Cover Image: The Prince of the Skies

The Prince of the Skies

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I originally DNF'd this book, having not been in the mindset to read it - and honestly the market back in 2021 being so overly saturated with books much like this, that I couldn't bring myself to read more. However, I picked it up on a kindle deal recently and decided to try again.

The book itself follows three different pilots: Jean, Henri and Antoine where they help to bring together what, we know, is the the postal air service. Its a lovely written historical fiction, however I did struggle to get through it - I out this down to the length of the read and it probably isn't an area of interest to me.

I am glad to have read it as I feel like I have a better understanding overall of this time period and the challenges to pilots, but I certainly wasn't the aimed demographic for this read.

Was this review helpful?

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely love historical fiction books but unfortunately I really did not enjoy this book. I found the plot weak and couldn’t engage with any of the characters.

Was this review helpful?

A largely biographical book which I enjoyed reading. I didn’t find it a page turner but nevertheless it is recommended.

Was this review helpful?

Adventurous, engaging and detailed fictionalised biography of Antoine de Saint Exupéry, and his two aviation pioneer friends Jean Mermoz and Henri Guillaumet.

Explains their backgrounds, how they came to be friends, and the extraordinary lengths they went to in the early days of aviation, risking their lives to make possible journeys we now take for granted.

Was this review helpful?

A fantastic tale of enterprise and the importance of friendship. This largely biographical story captured my attention from the very beginning. A slightly slow start but I felt that this only engaged the reader more by setting the scene of the story and immersing you totally in the incredibly true tale. A definite read.

Was this review helpful?

An enjoyable book, real feel good quality. Gives insight into the early days of aviation. We take for granted flying to worldwide destinations nowadays but this book gives a lovely insight into the early, rather dangerous days of flying.
Book follows 3 friends and there incredible friendship one of those friends is the author of ‘The Little Prince’.

Was this review helpful?

Fascinating and enthralling read from start to finish, loved it and purchased my own signed copy! Many thanks to Netgalley for the chance to review

Was this review helpful?

A lightly fictionalised biography of Antoine de Saint Exupéry, and his two aviation pioneer friends Jean Mermoz and Henri Guillaumet. Engagingly written, if a little whimsical at times, this tale of adventure and daring, friendship and flying, war and love, is both entertaining and informative, and gives a vivid portrait of the early days in aviation history, the risks these pilots had to take and their passion for the skies. An enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

An amazing book about the first men of the skies in the war. To be honest I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did. A remarkable book leaving a lasting impression, definitely one to read!!

Was this review helpful?

This is an enjoyable, interesting but very intense book!

The lives and loves of the three main characters are ones well spent, and this book does keep your interest.

For me, I struggled a little towards the end, it’s a big book and the last quarter of it I did feel was a bit of a distance to go, but it is based on a true story so…

My thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the copy in exchange for an honest review

Was this review helpful?

WoW this is another book that was beautifully written and is historical novel This book gripped me from the beginning till the very end The Prince of the Skies by Antonio Iturbe was an amazing book. I am so glad I had a chance to read and review it.

I highly recommend this book.

Was this review helpful?

Unfortunately I really struggled with this one. I read about 100 pages & found the pace to be too slow. I didn’t feel invested in the characters so I chose to Dnf - sorry!

Was this review helpful?

Being a huge lover of ‘The Little Prince’ this book certainly did not disappoint.

Based on true events this harrowing story of three Frenchmen, who flew planes in the 1920s to deliver airmail in dangerous conditions tell a tale of friendship, courage and love of life. This is certainly a novel not to be missed.

Thank you for the opportunity to proof read this beautiful book.

Was this review helpful?

Based on true events, this is a wonderful story about three Frenchmen in the 1920s who flew tiny little planes through very dangerous conditions to provide an early air mail postal service. The story goes through Africa and South America and fully embraces their courage, comraderie and love of life.

Was this review helpful?

Having grown up on “Little Prince”, I really wanted to read this book, and I wasn’t disappointed.

‘The Prince of the Skies’ was mesmerising. It was beautifully written, with certain almost poetic aspect of the writing engrossing you completely in the lives of three pilots and their stories, with one of them being Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

In some ways a beautiful story of friendship, ‘The Prince of Skies’ was also firmly placed in the historical times, the times of war, where nothing was certain, and lives were lost. There’s a lot of that uncertainty and this loss almost felt when reading this book – perhaps because of the lyrical/poetic nature of writing.

It’s been an equally heartbreaking and captivating read, and I have enjoyed it very much.

Was this review helpful?

Exciting biography of the famous writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery. I knew his name and had read a couple of his works but had little idea about his life. A thrilling account of early aviation, the beginnings of airmail, his friendships with other pioneer pilots and his amours.

Was this review helpful?

This book is so captivating. Antoine is a lovely warm hearted person. His passion for what he really wanted to do was so inspiring and then how his Children's story Little Prince started to take shape.
between Antoine and his friends this is such a lovely read.

Was this review helpful?

The Prince of the Skies was a frustrating book. There was a lack of a drive behind the story which made everything seem a bit tangential. Shape seemed to be sacrificed for adherence to Exupery's biography, which is dangerous in a work of fiction. Because of this devotion often sections read like summaries, rather than scenes selected to represent the whole. The book is thus rendered overlong, lending a certain irony to a line, quite close to the end: 'the book he still has to strip of unnecessary pages to get to what is essential.'

There are a few clichés within the pages, and it also features several pitfalls of historical fiction:
1) Overexplaining historical figures or points. E.g. '"But you set the international speed record for women in 1930! And you were the first woman to fly solo coast to coast across the United States"'
2) Justifying its own comparisons. E.g. 'His marriage reminds him of the roller coaster they've built in Brooklyn in the States, the one all the illustrated magazines have written about.' (Especially when this metaphor is hardly justified given the character would never had ridden a rollercoaster, and has a whole load of flying experience that would have been more apt).
3) Winking at the modern audience. E.g. '"An extraordinary plane, but too big. IT carries eighty passengers! Can you imagine the madness?'"

There are also some strange turns of phrase in the novel - '"This telegram from Monsieur Duarat with no bombastic words really is poetry"' - but it is difficult to say if this is a problem inherent in the writing style, or in the translation.

Ultimately, I'm not sure what is gained in this novel that would not have been more effective in a biography of Exupery and the men that surrounded him.

Was this review helpful?

Just like everyone else on the planet, I'm a huge fan of 'Le Petit Prince'. It's a truly beautiful classic of French literature, and so enduring. I had also previously read 'Sand, Wind and Stars', which was a gorgeous ode to the thrill, terror and joy of flying. So I was absolutely delighted to receive this book from Netgalley, so as to discover more about Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Wonderfully written, 'The Prince of the Skies' is a glorious exploration of early aviation, and of a literary genius at his most alive. It is also a harrowing testimony of war - its horrors and agonies - providing a lesson that can never be overstated. A great read.

Was this review helpful?