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kelly_e's review
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Title: Letters Across the Sea
Author: Genevieve Graham
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: April 27, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Touching • Authentic • Illuminating
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Set in 1930s Toronto, Letters Across the Sea follows Molly, a protestant girl who dreams of being a journalist, and Max, a Jewish boy studying to be a doctor, whose friendships comes to an abrupt end following the rise of anti-Semitism and the Christie Pits riots.
In 1939, with the depression easing, and a new war on the horizon, Molly is working as a report for her local paper. But some of the people she cares most have enlisted, including Max who she'd lost touch with. What ensues are glimpses into the Battle of Hong Kong and the POW experience, as Molly tries to confront what happened all those years ago.
A tender story of courage, betrayal and reconciliation.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Genevieve Graham has delivered another historical fiction novel which offers a truth about a part of Canadian history that is often tucked away. Not only does she dive into antisemitism in Canada, something I knew nothing about, but she also tackles a battle that is rarely discussed. In her note to readers at the end she writes, "There's a reason this battle is not often discussed. I've read military accounts and articles as well as journal and interviews of veterans who survived, and they all tell the same shameful story: the Battle of Hong Kong should never have happened. In fact, it was the only battle in WWII that was 100 per cent a failure." Learning from the pages, is one of the reason I gravitate to historical fiction, and I learned so much here.
The writing is immersive, and her research is so thorough that it brings the story to life. The romance and historical aspects of the book are tied together nicely. I also enjoyed the focus on what was going on in Canada during the war, as this is something that is often overlooked. However, there were a couple of things that I felt let down by with this one. Firstly, I had hoped that the title would play into the plot more. Secondly, the ending felt too predictable to me. With that said, I enjoyed it but I didn't love it.
I greatly appreciate and commend Genevieve for the work and gifts she has given me in the form of books. She remains an auto-buy for me, and I cannot wait to read her 2022 release Bluebird as well as more of her backlist.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• historical fiction readers
• WWII enthusiasts
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Instead, I wrote, the goodness within us was only as good as how we treated our fellow humans."
"You can never know until you know."
Author: Genevieve Graham
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: April 27, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Touching • Authentic • Illuminating
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Set in 1930s Toronto, Letters Across the Sea follows Molly, a protestant girl who dreams of being a journalist, and Max, a Jewish boy studying to be a doctor, whose friendships comes to an abrupt end following the rise of anti-Semitism and the Christie Pits riots.
In 1939, with the depression easing, and a new war on the horizon, Molly is working as a report for her local paper. But some of the people she cares most have enlisted, including Max who she'd lost touch with. What ensues are glimpses into the Battle of Hong Kong and the POW experience, as Molly tries to confront what happened all those years ago.
A tender story of courage, betrayal and reconciliation.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Genevieve Graham has delivered another historical fiction novel which offers a truth about a part of Canadian history that is often tucked away. Not only does she dive into antisemitism in Canada, something I knew nothing about, but she also tackles a battle that is rarely discussed. In her note to readers at the end she writes, "There's a reason this battle is not often discussed. I've read military accounts and articles as well as journal and interviews of veterans who survived, and they all tell the same shameful story: the Battle of Hong Kong should never have happened. In fact, it was the only battle in WWII that was 100 per cent a failure." Learning from the pages, is one of the reason I gravitate to historical fiction, and I learned so much here.
The writing is immersive, and her research is so thorough that it brings the story to life. The romance and historical aspects of the book are tied together nicely. I also enjoyed the focus on what was going on in Canada during the war, as this is something that is often overlooked. However, there were a couple of things that I felt let down by with this one. Firstly, I had hoped that the title would play into the plot more. Secondly, the ending felt too predictable to me. With that said, I enjoyed it but I didn't love it.
I greatly appreciate and commend Genevieve for the work and gifts she has given me in the form of books. She remains an auto-buy for me, and I cannot wait to read her 2022 release Bluebird as well as more of her backlist.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• historical fiction readers
• WWII enthusiasts
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Instead, I wrote, the goodness within us was only as good as how we treated our fellow humans."
"You can never know until you know."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Antisemitism
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, and Violence
maplegreen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Torture, and Violence