a bit surprised. I'm not sure we needed it. As I continued through the story, I really found that I didn't enjoy that storyline as much as the historical one.

Overall, I did enjoy this book, and I had to reflect on that just a bit because the book is long...LONG. As I read on and I realized how much I enjoyed the historical story, I found myself just wanting the second timeline to go away.

Okay, now for the stuff I really enjoyed: The story is amazing. The person that it is about is so interesting. I want to go and learn more about her life! I loved reading about her adventures.

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

5/5 !!!

Wow, this book has some of the most beautiful writing and transfixing metaphors I have ever read!!! This is not only a great story with a great plot and great characters, but it’s excitingly literary. Rarely does a book deliver on all of those elements. Couldn’t recommend higher.

HUGE thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting this amazing ARC.

This book has received so many accolades, I am dismayed to report that I just cannot continue with it. This is a DNF for me as I find the time leaps, character changes to be just to disjointed for my comfort. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to take a peek.

A beautifully written historical fiction with a dual timeline. This book is substantial., took me a long time to read it but about 1/4 in I was hooked and. did not want to put it down. This sometime feels like separate books as the chapters and timelines change there is so much detail.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I should probably read book descriptions more before requesting them, as historical fiction and loong books are not always my faves, But I had read Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead a few years ago, and I was intrigued enough to dive into Great Circle with full gusto.
This is an epic novel with dual timelines - the majority focused on female aviator Marian Graves and her life in the early to mid 1900s but occasionally interspersed with a modern actress, Hadley, who will be portraying Marian in a biopic. The storylines and descriptions are engaging and engrossing, after the first few chapters (less than 10%) that seemed choppy and difficult to follow. I felt swept away by the book and took my time finishing it to truly savor the ending. I am so glad I spent the time on this book!

This is an epic, moving, incredibly well-written novel. Due to the length of the book (a little over 600 pages), you have to sink your teeth into it; and trust me, it’s easy to sink your teeth into. This novel is storytelling at its finest.

“An unforgettable story of a daredevil female aviator determined to chart her own course in life, at any cost – Great Circle spans Prohibition-era Montana, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, New Zealand, wartime London, and modern-day Los Angeles.”

The main two protagonists are Marian Graves and Hadley Baxter, but there are many characters and they are all well developed and believable. Marian is the adventurous pilot and Hadley is the modern-day actress chosen to portray Marian in a movie about Marian’s life. This novel takes the reader on many twists and turns and arrives at a satisfying ending.

What I loved about this novel are the writing and the flow. As I read I was swept along on the journey. When Marion and her twin brother, Jamie, were left to their own devices (for the most part) as children, I was right there with them having many adventures. I enjoyed watching their lives unfold as the story went on. The characters that entered were just as vivid as Marion and James. Their childhood friend, Caleb, is another significant character that is a pivotal part of the novel.

I liked how the chapters flowed between the past and the modern-day. Hadley is the main character in the present-day chapters and she is so flawed, and I like that about her. She seems to have it all from the outside looking in, but in reality, she is a perfect example of someone who looks like they have it all: fame, looks, money, status – but she’s pretty miserable. I found myself cheering her on and wanting her to find happiness.

I recommend this book to those who like Historical Fiction, Biographical Fiction, and Literary Fiction. Honestly, anyone who likes great writing: descriptive, immersive, moving, thrilling, evoking emotion, etc. Also, I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a book with some depth but yet an easy read in that the pages practically turn themselves.

I really can’t say enough good things about this book. I am so impressed with the writing, and it’s such a treat to read a book that the pages just effortlessly flow from one to another. I am always sad to end a good book, but with this one, I felt satisfied. I am thankful to have read it.

Thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Marian Graves dreamed of becoming a pilot from a young age. Born in the early 1900s, this was an almost unattainable goal for a woman. But Marian is tough and resourceful. She has to be. One of the survivors of a tragic ship fire, she and her twin brother Jamie lose their mother to the tragedy and their father to prison. Brought up by their uncle, they mostly raise themselves, with varying degrees of success.

Many years after Marian's disappearance in Antarctica, Hadley Baxter, an actress will play the role of Marian in a movie. So far, her career has not gone the way Hadley wants, and this is a chance to remake herself. There are many parallels between Marian and Hadley, even though they were born during very different times. It is their inner strength and determination that makes them both characters that I wanted to succeed.

