In this edge-of-your-seat horror novel, a four-hour flight takes a nightmarish turn when a supernatural creature gives a group of high school students a sinister ultimatum.
Devon Marsh is haunted by secrets. Like the identity of the person who killed her twin sister, Emily, in a hit and run accident last Halloween, which Devon has vowed to uncover. Like the things Devon said to Emily just before she died.
But she’s determined to start fresh when she boards a four-hour flight along with her classmates for their senior class ski trip. Devon never could have guessed those secrets would surface in the most terrifying way when a supernatural creature hijacks their flight and gives the students a deadly ultimatum:
Choose one among them to sacrifice before the end of the flight. Or the plane will crash.
As the clock ticks down, the creature slowly unearths the passengers’ deepest, darkest secrets—and reveals that one of the teens on the plane is responsible for Emily’s death. The students must agree on a sacrifice, or there won’t be any survivors. But can Devon find a way to stop the creature, or will she give in to her anger and let revenge take control?
(from: Amy Christine Parkers’s website)
- Author: Amy Christine Parker
- Genre: YA, realistic, thriller
- Length: 288 pages, 64k words
- My Ratings:
- Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ 3.5/5
- Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
- Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ 3.5/5
Flight 171 is a very quick addictive, standalone read. I finished it in two sittings – one until 6% a few days ago, and the other to completion this morning.
One comparison that comes to mind is the vibe of Manifest crossed with the locked-room, secret-spilling atmosphere of One Of Us Is Lying.
My Thoughts
Tension built wonderfully throughout the book – Devon’s stress, grief and guilt were palpable through the page. She’s sympathetic as a protagonist, and does her best to do the right thing.
On a technical level, the motivations and obstacles for every character aren’t terribly complex, but clear-cut and engaging nonetheless. Emily, as Devon’s late twin sister, hangs over the narrative. The ensemble cast consists of well-utilized archetypes, like the valedictorian and the jock, among others, playing off one another well.
The pacing is stressful, as it should be in a thriller, and escalates quickly. Perhaps because of this, though, I felt like I was reading a novella more than a full novel. The payoff still resolves nicely, and to be honest a little unexpectedly - Parker plays with misdirection and red herrings well. Certain subplots were predictable or almost clichéd, but still didn’t affect my reading much.
Overall, a very solid 3.5/5 stars for Flight 171, fun fare with no major gripes for a rainy morning in.
Psst. Liked this? You can find more like this by clicking on the tags attached.
DISCLAIMER: All opinions expressed here are solely my own – take them with a pinch of salt. The words in this post are all written by me, apart from the author’s synopsis of the book and various quotes quoted in the review.
Please do not reproduce, copy, repost, etc. any part of this review without my permission or without crediting me. It takes time and effort to write them. Thank you!