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readingwithkaitlyn's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Death, Alcohol, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, and Body shaming
Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Sexism, Incest, Cancer, Miscarriage, Car accident, Racism, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny
Bombings, mayflower mention.enchantressreads's review
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
3.5
I originally requested this book from Celadon Books mostly because I love family dramas. It’s pretty obvious I don’t tend to read historical and literary fiction and prefer horror, but I do love any kind of book surrounding the family dynamic. This book had an interesting premise because it involved two families in a strange mesh.
Beyond That, the Sea is a combining of two separate families through war. WWII is currently ravaging London, and the Thompson’s have no other choice but to send their young daughter Beatrice over to America. She arrives to the Gregory family, and through short glimpses over the years, we see how this one decision changes the rest of their lives.
The chapters in this story are only a few pages long. This doesn’t allow for much attachment to the characters and, depending to who you talk to, could be a good thing or a bad thing. I flew through the book and didn’t get attached to anyone really, but I will say that I cried at the end. It could have been an even bigger emotional response had the characters been fleshed out more.
Thank you to Celadon Books for the chance to read this advanced review copy.
CW for war, miscarriage, death, death of parent, infidelity, and fatphobia
Beyond That, the Sea is a combining of two separate families through war. WWII is currently ravaging London, and the Thompson’s have no other choice but to send their young daughter Beatrice over to America. She arrives to the Gregory family, and through short glimpses over the years, we see how this one decision changes the rest of their lives.
The chapters in this story are only a few pages long. This doesn’t allow for much attachment to the characters and, depending to who you talk to, could be a good thing or a bad thing. I flew through the book and didn’t get attached to anyone really, but I will say that I cried at the end. It could have been an even bigger emotional response had the characters been fleshed out more.
Thank you to Celadon Books for the chance to read this advanced review copy.
CW for war, miscarriage, death, death of parent, infidelity, and fatphobia
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Miscarriage, Death, Death of parent, and Infidelity
Minor: Fatphobia
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