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A review by thathappyreader
Beyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence-Ash
5.0
Beyond That,The Sea is a beautiful story of a young girl sent to the U.S. to live with another family during WWII. It was moving and well written.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Told from multiple points of view, it is heartwarming with well-developed and likeable characters. Set over more than forty years on both sides of the Atlantic, the story will remain with me for quite some time.
We are first introduced to eleven-year-old Beatrix and her family in London in 1940. Her working-class London parents have made a difficult decision to send her to the U.S. to live with a family in Boston to spare her from possible harm.
Beatrix or as she’s known in the U.S., Bea, is placed with The Gregorys, a loving family with two boys of their own. It doesn’t take long for Bea to settle in and she begins to feel like part of the family. William Gregory is the oldest of the two boys and wants to find his own path in life after high school, not following in the footsteps of his Harvard-educated father and grandfather. Gerald is the younger brother and the more compassionate son.
The years pass, the war ends and Beatrix returns to London. We follow each of the characters over the next few decades through death, marriage and the birth of children. The two families are forever tied through Beatrix’s time in Boston and continue corresponding through the decades.
The ability to read from the point of view of many characters in the book gave the reader great insight into the complexity of these families. One of the most poignant moments was when Beatrix learns that her mother and Mrs. Gregory had begun corresponding many years after Beatrix’s return to London. The conclusion of the book is beautiful and the perfect ending to this story.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book which was performed by Ell Potter. Her ability to provide both British and US accents to male and female characters was extraordinary. The tone and quality of her voice made it easy to listen to. I have no hesitation in recommending the audiobook version of this book to those that enjoy audiobooks.
I highly recommend this book to those readers who enjoy Historical Fiction or Women’s Fiction.
I received a copy of this audiobook from the publisher, but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.
4.5 stars (rounded up to 5).
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Told from multiple points of view, it is heartwarming with well-developed and likeable characters. Set over more than forty years on both sides of the Atlantic, the story will remain with me for quite some time.
We are first introduced to eleven-year-old Beatrix and her family in London in 1940. Her working-class London parents have made a difficult decision to send her to the U.S. to live with a family in Boston to spare her from possible harm.
Beatrix or as she’s known in the U.S., Bea, is placed with The Gregorys, a loving family with two boys of their own. It doesn’t take long for Bea to settle in and she begins to feel like part of the family. William Gregory is the oldest of the two boys and wants to find his own path in life after high school, not following in the footsteps of his Harvard-educated father and grandfather. Gerald is the younger brother and the more compassionate son.
The years pass, the war ends and Beatrix returns to London. We follow each of the characters over the next few decades through death, marriage and the birth of children. The two families are forever tied through Beatrix’s time in Boston and continue corresponding through the decades.
The ability to read from the point of view of many characters in the book gave the reader great insight into the complexity of these families. One of the most poignant moments was when Beatrix learns that her mother and Mrs. Gregory had begun corresponding many years after Beatrix’s return to London. The conclusion of the book is beautiful and the perfect ending to this story.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book which was performed by Ell Potter. Her ability to provide both British and US accents to male and female characters was extraordinary. The tone and quality of her voice made it easy to listen to. I have no hesitation in recommending the audiobook version of this book to those that enjoy audiobooks.
I highly recommend this book to those readers who enjoy Historical Fiction or Women’s Fiction.
I received a copy of this audiobook from the publisher, but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.
4.5 stars (rounded up to 5).