This book is beautifully written and covers many years, people, and events. In the beginning, I found myself a little bit lost because the timelines shift between characters, and there is a lot of background information on other people that played a part in how their lives were shaped. At around 600 pages, I honestly thought this was a bit longer than was necessary. I don't shy away from big books, but when I finished, I could imagine some parts being cut without damaging this epic tale.

What a ride or should I say flight! Maggie Shipstead has created the perfect summer read book if you are a historical fiction fan. Because their mother died during the explosion of the ship they were on and their father, the captain of the ship, abandoned his duties to save his twin and is now serving time in Sing-Sing, twins Marian and Jamie are raised by their inattentive uncle in Missoula Montana. This gives the twins lots of time to skip school and develop their own interest. Jamie has a love of the natural world but its Marian who dominates the book. She wants to be a pilot and after the end of World War I, is willing to battle her way through chauvinism and smirks of male pilots. The story is made more complicated by the inclusion of a modern-day Hollywood story in which a disgraced Hollywood star finds herself financially being forced to portray Marion Graves in a film. I felt Marian’s sections were far better done than the Hollywood part. And yet when Hadley, the down and out movie star gets serious about researching Marian the parallel stories begin to meld and the reader can see the power of women taking control of their lives.

Wow, just wow! What a book Great Circle was. What a character Marian Graves was. I took me a while to become invested in this novel but once I was I was completely enamored by it. Marian's story was so captivating and propulsive. The Great Circle starts before the birth of Graves twins, Marian and Jamie. it spans Prohibition-era Montana, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, New Zealand, wartime London. Marian's passion for flying is unmatched. Her obsession with planes starts with meeting a pair of barnstorming pilots passing through town. She sacrifices a lot to have what she wants. And that includes a tumultuous marriage with a a bootlegging gangster. She goes on to fly planes during WW2 in London and falls in love again. And the story ends with her final flight= circumnavigating the globe by flying over the North and South Poles. Or does it?

Marian is a force of nature but she is not the only interesting character here. I loved Jamie, Caleb, Ruth and Eddie as much as I loved Marian. Maggie Shipstead created a great cast of characters.

Now my only critique is the length of the novel. As with most dual storylines, I found myself drawn to one over the others. I wanted to keep reading Marian's story arc. Actually I couldn't care less about Hadley. I wish the book was solely about the Graves Twins.

Yes, the book is long but it is totally worth the commitment. It is a sweeping story with vivid characters and gorgeous writing.

Like the main character Marian Graves, "Great Circle" is so ambitious! Author Maggie Shipstead has really created something special with this novel! Told through dual timelines, "Great Circle" is the story of Marian Graves, a woman determined to defy convention and live her life on her own terms, and the story of Hadley Baxter, an actress chosen to play Marian in a movie a century later. From being rescued from a sinking ship as an infant to working for a bootlegger during Prohibition, from earning respect as a rare female pilot in Alaska to flying with the RAF in World War II, from falling in love to attempting to fly around the globe over the poles., Marian's life is packed with excitement, danger, heartbreak, and yes, triumph. I was utterly and completely captivated by the story and, even though this novel is a lengthy one, I read it very quickly because I just could not put it down. The book is meticulously researched and so realistic that I found myself Googling the characters to see if they really existed. I love novels with strong women protagonists, and Marian definitely fits the bill. I'm sure "Great Circle" will be considered one of the best books of 2021.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the awesome privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this amazing book, in exchange for my honest review. This is my first book by Maggie Shipstead, but it will not be my last!

This book uses and dual timeline to tell the story of the life of Marian Graves, an aviator who eventually tries to fly around the world from pole to pole. One timeline is Marian’s life, from childhood until her death, and the other timeline focuses on Hadley Baxter, an actress playing Marian in a movie. By far, the bulk of the book focuses on Marian’s life.
The story of Marian’s life is a sweeping tale that covers decades. Not only does the book focus on Marian herself, but also dives into the stories of people in her life (her parents, twin brother, uncle, friends), so in this sweeping tale you get many stories within the larger story.
I would give this book a solid 4 ½ stars. Do not let the length of this book turn you off, it is a great story that keeps you coming back to find out what turn Marian’s life is going to take next and where in the world Marian will be. When starting this book, I thought I knew what the ending would be; however, the surprise at the end (at least to me) made the end of the book and the story that much better.
The beginning 20% of the book does not focus on Marian herself, but rather her parents and people in their orbit. While this part of the book, in my opinion, was not strictly necessary the story did come full circle as the people whose story was told in this first 20% of the book did come back throughout Marian’s story.
Anyone looking for a strong female lead and a story told across decades and with settings in many places of the world, this book is for you!