Circling the Sun

"Circling the Sun" by Paula McLain

5/5 stars

Finished 7/28/20

I loved this book! Everything about it. I especially loved the main character, Beryl. She didn’t care how young girls or ladies were supposed to act or dress in the early 1900s. She stayed true to herself and did what she loved doing. The only time she wasn’t was when she would allow herself to be taken care of by a man, whether via marriage or other arrangement. But those decisions were essentially made for her survival at the time. She would always eventually gain her independence back and return to wearing those pants, doing a “man’s job” of horse training, living how she wanted to live, and even fly. She didn’t have the best of luck with men….well, not at all really. But there was one man who her heart always truly belonged to. The one you always hoped she would end up marrying for the right reasons. But sometimes you just fall in love with the one you can never fully have to yourself.

My favorite quote from the book is something a friend once told her – “We’re all of us afraid of many things, but if you make yourself smaller or let your fear confine you, then you really aren’t your own person at all – are you? The real question is whether or not you will risk what it takes to be happy.”

One thing I noticed that I have to give kudos to the author for is that although she is American, she used the English spelling of various words throughout the book to match the setting and characters – English citizens living in what would become Kenya. Such a small little thing, but I feel like it actually made a big difference. Afterall, it is written in Beryl’s point of view so why not embrace her 100%.