The Uncharted Flight Of Olivia West

Today I finished reading Sara Ackerman’s recent historical fiction novel The Uncharted Flight Of Olivia West. In 1927 Olivia “Livy” West is a fearless pilot with a lot of spunk. Olivia wants to enter the Dole Air Race going from Oakland California to Hawaii. Problem is, they won’t let a woman be the pilot, however she does end up being a navigator. In 1987 Wren Summers is going through a rough go in life, on top of being dumped by her fiancé, she’s kicked out of her apartment because she couldn’t pay rent. Things change for Wren when she learns she inherits a remote piece of land on The Big Island. Its in dis repair but that doesn’t stop Wren. During Wren’s time, she figures out the tragic history of aviation history with the help of a resident at a nearby retirement home and a potential new love interest.

 Research, Writing, Pacing, Setting & Characters

All the characters were great though my favorites were Olivia & Wren. I don’t say that very often, because normally a historical fiction book with dual timelines I end up liking one character better than the other. Sara has a gift for words and research. The research and words make you feel as though you were in both timelines, and I could picture the plane and being in the air and the beauty of Hawaii. Hawaii is another of many places I would love to see someday. The only flaw is the pacing was slow which dragged the story, and things became more interesting towards the later part of the book. While the very end seemed rather abrupt, I liked it.

Overall

The Uncharted Flight Of Olivia West was my first time reading anything by Sara Ackerman and I’m glad I did. I can’t wait to read more from her in the future. I did a Q&A with her in late 2023 and I can’t wait to do this Behind The Book with you Sara. The Uncharted Flight Of Olivia West is out now! If you are a fan of Sara’s or historical fiction in general, buy the book or check it out from the library!