Circling the Sun by Paula McLain

I received an advanced copy of this a few months ago through Netgalley.com and I finally got a chance to read it. I've have read anything by McLain so I was excited to check out this book.

I have a love of book that take place in different countries. I like being transported away from where I live and getting to experience, if only in my minds eye, another time and place. This book did that for me. McLain's descriptions of Africa took me there and I had no problem picturing Beryl's Africa. I found myself draw into the story and wanting to know more about this woman and what occurred in her life. This story is based on the life of Beryl Markham, one of the first woman aviators as well as one of the first female horse trainers. The author did an incredible job of telling Beryl's story and I found myself at different points of the book either cheering of Beryl or wanting to choke her for some of her insanely dumb choices.

What I liked most about this book what that is was real. McLain didn't sugarcoat anything and it was gritty and at times not so pleasant but that is life and that's why I liked this book. Like I said about at times I became so frustrated with Beryl and her decisions I wanted to quit reading but I could stop because I wanted to know if she achieved her goals. As stated in the back of the book Markham writes her own book, West with the Night, that would tell of her experiences living in Kenya. I would be interested to read it and hear everything in her own words. I recommend checking this book out.