BlogTour: On Borrowed Wings

Every so often I start reading a book that I just cannot put down. The plot is so engrossing, the characters so real that I become obsessed with following the story. Doing things that make me feel guilty... like putting on an episode (or two) of Bob The Builder so that I can read just a few more pages. Or staying up all hours of the night after the boys are in bed, at the expense of my sanity the next day. On Borrowed Wings by Chandra Prasad was one of those books. I just finished it, and let me tell you I did not want it to end.

This book tells the story of Adele Pietra, a young girl growing up in 1930s Stony Creek, Connecticut who has the opportunity to attend Yale disguised as her older brother. Her story takes us from her days "as a girl", helping her mom run an in-home laundry business and rebelling against her pending arranged marriage..... to her life transformed "as a boy" attending an all-male ivy league college. It is not only the tale of this young girl, but also a historic look at this time in the history of our nation. How women were "supposed" to be and what they "should" do, how prevalent different forms of discrimination were, how a crashing economy affected both rich and poor alike. Adele is a pioneer and an inspiration. Her set of circumstances are unique but every woman can relate to her plight.

The story is beautifully written and rich with details. Prasad has a way with words, and they flow together so well -- wrapping around you like strong arms and pulling you into the pages. Her descriptions of the quarry make you feel as if you are there. The 1930s Yale Campus comes alive; obviously duly researched. It is one of the reasons I was so immersed in this book. I was at once taken with Adele and her story. I found myself rooting for her and anticipating with much eagerness how her tale would end. I don't feel like one second of reading this book was a waste of time for me, and coming from a full-time mother of two little ones, this says a lot. If you are looking for another place and time to lose yourself in, On Borrowed Wings is the answer. And even if you are not, it is a thoroughly entertaining read. I highly recommend this book.

Comments

[Marjorie]

I absolutely love historical fiction, and I'm enjoying On Borrowed Wings myself. Thanks for your review!!!

[Marjorie]

I absolutely love historical fiction, and I'm enjoying On Borrowed Wings myself. Thanks for your review!!!

[Michelle]

It is a great book. I got it from my aunt and I could not put it down myself. What a great treat it was to follow Adele/Charlie through her first and oh so exciting year in college.