Wings of War

May 15, 2014
Sixteen-year-old Edward Simpson dreams of being a pilot, and World War I affords him the opportunity.It's the early days of flying machines, and Edward's uncle Horst, who builds various kinds of airplanes to fly the Saskatchewan skies in 1914, is in the thick of it, saying, "We will soar like the birds and laugh at the poor people on the ground below." He arranges for Edward to go to flight school in Montana. From there, Edward goes to the Royal Flying Corps in England and off to war. H.G. Wells had predicted air battles in the clouds and bomb-carrying flying machines capable of destroying whole cities, and soon Edward sees firsthand the killing capabilities of his beloved flying machines. But he literally feels above it all, thinking, "If only I could stay up here forever, free from the insanity below." Though he loses friends and acknowledges the death and destruction below, he is able to put the war at a distance and be realistic about his role in it: "It's what I am, and I cannot deny that." Wilson writes eloquently about one boy's love of flight and his dream of flying. Though dialogue is sometimes used didactically to teach readers the history of flight, Edward's narrative is thoroughly engaging.A fine, old-fashioned-feeling coming-of-age tale set in the World War I skies. (Historical fiction. 9-14)

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September 1, 2014

Gr 5-8-It's 1914, and airplanes are still in their infancy. Sixteen-year-old Edward longs to fly these dangerous machines and even helps his uncle build a biplane on their Canadian farm. Just as Edward earns his pilot's license, war breaks out in Europe and the young man sails to England to enlist. His love of flying and determination to serve his country sustains Edward through the loss of comrades and the grisly result of his first aerial victory: "The mark of an ace is to get close enough to get blood on your windshield from the kill." The novel climaxes on the first day of the Battle of the Somme; Wilson's in-depth research brings air and ground combat to vivid life without being gruesome. The plot moves quickly and colorful supporting characters add interest, but the ending is ambiguous and a bit of a letdown after the novel's tense dogfighting scenes. Edward simply falls asleep after the first day of the historic battle. Nevertheless, abundant historical detail and flight jargon, told in Wilson's unaffected style, will appeal to reluctant readers as well as fans of Harry Mazer and Walter Dean Myers's wartime fiction books.-Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

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