Stateless by Elizabeth E. Wein is a YA historical murder mystery set in Europe on the brink of WWII. The story follows Stella North, the only female pilot in a race for peace among young aviators from various European countries. As the competition progresses, mysterious accidents and sabotage put the pilots in danger, leading Stella and her fellow competitors to investigate the sinister occurrences.
The book captures the historical setting of pre-WWII Europe, showcasing the tensions and relationships between different countries through the lens of a thrilling aviation race. Elizabeth Wein's storytelling weaves a fast-paced plot with intriguing characters, emphasizing themes of courage, friendship, and determination in the face of adversity.
Genres:
Tropes/Plot Devices:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for Stateless include murder, discussions of trauma, and suicidal themes.
Has Romance?
There is a notable presence of romance in Stateless, contributing an additional layer to character dynamics and relationships.
From The Publisher:
Elizabeth Wein, #1 bestselling author of Code Name Verity , delivers a tour de force historical thriller that will leave you breathless.
Twelve competitors. One prize. Many reasons to kill.
When Stella North is chosen to represent Britain in Europe's first air race for young people, she knows all too well how high the stakes are. As the only participating female pilot, it'll be a constant challenge to prove she's a worthy competitor. But promoting peace in Europe, the goal of the race, feels empty to Stella when civil war is raging in Spain and the Nazis are gaining power-and when, right from the start, someone resorts to cutthroat sabotage to get ahead of the competition.
The world is looking for inspiration in what's meant to be a friendly sporting event. But each of the racers is hiding a turbulent and violent past, and any one of them might be capable of murder-including Stella herself.
Agatha Christie meets Karen McManus in this thrilling mystery, packed with intrigue, adventure, love, and betrayal, from bestselling and award-winning author Elizabeth Wein.
Ratings (2)
Loved It (1) | |
Did Not Like (1) |
Reader Stats (3):
Read It (3) |
1 comment(s)
Stateless is a delightful read, just maybe not for the reasons one would expect. The murder mystery isn’t intricately plotted like murder mystery fans would appreciate, and the identity of the murderer is fairly obvious from the beginning. The romance portion is also quite subtle; this is not the read for someone expecting a decadent historical romance.
I would have to say that the premise is really what sells this book. I mean, an air race across Europe for teenagers on the eve of WWII—what’s more cool than that? I would die for a film adaptation of this book.
More than just the premise, I love the book’s exploration of different themes. I thought it was extremely interesting how the author portrayed the characters as recognizing not only that the world was about to be plunged into war, but that they would be at the forefront of that war. They would be fighting a war majorly started by the older generation who had already lived through and/or fought in the first world war—people like Rosengart and Lady Frith. The teenagers, who come from different European nations but get along and help each other, are pitted against the adults, who are largely ignorant, apathetic, or seemingly powerless. Ultimately, the teenagers must solve the immediate issues without much assistance from the surrounding adults who are supposed to take care of them.
I additionally like how the author portrays Sebastian. She manages to humanize Sebastian (i.e. he isn’t a typical German caricature) without justifying or excusing Nazism/facism/racism/anti-semitism/white supremacy.
Oh, and it was refreshing that, even though the plot revolves around the air race, the author deemphasizes the competition and the concept of winning. American culture is way too obsessed with winning.
Though not my favorite book,
Stateless is a thoroughly entertaining and interesting novel.
What can you read after
Stateless?
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
