Praiseworthy Pages

Reader Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (4/5 stars)

The books I’ve read by Michael Crichton have always been great, so when I saw that he had a book about planes, I decided to give it a read in an effort to blend my love of books with my boyfriend’s love for aerodynamics. Again, Crichton did not disappoint.

To be honest, I’m not knowledgeable when it comes to the science behind…pretty much anything, including flight! Before I began reading, I worried that the majority of the book would fly (pun intended) directly over my head, and I wouldn’t make sense of enough of it for the book to keep me interested throughout its entirety. I shouldn’t have worried. Crichton’s ability to explain complicated ideas definitely falls in the “masterful” range, and his writing kept me hooked from the get-go to the very end. I definitely enjoyed this read!

Language: 4/10 (Swearing often, middle-high school hallway language).
Sex: 8/10 (Infrequent references to sex).
Violence and gore: 8/10 (Not detailed or extensive).

Plot: 7/10 (I’ve got to say, the plot–especially the ending and the final reveal–was fairly predictable. Crichton laid the pieces of the puzzle out with more specific detail than necessary, which meant that the final reveal did not hold as much weight as I’m sure he intended it to. However, despite that, the plot with all its angst and race against the clock appealed to me enough that the overall experience did not fall flat).
Characters: 7/10 (Despite Crichton’s best efforts to give depth to the more main characters, the only character that had much to her was the main character herself, and even she could have been improved by a little more emotion, a little more humanity. The book was definitely more plot-driven than character-driven).
Writing style: 8/10 (Again, like I said, I’m never disappointed by Crichton’s style. He does an excellent job. The only reason this novel did not get a perfect rating is due to the issues I explained regarding plot and characters).

Genre: Adult literature, realistic fiction
Potential triggers: Extreme airplane turbulence, death, vomiting, attempted murder, etc.
Is this book part of a series? No.
I would recommend this book to readers aged 18+.