nothingforpomegranted's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
In 1934, nineteen-year-old Florence Adler is home in Atlantic City for the summer, preparing to swim the English Channel, when she drowns during an unaccompanied practice swim, in view of her parents, her young niece, the non-Jewish lifeguard who trains her and maybe loves her, and the German college student her parents have brought across the Atlantic out of fear of the rising Nazi power.
Missing from the scene is Florence's sister, Fannie. Sequestered in the hospital to monitor her high-risk pregnancy, Fannie is central to the rest of the plot; Esther, her mother, decides to keep Florence's death from her sister, hoping to avoid early labor and other pregnancy complications. The book whirls through seven different character perspectives as they grieve and keep secrets until the birth.
I loved this story and its unapologetically Jewish identity, particularly as a historical fiction novel that isn't set firmly in the world of the Holocaust. The characters were complex, human, and lovable, and despite the slow pace of the book, I kept turning pages, craving whatever would happen next. Admittedly, the vast array of perspectives was, while intriguing, a weakness of the novel: Beanland's writing wasn't quite sophisticated enough to distinguish among so many different voices, and some of the storylines suffered thusly.
Missing from the scene is Florence's sister, Fannie. Sequestered in the hospital to monitor her high-risk pregnancy, Fannie is central to the rest of the plot; Esther, her mother, decides to keep Florence's death from her sister, hoping to avoid early labor and other pregnancy complications. The book whirls through seven different character perspectives as they grieve and keep secrets until the birth.
I loved this story and its unapologetically Jewish identity, particularly as a historical fiction novel that isn't set firmly in the world of the Holocaust. The characters were complex, human, and lovable, and despite the slow pace of the book, I kept turning pages, craving whatever would happen next. Admittedly, the vast array of perspectives was, while intriguing, a weakness of the novel: Beanland's writing wasn't quite sophisticated enough to distinguish among so many different voices, and some of the storylines suffered thusly.
Spoiler
I was also disappointed by the ending. The entire book built suspense to the reveal of Florence's death to Fannie, and while I recognize that the book was about so much more--the nature of love, sisterhood, and loss--this moment was integral to understanding so many of the relationships that enlivened the rest of the story, and I was sorry not to have the opportunity to process and mourn with Fannie.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Antisemitism
fugitive_words's review against another edition
3.75
The perfect summer read. This debut novel was really heartwarming; a study of a family dealing with grief, yet overall really joyous. With the mix of the historical setting, tragic death, family dynamics, and budding romances, it really reminded me of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, so if you like that, give this a try! Plus, this is based on a real story.
The only reason it’s not 4 stars, is because I felt the pace wasn’t always equally gripping (although it picked up towards the end). That being said, I appreciated the dedication to each individual character and the historical accuracy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Miscarriage
The death is a drowning (not explicit).rozereads's review
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Interesting that it was based on a family story; liked the time period, 1930s and locale.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Miscarriage
Minor: Grief
Loss was a main theme throughout.
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