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Among the Red Stars

Gwen C. Katz (Goodreads Author)

4.05 · Rating details · 420 ratings · 127 reviews

World War Two has shattered Valka’s homeland of Russia, and Valka is determined to help the effort. She knows her skills as a pilot rival the best of the men, so when an all-female aviation group forms, Valka is the first to sign up.

Flying has always meant freedom and exhilaration for Valka, but dropping bombs on German soldiers from a fragile canvas biplane is no joyride. ...more

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Hardcover, 384 pages

Published October 3rd 2017 by HarperTeen

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Mar 18, 2019 Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader rated it really liked it

Shelves: hard-soft-copy, author-request

This is the second book I’ve read recently about the Night Witches, and I have to say, I loved it just as much as the first. I am fascinated by these women, and there’s always more to learn and another perspective.

Valka is living in Russia during World War II. Her country is broken apart, and she wants nothing more than to help in some way. She’s already a pilot, and she knows she’s a great one. An all-female group of pilots is named, and she signs up immediately.

Valka’s plane is rather delica ...more

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Jun 14, 2017 Anna Priemaza rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed

Pasha, a gentle teen boy who hears in colour, is conscripted into the Russian army and forced to go to war when his heart is full of peace.

Valka, a fierce and formidable teen girl who has spent hundreds of hours flying an old scrap of a plane whose engine regularly cuts out mid-flight, has to fight to become one of a tiny group of female pilots who are permitted to assist in the war efforts--and then keep fighting every single day to keep from making any error that might give the oh-so-capable m ...more

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May 04, 2016 Jess marked it as to-read

It tells the story of a girl willing to risk it all for her dream to be a pilot

HELL YEAH

and her romance with a boy who becomes trapped behind enemy lines

HELL NO

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Sep 14, 2017 Laura (thebookcorps) rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical, ya, romance, review-copy, 4-star, best-of-2017

I was very lucky to have been given the opportunity to interview the author, Gwen C. Katz. Please take a look at the interview here.

Among the Red Stars by Gwen C. Katz is the WWII feminist book you didn’t know you needed. Inspired by the true story of the Russian Night Witches, Katz takes the reader on an epic, life-changing journey with characters we can emphatically relate to today. From the very first page, I was drawn into this story and could tell it would be a 5-star book by the end of I was very lucky to have been given the opportunity to interview the author, Gwen C. Katz. Please take a look at the interview here.

Among the Red Stars by Gwen C. Katz is the WWII feminist book you didn’t know you needed. Inspired by the true story of the Russian Night Witches, Katz takes the reader on an epic, life-changing journey with characters we can emphatically relate to today. From the very first page, I was drawn into this story and could tell it would be a 5-star book by the end of the first chapter.

Among the Red Stars is a tale of strength, aspiration, dreams, love and friendship. It’s the story of Valka as she struggles to prove her worth for the war effort, and it’s a story about Pasha, her best friend, through a series of year-long letters that show you the depravity of war and the hopefulness of growing love.

Even though this story is set during WWII and in a foreign land I couldn’t possibly understand, I found myself connecting deeply with every character in the novel and their circumstances. Read the above quote and tell me you don’t connect to that – I may not be a pilot and I don’t have to disguise myself as a man for my dream job, but I have had to prove myself time and time again simply because I am a woman. I too have had to move heaven and earth to get to where I am today, and it is a testament to Katz’s brilliant writing that women who read this book can see themselves in characters who lived in a different century. We may not have the same struggle as they do, but we understand it.

Valka has easily become one of my favourite YA protagonists and she now holds a position in my prestigious ‘badass ladies’ shelf on Goodreads. She’s ambitious, strong-willed, loyal and fierce. She wants to be the Red Army’s greatest fighter pilot and will stop at nothing to ensure her dream becomes a reality, but as the story develops, Valka comes to understand that war is not as glorious as she thought it would be. Valka’s weakness is her own hubris, but she overcomes it much like she overcomes the rampant sexism of the 1940s (which – surprise, surprise – is very similar to todays!).

