Book Review: Beyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence-Ash

“There’s something behind her eyes, something unreadable, but something he almost understands. Sorrow, loneliness, loss. This is what grief must look like.”

Lauren Spence-Ash, Beyond That, the Sea

Review:

Here I am again judging a book entirely by its cover. Thankfully, what was promised visually did not disappoint. In fact, I think I actually enjoyed it more than I was expecting to.

When the Germans begin bombing London, Beatrix is sent by her parents to stay with a family in America. She remains in Boston with the Gregorys until the end of the war. It’s a lot of change for an eleven-year-old, but she pushes through it and eventually bonds with her host family.

I’m not sure why, but I was surprised to see this book had multiple parts. First, we get glimpses of Beatrix’s time in America. Subsequently, we see her life in the decades following the war and her reconnection with the Gregorys.

I enjoyed the writing style of this book quite a bit, though I’m not a huge fan of dialogue mid-paragraph or dialogue without quotations, I got used to it. The story was beautifully put together. I especially loved reading about Beatrix’s adolescence in America. I haven’t seen a lot of books that show British children that evacuated to America. A lovely read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me with a free digital ARC of the book to read and review!

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The plot of Beatrix being sent to America to escape the war.
• The Gregorys. I loved their family.
• How well the writing flowed.

What I didn’t like:

• Unclear dialogue points.
• A lot of me wishes that the book had focused more on the war timeline, however, I did like getting to see her (and the other characters) as adults.
• I wasn’t super into the romance plot.

Afterthoughts:

I’m going to be tempted to buy a physical copy of this book once it’s published. This will make an excellent summer read.

Where to buy the book: