There are very few
books that I have read twice but this is one of them.
I first read it
several years ago, so I picked it up when I saw it in the Charity Shop and the
story was fresh again.
Most of the story
is set aboard a luxury flying boat, one of Boeing B-314 Clippers operated by
Pan American Airways. These were large aircraft, the most luxurious ever built
with seats for only about 20 people who were flown across the Atlantic to
America in complete luxury. As the journey took over 24 hours the passengers
spent a night on the aircraft with the seats converting into bunks as on a
sleeper train.
War has just
broken out in Europe in 1939 and most of the passengers are fleeing England but
for different reasons. There is a fascist English Lord and his family who have
to flee from possible internment, a German scientist escaping from the Nazis, a
murderer under FBI escort, a young wife fleeing a domineering husband and an
unscrupulous thief.
We hear each one’s
story and then KF weaves them together in a grand story. You are never sure how
it will end as Follett keeps you guessing right to the end. Each character is beautifully drawn so that you feel you are on the aircraft
with them.
I cannot give many
details of the story as it is so complicated with all the various characters,
but it is easily followed. The characters are fictional of course, but the
plane actually existed and flew this route, although only for a limited time.
Even though the
book is 640 pages long, you will be disappointed when you get to the end.
Another grand saga
from Follett and thoroughly recommended.
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