A novel in which we encounter several female aviation pioneers, set against a backdrop of the quest for emancipation and a dream: to fly. All this as World War II approaches...
A novel in which we encounter several female aviation pioneers, set against a backdrop of the quest for emancipation and a dream: to fly. All this as World War II approaches…
Sometimes, aviation legends find their way into fiction… The year is 1937, on the island of Jersey. A young woman, Gabrielle Saint-Hilaire, is somewhat bored in this Anglo-Norman territory, a few miles from the continent. She wants more, she wants to fly higher. Nurturing her dream of flying, she quarrels with her family, who are unable to understand her desire for emancipation—the society of the time frowned upon the idea of a woman becoming a pilot. Fortunately, her brother Gaston does not share this view and decides to leave with her for Paris and accompany her to obtain her pilot’s license.
Once in the capital, Gabrielle quickly made a name for herself in the microcosm of aviation. A brilliant student, she began to rack up achievements, to the point of being noticed by a certain Maryse Bastié, a living legend of aviation and holder of numerous flight duration records. Soon, the idea of an aerial expedition to the African continent is born. But against a backdrop of the threat of war and conservative social mores, this dream of emancipation will be confronted with harsh realities…
Through the journey of a fictional heroine, this novel, winner of the 2025 Femme Actuelle Jury’s Choice Award, takes readers back to the interwar period and brings several pioneers back to life. In addition to Maryse Bastié, we also meet Maryse Hilsz, speed record holder, and Claire Roman, France’s first female military aviator, who are less well known but whose exploits also marked the golden age of aviation. In short, this book has everything to please!
Book. “Quand leurs ailes seront déployées” (When Their Wings Are Spread). Author: Vincent J. Potier. Publisher: Les Lauréats. ISBN: 2810441537