Please note that this book was read by the Angels in March 2013.

The March book club meeting was something a bit different for the Angels as we invited along Linzi Crossley from the Charity Womankind. Womankind arranges book groups in honour of International Women’s day and to promote their work helping women around the world. After explaining a bit about what Womankind do, Linzi had the group choose a book from the Womankind reading list which would be our book of the month. The book chosen was ‘Flying Under Bridges’ By Sandi Toksvig.

If you have read our previous book reviews, you will know that we are a very mixed bunch, rarely agreeing on whether we all like a book or not. But this is what makes a good book club. ‘Flying Under Bridges’ was no different in this case.

The story follows two former school friends who are experiencing changes in their lives; Eve who is a housewife in the suburbs and Inge, an Olympic athlete who now works for BBC sport. Their lives could not be more different. Inge finds herself returning to Edenford, the town where they both grew up and the two women find their lives becoming interwoven again as they face the challenges of their changing world’s. Neither can carry on the way they are, but things change dramatically when one of them becomes a killer.

Some members found the story to be very depressing and had to keep putting the book down, finding it hard to continue. Others, although they didn’t find the story itself funny, found Sandi Toksvig’s style of narration to be funny and this made an otherwise sad story easier to read. Many were engaged as they wanted to read on and found out how one of the women becomes a murderer (this is revealed at the books start) and the circumstances in which the killing took place.

The story demonstrated extremes of thought that exist in society including; women must stay at home rather than having a career, homosexuality is wrong and xenophobia. Sandi Toksvig relates the prejudice that her protagonists face with skill, exploring the consequences of a woman who has snapped.

The Angels have awarded ‘Flying Under Bridges’ with 6/10. Although some members liked the story, most found the book unenjoyable as they found it depressing and were disappointed, as they expected a book by Sandi Toksvig to be more humorous.

Having said this, the group was happy to do their bit for Womankind in having the special meeting and trying out the reading list.