A review by meezcarrie
Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin
4.0
When the first page of a book contains a suspicious female heroine who mutters the self-recriminating phrase “Too much Nancy Drew in junior high”, I know it’s going to be right up my alley!
So many elements make this book a winner for me! The friends-who-fall-for-each-other trope, the Nancy Drew & Agatha Christie references, the unique perspective on the time period, the theme of not letting your fears stop you from being bold. And then there’s Sarah Sundin’s easy, natural writing style that engages you immediately and holds you captive until the very end.
Jim and Mary, childhood friends reunited as adults at the Boston Navy Yard, both struggle with not wanting to make waves or draw attention. Both are scarred from past experiences and prefer to fade into the background. One of the great lessons of Through Waters Deep is that life passes you by when you merely float through it, and I delighted in watching their journeys toward greater courage.
Most WW2 books take place once America is already engaged officially in the conflict, but Through Waters Deep uniquely spotlights the tumultuous period leading up to America’s entry. Tempers and tensions and conspiracy theories ran high; intrigue lurked around every corner, and trust among colleagues sank lower with every report of American lives lost in the crossfires. What struck me about the tension I read in Through Waters Deep was how there really is nothing new under the sun. Oh, maybe the conflict between humans wears a different label now (and maybe it doesn’t) but some of the scenes and scenarios could have come right out of the latest Breaking News headlines instead of from the newspapers of the 1940s. Sarah Sundin does a remarkable job of bringing this history to life in a vivid portrait of the lives affected when we let prejudice and/or bitterness ensnare our hearts.
Mary was my favorite character in the book – perhaps because like her I often have let fear dictate my actions… or perhaps because I have a bit of Nancy Drew in me too. I loved how she embraced the opportunity to be an amateur sleuth, even when Agent Sheffield rather condescendingly brushed off her attempts by asking her how many Nancy Drew books she’d read. I have to say, I bristled with a bit of righteous indignation in a show of sisterhood for my girl Mary during that scene!
I liked seeing Jim as a Navy man, watching him grow as an officer and as a friend. I did want to shake some sense into him a few times, but he redeemed himself nicely so I can’t stay too aggravated at him :)
Bottom Line: A fascinating look at the events leading up to World War 2, Through Waters Deep showcases the very best aspects of bold courage, breath-stealing romance, intriguing mystery and sweet friendship. For every woman who still dreams occasionally of being Nancy Drew, this is the book you need to read next!
(I received a copy of Through Waters Deep from the publisher via Litfuse in exchange for only my honest review.)
So many elements make this book a winner for me! The friends-who-fall-for-each-other trope, the Nancy Drew & Agatha Christie references, the unique perspective on the time period, the theme of not letting your fears stop you from being bold. And then there’s Sarah Sundin’s easy, natural writing style that engages you immediately and holds you captive until the very end.
Jim and Mary, childhood friends reunited as adults at the Boston Navy Yard, both struggle with not wanting to make waves or draw attention. Both are scarred from past experiences and prefer to fade into the background. One of the great lessons of Through Waters Deep is that life passes you by when you merely float through it, and I delighted in watching their journeys toward greater courage.
Most WW2 books take place once America is already engaged officially in the conflict, but Through Waters Deep uniquely spotlights the tumultuous period leading up to America’s entry. Tempers and tensions and conspiracy theories ran high; intrigue lurked around every corner, and trust among colleagues sank lower with every report of American lives lost in the crossfires. What struck me about the tension I read in Through Waters Deep was how there really is nothing new under the sun. Oh, maybe the conflict between humans wears a different label now (and maybe it doesn’t) but some of the scenes and scenarios could have come right out of the latest Breaking News headlines instead of from the newspapers of the 1940s. Sarah Sundin does a remarkable job of bringing this history to life in a vivid portrait of the lives affected when we let prejudice and/or bitterness ensnare our hearts.
Mary was my favorite character in the book – perhaps because like her I often have let fear dictate my actions… or perhaps because I have a bit of Nancy Drew in me too. I loved how she embraced the opportunity to be an amateur sleuth, even when Agent Sheffield rather condescendingly brushed off her attempts by asking her how many Nancy Drew books she’d read. I have to say, I bristled with a bit of righteous indignation in a show of sisterhood for my girl Mary during that scene!
I liked seeing Jim as a Navy man, watching him grow as an officer and as a friend. I did want to shake some sense into him a few times, but he redeemed himself nicely so I can’t stay too aggravated at him :)
Bottom Line: A fascinating look at the events leading up to World War 2, Through Waters Deep showcases the very best aspects of bold courage, breath-stealing romance, intriguing mystery and sweet friendship. For every woman who still dreams occasionally of being Nancy Drew, this is the book you need to read next!
(I received a copy of Through Waters Deep from the publisher via Litfuse in exchange for only my honest review.)