City News

"Flygirl" is a must-read for historical fiction fans or for anyone who enjoys reading about women's empowerment in the face of adversity.

Sherri L. Smith's "Flygirl" is a masterpiece, taking place during the midst of World War II in the United States. The novel is about Ida Mae, a young black girl from Louisiana who has comparatively lighter skin than other black people around her. This serves as an advantage when she decides to enlist in WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) to play her part in the war. WASP was founded to help women become pilots so that the men could come off the war front and played a huge role in improving gender inequality during the 1940s.

Ida Mae wants to reach her lifelong dream of becoming a pilot, as well as help her older brother come home from the war. What I found the most inspiring was how Ida Mae fights two battles at once; defying both race and gender barriers to achieve the impossible. These barriers pose as an everyday adventure as she tries to maintain her act as a "white woman". Although Ida Mae pushes to hide her identity at WASP, you are still able to get to know who she is through her daily struggles. I think that this is what makes Ida Mae such a relatable and life-like character for the reader. As a girl, to read a story of a young woman's determination is extremely inspiring. Although inspiration usually is taken from real-life role models, this book helped me understand that we can take inspiration from fictional characters as well. Characters that go against all odds to accomplish the unimaginable are what help girls discover what is possible and aim higher than before. I think that Ida Mae and all the other women in WASP are perfect examples of feminist advocates that helped change the world and make it a better place for the new female generation. The author depicted life at WASP through an honest lens, including the unfair treatment, and inequality gaps that women faced during the war. "Flygirl" mostly made me learn about the sacrifices that women made for the sake of their country during the war which are highly underappreciated. Yet, they were still seen as inferior to men.

The novel was extremely well-written, and unlike any historical fiction book that I've ever read. I had found "Flygirl" categorized under "World War II", and I immediately fell in love with the story and the characters. World War II novels usually tell stories directly from the war front, but "Flygirl" was a wonderful change from the standard stories. Instead, the author uses a whole new perspective to tell the story of perseverance and determination in the face of social stigma.

This book showcases various vital lessons that we should all learn to implement into our lives, such as never giving up and being proud of our identities. "Flygirl" is one of the top-ten novels that I've ever read, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good read.

Check out Flygirl from the Newport Beach Public Library!