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sophielaura1 's review for:
Beyond That, the Sea
by Laura Spence-Ash
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4.25 stars ✨ I’m fairly new to the historical fiction genre, so luckily I go into these books with no expectations which is a refreshing change from my more common genres. Only pointing this out as I don’t have much to compare it to!
This was a heartbreaking, yet uplifting story. It’s told from multiple perspectives, which I enjoyed as it kept the pacing strong and made the book feel like a story about an entire family rather than focusing on one individual. All of the characters were very real to me. I can picture Bea walking around London, sitting at a table with her mother Millie. I can see Gerald teaching in a classroom then joining his mother, Nancy, who’s cooking with an apron tied around her waist. William, by the sea, with his children, Kathleen and Jack. The imagery created was fabulous. Dark blues and greys for war torn London, oranges and yellows for the sunset in Boston. The imagery and colours change in my mind over the decades as the story is told. Because the story spans over decades, the characters grow before your very eyes, and you see familial, romantic and friendships evolve. I did predict the ending, but I was happy with it nonetheless.
Overall, it was a quick read. It did drag a little in part 3, but parts 1 & 2 made up for it. I can see myself picking up more by the author.
This was a heartbreaking, yet uplifting story. It’s told from multiple perspectives, which I enjoyed as it kept the pacing strong and made the book feel like a story about an entire family rather than focusing on one individual. All of the characters were very real to me. I can picture Bea walking around London, sitting at a table with her mother Millie. I can see Gerald teaching in a classroom then joining his mother, Nancy, who’s cooking with an apron tied around her waist. William, by the sea, with his children, Kathleen and Jack. The imagery created was fabulous. Dark blues and greys for war torn London, oranges and yellows for the sunset in Boston. The imagery and colours change in my mind over the decades as the story is told. Because the story spans over decades, the characters grow before your very eyes, and you see familial, romantic and friendships evolve. I did predict the ending, but I was happy with it nonetheless.
Overall, it was a quick read. It did drag a little in part 3, but parts 1 & 2 made up for it. I can see myself picking up more by the author.