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znvisser's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? No
5.0
It feels like this story was written for me personally: the family relationships, the multiple POVs, all the emotions, the links to historical events, the influence of a place where you did part of your growing up, the sea…
The writing, nostalgia and the symbolism hit me at the first chapter and made me fall in love right away. The sea served both as a border and a portal, and most of all as a place whereby Beatrix learned to feel community, belonging, being at home. As William puts it years later: “Funny how places become part of who we are.” Anyone who has known such a place in their lives, will definitely find this story resonating more strongly with them.
The writing, nostalgia and the symbolism hit me at the first chapter and made me fall in love right away. The sea served both as a border and a portal, and most of all as a place whereby Beatrix learned to feel community, belonging, being at home. As William puts it years later: “Funny how places become part of who we are.” Anyone who has known such a place in their lives, will definitely find this story resonating more strongly with them.
Despite the many characters the POVs were executed really well. The short chapters from all of those involved have a beautiful pace, almost feeling like a pile of connected short stories, with half-open endings. These beautifully portray the unique details of their characters and all the complicated and layered emotions that the people involved in such a situation are having, and in those coming together, their completely different ways of dealing with them. And later on, it shows the power of memories and their individuality. Gosh, this was beautiful: the parallels, the uneasiness when different worlds collide, the little shifts that change everything… To me, this was a perfect read. And yes, the ending was predictable, but it was also the way I hoped it would turn out from quite early on, because it just made the most sense.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Body shaming, Alcoholism, Animal death, Car accident, Infidelity, and War
Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
kelly_e's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Title: Beyond That, the Sea
Author: Laura Spence-Ash
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: March 21, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Tender • Bittersweet • Layered
📖 S Y N O P S I S
As German bombs fall over London in 1940, working-class parents Millie and Reginald Thompson make an impossible choice: they decide to send their eleven-year-old daughter, Beatrix, to America. There, she’ll live with another family for the duration of the war, where they hope she’ll stay safe.
Scared and angry, feeling lonely and displaced, Bea arrives in Boston to meet the Gregorys. Mr. and Mrs. G, and their sons William and Gerald, fold Bea seamlessly into their world. She becomes part of this lively family, learning their ways and their stories, adjusting to their affluent lifestyle. Bea grows close to both boys, one older and one younger, and fills in the gap between them. Before long, before she even realizes it, life with the Gregorys feels more natural to her than the quiet, spare life with her own parents back in England.
As Bea comes into herself and relaxes into her new life—summers on the coast in Maine, new friends clamoring to hear about life across the sea—the girl she had been begins to fade away, until, abruptly, she is called home to London when the war ends.
Desperate as she is not to leave this life behind, Bea dutifully retraces her trip across the Atlantic back to her new, old world. As she returns to post-war London, the memory of her American family stays with her, never fully letting her go, and always pulling on her heart as she tries to move on and pursue love and a life of her own.
💭 T H O U G H T S
For 2023, I designed a personal Book of the Month project, where I pre-order one of my most anticipated releases each month. Beyond That, the Sea was March's selection and although it may have taken me a little longer than expected to get to it, it was a delightful read.
Told from multiple points of view, this character driven story sheds light on the journey many children were forced to take during WWII. It was a completely fresh take on WWII historical fiction. Laura Spence-Ash does a fantastic job telling what it may have been like for the parents left behind, the child themselves, and the host families. Although many children were not as lucky as Bea, and ended up in dire situations when they were sent to North America.
The story unravels at a slow and steady pace that really allows for fully fledged out relationships between the characters. The descriptions of the scenery created a vivid picture bringing the story to life even more. There were many different ways this book could have gone, and I really liked the route the author chose to take it - it felt the most realistic.
Beyond That, the Sea is a beautifully written exploration of love and loss, of sacrifice and resilience, of understanding and forgiveness, and most importantly, the meaning of home. There is pain and there is joy. And it left me deeply satisfied when it ended. While it doesn't pack the same emotional punch as other WWII novels, it is still a quiet, powerful story that introduces a fresh new voice in the historical fiction genre
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• WWII historical fiction fanatics
• fans of realistic fiction
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Together, they would always be fifteen and seventeen, on the cusp of something. How sweet that moment is, that moment of before. When anticipation is everything. When everything is new. When there are no consequences, when there is no after."
