Miriam Moss’ Girl On A Plane

By Ryan Jones

4.5 out of 5 stars

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It is 1970.

You are 15 years old, getting on a plane to boarding school. You say bye to your parents at the airport with no thought you won’t see them again. You board the plane.

The plane takes off.

But the plane does not arrive at its proper destination. The man with the gun is mean, hollering orders and your adolescent mind is confused. You don’t understand what is happening, but the truth is… you’ve been hijacked.

At the age of 15, Anna often hopes that her reality is a dream, that she will wake up one day to find herself surrounded by normalcy. This is not the case though. While travelling to boarding school in England, Anna’s plane is hijacked by Palestinian terrorists and lands in a Jordanian desert. The terrorists give Britain an ultimatum; either they release a member the prime minister holds captive or the plane tethered with bombs will be detonated. Four days and the decision must be made. Do the people on the plane survive?

Through scorching weather, fear and homesickness, Anna is forced to find strength on her journey.

One of my favourite characters in this book is, some might say, way out in left field. He is a supporting character but he helped to place the story in perspective. Jamal is a boy who is a member of the terrorist group, around Anna’s age. Anna would often converse with Jamal towards the end and asked him why he was doing this. His answer was so profound it sent chills down my spine. He talks about what happened one day when he and his brother came home from school.

When I was eleven, we came home from school down the long, straight track that lead to the farmhouse. Our mother, then our father, ran out of the house. There was a burst of gunfire. They fell, face down. Dead. I dragged my brother into the long grass, and we hid till it was dark. Then we left. We never went back. Couldn’t.’ He turns toward me. “Tell me – where would you be if that had happened to you?’ He looks right at me. ‘Might you be here too?

The writing was exceptional. Simple and to the point, written for any age group. Be aware though the storyline itself is a sensitive topic.

Usually there are a few quirks that I do not like in a novel but I find none within this story.

This fiction created from a true story is suitable for anyone. I highly recommend this novel, by far one of my unforgettables.

Yours truly, Biblio Virgo