A review by momadvice
Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson

3.0

 

Fans of Firefly Lane will resonate with the themes in this friendship fiction story exploring the unique bonds between three women at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

This backlist saga clocks in at 522 pages and encompassed many women's experiences in the military that Gibson profiled initially for a story but later blossomed into a book. As the daughter of a Veteran, I was excited to read that the author grew up around West Point while her father was a professor there, bringing a personal lens to this experience.

Gibson's narrative unfolds across seven pivotal years, capturing the journey of three women— Dani, Hannah, and Avery, from their high school days to the commencement of a new chapter at West Point Military Academy in the wake of the events of 9/11 and personal loss that reverberates across their lives.

This novel takes many emotional turns, which I loved but I struggled with the unusual chapter structure that pulled me out of the story. More than that, its distinct emphasis on religious themes would have worked beautifully had this novel been marketed under the Christian fiction umbrella, but it struggled to balance these themes  for a reader who did not expect that in the book. 

At the end of this story, I walked away with one experience that made it worth it for me to read. Gibson paints a perspective of a military marriage that I will never forget. Weaving in the heartwrenching challenges of serving together ultimately made this book worth it. 

I respect Gibson's efforts in writing a novel that challenges the idea of what women in the military look like and the meticulous research presented. The Author's Note dives into profiles of all the women she interviewed- an incredible undertaking. 

While I didn't think it worked for a book club selection for the above reasons, many readers have loved this experience, evident by its 4.13 rating on GoodReads. 

I'm glad to have read this because I know the perfect reader for this book when I am asked for book recommendations, especially for readers craving a New Adult story. It just might be you!