Visible Empire; Hannah Pittard
Houghton, Mifflin Harcourt - 2018
The Visible Empire is a work of fiction that was inspired by the Air France at Orly crash of 1962, when a Boeing 707 leaving Paris crashes shortly after takeoff. In this crash over 100 prominent individuals, white elites, from Atlanta, who were part of a museum tour group were killed. What follows is the backstory of some who were killed and of those individuals they left behind.
I had mixed feelings about this book, it had a book to movie feel about it. The story is told by a series of alternating characters. I thought there were too many characters and too little detail about some of them. This book would make a great choice for book groups as there is plenty to discuss. Race and civil rights issues in the 1960s South, will evoke emotions from some readers, a time when lynching was still occurring. I was not surprised that the flawed characters and white privilege allowed individuals to make poor life choices without suffering any consequences. There was only one character I really cared anything about, Piedmont was a young black man whose life changes unexpectedly.
Rating - 3.5/5 stars
I would get lost with all those alternating characters.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to recall all the details without a note pad.
DeleteI've been on the fence about this one but now I think I'll skip it.
ReplyDeleteToo many books, too little time. I committed to this one through Vine.
DeleteAs soon as you said the chapters are told by different characters, I thought, how can so many people tell their version of the story?!
ReplyDeleteI know, I think I read another book with that type of set up but, I can't remember the name. Also about a plane crash.
DeleteToo much in one story can be dufficult to keep track.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's is tough for me as well.
DeleteNot sure I'll get to this, but the cover makes me want to dive in!
ReplyDeleteI do love the cover.
DeleteI am not much of an airplane crash fiction person myself.
ReplyDelete