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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Definitely different than anything I have read before. With the drowning early in the book, then the book is more about the reactions and keeping it from the sister after that. Interesting to find out the book is based loosely on the the author's family events.
It’s strange to enjoy a book focused on a family’s grief following an accidental death but I very much did enjoy this one. My only quibble would be that some things tied up a little too neatly but I liked those characters so much that I was happy to overlook that issue. Highly recommend.
I found this as a recommendation on my favorite book podcast, “What Should I Read Next?” The premise sounded intriguing and ultimately it was a decent story. But the characters either weren’t fleshed out enough for me or they were just common tropes - grieving, jealous mother; selfish, bad-with-money, son-in-law; son who doesn’t want to take over the family business but ultimately does just that. It was a full-cast narration, but even they couldn’t flesh out the characters. I kept listening because I didn’t have another book in the queue but I will quickly forget this book.
3 1/2 stars...maybe 4 upon reflection
A tragedy sets into motion a web of lies put forth with the best intentions, but with consequences for all involved. Some positive, some negative. Overall, a lovely story of a Jewish family living in Atlantic City in the 1930s trying to navigate loss, tradition, their Jewish faith, and the obligations they have for others...such as Jewish friends living in Germany as Hitler rises to power.
A tragedy sets into motion a web of lies put forth with the best intentions, but with consequences for all involved. Some positive, some negative. Overall, a lovely story of a Jewish family living in Atlantic City in the 1930s trying to navigate loss, tradition, their Jewish faith, and the obligations they have for others...such as Jewish friends living in Germany as Hitler rises to power.
This book was a delightful surprise for me. I loved the 1930's atmosphere and once I was a chapter or two in, I had trouble putting it down. Although told from the alternating perspectives of eight characters, it flowed smoothly - the transitions from character to character were never jarring - and each viewpoint had something interesting to add. I found myself frequently Googling persons, places, and things to learn more about them, and the fact that it is based on a true story was fascinating to me. This is the author's debut and I would certainly be interested in reading more of her work. Probably the best fiction book I've read yet in 2020!
The stated plot of Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland is that Florence dies, and her family decides to keep the death a secret to protect her sister. The actual plot of the book casts a broader net with the stories of each of the people in Florence's life. In some ways, there is a lot going on in this book. Yet, somehow, it works, and the characters and this family feel real. Even at the end, I want to turn the page and keep the story going.
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/11/florence-adler-swims-forever.html
Reviewed for NetGalley.
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/11/florence-adler-swims-forever.html
Reviewed for NetGalley.
My rating hovers between 3.5 and 4 stars. The latter half of my review is what pushes the review closer to 4 stars. It’s really hard to write a review for this book without spoilers, but here goes. Florence Adler Swims Forever takes place during the summer of 1934 and centers around a young woman named Florence Adler. Florence was training to swim the English Channel. The story is told from the perspective of her parents (Esther and Joseph), sister (Fannie), 7-year-old niece (Gussie), brother in-law (Isaac), Florence’s swim coach (Stuart) and young woman (Anna) living with the Adler family for the summer. The big event/twist of the story happens in the first chapter and all the above-mentioned characters are forced to keep secrets. Since the book takes place in 1934, the ability to keep such a big secret for almost two months is plausible, it would never work in the current digital age. While l enjoy a story told from multiple characters and perspectives, I felt like there were too many characters telling this story. The 7-year-old niece and brother in-law’s story lines could have easily been absorbed into the sister Fannie’s story. I wished there was a stronger connection between the characters across the chapters. After managing to pull of the big secret, the reveal and ending were a bit of a letdown for me. I wished there was at least a chapter or two wrapping up what happened after. I was invested in the story of Anna, the young woman spending the summer with the Adlers and Fannie, the sister.
This book did manage to pique my curiosity about certain events taking place during the 1930’s which always makes me enjoy a book. The author manages to do a good job weaving events of the time into the book. I always read the book to the very last page and in this case reading the author’s note gave me a greater appreciation for the entire book. I would recommend Florence Adler Swims Forever and look forward to more books by the Rachel Beanland. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
This book did manage to pique my curiosity about certain events taking place during the 1930’s which always makes me enjoy a book. The author manages to do a good job weaving events of the time into the book. I always read the book to the very last page and in this case reading the author’s note gave me a greater appreciation for the entire book. I would recommend Florence Adler Swims Forever and look forward to more books by the Rachel Beanland. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.