Riveting ... Vivid ... Alexander adroitly explicates technical concepts — flight mechanics, de-icing, night vision — but is at her best rendering pilots’ fear ... Epic.
It's not a ton of fun to read, though. Alexander's account is beautifully researched and clear, but it's also slow to get off the ground ... Sections come alive with memorable details about the startled residents of southeast Asia.
The author tells, through a clear and engaging narrative, the story from the pilots in the planes to the level of campaign overview ... A thorough, but never dull, history for the reader curious about the reality of World War II, including enough facts, personalities, and names to make this history whole.
Soaring ... A thrilling aviation adventure that also casts an assured historical lens on a lesser-known arena of WWII diplomacy, this is sure to enrapture readers.
Choosing to use colonial nomenclature to align with the period, largely relying on Western accounts for narrative and background, she too often presents the cultures of Burma and China through the exoticizing lenses. Her frequent, gratuitous use of the slur coolie is a further blemish. Compelling tales of aerial derring-do lift this uneven but entertaining account.