I am enacting the ‘Protect-Pasha-2k17-Society’ because this boy is an actual angel and needs to be protected … although Valka is pretty good at doing that already. Pasha is one of the sweetest, gentlest characters I’ve ever come across in YA, and I sorely wish he were a real person so we could be friends. He’s Valka’s best friend, and he never treats her with disrespect due to her gender, unlike many of the other men in the novel. He is a pacifist at heart, and struggles with being conscripted into the Red Army, even as a radio operator. I was also very intrigued by his synesthesia, a condition where sound, letters, shapes, or numbers have a sensory perception, such as smell, colour, or even flavour. When Pasha hears people speak, he visualises colour.

The novel is told through a mix of narration from Valka, an ambitious 18-year-old girl, and of letters between her and Pasha. The letters were by far my favourite parts of the novel as the reader can physically see their friendship developing into so much more as through these letters they are brave enough to say what they can’t in person. But the letters are also significant as they shed light into what was happening at the Front with the war effort, and you learn how deeply unorganised and unprepared Russia was for war and all the poor souls who suffered for it. Katz’s writing is just superb as she vividly describes historical fact, while developing distinct and empathetic characters. At its core, this novel is about hope during the darkest times, and with every that is happening in the world today, I hope many people read it and learn from it.

But what I love most about Among the Red Stars is the fact that there is no girl hate! Yes, I’ve finally found a novel where, although not all the girls are friends, there is no unnecessary girl hate because of a guy or to create drama or just because!! Throughout this novel, I had that fantastic quote by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in my head: ‘We say to girls, you can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful, otherwise you will threaten the man … We raise girls to see each other as competitors, not for jobs or accomplishments, which I think can be a good thing, but for the attention of men.’ In Among the Red Stars, the female pilots are all in healthy competition with one another to prove themselves the best fighter pilot, but they all cheer and encourage each other too. It’s a fantastic representation of positive female relationships and I want more books to feature these friendships too.

Among the Red Stars is one of the best books I have read this year. It’s a riveting, touching story that will stay with readers a long time. Please do yourselves a favour and get your hands on a copy of this book the moment it’s released. You’ll thank me for it. I love the book so much that even though I received a free copy of it, I’ve already preordered a finished copy! If that doesn’t tell you how good this book is, I don’t know what else will. ...more

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Feb 16, 2017 Lauren ✨ (TheBookishTwins) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: edelweiss, favorites, historical-fiction, would-rate-more-than-5-if-i-could, highly-anticipated-2017, fav-2017-reads

Disclaimer: I received a free copy via Edelweiss for review purposes.

With over 100 hours flying a piece of junk, Valka is a fiercely determined pilot. When WWII shatters Valka's homeland, and an all-female aviation group is created, Valka is adamant to aid the war effort. She has always loved the exhilaration of flying, but behind enemy lines, the war takes its toll on everyone, including Valka's childhood friend Pasha who is fighting for his life on the front lines. As the war intensifies, and ...more

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Dec 09, 2016 Megan (thebookishtwins) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: not-in-usa-or-american-protaganist, own, historical-fiction, 2017-releases, read-in-2017

I really loved Among the Red Stars. I loved the historical setting, i'm ALWAYS a sucker for books about female pilots. I loved the friendships. I love girls supporting girls. I loved the slow burn romance. Valka was fierce, dedicated, and passionate. If you love books like Code Name Verity, then I highly suggest you pick this one up. ...more

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Apr 25, 2017 Andrew Shvarts rated it it was amazing

Phenomenally written and genuinely thrilling, AMONG THE RED STARS captures an incredibly badass true story, one of those historical events you discover and can't believe no one's written about yet. The prose is evocative, capturing the period in vivid historical and technical detail, while never losing sight of the very human and relatable characters at the core. It takes exceptional skill to balance thrilling action scenes with the painful cost of war, and Gwen excels. An excellent and informat ...more

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Dec 01, 2017 Kelly added it

Shelves: could-not-finish

For a book about female fighter pilots in World War II Russia, it's boring. I love the Night Witches and anything remotely tied to them and prepared to love this book. But letter writing between two people is so boring to read when nothing is happening. I don't want reports of action. I want the action.

Quit at 100 pages. ...more

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Jan 04, 2020 Reader of Books rated it really liked it

4 🌟!!!

