A blow-by-blow account of the tragedy surrounding the plane crash that wiped out nearly the entire Manchester United Football team and its aftermath. The writing is dramatic and very conducive to a visual overview. It fluctuates rapidly from character to character as they elucidate their thoughts and feelings as the news of the crash unfolds. The pacing is slow, you already know what happens next and the writing is repetitive in parts. However, I loved it. I think the repetition is purposeful to ensure that the gravity of the tragic events actually sinks in. I am not a football fan but if you are then that would be an added bonus. I would definitely recommend this book and will look up more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley and W W Norton for the ARC

I know absolutely nothing about football but I love historical fiction based in very real events. Even with zero knowledge of football or Manchester United, Munichs was an exciting and tender read.

Set in 1958, Manchester United was on a flight which crashed, resulting in 24 fatalities, including football players and staff of the club. In the pages of Munichs, Peace lays out the ways in which the tragedy shaped those on board. Perfectly paced and sensitively written considering the true nature of the subject matter, Peace does an excellent job in Munichs. Certainly not a lighthearted story but sure to please fans of carefully researched historical fiction as well as fans of sports history.

Thank you to @netgalley and @WWNorton&Company for this ARC. 1958 - The Manchester United football team, staff and press were on a flight home after a Cup game win in Belgrade. After stopping for fuel in Munich, they were unable to take off due to the weather conditions and promptly crashed. Of the 44 passengers, 17 died, including 7 prominent players, and 10 other passengers and players severely injured. This book walks through the crash, the initial announcement to the world, the recovery of the players and how the team tried to build themselves back to finish out the season while also burying many of their loved ones. This book is so well written. Though it is not the brightest subject, the author really put his heart and soul into this book. Also, as a soccer "football" follower, I really liked reading about a story I had never heard about. #Munichs #DavidPeace #WWNorton&Company #Nov2024