Air, Vol. 2: Flying Machines

An ancient device is discovered that enables people to fly using mental control. The main character, Blythe, a flight attendant afraid of heights, has an exceptional predisposition to use this device. With the help of Amelia Earhart, alive because of an accident with the device in the 1930s, Blythe attempts to find a similar device lost by her potentially terrorist lover, Zayn, and of course the fate of the world is at stake. During this search, Blythe enters Zayn's memories and relives them from his childhood until the device goes missing. This divergence wobbles between being a random detour through angsty teenage years and an examination of trust and understanding between people. As Blythe navigates through Zayn's memories and flies a plane with her mind, these fantastical elements would benefit from some understatement; instead, everything is philosophized to the max. Fresh ideas lay an intriguing foundation for the book, but that scenario sometimes gets overwhelmed by the metaphysics. (Oct.)