A lovely historical fiction tale about the Night Witches, during WW2 featuring brave women fighter pilots, a hint of romance, and based on true events. This was a great read, and yet another book that I've read telling about the bravery and strength of the women of WW2. Highly recommend for those who adore strong pieces of historical fiction!

Further review to come! ...more

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Feb 03, 2017 K.A. rated it it was amazing

Shelves: writer-friends

This book grabbed on and didn't let go.

What these women went through to prove themselves, to simply go after their dream of being able to fly and fight for their country alongside the men--and then go on to kick ass all over town--was so liberating and beautiful and exciting, and BRAVE. The Night Witches not only inspired me, but grabbed my arm and took me with them. Love, dedication, heroism, fierce feminism (in a time when this was almost unheard of), friendship, camaraderie, the letters tuck ...more

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Dec 29, 2018 The Lit Bitch rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

For some reason, this year I have heard about a couple of books that came out or are coming out, about the Night Witches of WWII. I hadn’t read any of the books but I was interested in the subject matter and historical take on these brave women.

I wanted to pick up one of the, what I like to call, Night Witches books but I just didn’t think of it when I was at the bookstore or my library. Then one day in late November I got an email pitching this book featuring the Night Witches that was more of For some reason, this year I have heard about a couple of books that came out or are coming out, about the Night Witches of WWII. I hadn’t read any of the books but I was interested in the subject matter and historical take on these brave women.

I wanted to pick up one of the, what I like to call, Night Witches books but I just didn’t think of it when I was at the bookstore or my library. Then one day in late November I got an email pitching this book featuring the Night Witches that was more of a YA book and I practically pounced on the request!

From a historical stand point, I think anything about the Russian Night Witches, is incredibly important and interesting, but my reading year was coming to a close and I didn’t really want to read anything overly taxing and long, so when I saw that this book was geared toward a more YA audience, I was eager to review it.

So right off the bat, I loved this book. The author has a wonderful prose and writes exceptionally well. While this book is labeled YA, it’s not a simple read—it has substance and history that is interesting and relevant for many readers of all ages. I saw that one reviewer said that adults will love this book because the author tackles hard and difficult issues with honesty, and I absolutely agree with this. This book had some hard, very real issues that the main character had to address and come through but the author makes sure that her heroine rises to each challenge which makes her stand out and mature beyond her years and I completely agree that as an adult reader, I enjoyed this book.

At first, Valka our heroine, is a little young and naive but as the story moves along, Valka is tested over and over again and we see this shift in her character that is exciting to watch. While there is some romance in this book, it’s not the focus of the story which I loved. I’m all for romance but the subject matter begs the readers full attention and I thought that the author did a wonderful job letting that shine. I worked in a high school for twelve years and I feel a book like this with a main character who is interesting and unique, is a book that so many girls these days need to read. It’s important that young girls have positive, strong, feminist role models even if they are fictionalized.

I loved reading about the training and missions these women endured and on that alone this would have been a five star read, but add in all of the other plot lines, then this book became one of my favorite reads of the year. This is my first experience with YA historical fiction/thriller—-especially set in this time period, but I am loving it and eager to read more.

As a historian myself, I like my historical fiction to be authentic and well researched, and I certainly felt that we got that with this book. It’s clear that the author loves the hell out of her subject matter and researched it extensively. I am excited to read more by this author—-this is her debut novel and what a debut it is! This is an author worth watching!

One final note—that cover is pretty awesome. I love the cover art so much, it is interesting and eye catching all at the same time. If I saw it in a bookstore I would instantly grab it for the cover alone.

See my full review here ...more

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Feb 05, 2022 Lauren Stoolfire rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, war, historical-fiction

Among the Red Stars by Gwen C. Katz was such a fascinating read about the Russian Night Witches of World War II. I don't know why I'd been putting it off considering how much I usually like reading about the WASP, women in WWII, an early aviation. I knew very little going in about the group going in, but now I absolutely need to know more about them. If you're looking for some great YA historical fiction set during wartime, this is a must read. By the way, don't forget to read the author's note ...more

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Apr 16, 2017 Cindy ✩☽♔ marked it as to-read

While, I am still excited for this book. I am not feeling the cover. It just looks kind of ugly to me.

