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lindsaysmeldrum 's review for:
Beyond That, the Sea
by Laura Spence-Ash
Don't let the description fool you into thinking this is just another WW2 fiction, because it is so much more than that.
In order to keep her safe from the bombs falling on London, Bea's family sends her to Boston to live with the Gregory family. She is quickly swept up into their safe and privileged life, well-loved by all of them. Eventually, she must return to London, but her connection to them remains strong.
This is a beautifully written story, one that sucked me in immediately as I read the whole first section in one evening and wanted to keep going. After reading so many WW2 novels, this unique character-driven story was a breath of fresh air. I loved the short chapters, and admire how Spence-Ash brought her characters fully to life in those brief moments. I felt fully invested in the people, trying to anticipate if the story might unfold the way I hoped it would.
There wasn't a lot of action in the middle section, and it felt a little like biding time, but the first and third sections were wonderful. The way the dialogue was written required a little extra attention sometimes, especially if it was a conversation with lots of back and forth, but that's a pretty minor complaint.
This is a great historical fiction for those who don't enjoy getting bogged down in historical facts or don't enjoy reading about all the suffering.
In order to keep her safe from the bombs falling on London, Bea's family sends her to Boston to live with the Gregory family. She is quickly swept up into their safe and privileged life, well-loved by all of them. Eventually, she must return to London, but her connection to them remains strong.
This is a beautifully written story, one that sucked me in immediately as I read the whole first section in one evening and wanted to keep going. After reading so many WW2 novels, this unique character-driven story was a breath of fresh air. I loved the short chapters, and admire how Spence-Ash brought her characters fully to life in those brief moments. I felt fully invested in the people, trying to anticipate if the story might unfold the way I hoped it would.
There wasn't a lot of action in the middle section, and it felt a little like biding time, but the first and third sections were wonderful. The way the dialogue was written required a little extra attention sometimes, especially if it was a conversation with lots of back and forth, but that's a pretty minor complaint.
This is a great historical fiction for those who don't enjoy getting bogged down in historical facts or don't enjoy reading about all the suffering.