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hopecaldwell's review against another edition
5.0
Straight-forward storytelling with strong female characters. Loved the setting at West Point and ensuing years were interesting as well. A good take on the power of friendship, as well as faith in action.
readingandsunshine's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyed that the story was about military women.
nikki1211's review against another edition
4.0
Gibson did my heart dirty #weepfest
I knew from a few pages to prepare for sobs. You did Shonda Rhimes proud, but I’m still mad at you
I knew from a few pages to prepare for sobs. You did Shonda Rhimes proud, but I’m still mad at you
notinjersey's review against another edition
4.0
I had heard a lot about Beyond The Point and when I saw a group of ladies on Instagram were going to read it together and discuss it, I decided to join in. I did not realize how long this book was before I joined their group! It wasn’t a slow read, but I did spread it out across the month so that I was at the right point in the book to participate in the discussion about it.
I actually thought this book was more about 9/11, but instead it was merely something that happened while the women in this book were at West Point. The book starts by explaining how each of them ended up wanting to join the Army and moves on to their years at West Point. Then it continues with the time after school in which they get jobs and go through their lives as West Point graduates. The three women are quite different from one another but their friendship grows from their shared experiences. The book covers a lot of ground and seems to provide a realistic portrayal of what it is like to be a woman in the military.
I actually thought this book was more about 9/11, but instead it was merely something that happened while the women in this book were at West Point. The book starts by explaining how each of them ended up wanting to join the Army and moves on to their years at West Point. Then it continues with the time after school in which they get jobs and go through their lives as West Point graduates. The three women are quite different from one another but their friendship grows from their shared experiences. The book covers a lot of ground and seems to provide a realistic portrayal of what it is like to be a woman in the military.
schray32's review against another edition
3.0
The story of 3 strong women and how they end up at West Point...and found myself caring about their lives.
If a few moments of faith and cliche left me leaving this 3 stars instead of more but still liked the book of that makes any sense.
If a few moments of faith and cliche left me leaving this 3 stars instead of more but still liked the book of that makes any sense.
blogginboutbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't know much about West Point or women in the military going into this novel, so I found the subject interesting. A good thing, since this book is almost 500 pages long. Even though at times, it felt long, it never got dull enough that I wanted to put it down. The characters are sympathetic and admirable, although I didn't feel all that connected to any of them. Their various stories, though, were intriguing enough to keep me reading. I also appreciated the story's themes of friendship, family, and faith (although the religious parts often felt preachy rather than organic). All in all, then, I liked this one but didn't love it.
amysbrittain's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars for me. Gibson seems to nail the details of West Point life—as well as capturing the all-encompassing grief a character endures later in the book.
The characters’ mistakes and reassessments and the new beginnings they undertake aren’t always surprising but they make for a compelling and satisfying and well-done summer read about enduring friendship. There’s an undercurrent of Christian faith throughout.
The characters’ mistakes and reassessments and the new beginnings they undertake aren’t always surprising but they make for a compelling and satisfying and well-done summer read about enduring friendship. There’s an undercurrent of Christian faith throughout.
brandypainter's review against another edition
4.0
I'm impressed that this is a debut novel and so well done. Gibson has a lot of potential to be a truly extraordinary author. I was deeply invested in all three women and their stories. Gibson attempts a feint that is mostly successful, but is one significant reason this fell short of being five stars for me. The other is that I would have preferred a little less telling and more showing. I understand that the nature of the story requires skips in the timeline, but the major bonding between the three girls at West Point actually happens off page and that was annoying. Overall it is an excellent story of perseverance, faith, loss, and hope that will resonate with any reader. Having grown up as part of the military community, I appreciated Gibson's understanding of it and that she didn't attempt to glorify it in anyway.
reneesmith's review against another edition
5.0
A memorable story of friendship, love, loss, faith & duty. Both thrilling & heartbreaking.
Once I started this book, I could not stop reading! So glad I opened these pages.
Though not Christian fiction (the soldiers speak like “real life” soldiers, etc.), this story has a strong faith element that, for me, added depth to the choices & sacrifices.
My favorite quotes:
“Maybe hope is the only lasting change one human can give to another. And for the first time in my life, I have hope. You gave that to me.”
“Faith isn’t really faith until it’s beat up and put through a fire. When you’re crushed, you feel like you’re dying. But you’re actually coming to life. When you’re broken, that’s when the best of you comes out.”
“The point of life isn’t to quench our thirst, it’s to realize we’re thirsty for something that we can’t find here . . . Maybe this is faith . . . Maybe faith was having the humility to scream at God and the audacity to get up off the floor.”
“Maybe that’s what made a memory powerful. Not that it happened once, but that it happened over and over again on the screen of your mind.”
“Jesus was with his disciples and he got word from Mary and Martha that one of his best friends, Lazarus, was sick. And this is what blows my mind. It says, ‘Now Jesus loved Mary and Martha. So, when he heard Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days’ . . . Doesn’t that seem strange? He loved them, so he waited? When I think about love, I think of someone jumping on the first plane to come see me when I’m in trouble. But by the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has already been dead for four days. Four days! He’s already in a tomb; Jesus missed the funeral.” She paused, letting that information sink in. “And when Jesus finally arrives, Martha doesn’t say, ‘I’m so sorry you missed the funeral.’ No. She says, ‘If only you had been here, none of this would have happened.’ She’s basically saying, ‘You could have prevented this, but you didn’t.’ It’s faith mixed with total confusion. ‘I believe, but I have no idea what you’re doing’ . . . Martha’s prayer is one of the most honest, raw prayers I’ve ever read in the Bible. ‘Lord, if you had been here, none of this would have happened.’ It’s her cry from the trenches. And Jesus doesn’t get angry with her. He doesn’t walk away. He cries with her.”
kusyuvasi's review against another edition
5.0
I believe what Wendy tells Avery towards the end of the book is so true: "The point of life isn't to quench our thirst, it's to realize we're thirsty for something we can't find here."