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kittyp3777's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
jansbookcorner's review
3.0
I’d give this book 3 1/2 stars if I could. I liked the second half of it better than the first. It is more a romance than a story about the pigeons use in the war.
trudyd's review against another edition
5.0
I have become addicted to WWII historical fiction dealing with England. This was the first book centered around the Pigeon Service and I devoured every page. The reader got to see first hand the snuggles of those that were commissioned to provide pigeons to the cause. Bertie and his daughter in Epping, England had to provide pigeons that were dropped in France with the hopes that someone would find the bird, insert information about the Germans, and then release the pigeon. It sounds easy, but it was far from it.
After a terrible experience on the train, Oliver from Maine ends up helping with the pigeons. The American was much more endearing than the British officer that he hit in defense of Susan on a train. Oliver soon becomes infatuated with Susan and to save her pet pigeon gets stuck in one of the planes, piloted by the officer he it. You might think it can't get any worse. You would be wrong.
There is a lot of tragedy in The Long Flight Home. There are bombings. There are numerous deaths. There is a loss of hope. There is a loss of love. Ollie's adventures in German controlled France and his escape is a nail biter.
The ending is beautiful. After many years, Susan returns home to Epping to rebuild her family home and raise pigeons. A newspaper article will bring her a well deserved HEA.
After a terrible experience on the train, Oliver from Maine ends up helping with the pigeons. The American was much more endearing than the British officer that he hit in defense of Susan on a train. Oliver soon becomes infatuated with Susan and to save her pet pigeon gets stuck in one of the planes, piloted by the officer he it. You might think it can't get any worse. You would be wrong.
There is a lot of tragedy in The Long Flight Home. There are bombings. There are numerous deaths. There is a loss of hope. There is a loss of love. Ollie's adventures in German controlled France and his escape is a nail biter.
The ending is beautiful. After many years, Susan returns home to Epping to rebuild her family home and raise pigeons. A newspaper article will bring her a well deserved HEA.
kanejim57's review against another edition
4.0
Alan Hlad has written a bittersweet love story in the midst of World War 2 that was engaging and true to life.
I also enjoyed the Long Flight Home for its fictionalized historical presentation of the role that pigeons played in relaying vital information across enemy lines especially in the UK.
It is also a familiar story line in historical fiction, especially during World War 2: American boy, in this case Ollie who travels to Britain to fly and fight with RAF who falls in love with Susan, and English girl who helps train homing pigeons for the RAF. It also contains all the elements of a love story that never was just quite...as a rival seeks Susan's heart and tries to keep Ollie from flying.
I liked this novel for its coverage of England in the dark early days of the war and the well-done narrative element as well.
I also enjoyed the Long Flight Home for its fictionalized historical presentation of the role that pigeons played in relaying vital information across enemy lines especially in the UK.
It is also a familiar story line in historical fiction, especially during World War 2: American boy, in this case Ollie who travels to Britain to fly and fight with RAF who falls in love with Susan, and English girl who helps train homing pigeons for the RAF. It also contains all the elements of a love story that never was just quite...as a rival seeks Susan's heart and tries to keep Ollie from flying.
I liked this novel for its coverage of England in the dark early days of the war and the well-done narrative element as well.
rala8381's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kanejim57's review
4.0
Alan Hlad has written a bittersweet love story in the midst of World War 2 that was engaging and true to life.
I also enjoyed the Long Flight Home for its fictionalized historical presentation of the role that pigeons played in relaying vital information across enemy lines especially in the UK.
It is also a familiar story line in historical fiction, especially during World War 2: American boy, in this case Ollie who travels to Britain to fly and fight with RAF who falls in love with Susan, and English girl who helps train homing pigeons for the RAF. It also contains all the elements of a love story that never was just quite...as a rival seeks Susan's heart and tries to keep Ollie from flying.
I liked this novel for its coverage of England in the dark early days of the war and the well-done narrative element as well.
I also enjoyed the Long Flight Home for its fictionalized historical presentation of the role that pigeons played in relaying vital information across enemy lines especially in the UK.
It is also a familiar story line in historical fiction, especially during World War 2: American boy, in this case Ollie who travels to Britain to fly and fight with RAF who falls in love with Susan, and English girl who helps train homing pigeons for the RAF. It also contains all the elements of a love story that never was just quite...as a rival seeks Susan's heart and tries to keep Ollie from flying.
