Flightless Falcon | By James Charles Smith

My thoughts

Narrative and Plot

Flightless Falcon is a self-reflective coming-of-age story told from Sam’s perspective as he hitchhikes back home after resigning from the Air Force Academy. The first chapter effectively establishes Sam’s current predicament, giving us a decent idea of where he is coming from.

However, the pacing was a bit off, as the narrative oscillated between the past and present. While some chapters provided insight into Sam’s mindset when he chose to resign, I found the mundane details of military life less engaging. On the other hand, I did enjoy the journey itself.

Characters and Conflicts

This is more of a hangout novel than a plot-driven or character-driven story. I didn’t see much of a character arc for Sam, but one could argue that he gains clarity through his journey.

Regarding the conflict, I felt detached from the Vietnam War issue. It’s not that I don’t care about the atrocities of that time, but as a millennial Indian, I grew up perceiving the U.S. as a superpower that dictated terms to others, including India. This perspective may explain why I struggled to immerse myself in the moral complexities, as it often felt like a larger country bullying smaller ones.

I also come from a state with a significant communist background. While I acknowledge the problematic nature of such ideals, they are not exactly the great evil—at least not on par with imperialism or slavery.

Conclusion

Overall, Flightless Falcon was a one-time read for me. It had a few moments of interest, but I think it would be particularly immersive for readers from the U.S. who are more invested in the late sixties and seventies American politics.

About the Author

Disclaimer : I received an EBook in exchange for an honest review for TheWriteReads blog tour.