Scan barcode
A review by portybelle
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by Miranda Dickinson
5.0
Sometimes a book just captures your heart and this one with its mixture of sea, seaglass, stars and sky did just that.
The story is told in short alternating chapters by Seren (which is Welsh for star) and Jack. They are told in first person so you really feel you get to know them. And the thing is, although they are on opposing sides of a local community argument, you can't help but like them both. Jack recently lost his wife, and home, and is bringing up their young daughter Nessie. He is a builder but work has dried up and money is tight. He jumps at the chance to work on big development. He is passionate about building, and wants to work with the landscape, with natural materials and to use local expertise. He feels he can respect and honour the memory of Elinor Carne, a local and largely forgotten astronomer.
Seren on the other hand is continuing her late father's campaign to save the parsonage where Elinor lived, to protect and develop the old remains, bring the name of Elinor back into public knowledge. This is the site that Jack's boss wants to redevelop. She is still grieving the close bond she shared with her father and trying desperately to keep his craft shop business afloat. The author lost her own father when writing this book so it's not surprisingly that the grief Seren feels over the sudden loss of her dad is so touchingly and convincingly portrayed.
Unknown to either of them, despite being in opposition to each other, they also have something in common - seaglass. There is something special about seaglass and I also get that fizz of excitement if I find some on the beach. Jack and his daughter Ness enjoy making stars from seaglass on the beach but one day don't have time to finish one. Seren finds the star the next morning and completes it. Young Ness is convinced it is mermaids finishing the stars! It was lovely to read about how special the stars became for them all. It was something secret away from their everyday cares. This part of the story reminded me a bit of You've Got Mail with neither knowing who the mystery person was. Both Jack and Seren seemed to need someone or something else to complete their lives but effectively being enemies made it difficult for them even to be friends.
There were lots of lovely references to everyday magic in the book and something that Seren's father said to her really touched me: [i] "Magic is everywhere Seren, if you look hard enough for it. Life is extraordinary, if you let it be."[/i] Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a really uplifting book about finding that magic in life, sometimes in the most unexpected places. I had a lump in my throat at the many poignant moments throughout the book and yet it also gladdened my heart. It was a joy to read.
The story is told in short alternating chapters by Seren (which is Welsh for star) and Jack. They are told in first person so you really feel you get to know them. And the thing is, although they are on opposing sides of a local community argument, you can't help but like them both. Jack recently lost his wife, and home, and is bringing up their young daughter Nessie. He is a builder but work has dried up and money is tight. He jumps at the chance to work on big development. He is passionate about building, and wants to work with the landscape, with natural materials and to use local expertise. He feels he can respect and honour the memory of Elinor Carne, a local and largely forgotten astronomer.
Seren on the other hand is continuing her late father's campaign to save the parsonage where Elinor lived, to protect and develop the old remains, bring the name of Elinor back into public knowledge. This is the site that Jack's boss wants to redevelop. She is still grieving the close bond she shared with her father and trying desperately to keep his craft shop business afloat. The author lost her own father when writing this book so it's not surprisingly that the grief Seren feels over the sudden loss of her dad is so touchingly and convincingly portrayed.
Unknown to either of them, despite being in opposition to each other, they also have something in common - seaglass. There is something special about seaglass and I also get that fizz of excitement if I find some on the beach. Jack and his daughter Ness enjoy making stars from seaglass on the beach but one day don't have time to finish one. Seren finds the star the next morning and completes it. Young Ness is convinced it is mermaids finishing the stars! It was lovely to read about how special the stars became for them all. It was something secret away from their everyday cares. This part of the story reminded me a bit of You've Got Mail with neither knowing who the mystery person was. Both Jack and Seren seemed to need someone or something else to complete their lives but effectively being enemies made it difficult for them even to be friends.
There were lots of lovely references to everyday magic in the book and something that Seren's father said to her really touched me: [i] "Magic is everywhere Seren, if you look hard enough for it. Life is extraordinary, if you let it be."[/i] Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a really uplifting book about finding that magic in life, sometimes in the most unexpected places. I had a lump in my throat at the many poignant moments throughout the book and yet it also gladdened my heart. It was a joy to read.