Before reading The Long Flight Home by Alan Hlad, I had never heard of war pigeons, nor did I know how they were used by the Allied forces to help win WWII.

Hlad’s historical fiction account captured my attention and compelled me to keep reading (even while sick with the flu) from the first page to the last. It was one of those stay-up-til-I-finish-at-2 a.m. kind of books. The characters were well-developed, the plot believable, and the ending, though I wished for something slightly different, was satisfying. The shining star in the story is Duchess, the wonder pigeon, who ties the book together from start to finish. Grab a tissue and be prepared not to put the book down until you’ve turned the last page.

Not the smoothest writing, but the story is heartfelt. Everything about the use of pigeons during war is very interesting. There are some awkward plot twists, but overall the story works.

However, I did find the ending unsatisfactory. Just as we are reaching the story's climax (big spoiler)

Spoiler

we move forward in time 50 years and get an info dump about Susan's life since the war. Lieutenant Boar got his way and separated Susan and Ollie. There had to be a better way to end this novel.

Still, I recommend The Long Flight Home to World War II buffs who like to read fiction about true war-time circumstances and to bird lovers. And I now want to read Gordon Corera's nonfiction book on the use of homing pigeons during World War II.

One other thing: I listened to part of the audiobook, and I don't know what accent Simon Vance is doing for Ollie but it's sure not American!

Loved this book about pigeons and the war effort, and, of course, the people whose lives they greatly influenced.

Book #100 of 2024 and what an amazing story! I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you for your service, Duchess

Wonderful. Engrossing. A page turned. I loved it..

I've never read about Source Columba so this story was unique and engaging.

I love to read historical fiction from the World War 2 Era, but I never knew about Source Columba or anything about homing pigeons, so I was very excited to receive a copy of this unique book from Kensington. There were so many sweet parts to this story, like the close relationship between Susan and Bertie, and how Susan, Duchess, and Ollie all bonded over being orphans. For a few chapters I thought this would simply be a feel-good story with the drama of the war as a backdrop, but things quickly got much more difficult and complicated. I thought Lt. Boar's character was interesting... I like when an author explains why someone is a jerk and makes you feel a bit sorry for them so you can't let yourself hate them completely. It was so interesting learning about the role of pigeons in the war and this book has made me want to do more research about that.

Fascinating historical love story set in WWII based upon the reality of using pigeons to gather intelligence from occupied France back to England.

Compelling story of an aspect of WW2 that was unknown to me.

Alan Hlad’s debut novel is a remarkable piece of fiction based on true events. I was completely engrossed with it and I had such a hard time putting it down. I wanted to know more and learn more. I learned things about WWII I hadn’t ever known before—using hundreds of homing pigeons to collect intelligence. Displaying mannequin-like dummies and tanks made out of cardboard to fool the Germans. Removing street signs to confuse the Germans if invaded. Just tidbits of information that generally aren’t talked about in WWII novels.

The character development is beautifully created and I felt so tied to them and Susan’s pet pigeon. The story of Ollie and Susan involves romance, intrigue, history, and a healthy dose of love for animals. The repeated obstacles the two lovers face kept me engaged non-stop throughout the book.

I cheered for the characters, cried for them, feared for them, and smiled with them. It definitely had some very intense nail-biter scenes that kept me hung in the balance.

Once I finished the book, I didn’t want to start another one right off the bat. I wanted to relish in it and ponder on it.

The research is incredible and I loved how the author intertwined some unknown true events that sparked the plot for this story. It’s an incredible weaving of fact and fiction.

I loved this book. It’s one I’d read again and again. I look forward to more books written by Alan Hlad.

Content: (S) None. (V) Typical war violence of shooting, stabbing, hitting, and some poor treatment of animals. (L) Mild.