Laurie Frankel’s Enormous Wings delivers a timely, emotional story about choice, resilience, and community as Pepper Mills fights to reclaim her autonomy.
When Choice Vanishes, Courage Takes Flight
Sometimes I worry how a novel will be received—mine included—but that’s on me. What I can say with near certainty is that at least 60% of the American population (or at least active voters) will love this book. And I’d wager that 100% of Women’s Fiction readers will absolutely devour it.
Laurie Frankel, one of my favorite writers, has a gift for crafting stories that are as fun and delightful as they are meaningful. Her central characters are clever, deeply empathetic, and often just a little too smart for their own good—especially when they fling themselves off the proverbial deep end. Her themes are current, urgent, and oh-so-necessary. In Enormous Wings, Frankel gives us Pepper Mills, a heroine brimming with tenacity, integrity, charm, wit—and yes, a wholehearted plunge into that deep end.
Having read The Atlas of Love a mere six days before diving into Enormous Wings, I was struck by how starkly different these books feel while still orbiting similar thematic galaxies. Both are rich with family, community, and Frankel’s signature blend of humor, insight, and emotional heft. But here, in Enormous Wings, Frankel sharpens her lens around one central idea: choice. And that makes all the difference.
Pepper, our narrator, is a woman to whom the world repeatedly says no. No choice in staying in her home. No choice in keeping her car. No choice in maintaining her independence. Even once she begins regaining her footing—finding rhythm, friendship, and unexpected companionship in a retirement community—life throws another curveball: she becomes pregnant. And suddenly, her bodily autonomy evaporates as well.
This is a heartfelt, resonant story about life in the aftermath of Roe v. Wade’s overturning—a world where a state not only disregards women’s health but actively erects barriers for those seeking reproductive care. Frankel writes with compassion and fire, forcing her characters to confront impossible choices with courage, resilience, and hope. The result is a novel that feels both timely and timeless, a testament to the human spirit when confronted with systemic injustice.
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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About the author(s).
Laurie Frankel is a bestselling, award-winning novelist known for writing warm, witty, emotionally resonant stories that tackle complex social issues with grace and clarity. Her work often centers on themes of family, identity, and the profound courage required to navigate life’s most challenging choices. Frankel is the author of several celebrated novels, including This Is How It Always Is, an international bestseller that has become a touchstone in contemporary fiction for its compassionate portrayal of a family raising a transgender child. Her books have been translated into more than twenty languages and are widely taught, discussed, and praised for their insight and heart. A former literature and writing professor, Frankel brings both intellectual depth and narrative charm to every project. She lives in Seattle with her family, where she writes full-time, advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, and continues crafting stories that spark conversation and inspire empathy.
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