A Thousand Sisters

November 15, 2018
In her first work of nonfiction for teens, Wein (The Last Jedi, 2017, etc.) details the complex and inspiring story of the only women combat pilots of World War II.The "Great Patriotic War" was already under way by the time Marina Raskova--a famous, record-breaking pilot--convinced the Soviet Union to create women's air regiments. Using photographs and primary source quotations, Wein brings these regiments of young women to life, tracing their harrowing experiences before, during, and after the war. A detailed overview of the Russian political and social landscape in the first half of the 20th century is interwoven throughout the narrative, contextualizing the Soviet Union's involvement in World War II. Wein thoughtfully addresses her readers' contemporary understanding of identity politics, acknowledging the homogeneity of her white (despite the ethnic diversity of the USSR), straight subjects and the ways that Soviet ideologies about gender align with or differ from the expectations of contemporary American readers. The Soviet women's experiences are placed in context through comparisons with the roles of women pilots in the Royal Air Force and the United States military. Vivid descriptions of their personal sacrifices and the deep bonds they formed connect readers to the story. Careful footnotes provide information about unfamiliar vocabulary, and pagelong sidebars round out the history with tangential but fascinating facts.For readers invested in military and/or feminist history, this important book soars. (source notes, bibliography) (History. 14-18)

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December 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-From Wein, author of Code Name Verity, comes a nonfiction account of the women pilots of the Soviet Union. Starting prior to World War II, Wein describes how aviation became a hobby and passion for many young women in the Soviet Union. When World War II started, life under the Soviet system meant women could serve as pilots, theoretically equal to men, in the war effort. Wein provides a meticulously detailed account of Marina Raskova's Aviation Regiments: the 586th Fighter Aviation Regiment, the 587th Bomber Aviation Regiment, and the 588th Night Bomber Aviation Regiment. These three were largely staffed with women volunteers and fought on the frontlines of the war. The author provides an intimate look at the pilots' lives, both personal and military, as they work to defeat the Nazis. Likewise, Wein does not shy away from describing the difficult and often terrifying aspects of living under Stalin, including descriptions of man-made famines and the Great Purge. Some readers may have difficulty keeping track of all of the figures, but Raskova often acts as an anchor to assist readers in following the numerous and complex accounts. VERDICT Recommend this richly detailed work of nonfiction to fans of Monica Hesse and Wein's historical fiction.-Kaetlyn Phillips, Yorkton, Sask.

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2018
Grades 9-12 Wein has written plenty of novels starring daring women flyers, but sometimes the truth is just as compelling as fiction. Such is the case of the three WWII Soviet women's flight regiments she profiles here. Wein lucidly describes the pilots' air battles, crash landings, and escapes, as well as the more mundane details of barracks life, including the drudgery of maintaining their aircraft in the harsh Russian winter; their attempts to adapt their too-big men's uniforms (such as improvised silk underwear from pilfered parachutes); and the deep-seated affection that developed among the women. Of course, this is a book about combat, and deaths are frequent and heartbreaking. Incorporating plenty of primary documents and copious source notes, this is exceptionally well researched, and Wein offers plenty of helpful historical and cultural context to drive the concepts home. While the litany of names, titles, and troop movements can get repetitive, these are nevertheless thrilling stories packed with lively detail, and the fascinating topic, still relatively unknown, should lure a broad range of readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2019
Wein has established herself as a consummate writer of historical fiction (Code Name Verity, rev. 5/12; Rose Under Fire, rev. 11/13); here she exercises her considerable skill as a researcher, historian, and storyteller in a capacious history of the USSR's three regiments of airwomen during World War II. Beginning with Marina Raskova's advocacy for women pilots, and the formation of her all-women regiments of dive bombers, fighters, and night bombers (familiarly known as the Night Witches ), Wein takes us deep into the training, daily lives, combat, and intense personal commitment these women experienced throughout the war. She clearly contextualizes their story within Stalin's regime, Nazism, and developments at the Eastern Front, but her passionate undergirding theme is the right of women to fly and, particularly, to fly in combat. The personalities and skills of the airwomen come alive, in part through accounts of night after night of flying and bombing and fighting, and in part through Wein's attention to how they exerted femininity and solidarity in the thick of brutal living conditions. An easy, friendly writing style?deceptive, given the acuity of Wein's perceptions and the extent of the material she manages?invites readers into the company of a formidable sisterhood. Illustrated throughout with maps and period photographs; appended with copious back matter, including meticulous source notes, a lengthy bibliography, an author's note, and an index. deirdre f. baker

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)