"Hiding is a way of holding ourselves until we are ready to come into the light." On a stormy night in May, a plane took off from Dulles bound for California. The Boeing 737 carrying 123 passengers and crew inexplicably exploded and everything rained down on the Kansas prairie outside of Wichita. The NTSB mobilized its investigators who headed to the site in an attempt to figure out what happened and why. "Investigating a crash is one part archeology, one part guesswork, and one part origami." But this wasn't a story about the methods of that agency. The most startling aspect of this terrible disaster was that there was rumor of a survivor. This wasn't really a story about her, either, after all. The narrative shifts between the viewpoints of Erin Geraghty (wife, mother, lawyer, cancer patient) and Charlie Radford (a member of the NTSB GO Team). The information about the procedures of the Pointer 795 crash investigation is very interesting. The plausibility and believability of a person defying the laws of physics to survive such an event even more so. But at the heart of this tale is the question -- what rights do people have to privacy and the choice about self-determination. This book begs to be chosen for book club discussion and I've enjoyed reading all the other reviews. Although I likely would not have made the same choices as either of the main characters, I respect their ability to do so. The reality is that we often don't have the ability to control our own narratives, especially if the public is clamoring for explanations, reasons, or answers. I could not put this down until I finished it in a single sitting. Very thought-provoking and I think I'll remember this one for a long time. Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. This is a standalone and is not part of any series. Genre - drama, mystery, plane crash, profound story about self-determination and freedom to choose. |
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