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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
The plot is driven more by the family dynamics than the tragedy itself. The multiple, alternating points of view show character development from other perspectives. And the author paints vivid details of the time period and place. It was interesting to read at the end that the book was based on true events.
Solid 3.5. I liked the historical context—so much of what I’ve read about the Jews in the 1930s and 1940s takes place across the ocean, so it was interesting to read about it from the vantage point of the US.
It was an interesting premise and parts of the plot set a little too far fetched...there were also a lot of competing storylines, though the author did a good job tying them together. Isaac was the worst character, I found his selfishness almost too terrible to believe!
It was an interesting premise and parts of the plot set a little too far fetched...there were also a lot of competing storylines, though the author did a good job tying them together. Isaac was the worst character, I found his selfishness almost too terrible to believe!
Florence Adler Swims Forever takes place over the course of the summer of 1934 in Atlantic City, NJ. Every summer, Joseph and Esther rent out their home, and spend the summer in the small apartment above their bakery. Their daughter, Florence, has returned home for the summer from college with plans to train for swimming the English Channel. Their older daughter, Fannie, is pregnant and on bed rest after losing her baby from a previous pregnancy. When tragedy strikes the Adler family, the matriarch of the family, Esther, chooses to hide the truth. Soon, other secrets emerge, pulling the family into a web of lies and dishonesty.
The novel is told from seven different characters’ perspectives, and broken down into three parts by the months of June, July, and August. It seemed an overwhelming number of narrators at first, but it was fairly easy to keep track of the characters and the storyline. While I did enjoy the story, it was slightly slow for me to get through, and just did not “grab” my attention as much as some of my prior reads. However, I appreciated the history behind the novel and the setting, and I liked the parts of the book focused on seven-year-old Gussie’s and Anna’s, the German girl living with the family, stories.
The novel is told from seven different characters’ perspectives, and broken down into three parts by the months of June, July, and August. It seemed an overwhelming number of narrators at first, but it was fairly easy to keep track of the characters and the storyline. While I did enjoy the story, it was slightly slow for me to get through, and just did not “grab” my attention as much as some of my prior reads. However, I appreciated the history behind the novel and the setting, and I liked the parts of the book focused on seven-year-old Gussie’s and Anna’s, the German girl living with the family, stories.
This book is just beautiful. The characters...Stuart, Esther,Joseph,Gussie...Florence! And the author’s note was amazing. Such a fantastic read.
Based on a true story it was an interesting read where the climax was at the very beginning and the rest of the story describes the characters and the background of how they intertwine.
7/10 It took me a little while to warm up to this book but I did end up enjoying it. However, this is not a light read and deals with sad subjects. The book did feel a little heavy and I felt like the story was being told from the outside even though multiple points of views are told.
I think most young girls have a Florence Adler in their lives, I know I did! This is definitely a beautiful and heartbreaking story! Everyone should read this beautiful book!