The Pilot's Wife (Oprah's Book Club)

Life is good or so thought high school teacher Kathryn Lyons. Her beloved husband Jack, a trans-Atlantic pilot, and Kathryn have shared a strong relationship over the years they have been together. Their teenage daughter Mattie is intelligent and loving though a bit too independent as fifteen-year old girls seem to be, at least with their moms. However, her happy family lifestyle explodes into pieces when Jack's plane blows up while in the air ten miles from Ireland.

Already struggling with grief, Kathryn is stunned by the incessant questions about Jack, their marriage, and even Mattie's personal life. Rumors abound that Jack lived a secret life. Soon the media accuses Jack of pilot error and the flight investigators believe he committed suicide. After finding some inexplicable notes in their home, Kathryn is unable to sit idle as her past and her spouse seem to have their history rewritten so she begins her own inquiries. As she searches into Jack's past with the help of union official Robert Hart, Kathryn wonders exactly who her husband truly was?

THE PILOT'S WIFE is an SST-paced story line that takes the reader along for an intriguing ride. Kathryn is an interesting character struggling with what she learns about the husband she never knew. Robert adds little to the plot beyond informing the widow of the tragedy. He adds an unnecessary betrayal and romantic subplot that takes the audience on a inclement weather detour. However, when Ann Shreve's novel stays with Kathryn's revelations about Jack, the story becomes a great thriller worth reading.

And she didn't disappoint me there. Anita takes you on a journey through a woman's self-discovery as she struggles with her husband's death and the reality that she didn't know him like she thought she did. It is a portrayal of a strong woman who sets out to learn who her husband really was ~~ while at the same time working to protect her daughter and helping her through this trying time as well as exploring her self-realization.

It is a quick read as well as an engrossing one. Though the book doesn't stir up lots of debates like Oprah's other selections, the topic of adultery still hits too close to home. However, it is interesting to see how Kathryn deals with it during her grieving process and comes to the realization that none of us really know another person. This book may sound depressing, but it really isn't. You have to read between the lines to see that there is a gift of hope that Anita was trying to share with her readers as you grow along with Kathryn on her journey.

"The Pilot's Wife" was a haunting, yet realistic tale. I usually read at night, yet I found it hard to read this particular book right before going to sleep. The book seemed slow going at first, but in the end, your patience will be awarded. I will admit that the story line was somewhat disturbing, yet in a good way. Can you ever really know you know someone? So many times, it seems that couples enter into relationships expecting their passion to one day subside. This idea has been accepted as normal in today's society. Yet, Kathryn, the main character learns that allowing physical, emotional and intellectual intimacy to fade in her marriage was a grave mistake. I am currently engaged and, if anything, I learned from the book the value of honesty, trust, openess and, overall, reality. There are no fairy tale marriages or relationships. However, accepting this fact and living in the light of the truth will free your soul. In the end, Katherine learned about her mistakes, as well as her husband's, and we can all learn through this awesome novel about the realities of love and loss.

The Pilot's Wife is an insightful tale of loss and betrayal. As the story opens, Kathryn, a pilot's wife, has been told that her husband's plane has crashed and there are no survivors. We follow Kathryn into the numbing, silent, surreal world known to those who suffer loss. Memories of her happy marriage engulf her and paralyze her, but she begins to cope with the help of a kind man from the pilot's union. In the second half of the book, Kathryn pieces together clues left by her husband that lead to shocking revelations about him, and eventually, the healing process begins.

The first half of the book was an accurate picture of one in the grieving process; unfortunately, it was too long and became somewhat tedious. The second half, however, was very exciting, and I could hardly turn the pages fast enough to see what would happen next. The climax is quite satisfying and made me glad I stuck with it and finished the book.

The Pilot's Wife would make an excellent movie, with lots of romance, tragedy and intrigue. If you like stories that are full of surprises, you'll enjoy this book.

I'd like to know what publishers (and Oprah) are smoking when they applaud something like this.

As a daughter of a commercial airline pilot, I found the majority of Shreve's assumptions almost rude. "A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late night knock at the door." ?! Is Kathryn's supposed "preparation" for this the reason her "grief" is more appropriate for the death of a beloved goldfish?

WARNING, MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW

Furthermore we're supposed to believe that:

1) An American (as in US-born) pilot (99% of which are trained by the US military) would be involved even remotely in anything related to organized terrorism. And one with children? Even before 9/11, this just stinks. Oh yeah, he was DRAFTED and came out of Vietnam a pilot. Did he just skip stringent military flight training? They just pushed him into the cockpit during combat, I guess. He's got expensive taste in antique checkerboards, terrible fashion sense when it comes to his own wardrobe, but Bergdorf-lavish when it comes to gifts for the wife.

2) Aforementioned pilot seems to feel that his mother, in a nursing home with Alzheimer's, is just better off "dead" in the minds of his wife and child.

3) A beautiful Londoner would marry aforementioned pilot knowing full well that doing so was intercontinental bigamy. And then bring TWO children into the world as a result of this union.

4) The "union" representative who calls on Kathryn for most of the novel. This is his job? How often do domestic US airlines have crashes? Two or three a year? (9/11 excluded) With a crew of 4-10 on each flight are we supposed to believe that the pilot/attendant unions have these people on staff, who are pilots, not psychiatrists or even psychologists, available seemingly for months on end to counsel the families. Who can accompany said grieving family member via First Class to London. And of course, this "union" representative knows ALL the details of something which only the FBI and maybe the FAA would be privy. Even before 9/11 (I'm sounding repetitive), the airlines and the unions cannot support a program such as this. And even if they did, any sexual encounter, or any suggestion thereof, involving a counselor and a grieving family member would be just another lawsuit among the many.

5) An anti-IRA group planted a bomb on an American airliner via IRA infiltration. Yeah. Okay, sure. Whatever, Anita.

No way. "Can we ever really know another person?" I guess not, provided you're inherently stupid.