I finished the novel in one sitting and went to bed that night still thinking about Frances and her adventures.
The novel begins with what seems like two young teenagers innocently making out near a railway track, but readers are quick to discover that not all is what it seems. This plotline is revisited and threaded throughout the main story and has deep effects on the main character Frances and her life in a southern suburb of Sydney.
What if you Fly? follows Frances Davies as she moves through high school and discovers love for the first time with an Italian fisherman named Leo, and the struggles that came with living during World War II.
It begins in 1940 in the suburb of Como in New South Wales, where WWII is a main focus of all Australian’s lives at the time. The main character Frances states in the very first chapter that the war has not affected her life so far … this is about to change.
Camille Booker takes readers on a journey, following Frances on her travels around the world to find herself during one of the most momentous events in history. She has created a world that immediately hooks you in and leaves you wanting more. My grandparents hadn’t even been born when WWII began, so it was interesting to read about the history of our country from a fresh perspective, and a woman’s perspective at that.
What if You Fly? was intriguing from the beginning, and at times had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. Once I started, I couldn’t wait to see how the author was going to wrap up this amazing story; I finished the novel in one sitting and went to bed that night still thinking about Frances and her adventures.
What if You Fly? is a love story to women and an empowering piece of writing, showcasing the roles that women have played in wartime Australia.
Five stars.
Camille Booker’s novel What If You Fly? placed second in the 2020 Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize and was later offered a publishing contract.
