Review: Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon

Flight of Dreams: A Novel by Ariel Lawhon

Double Day a Division of Penguin Random House LLC, 2016

My Review (4 Stars: Liked It A Lot!)

In Flight of Dreams, author, Ariel Lawhon puts us on the Hindenburg, from it’s majestical take off to it’s disastrous landing.
Lawhon presents a suspenseful fictional account, character driven, that shows us the luxury flight was all but ‘uneventful.’

The flight from Germany to New Jersey took approximately four days.  In Flight of Dreams we count down these days.

It took awhile to get into this novel.  There are a variety of passenger stories that intertwine.  We are cleverly moved along in the story by chapters (sub-stories) of the characters, including, but not limited to, The Stewardess, The Journalist, The American, The Cabin Boy, and The Navigator.  By the conclusion, we gain a greater appreciation for the tragedy that occurred on that fateful day in May and the humanity that was lost.

I think many people, at least my age, have heard of the Hindenburg tragedy.  Before starting this fictional account,  I wanted to see how people actually traveled in the Hindenburg, and learn a little more about the facts.  So, I checked the Internet and found some interesting photos and information, which gained more meaning after reading this novel.  Here are a couple of links:

Airships.net: A Dirigible and Zeppelin History Site: The Hindenburg’s Interior: Passenger Decks

Hindenburg disaster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindenburg_disaster

The Hindenburg disaster took place on Thursday, May 6, 1937, as the German passenger airship LZ 129 Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed during its attempt to dock with its mooring mast at Naval Air Station Lakehurst in Manchester Township, New Jersey, United States. Of the 97 people on board (36 passengers and 61 crewmen), there were 35 fatalities (13 passengers and 22 crewmen). One worker on the ground was also killed, making a total of 36 fatalities. – Hindenburg disaster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindenburg_disaster

Live Recording & Newsreel

I would like to include the links to the famous live recording of Herbert Morrison, describing the disaster and the seperate Universal newsreel.

Herbert Morrison (announcer): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Morrison_(announcer)

Hindenburg disaster newsreel footage

What Others Are Saying

As in TWTMTM Lawhon has once again given me an inside look at an historical event that wouldn’t have stood out to me on first observance, but now, through her creative vision, has me looking for conspiracies around every corner.  –  Rhiannon Johnson  @ Ivory Owl Reviews

Ms. Lawhon takes us into the private as well as public lives of the passengers and makes the three-day trip across the Atlantic both technical and personal.  The skillful way Ms. Lawhon wove the personal stories of the characters with the technical aspect of the Hindenburg made FLIGHT OF DREAMS a captivating, intriguing, mysterious read.  – Elizabeth @ Silver’s Reviews

Also by Ariel Lawson

Review: of The Wife The Maid and The Mistress by Ariel Lawhon

About The Author (from the author’s website)

Book Trailer – Flight of Dreams

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd3G2oHaUC0]

Purchase From Amazon

I’d like to thank the author, Ariel Lawhon and Double Day a Division of Penguin Random House LLC for sending me the Advance Reading Copy, free of charge, for review.

 Disclosure of Material Connection: 

I received this book (ARC) free from the publisher, Double Day a Division of Penguin Random House LLC and author Ariel Lawhon.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.