Erik Von Handorf

I love Chris Bohjalian’s writing style, but this book has the most unlikable protagonist that I have ever come across. It is a credit to Bohjalian’s writing ability that I didn’t quit reading halfway through, out of distaste and strong antipathy for the main character, Cassie. The story was gripping, in the same way that it is generally impossible to turn away from watching a bad accident. The union boss, Derek, and his niece, Ani, the lawyer whose firm represented Cassie pro bono, were about the only sympathetic characters in the book which, again, is a tribute to the author’s ability to make the reader care, one way or another, about the characters. The scenarios and dialogue were realistic, believable and tightly written, as was the thread throughout discussing the gritty reality of being a flight attendant in contrast to the public’s general misconception of the life of pilots and flight attendants being glamorous professions. Bottom line - I’d recommend reading it, with reservations