This story of two women from two different generations is about ambition, womanhood, and identity. Split into two plot lines, the sagas are set in different timelines with one in Prohibition-era Montana and the other in present-day Los Angeles. The dual narrative intertwine since the female protagonists are connected in that the life of Marian Graves becomes part of Hadley Baxter’s film career. It traverses time and space to speak on the power of ambition from two eras that differ greatly on gender dynamics. The title refers to the route of circumnavigating the globe and also the overarching motif of circularity that exists in their lives and journeys.
The first saga involves the globetrotter and aviator Graves intending to circumnavigate pole-to-pole around the earth. In the same fashion as Amelia Earhart, she manages to take on this task but vanishes in the South Pacific during her final trip. In the present day, the ambitious actress Hadley delves into Marian’s story in order to play her in an upcoming film. Through this journey, she discovers more about herself through the daring life of the legendary pilot. The two narratives converge to address the empowerment of women in areas or careers that are dominated by males.
Ron Charles of The Washington Post stated “A soaring work of historical fiction . . . So convincingly does Shipstead stitch her fictional heroine into the daring flight paths of early aviators that you’ll be convinced that you remember the tragic day her plane disappeared. Great Circle is a relentlessly exciting story about a woman maneuvering her way between tradition and prejudice to get what she wants.” The novel has been listed for the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and the 2021 Booker Prize.
