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The Wild Air

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The Wild Air

By: Rebecca Mascull
Narrated by: Catherine Harvey
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About this listen

A heartwarming, exhilarating novel about one young woman's determination to follow her dreams of becoming a pilot in the early 20th century.

In Edwardian England, aeroplanes are a new, magical invention, while female pilots are rare indeed.

When shy Della Dobbs meets her mother's aunt, her life changes forever. Great-Auntie Betty has come home from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, across whose windswept dunes the Wright Brothers tested their historic flying machines. Della develops a burning ambition to fly, and Betty is determined to help her.

But the Great War is coming, and it threatens to destroy everything - and everyone - Della loves.

Uplifting, The Wild Air is a story about love, loss and following your dreams against all odds.

©2017 Rebecca Mascull (P)2017 Hodder & Stoughton
20th Century Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction World War I Aviation Romance Feel-Good Heartfelt Dream Air Force
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Most relevant

Where does The Wild Air rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Wild air is something of a change from my usual reading and, as such, I have enjoyed it very much.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Wild Air?

Quite a few! Della on the Beach with Auntie Betty and meeting Dud.
Della learning to fly.
Della and her relationship with her father.
And a great ending too.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes several. The birth of her little sister and her looking after Dud.

Any additional comments?

When I was young, I always wanted to learn to fly. I even badgered the RAF when they came to our school careers day about it, because in the 1970's they still didn't allow women to fly. I wasn't lucky enough to have a Great Aunt Betty, would that I had! I loved how the story is cleverly written, intertwining the flying and mirroring her life. We are taken through the ups and downs of her life as we are take offs and landings. The soaring exhilaration of being up in the clouds and in love. The prejudices, crosswinds and down drafts, the crashes and being grounded. The frustrations, strife and fear the outbreak of war brings, along with it's horror and tragedies. Yet through it all Della's bravery and pluck shines through like a candle in the darkness.

Chocks away!

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