"Some secrets are weights to be borne. Others are gifts, little bits of warmth, to be revisited again and again. No one else ever needed to know. No one else had the right to know. It was theirs and theirs alone."
Author: Laura Spence-Ash
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: March 21, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Tender • Bittersweet • Layered
📖 S Y N O P S I S
As German bombs fall over London in 1940, working-class parents Millie and Reginald Thompson make an impossible choice: they decide to send their eleven-year-old daughter, Beatrix, to America. There, she’ll live with another family for the duration of the war, where they hope she’ll stay safe.
Scared and angry, feeling lonely and displaced, Bea arrives in Boston to meet the Gregorys. Mr. and Mrs. G, and their sons William and Gerald, fold Bea seamlessly into their world. She becomes part of this lively family, learning their ways and their stories, adjusting to their affluent lifestyle. Bea grows close to both boys, one older and one younger, and fills in the gap between them. Before long, before she even realizes it, life with the Gregorys feels more natural to her than the quiet, spare life with her own parents back in England.
As Bea comes into herself and relaxes into her new life—summers on the coast in Maine, new friends clamoring to hear about life across the sea—the girl she had been begins to fade away, until, abruptly, she is called home to London when the war ends.
Desperate as she is not to leave this life behind, Bea dutifully retraces her trip across the Atlantic back to her new, old world. As she returns to post-war London, the memory of her American family stays with her, never fully letting her go, and always pulling on her heart as she tries to move on and pursue love and a life of her own.
💭 T H O U G H T S
For 2023, I designed a personal Book of the Month project, where I pre-order one of my most anticipated releases each month. Beyond That, the Sea was March's selection and although it may have taken me a little longer than expected to get to it, it was a delightful read.
Told from multiple points of view, this character driven story sheds light on the journey many children were forced to take during WWII. It was a completely fresh take on WWII historical fiction. Laura Spence-Ash does a fantastic job telling what it may have been like for the parents left behind, the child themselves, and the host families. Although many children were not as lucky as Bea, and ended up in dire situations when they were sent to North America.
The story unravels at a slow and steady pace that really allows for fully fledged out relationships between the characters. The descriptions of the scenery created a vivid picture bringing the story to life even more. There were many different ways this book could have gone, and I really liked the route the author chose to take it - it felt the most realistic.
Beyond That, the Sea is a beautifully written exploration of love and loss, of sacrifice and resilience, of understanding and forgiveness, and most importantly, the meaning of home. There is pain and there is joy. And it left me deeply satisfied when it ended. While it doesn't pack the same emotional punch as other WWII novels, it is still a quiet, powerful story that introduces a fresh new voice in the historical fiction genre
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• WWII historical fiction fanatics
• fans of realistic fiction
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Together, they would always be fifteen and seventeen, on the cusp of something. How sweet that moment is, that moment of before. When anticipation is everything. When everything is new. When there are no consequences, when there is no after."
"Some secrets are weights to be borne. Others are gifts, little bits of warmth, to be revisited again and again. No one else ever needed to know. No one else had the right to know. It was theirs and theirs alone."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, War, Death of parent, Grief, and Abandonment
Minor: Infidelity, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Car accident, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Classism, and Alcohol
sibling deathbandysbooks's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-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
4.0
Beyond That The Sea is a historical fiction set during WW2 which follows an English girl sent to America to wait out the war. When she is finally allowed to return home, she struggles with leaving her adopted American family behind. What follows is a story that spans several decades, multiple countries, and a multitude of trials.
The strongest point of this story for me was the main character Beatrix. I thought she felt very authentic at the various ages we see her at. In particular, her child and pre-teen version is very compelling. Her desire to not be babied and even to rebel a bit all seemed very natural for her age. Her guilt at not being present for certain events also makes sense as the world is in chaos, but she's safely hidden away in the States.
I was a bit nervous when it became apparent that the romance aspect of the book would become more prominent as I am not a big romance reader. However, this was tastefully done and there was still a lot to the story aside from just the romantic element. I will say that I did find it a bit predictable in terms of who fell in love when and in what order, but it didn't really deter me from enjoying the book.
