If there is any silver lining to having to spend the majority of my time at home this year, it would have to be having no excuse to not catch up on my backlog list of TV shows I want to watch. At this point, the list of shows has started to rival even my massive "to be read" list. One show that recently caught my eye was The Flight Attendant on HBO Max. I love a good mystery, so the first episode had me hooked from the start. When I discovered that the show was actually based on a book, I decided to do the only logical thing and read the book before continuing the show.
Working for an airline has always held an air of glamor and adventure to me. Pre-COVID, I loved flying to far off cities, exploring the people and culture of places that are different from my own, and embracing the unique perspectives that only come from traveling. As a flight attendant, Cassandra Bowen has been fortunate to fly all over the world. She wouldn't, however, call her job glamorous. Shuttling from airport to hotel after long days in the sky has really taken a toll on Cassie. The only thing that seems to be having a worse effect on her is her drinking. You see, Cassie is an alcoholic.
For years, Cassie has been able to hide her addiction. She's no stranger to drinking all night to the point of blacking out, but she's always up the next morning, ready to fly to the next destination. It comes as no surprise then, that Cassie finds herself living it up with one of her passengers from her most recent flight to Dubai. The couple dines, drinks, and sleeps together all night. When Cassie wakes up in the man's bed the next morning, she has no clear recollection of what exactly happened the night before. She jumps out of bed and expects to make a clean break to the airport. There's only one problem, the attractive man that she spent the night with, is now a murdered corpse in the bed.
It is oddly fitting that Chris Bohjalian's The Flight Attendant should be the 52nd and final book that I read this year. When I started my blog and yearly goal of reading a book a week, it was mainly because the last book I read took me months to complete. That book just happened to be The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian. Don't get me wrong, I actually enjoyed that book a lot, but the fact that I was only reading a handful of books each year really bothered me. Fortunately, The Flight Attendant only took me a couple of days to breeze through. Bohjalian strikes a fine balance between a globe-spanning mystery and the more intimate story of a woman battling her demons. The book takes a more serious and dark tone than the show, but I feel that was really to the benefit of the novel. Even if I felt a bit let down by the ending, I can't deny the fun I had reading up until that point. As the sun sets on the roller coaster year that we've all lived through, I'm grateful for books like this one that can both entertain and implore me to think a bit in the process. With the new year quickly approaching, I'm eager to start reading a book a week all over again.
For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2020, 52)
52 books this year...that's awesome! And I know you read a lot of good ones because many of them are now on my TBR list for 2021. :D I hope you have a very Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I've already got such a large list for 2021 too haha
DeleteFinding a murdered corpse in your bed the next morning is not the greatest way o start the day.
ReplyDeleteRight? Talk about a crazy way to start your day!
DeleteI had not heard about the HBO show. This sounds really good. I couldn't imagine waking up to find that the person next to you has been murdered. Great review!
ReplyDeleteIt is a wild ride for sure!
DeleteI didn't realize the show was based on a book, though adaptations seem to be all the rage these days. I agree, entertainment is my number one goal when I read, but if it is also thought provoking, that's a big win in my book.
ReplyDeleteI will say, that seems to be one of the big positive outcomes of having so many streaming services. Lots of books are being adapted into a series!
DeleteI’d heard about the show, Kaley Cuoco is in it I think, it sounds like a nice quick read that will give you a hit of suspense! Well done on reaching 52!
ReplyDeleteThank you! The show is cute so far, but tonally very different from the book. I think she brings a bit more humor to it.
DeleteYikes, murder victim in bed is not a great start to anyone's day.
ReplyDeleteNot at all haha. Happy New Year!
DeleteI have picked up this title many times from the library, but never got into it. His writing is very good, but I kept choosing other books instead of this one. It does sound darn good from your review. Thanks for all your great reviews this year Ethan. Here's to another year of escaping into a good book. Cheers! Luanne
ReplyDeletePeople seem to either really love this one or have a hard time getting into it. Luckily it drew me right in! Happy New Year!
DeleteI saw the ads for the show everywhere and I heard it was good.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the book and hit your 52 book goal.
Happy New Year!
Karen @ For What It's Worth
I really enjoyed the first episode, so I'm eager to binge the rest! Happy New Year to you too!
DeleteGreat job on reading 52 books last year. I haven't read this one, but I am a bit curious about the show.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
1 liked this series more than I thought I would, but after reading your review I might hot rush to the book. I am curious as to what a season 2 of the show would be like.
ReplyDelete