The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West by Sara Ackerman, a gripping novel inspired by real events, is about a woman aviator who competes in a race across the Pacific, from San Francisco to the Island of Oahu, Hawaii. The story toggles to another young woman who inherits land on Hawaii’s big island, Hawaii. The novel takes place alternately between 1927 and 1987.

It’s 1927 and Olivia West has learned about the Dole Air Race, a high-stakes contest to be the first to make the 2,400 mile Pacific crossing. Olivia has a pilot’s license and is also an expert on navigation. Her father, a commercial fisherman, taught her navigation, including extensive knowledge of atmospheric conditions. It soon becomes clear that only men will be accepted as pilots, but Olivia is able to participate in the race as navigator. The airplane she’ll navigate, the Malolo is 27 feet long, a little more than 9 feet high, has a 41-foot wingspan, and is covered in canvas. Only two people, a pilot and a navigator, will be in each plane. Leaving San Francisco, only five out of the seven qualifying planes will even make it up in the air. As expected, not all will survive this dangerous journey.

It’s 1987 and Wren Summers is almost flat broke when she learns she has inherited a remote piece of land on the Big Island of Hawaii. When she investigates her inheritance she finds a large old dilapidated barn and an overgrown macadamia nut grove. Her first idea is to sell the land and use the money to live on. Upon further investigation she finds clues to aviation history in the barn that could be priceless. In the meantime, Wren needs money to live on until she can sort out the mysteries she’s encountered. She finds work at a nearby senior care center. What she discovers in talking with the residents at the center are pieces of Olivia West’s story, and of her own family’s history.

I found The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West a fascinating story of bravery and of courage it took for early aviators to undertake this harrowing journey. The Dole Air Race, also known as Dole Derby, actually took place in August, 1927. Toggling from 1927 to 1987 was well done as it captured aviation history and also Hawaii’s modern-day charm.