3 out of 4 stars
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Review: A Day in Eternity by Kathryn Gabriel Loving
When British pilot Anson Roe regains consciousness after crashing his airplane, he is in extreme pain and can’t seem to remember the events leading to his present state. Spitfire pilot John Magee comes to his rescue. With much in common, Anson Roe and John Magee discuss their experiences with flying, travelling and falling in love. In the process, Anson Roe recollects the events that he had forgotten.
Anson Roe has a relatively stable life, with his job (spraying crops from his airplane) and his relationship with Vivianne (who writes about crops and agriculture for a living). However, he's frustrated due to issues with his immigration status, among other things. Certain events and circumstances lead to Anson and Vivianne leaving America to proceed to England. This change in place of residence does little to help Anson with his frustration. This time, he is frustrated with Vivianne, since he thinks that she is doing very little to get a stable job and fit into his life. How will this frustration affect their relationship? What happens when Anson receives major shocks, both personally and professionally?
John Magee is spellbound with Elinor, his high school sweetheart. To impress her, he begins writing poetry. While the poetry impresses her father (the master of the school), it does little to change Elinor's views about him. Soon, Elinor leaves the country and the only connection that remains between them is their mutual love for poetry. John Magee, who is passionate about fighting for his country, joins the airforce during war. While he is known to have brilliant skills, he often finds himself in tricky situations, at times due to his own carelessness. What happens when John and Elinor reunite after years? More importantly, will John survive the war?
As Anson Roe regains his memory, he makes a shocking discovery. What the discovery is and how he deals with it forms the most interesting part of the plot. This twist came at a point when I least expected it and changed my entire impression about the book. While the author had given a few clues in the previous chapters, the revelation surprised me and made the plot more interesting for me.
The book has elements of romance, mystery and philosophy. Being a fan of the romance genre, I was happy that the romantic relationships of Anson-Vivianne and John-Elinor were described in detail. The stories of the couples were realistic and had apt endings. Overall, I was happy with the romance angle of the book.
The mystery element of the book made the plot interesting. The strange situation of the protagonist creates curiousness in the reader. The mystery begins at the beginning of the book, with the protagonist's memory loss, and lasts almost throughout the book.
What I wasn't expecting in the book was the significant amount of philosophical content. There were certain quotes that made me think and reflect. This philosophy affects the plot and takes the book to a whole new level. In my opinion, it made the book inspirational.
While I liked the plot and the romance, mystery and philosophical aspects in it, I had two major concerns with the book. Firstly, I couldn't connect with the main characters. Anson is highly ambitious, but takes his personal relationships for granted. I did not like the way he treated Vivianne, and I wanted her to leave him (which is unusual considering I'm a fan of romance stories). While I understand that this character trait was important for the plot, not being able to understand and connect with the protagonist spoilt the reading experience a little for me.
Secondly, I thought that the descriptions were excessive. There were elaborate descriptions of planes and flying experiences. For people who aren't interested in (or know much about) planes, it could be a deal breaker. These excessive descriptions made me lose my flow of reading numerous times. Shorter descriptions would have worked better and wouldn't have affected the plot.
In terms of language, the book was easy to read and follow. The book seemed to be professionally edited and I found no obvious grammatical mistakes. The story is told from Anson and John’s perspectives, which help the reader gain insight into their thoughts. There are certain transitions in the narrative (John’s story, Anson’s current state and his memory), which the author has handled well. The pace of the plot is affected by the elaborate descriptions. However, overall, I thought the book was easy to understand.
Lastly, I thought that the author had given the book considerable time and effort. Many historical events, physics theories and philosophical concepts have been referred to in the book. It is evident from the descriptions provided in the book that the author has researched extensively over these subjects. Proper citations and acknowledgements have also been provided. Further, I liked the fact that small incidents and observations that are described in the first few chapters play a major role towards the end of the book. This tells me that the plot and narrative were properly planned.
What I liked best about the book was the philosophical element it had. The philosophical element added significantly to the plot, while also making the book inspiring. What I liked least about the book was its protagonist. I thought he was selfish and simply blamed others for his own frustrations. I found myself rooting for Vivianne, rather than for Anson. I would have liked the book more with a slightly kinder protagonist.
I would rate the book 3 out of 4 stars. I thought the book had a unique and interesting plot. Further, it is evident that the author has put in considerable effort into the book. However, I would have liked a kinder protagonist and shorter descriptions. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery with a little bit of philosophy and romance.
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A Day in Eternity
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