Crossing the horizon

This is the true story of three women attempting to be the first woman to cross the Atlantic. It is 1927 and Charles Lindbergh has made his historic trip across the Atlantic. Now it is time for a woman to do it - but who?

Elsie Mackay is the third and favorite daughter of Lord Inchcape. Stubborn, thrill-seeking, and utterly fearless just like her father (which is what concerns him), she worries her family with her wild, free ways.

"Elsie had failed at nothing. Whatever she set her sights to, she was almost always a quick, blooming success. He [her father] was always proud of her for that, but it was also what terrified him the most. Whatever his daughter desired, wanted, pined for, all she had to do was take a step toward it. It was delivered."

Mabel Boll is a true character - an American socialite of rather dubious origins. She has a hard time keeping track of just what those origins are:

"And make sure he knows I'm an American. From New York." [Mabel]
"I always thought you were from Connecticut," Jenny or Rose remarked.
"Born in Connecticut," Mabel replied scrambling. "But raised on Park Avenue. By my millionaire father."

Finally, there is Ruth Elder of Anniston, Alabama:

"She loved being in the air, the thrill of having no ties to the earth, nothing to keep her tethered. She understood Lindbergh's desire to fly across the ocean: no experience on the ground could compare to gliding across clouds and seeing everything from above. No one else up there, just her and the steady buzz of the engine. Above, there were no strings to get herself tangled up in, no dishes to wash or laundry to boil and roll."

All three women defy the expectations of their time to attempt to fly across the Atlantic. For Elsie and Ruth, it is not only to prove to themselves and everyone else they can do it, but also because of their sheer love of flight. Mabel has other reasons - she wants to be as famous as Lindbergh. Her life is all about glamour, fame, and wealth.

Elsie and Ruth are interesting characters and I came to care about both them (especially Elsie). Elsie's love of life and flying is contagious. Ruth shares that spirit and a desire for freedom. I found myself rooting for both of them. It's not often that you want two competitors to win, but that's what happened for me in this case.

However, Mabel can get tiresome. She is totally self-centered and just wants to be the center of attention. She actually calls her self "Queen of Diamonds." While Elsie and Ruth are actual pilots, Mabel knows little about planes. She knows that planes take off and land, and that's about it. Notaro said that Mabel was included to lighten up a story that can get quite serious at times. However, comic relief shouldn't last so long - and be so annoying. I kept hoping her plane would crash.

Otherwise, Notaro does an excellent job of portraying the times and people. After I finished the book, I looked up the various characters and found she was very accurate. I had never heard of any of these women until I read this book, and I feel I have learned a great deal. I recommend it to anyone interested in women's history, the history of aviation, or the 1920s.

I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.