BOOK REVIEW: Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge

While many books find themselves endowed with memorable prose, few leave me so befuddled or turning to frequently to my dictionary. France Hardinge's Fly By Night, however, had me both on the edge of my seat and perplexed by its verbiage on every

page.

This novel bears such a unique setting with a rich conglomerate of culture, and its tone is such that as a reader one has no option except to catch on to the jargon of the story. No merciful explanation will be offered to explain the many mixing kingdoms, statues, and spiritual guides. It is such a fast-paced tale that I found myself enthralled by the adventure and by the sheer originality of it all.

A Note on the Author

Frances Hardinge has been inspired to write for much of her life, and many of her creative ideas and settings come from her childhood home in England. Later in life, Hardinge studied English at Oxford University, and has since become an award-winning children's and young adult author. Fly By Night was her debut novel, and my first exposure to her work. Hardinge's voice is among the most unique I've had the joy of reading, and I am only left to wonder exactly how much of herself is reflected in the sometimes challenging character of Mosca Mye.

Photo Credit: The Guardian (2019)

SPOILERS!

Perhaps my favorite thing about my edition of the book is the Disclaimer included on the last page, which absolutely seems to showcase Hardinge's authentic voice. Therein she writes,

"This is not a historical novel...I have taken appalling liberties with historical authenticity and, when I felt like it, the laws of physics" (Hardinge 487).

Frankly, the energy just makes me further appreciate this book.

Summary

Fly By Night is a captivating tale set in a world where words hold immense power. The story follows Mosca Mye, a young orphan girl with a talent for words, and her loyal companion, a goose named Saracen. When Mosca inadvertently becomes entangled in a political conspiracy, she finds herself on the run from dangerous forces. Along the way, she encounters a cast of intriguing characters, including the enigmatic Eponymous Clent, a conman with a penchant for storytelling.

As Mosca navigates through the intricacies of power and deception, she discovers secrets that challenge her understanding of the world around her. With Saracen by her side and her wits as her greatest weapon, Mosca embarks on a journey filled with danger, adventure, and unexpected alliances.

Set against a backdrop of political intrigue and social unrest, "Fly By Night" explores themes of identity, freedom, and the power of words to shape reality. Frances Hardinge's richly imagined world and vibrant characters come to life in this thrilling and thought-provoking novel.

Critical Analysis

Overview

There are many authors who have mastered the art of world building in a novel's scope, but something about Fly By Night challenges the standard depth so typical of young adult fiction. Perhaps especially notable is Mosca's characteristics not merely as a runaway, but as a cunning slip-between-the-cracks child who isn't afraid to skin her knees or get her hands dirty. Because the world is set in a bit of an antiquated time, this makes Mosca a spectacle on the page.

Deep Dive

Frankly, I fell in love with just how much this story expected of me as a reader. Complexity in literature often stems from either how much a reader already knows walking into the book, or at least how much they are willing to learn as the story progresses. This novel absolutely demands that its readers catch up with the lingo, geography, political climate, and even religious motivations for everyone and everything. Plenty of authors out there have fallen into a trap of dragging a reader through more of a world than is necessary, but Hardinge executes an excellently crafted balance of exposition and action.

Of course, just as much praise might be offered for this novel's language choice. It has been a long time since I felt so desperate to keep a dictionary handy while I read. In fact, one of my personal connections to this experience is to The Dictionary of Lost Words, which I had the joy of reviewing some time ago. Fly By Night heavily engages upper level vocabulary and high-brow humor that keeps the energy of the novel in high spirits.

Another note on Mosca's being a spectacle: Mosca's overall plight is that she is literate in a world where words, books, and education are altogether dying. It is entirely against the grain for any young person in this novel to pursue an education, but especially a young lady like Mosca Mye (especially after learning who her father truly was). Something that I ponder now, the last pages of the book behind me, is Mosca's consistent motivation throughout the book. It's fantastic to see a main character have the opportunity to reshape herself and grow in a novel from start to finish without losing sight of her original goal. Mosca sets out to obtain an education because that is what her father wanted for her. Everything she does, absolutely every choice she makes and risk she takes all points back to her choice to go to school and learn as her father intended.

Conclusion

All in all, I found this novel very well grounded, even among so much else that is unfamiliar for the average reader. It is unapologetically itself, as it should be. Mosca is the thoughtful rebel in all of us, and I cherished walking every page with her.

If you also take the time to read this book, please let me know in the comments! I would love to start a conversation with you about all your favorite words and moments of action. You can also share your reading progress with me on Goodreads: search for StoryVibes or Mykayla Fontaine, and you'll find me! You can also post your reading progress and tag me on Instagram @storey_vibes. Take a moment to say hi; I love it when people say hi.

Rating

If you couldn't already tell, I loved this book. I had a great reading experience with it, and do wish that I had pulled it out of my TBR all the sooner to enjoy its story. It did have some moments of slow exposition, or a couple of chapters that I simply had to re-read for better comprehension. Regardless, this book was truly excellent, and I would be glad to recommend it. At the time I received this novel (it was a lovely gift), it was being marketed toward young adults (upper middle grades or high school at the youngest), and I'm just not sure that it fits that target. I much enjoyed this novel as an adult with a better grasp on deep world building and high end language.