The Girl Who Could Fly (Piper McCloud, #1)

by Victoria Forester

Piper McCloud can fly. Just like that. Easy as pie. Problem is, the good folk of Lowland County are afraid of Piper. And her ma's at her wits' end. So it seems only fitting that she leave her parents' farm to attend a top-secret, maximum-security school for kids with exceptional abilities, whose skills range from super-strength to super-genius. But Piper is special, even among the special. And there are consequences. Consequences too dire to talk about. Too crazy to consider. And too dangerous to ignore.

By turns exhilarating and terrifying, an unforgettable story of defiance and courage starring an irrepressible heroine who can, who will, who must . . . fly.

• ISBN10: 0312602383
• ISBN13: 9780312602383
• Publish Date: 2 February 2010 (first published 24 June 2008)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Square Fish
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 329
• Language: English

Reviews

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

The Girl Who Could Fly mixes the old and the new in a soaring adventure about a girl who simply wants to use her talents to be herself. Piper McCloud doesn’t see her ability to fly as anything other than heartpoundingly extraordinary, a skill she’d like to teach others so they can share the beauty of the skies. But her neighbors think it isn’t right, and what isn’t right what must be avoided, or maybe destroyed. Thus Piper’s journey to hone her talents as a flier also becomes a journey about how to be herself and how to fit in, a theme even grounded readers will be able to identify with.

The book opens in rural Lowland County, where the McClouds have been farming their plot of land for generations. The people here like tradition and aren’t accustomed to change; reading this section is like reading a book set in the 1800s, where little girls braided their hair in plaits, wore gingham dresses, and walked to school carrying lunch pails they would set to cool in the stream. Forester chooses just the right voice for the book based on this setting, giving Piper and her folks a bit of a country accent and steady personalities that value hard work, virtuous living, and keeping tradition going.

Piper, of course, puts a bit of a wrench in the plans. She has the country accent, which she’s mocked for when she leaves for school and discovers the rest of the world has been modernized, but she doesn’t have the character of a steady farm girl. She’s high-spirited, sometimes flighty. And her spunk makes her fun to read about, as she certainly isn’t afraid to try to make things change.

The rest of the cast is similarly varied in personality. Forester does fall into the trap of writing twins who are “just like one person” (and apparently enjoy having no individual identities, which I think it is a new low in twin characterization), but otherwise has a good mix of personalities. The villain falls a little apart at the end, as she has a sudden personal revelation that isn’t much explored before she’s dropped from the story, but she’s an exception.

The pacing mostly works out. The story starts a bit slowly and ends a bit oddly, as it looks clearly to have been trying to conclude while keeping itself open for a sequel that just never happened. However, for the most part I was really engaged in the story and didn’t once put it down because I got bored. The Girl Who Could Fly isn’t going to be my favorite middle grade book of the year or anything, but it is entertaining and I think readers who normally enjoy middle grade fantasy would like it.

[nitzan_schwarz]

3.5 stars

Originally posted on my blog.

So... story time! I've had this book for years. I read about 70 pages of it, and for some reason put it down. For the life of me I can't remember why, because I can clearly remember enjoying and even laughing at those 70 pages. But I did. If you recall, I've started a Reading Plan this year, and part of it is reading at least one "Old Buy" each month. I chose to kick-start that theme with the Girl Who Could Fly. Sure am glad I did that!

The Girl Who Could Fly is a middle grade story. I don't read many of those, to be honest. This one is one of the better ones out there, I think, though it did have it's short comings. But why talk about the bad when you can start with the good? its funny, it's smart, it makes you think, and the main character Piper is the captivating and unique sort.

She comes up with such interesting questions for a girl her age! And she liked to talk. I can relate - I will carry on a conversation all by myself too, when needed. She's also very optimistic, sees the best in people, compassionate and kind. And she's a natural born leader. And she is, essentially, a child. She doesn't come out as too mature, or anything. She comes across her age. Sometimes, books miss on that bit.

And I definitely think Piper, her way of thinking and behaving were the strongest and best thing about the book. I mean, the goodbye scene made my eyes tear. Tear! And I guess I really loved her parents, too. They appear so strict at first, it's beautiful to see how much they actually love their child.

Lastly, I loved the way the book showed how bad people are not just bad, and good people are not just good, and sometimes good people do bad things, and people who look good are bad, and not everything is as it seems, for better or worse.

Conrad's character is pretty interesting. I like what went down on his front. He's a bullying genius... but really, he's just a love-starved kid. And I especially liked the relationship that he and Piper developed. I am definitely seeing a strong compatibility in this couple. In my mind, I already pictured them getting together as teenagers and her father finding them kissing in the farm and almost having a heart attack and stuff like that. Shut up - I am a romantic. I'm allowed to dream up a romance where there is no specific one! (and daydream)

The world was interesting, with the idea behind the institute - how it dealt with special people. But some parts of it just didn't make a lot of sense. Mostly the science, or why they did some stuff they did. And I couldn't figure out why some of the people who were there... were there. And even when we did get an explanation, like the Good Doctor's, it was just so confused. At the end, I didn't understand the real story there. is her brother even real, or did she make him up to keep up the denial about herself? I thought it was J. but then her entire speech about her brother doesn't coincide with the discovery that she's the one who hurt her sister. And so much more questions!

My biggest issue with the book? all the unanswered questions. It feels like a first installment of a series, instead of a standalone. Backstories are not fully explained, relationships between characters do not come to light, a character pops up at the very end and leaves cryptic messages to the characters that never get solved, and the end definitely gives the impression this is just the start of something. That there is more to the story, or more down the road. But considering the book was published in 2008, I've a feeling we're never going to get those answers. And that grates on my nerves.

However, if you're looking for a book for your young son or daughter to read and enjoy, this one would be a great pick!

[Eve1972]

I LOVED this one, I heard it described as "Little House on the Prairie meets X Men" and that is a very good description! It was just a really fun read, with great characters and a entertaining storyline. I really really hope there is a sequel in the works!!