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Jan 02, 2018 Relynn Vaughn rated it it was amazing

Who runs the world? In Gwen Katz debut, AMONG THE RED STARS, girls do. Specifically the young women of the 588th Division VVS Night Bombing Unit. Formed as one of the all female pilot divisions under famed aviatrix Marina Raskova, the 588th carried out daring night bombing raids in U-2 biplanes on Axis targets during WWII, and were so feared by the Germans, they called them The Night Witches.

Their story is told by Valka, a young pilot from the Urals who, together with her cousin Iskra, enters th ...more

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Mar 28, 2018 April rated it it was ok

Shelves: publisher-reviews, dnf

Valka is a Russian girl who is eager to use her flying skills to help out in the war efforts during WWII. When the restriction against women joining is lifted due to desperate times, she and her cousin Iskra join up. Based upon the Night Witches from true history, the story follows Valka and her cousin (who's parents were convicted of being against communism, being "wreckers") as they train and fight for the all-female Aviation Group 122. It also intersperses letters between Valka and a boy from ...more

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May 09, 2017 viktoria rated it it was ok

Shelves: arc-read-dnf-nah, how-to-rate, read-in-2017, you-go-girl, ya-read, wwii, ot-meh, ya-historical, 2-stars

I love reading all the details with the Night Witches (please give me all the books with this, please), the Russian POV of WWII (please give me all the books with this, please), and all the girl power mixed with the alienation of their duties and moral uncertainty—those were a solid 4. But the romance and the letters nearly tanked it. This book would've been so much better without those dull elements; it messed with the narrative voice and hindered the pacing (rather than the useful time jump th ...more

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Jul 02, 2017 Ms. Yingling rated it liked it

E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Valka has trained as a pilot, and idolizes some of the Russian women who have made the news for the aviation exploits, but has had no luck finding a job. When the Germans attack the Russians, Valka answers a call for a women's air unit. Her long time friend, Pasha, joins the army. The two were just friends, but start to realize, through a series of letters, that they are fonder of each other than they thought. Valka has to learn how to fly for combat, how t ...more

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Feb 07, 2018 C.P. Lesley added it

Shelves: historical-fiction, nbhf

Valentina (Valka) Koroleva and her cousin Iskra share a dream: to fly in defense of their Soviet motherland against the Nazi forces that have launched a surprise invasion in violation of Hitler’s nonaggression pact with Stalin. So when Valka receives a telegram announcing the formation of all-female fighting and bomber units, the two of them set off for Moscow without hesitation.

The number of applicants far exceeds the slots available, and the competition proves tougher than Valka and her cousin Valentina (Valka) Koroleva and her cousin Iskra share a dream: to fly in defense of their Soviet motherland against the Nazi forces that have launched a surprise invasion in violation of Hitler’s nonaggression pact with Stalin. So when Valka receives a telegram announcing the formation of all-female fighting and bomber units, the two of them set off for Moscow without hesitation.

The number of applicants far exceeds the slots available, and the competition proves tougher than Valka and her cousin anticipate. But while they do not in the end become elite fighter pilots, they do make the cut for the night bomber unit: Valka as a pilot and Iskra as her navigator. Soon they are flying a shaky biplane constructed of wood and canvas, liable to burst into flames or crash without warning, against the German forces. Meanwhile, Valka’s best friend, Pasha, has been drafted into a ground regiment where he operates a ham radio under harsh conditions. He and Valka exchange regular letters, expressing their different experiences of war.

But fighting for the Soviet Union means coping not only with the enemy but also with Stalin’s paranoia. Iskra’s parents, arrested even before the war, cast a long shadow on her prospects for success despite her willingness to sacrifice her life for her country. Some of Valka’s assigned targets turn out to be people on her own side. Pilots shot down in combat or soldiers captured in an ambush are declared traitors to the state. And she learns that those in authority—or even comrades in arms—are at times the most likely to denounce those suspected of disloyalty, a category that includes insubordination. So although Among the Red Stars is listed as Young Adult, in fact Gwen Katz has written a novel that, because it tackles difficult problems with honesty, will appeal to adults as well. It is also a riveting tale about women in combat, female friendship, and survival against the odds.