I do wish there had been a bit more detail about the war and how it affected things when it finally reached America. I know some details were included, but I feel like most of it was glossed over and resolved pretty quickly. I know that because the family Beatrix is living with is wealthy, they are protected to some degree, so that makes it understandable that they wouldn't necessarily feel it as deeply as a poor or middle class family might, but I do think it might be a bit more prominent or worrisome than it comes across in the book.
As for the audiobook version of this book, I did think the narrator did a good job. Their voice was pleasant to listen to and was easy to follow. I did have to speed up the audio a bit, but that is normal with audiobooks for me.
All in all, if you enjoy historical fiction mixed with coming of age and romance that spans a couple of decades, you'll likely enjoy this book.
Thank you to the publisher for the physical copy of the book and to Netgalley for the audio-galley! This in no way affects my ability to objectively review this book.
The strongest point of this story for me was the main character Beatrix. I thought she felt very authentic at the various ages we see her at. In particular, her child and pre-teen version is very compelling. Her desire to not be babied and even to rebel a bit all seemed very natural for her age. Her guilt at not being present for certain events also makes sense as the world is in chaos, but she's safely hidden away in the States.
I was a bit nervous when it became apparent that the romance aspect of the book would become more prominent as I am not a big romance reader. However, this was tastefully done and there was still a lot to the story aside from just the romantic element. I will say that I did find it a bit predictable in terms of who fell in love when and in what order, but it didn't really deter me from enjoying the book.
I do wish there had been a bit more detail about the war and how it affected things when it finally reached America. I know some details were included, but I feel like most of it was glossed over and resolved pretty quickly. I know that because the family Beatrix is living with is wealthy, they are protected to some degree, so that makes it understandable that they wouldn't necessarily feel it as deeply as a poor or middle class family might, but I do think it might be a bit more prominent or worrisome than it comes across in the book.
As for the audiobook version of this book, I did think the narrator did a good job. Their voice was pleasant to listen to and was easy to follow. I did have to speed up the audio a bit, but that is normal with audiobooks for me.
All in all, if you enjoy historical fiction mixed with coming of age and romance that spans a couple of decades, you'll likely enjoy this book.
Thank you to the publisher for the physical copy of the book and to Netgalley for the audio-galley! This in no way affects my ability to objectively review this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, War, Death, Abandonment, and Death of parent
martachbc's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Car accident
Minor: War, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
noladawnreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, War, and Infidelity
Moderate: Alcoholism and Death
oceanwriter's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Here I am again judging a book entirely by its cover. Thankfully, what was promised visually did not disappoint. In fact, I think I actually enjoyed it more than I was expecting to.
When the Germans begin bombing London, Beatrix is sent by her parents to stay with a family in America. She remains in Boston with the Gregorys until the end of the war. It's a lot of change for an eleven-year-old, but she pushes through it and eventually bonds with her host family.
I'm not sure why, but I was surprised to see this book had multiple parts. First, we get glimpses of Beatrix's time in America. Subsequently, we see her life in the decades following the war and her reconnection with the Gregorys.
I enjoyed the writing style of this book quite a bit, though I'm not a huge fan of dialogue mid-paragraph or dialogue without quotations, I got used to it. The story was beautifully put together. I especially loved reading about Beatrix's adolescence in America. I haven't seen a lot of books that show British children that evacuated to America. A lovely read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me with a free digital ARC of the book to read and review!
When the Germans begin bombing London, Beatrix is sent by her parents to stay with a family in America. She remains in Boston with the Gregorys until the end of the war. It's a lot of change for an eleven-year-old, but she pushes through it and eventually bonds with her host family.
I'm not sure why, but I was surprised to see this book had multiple parts. First, we get glimpses of Beatrix's time in America. Subsequently, we see her life in the decades following the war and her reconnection with the Gregorys.
I enjoyed the writing style of this book quite a bit, though I'm not a huge fan of dialogue mid-paragraph or dialogue without quotations, I got used to it. The story was beautifully put together. I especially loved reading about Beatrix's adolescence in America. I haven't seen a lot of books that show British children that evacuated to America. A lovely read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me with a free digital ARC of the book to read and review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Infidelity, and Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Alcoholism, and Car accident
Minor: Body shaming
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