A novelization of aviatrix Beryl Markham tells two stories: her childhood in Brit - ish East Africa and her experiences as the first person to fly solo from England to North Americain 1936.

Fictionalized life of Beryl Markham first woman to fly solo from England to USA. as a young girl raised in Africa.. ( )

Young Reader Reaction: Review pending.

Adult Reader Reaction: Amelia Earhart is a household name, but Beryl Markham's should be as well. The author creates a suspenseful, poignant, and at times humorous biography of this unique woman. The title doesn't do the book justice or give you much insight into how incredible Beryl's story is. [Frankly, I'm still not sure how it fits.]

Pros: Readers of all ages will be spellbound by this fascinating historical novel. Beryl Markham was a woman ahead of her time, but also true to herself.

To read our full review, go to The Reading Tub®.

As a fan of West With the Night, I was immediately draw to this mostly fictionalized account of Beryl Markham's early life in Africa. MacColl does an amazing job of drawing her characters as if they were in the room with you. This book is what all good historical fiction should be - a seamless blend of fact and fiction. ( )

Beryl Markham was a famous aviator (actually, I never heard of her until I read this book) who flew across the Atlantic east to west. However, before she was Beryl Markham, she was Beryl Clutterbuck, the daughter of a racehorse breeder in Nairobi. MacColl chose this part of her life to fictionalized, and it did prove exciting as Beryl was not one to conform to the conventions of how a young lady should act. There were some sad moments, but overall, an uplifting story. ( )