Interview with the author at New Books in Historical Fiction. ...more

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Jun 16, 2017 Aila rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017-release, awesome, historical, arc, romance, enjoyable, netgalley-edelweiss

3.5 stars

I had to up-vote my rating because the concept and overall impression I have from this book is just awesome! I loved reading about these fantastic female pilots of Russia during WWII, their ferocity, their strength, their fears, and their hopes. Katz's research is obvious in the meaningful details put into the scene, whether it's the personality of an antagonist or the extremely immersive, ashy war setting.

Review to come on Happy Indulgence

"We will prove that we can fly and fight as wel ...more

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Oct 01, 2017 Alex Baugh rated it really liked it

Recommended to Alex by: http://gwenckatz.com/characters/

Shelves: world-war-2, historical-fiction, ya, soviet-union, women-pilots

Inspired by her hero Marina Raskova, Valka Koroleva, 18, wants nothing more than to fly for her country, the Soviet Union. Already a pilot, Valka’s first attempts to join the Red Army Air Force or VVS (Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily) are initially turned down, but by September 1941, things have changed and they put out a call for qualified female pilots.

And Valka is beside herself to learn that Marina Raskova will be in charge of the women pilots, and to be accepted into the initial training program A ...more

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Nov 14, 2018 Victoria (thepetitebookblogger) rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, young-adult

Interesting but not very memorable. However this book is researched very well and I would definitely read any of the authors other works.

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Apr 28, 2017 Marina rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-star, own

Once I heard about this book, I instantly flew to Goodreads to check it out and see what it's all about. Then I saw that the name of the MC was Valka and I paused for a moment, trying to figure out what kind of name it was. My guess was that it was a diminutive of Valentina, but in Russian, usually spelled with a 'soft sign', often replaced with an apostrophe in English spellings. But since apostrophes tend to distract and make names look odd, people just forgo them.

But the thing is 'Valka' is s ...more

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Oct 10, 2017 Eva Seyler rated it really liked it

I have been not-so-patiently waiting to read this book for what seems years, and it did not disappoint. I love airplanes and WWII stories and badass girls and this has all three. The majority of the characters are also real people, which I also love in a book.

But I think one of my very favourite threads in the story was Pasha's friendship with the fellow soldier who wanted to be a priest. Their worldviews are so different in many ways, yet they both are gentle souls who love beauty and would ra ...more

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Sep 08, 2017 Brittany (Brittany's Book Rambles) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, history, family-life, historical-fiction, badass-female-mc, 2017-releases, girlmance

Fierce and heart-pounding -- I have been waiting for a book about The Night Witches for my entire life! This is a story that the world needs and Gwen C. Katz has given us an amazing YA historical fiction version. The female friendships were beautiful and inspiring. This book is just as much about WWII and these phenomenal ladies, as well as love and friendship. It is a fantastic quick read, and I highly recommend it!

Full review to come!

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Nov 01, 2017 Claire Bartlett rated it it was amazing

Shelves: elements-of-excellence, ya, historical-fiction

MY EMOTIONS.

*weeps softly*

*goes back to editing*

Well, I'll never have as good a book on the Night Witches as this, but it ain't going to stop me from trying. ...more

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Dec 20, 2018 Heather rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

(This review will be on my blog All the Ups and Downs soon.)

When I was offered the chance to review Among the Red Stars by Gwen C. Katz, I jumped at the chance. After reading the great reviews, I knew it was going to be a great book. Luckily, I was not disappointed.

I thought the plot and world building were excellent! The story for Among the Red Stars is mostly told through letters written by Valka, the main character, and her childhood friend, Pasha. Set in Russia during World War II, Pasha was (This review will be on my blog All the Ups and Downs soon.)

When I was offered the chance to review Among the Red Stars by Gwen C. Katz, I jumped at the chance. After reading the great reviews, I knew it was going to be a great book. Luckily, I was not disappointed.

