Margin Notes

A Thousand Sisters by Elizabeth Wein tells the story of the courageous and frequently forgotten airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War Two. It begins by following Marina Raskova, a Soviet pilot who spent much of her childhood in the time between the First and Second World Wars. She was one of many Soviet women who had grown up with the assumption that when the “Future War” began, she would take part in the fighting and serve her Motherland just as the men would. In her case, she would fight from the air. 

When the Second World War began, however, women’s ability to enroll in the fight did not play out as expected. They were encouraged to aid the fight in other ways, but not to directly engage in combat. That was not seen as the place for women. For many female pilots, they were instead put into the position of flight instructor; they were to train male pilots, who would then be able to fight. 

This book follows the women who did get into the fight as pilots, in many cases thanks to Marina Raskova. These women fought – and many died – for their Motherland, and their stories have been beautifully and emotionally recorded by Elizabeth Wein in A Thousand Sisters. 

This book would be excellent for anyone who has an interest in history, particularly the history of aviation, war, and women’s rights. It would be well suited to those who prefer to focus on the stories and lives of the people involved in historical events. This book is deeply informative while still being an engaging and interesting read. The author’s passion for the subject comes through clearly in her writing; Elizabeth Wein got her private pilot license in 2003, so she has both interest and knowledge in the field. The reader will not only learn, but will find themselves growing attached to the many pilots whose personalities and relationships are beautifully illustrated in this book – and will find themselves grieving as they learn of the tragic endings met by many of the women. 

Elizabeth Wein’s writing in A Thousand Sisters suits the topic of the book. It is always very clear what she is saying, so the reader will never have to decider what it is she means. There are points where she also adds her own feelings towards the historical events, giving extra layers of sorrow and humour, and humanizing the stories to another degree.  

Although not strictly necessary, the reader would benefit from at least basic information regarding the Second World War. Elizabeth Wein certainly provides enough information to give context, particularly when it comes to the Soviet Union before and during World War Two. But having even baseline knowledge of the war outside of the events in the book would allow for a deeper understanding of the events described within the book. 

Overall, A Thousand Sisters is a well written and fascinating book that I would certainly recommend to anyone with an interest in the subject. It is a fascinating window into the experiences of women in armed aerial military combat, which itself was exceedingly rare at the time of World War Two and still cannot be noted as commonplace today. It also allows the reader a glimpse into the connections and friendships these women developed, even under the constant stress and peril of war. 

Lindsay Brander-Wilkie enjoys drawing, painting, sculpting, and practically anything to do with being outdoors. One of her favorite pass-times is most certainly reading, her preferred genre being fantasy. She also has a deep interest in writings which are about the past, both those which are fictional and those which are purely educational. Lindsay’s writing tends to follow a similar path of subject matter as her reading choices: fiction and history. At some point (she can’t remember exactly when) she began writing small stories for herself outside of school and has continued to write for fun ever since. The learning process is one of the things she loves most about writing, and she frequently finds herself diving headfirst into rabbit holes she hadn’t known existed – but don’t worry, she always brings snacks on her travels.