This is the remarkable story of a remarkable woman, who overcame seemingly insurmountable odds to become Afghanistan’s first female military pilot. In 2010 for the first time since the Soviet invasion, Afghanistan allowed women to join the armed forces. But to join and then follow her dream to be allowed to fly took extraordinary determination. Niloofar Rahmani faced adverse social attitudes, prejudice, outright hostility and threats to herself and her family to pursue her goal, and thanks to American support finally achieved it and in 2013 became the country’s first female air force pilot and flew numerous missions. Eventually, however, increasing hostility and threats forced her to flee to the US where she was granted asylum in 2018. And, of course, now in 2021 she would have been in even graver danger if she had stayed. Although the book is about one particular Afghan woman it also sheds a cold light on attitudes to women in that country and the rampant misogyny that still prevails, not least among the younger generations who grew up under Taliban rule, and who are, of course, under it once again. Surprisingly Rahmani’s own immediate family were supportive, especially her father, at the expense of their own safety. The book will surely be inspirational for many other women battling oppressive regimes, and I sincerely hope that Rahmani will manage eventually to join the US military as she hopes. A great read.

I'm a sucker for stories about strong brave women even more when they are true stories. It doesn't get any more strong and brave than a woman determined to become a pilot in a country that at one time didn't give women any rights at all. It was a fast read and I learned a lot..