I thought the plot and world building were excellent! The story for Among the Red Stars is mostly told through letters written by Valka, the main character, and her childhood friend, Pasha. Set in Russia during World War II, Pasha was drafted and had no choice but to join, and Valka voluntarily joined because she had been wanting to be a pilot since she was young. The all female bomber regiment isn't taken seriously at first since they are all young and female, but soon enough, it because apparent that these female pilots are the real deal and just as good as their male counterparts. Among the Red Stars is also based in some fact too which made the book that much more interesting. My emotions were all over the place reading this book. I kept on hoping the outcome of the story would be a good one. Among the Red Stars answered all the questions I had, and I would suggest reading the Author's Note at the end of the book because it will give you more insight into the all female Russian bomber regiment. I found it very interesting. The only thing that bothered me was that Valka's parents weren't really mentioned throughout the book. I would have thought that Valka's parents would have written to their daughter during the war. If they didn't want to, it would have been nice to have an explanation as to why they didn't want to write to their daughter. I just found it a bit strange that Valka's parents weren't mentioned at all during the book except for briefly towards the end.

The characters were written very well in Among the Red Stars. It was interesting to learn that many of the characters mentioned in Among the Red Stars were based on actual people who served in World War II. As I've said before, a lot of the story is based on fact which made this book that much more enjoyable. I loved seeing Pasha and Valka grow throughout their letters. I was always hoping they'd be reunited soon because it was obvious how much they really cared about each other. I also loved the relationship between Valka and her cousin Iskra. It was refreshing to read about the love between them. I admired Galya's and Lilya's spirit throughout the war, and I loved how awesome Vera and Tanya were. All the females in Among the Red Stars were amazing, and I admired each and every one of them. I loved the camaraderie between all the girls. I will admit that sometimes it was hard to keep up with who was who during the book due to the Russian names, but I still thoroughly enjoyed every character. If you read the Author's Note at the end of the book, you can learn more about each character that was actually a real person. I loved that Gwen C. Katz added all that information.

The pacing for Among the Red Stars grabs you by the hand and never lets go! Never once did I grow bored of the story. The story never got too fast paced for me where I was confused with what was happening. The pacing was fantastic!

Trigger warnings for Among the Red Stars include violence, death, injuries, war, and sexism.

All in all, Among the Red Stars was a fantastic, thrilling read. I never wanted to put it down. This book had everything from a great group of characters to a fantastic plot. I would definitely recommend Among the Red Stars by Gwen C. Katz to everyone aged 14+. It's such an interesting book as well as an interesting way to learn about a piece of important history.
--
(A special thank you to the author for providing me with a paperback of Among the Red Stars in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.) ...more

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Mar 30, 2019 Sarah Perchikoff rated it liked it

Among the Stars is a book about friendship and hardship and struggle and loyalty and love and fighting for what’s right. It’s about three friends who go into a war to make some kind of difference and end up coming out of it very different people. Valka and Iskra are cousins that have a bond like sisters and Valka and Pasha are friends who, through the letters they send to each other slowly turn into something more. And when you are fighting for your lives and for your future, holding onto the re ...more

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Jan 15, 2022 Tien rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own, mm-22, historical-fiction, young-adult, russia, epistolary, by-the-month-22

On the surface, this book has all the elements that appeal to me:
🧭 set in Russia
🧭 set in World War II
🧭 "an all-female bomber unit"

But, I don't think it quite delivered. Main characters are fictional while they are in company of real historical people and some historical incidents are fudged to adjust for plot. While protagonist is somewhat likeable, I wasn't particularly drawn to her at all. The book is told from her perspective which are half told in letters (those she wrote to Pasha and those ...more

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Jun 05, 2018 elisabeth rated it liked it

Shelves: read-2018

Okay, so I don't want to be whiny, but I was actually CRUSHED that this novel was a m/f novel??? Like, there are so few spaces in history that we can point to and say "queer women were there" and so to write a m/f love story in a space where you COULD have centered a f/f love story just felt....wrong? Also, due to the author's twitter presence and the way they rec'd this novel, I thought it would be f/f anyway, so I felt doubly "cheated". (I'm using that word w apostrophe's bc I don't want to im ...more

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Sep 07, 2018 Brooke rated it liked it

Shelves: guilty-pleasures, ya, historical-fiction, heavy, war, away-from-home

I'd give this 3.5 stars if I could. It's based on a true story about Russian WWII female pilots called Night Witches. The three main characters and their plot is fictional, but the supporting cast are all real people. I had never read a WWII novel told from a Russian POV so I found that really interesting. It's hard to say why I didn't like it more. I just found it easy to put down and get distracted. ...more

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