I liked this novel for its coverage of England in the dark early days of the war and the well-done narrative element as well.
sheila713's review
4.0
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
This story takes place in Great Britain and France during World War II, in 1940, before the United States entered the war. The main focus of the story is the use of pigeons by Great Britain to relay Nazi military data from France to Great Britain. Ollie, of British descent, is from the US state of Maine, where his parents own a small potato farm and he runs a crop dusting service. Circumstances give him a desire to join the British RAF, so he makes his way to England. There he meets Susan and her grandfather Bertie, who raise pigeons for the National Pigeon Service. The story has adventure, light romance, history, friction between characters, and more. It was not as predictable as I expected it to be. I enjoyed this light (i.e. quick & easy) read and recommend it.
This story takes place in Great Britain and France during World War II, in 1940, before the United States entered the war. The main focus of the story is the use of pigeons by Great Britain to relay Nazi military data from France to Great Britain. Ollie, of British descent, is from the US state of Maine, where his parents own a small potato farm and he runs a crop dusting service. Circumstances give him a desire to join the British RAF, so he makes his way to England. There he meets Susan and her grandfather Bertie, who raise pigeons for the National Pigeon Service. The story has adventure, light romance, history, friction between characters, and more. It was not as predictable as I expected it to be. I enjoyed this light (i.e. quick & easy) read and recommend it.
jessicafarmer80's review
5.0
Excellent read. I loved learning about homing pigeons and how they were used in war. I also loved how this historical fiction pulled in real life situations with the fictional characters. It was a lovely story with well developed characters. I will definitely be reading more on this topic and future books by this author!
beastreader's review
5.0
Wow, this book is a true treasure. One that will have readers talking for years. In fact, I would actually put The Long Flight Home in the same category up there with The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. This book is really that spectacular. I absolutely loved this book. Mr. Hlad is a prolific storyteller. The Long Flight Home is a five star recommended read!
Bertie and Ollie were great characters. The book is told from their points of view. So their voices really stood out. Yet, they were so engaging and very likeable that it was easy to become very in tune to their stories.
I have read some informati0n about birds being used during the war to help relay coded messages. So I was familiar with this concept but I had not read the story that inspired this book. The one where a man renovating a house finds the remains of a bird with a tiny container and a coded message inside the container. That bird was like Duchess, who was the featured bird in this story. She learned to fly back and forth bring messages from Bertie to Ollie and visa versa.
Bertie and Ollie were great characters. The book is told from their points of view. So their voices really stood out. Yet, they were so engaging and very likeable that it was easy to become very in tune to their stories.
I have read some informati0n about birds being used during the war to help relay coded messages. So I was familiar with this concept but I had not read the story that inspired this book. The one where a man renovating a house finds the remains of a bird with a tiny container and a coded message inside the container. That bird was like Duchess, who was the featured bird in this story. She learned to fly back and forth bring messages from Bertie to Ollie and visa versa.
farmfreshlisa's review
4.0
I chose this book to read from Kindle Unlimited, not knowing that I had read another book by the same author. Apparently I am a sucker for WW2 booksno matter what--but I actually prefer lesser known stories related to WW2--Like this one about using pigeons in NAZI occupied France.
While the story of Susan and Ollie was interesting, I was most interested in learning more about the Pigeon training. The cages designed for dropping the birds was fascinating. And tragic too. Knowing that the rate of return was so low.
The brutality of Liteunant Boar towards Ollie was aggravating. He definitely was portrayed as having a chip on his shoulder and on a power trip.
The book portrayed how dangerous flying over France was as well as the fear of being discovered if you crashed.
Susan's grandfather Bertie was so darling and my heart hurt for his severe arthritis in his knees. i know others with the same condition.
I sniggered during the loo scene for Ollie when he was stuck in an outhouse sick as a dog from his shellfish allergy while the bombs were being dropped on London.
and the saying "Be an egg" by Bertie to Susan is something that I'm going to remember for the future of my own life.
4 stars on this one.
While the story of Susan and Ollie was interesting, I was most interested in learning more about the Pigeon training. The cages designed for dropping the birds was fascinating. And tragic too. Knowing that the rate of return was so low.
The brutality of Liteunant Boar towards Ollie was aggravating. He definitely was portrayed as having a chip on his shoulder and on a power trip.
The book portrayed how dangerous flying over France was as well as the fear of being discovered if you crashed.
Susan's grandfather Bertie was so darling and my heart hurt for his severe arthritis in his knees. i know others with the same condition.
I sniggered during the loo scene for Ollie when he was stuck in an outhouse sick as a dog from his shellfish allergy while the bombs were being dropped on London.
and the saying "Be an egg" by Bertie to Susan is something that I'm going to remember for the future of my own life.
4 stars on this one.