Flying through Stunts and War

Black Dove White Raven
By Elizabeth Wein
Genre: YA Historical Fiction 

"Emilia's and Teo's lives changed in a fiery, terrifying instant when a bird strike brought down the plane their stunt-pilot mothers were flying. Teo's mother died immediately, but Em's survived, determined to raise Teo according to his late mother's wishes-in a place where he won't be discriminated against because of the color of his skin. But in 1930s America, a white woman raising a black adopted son alongside a white daughter is too often seen as a threat. 

"Seeking a home where her children won't be held back by ethnicity or gender, Rhoda brings Em and Teo to Ethiopia, and all three fall in love with the beautiful, peaceful country. But that peace is shattered by the threat of war with Italy..." 

This was the first Wein book I've read, and it was wonderful. The intriguing dynamic stunt mother duo drew me in almost at once. What would it be like to have mothers who do stunt flying for a living? And during a touchy race time when you're of different races? Well, I won't ruin it, but it's both exciting and boring at times for the kids. 

I loved Emilia's character: she's snarky, brave, and terrified, sometimes all at once. She lightened up the tense, sad moments, and I wouldn't have enjoyed the novel nearly as much as I did without her brazen personality. The relationship she and Teo have is adorable, and Wein made it personal with little relational details that I won't spoil but that are so neat. 

Wein also did an excellent job of describing Ethiopia. I fell in love with the country almost as much as Em, Teo, and Rhoda did! I'm sure this was a complex story to write for many reasons, but Wein did a great job weaving and displaying the tension between the Italians and Ethiopians in a way that grips the reader and pulls them in. I can't even imagine suffering through some of the things the main characters had to deal with at their age. Wow! 

Wein pieces the tale together through different essays and stories the kids wrote, which was well done and gave me better insights into their personalities. The stories especially helped me be able to see the situations through the eyes of a child, since that is what the main characters are for the majority of the novel. The stories of Black Dove, White Raven, exhumes Teo and Em's thoughts and feelings so the reader can better see and understand what they are going through. How I miss Teo and Em! I will definitely have to visit them again in this book. 

The only problem I had with this novel was a moral decision that one of the characters makes at the end. But overall, I give it a 5 out of 5 and recommend it for 15 year olds and up. I will definitely check out some of Wein's other historical novels, so keep a sharp lookout for them here! 

What I learned: Life is about relationships and those we love.