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

My Rating: 3.75⭐

In 1940 as WWII rages on, London-based Reginald and Millie Thompson decide to send their daughter, eleven-year-old Beatrix to the United States, where she is placed under the care of Ethan and Nancy Gregory , a lovely couple who welcome her into their home and their hearts. She spends her time divided between Gregory home in Boston and their vacation home in Maine with their two school-going sons, William and Gerald, both of whom befriend Beatrix. Beatrix’s parents miss her dearly only deriving comfort from the fact that she is out of harm’s way. Millie , in particular fears that the geographical distance and her daughter’s growing emotional attachment to the Gregory family and the comfortable lifestyle in the US (as is shared through letters to her mother) will widen the chasm between her and her family in London. Five years later, the war is over and Beatrix returns to London, torn between her love for the Gregory family and the home calling her back, albeit with the shadow of her father’s demise and mother’s remarriage looming large. The five years with the Gregory family leave a profound impact on Beatrix (as does Beatrix’s presence in the lives of all of the members of the Gregory family)and the choices she makes throughout her life. The first segment of the narrative is the only one part written with the backdrop of WWII and the London Blitz - primarily its impact on the Thomson family, rather than the War itself. In the following segments, spanning 1945 to 1977, the narrative follows Beatrix and the Gregorys over the next three decades, through the ups and downs in their lives and the emotional connection that never ebbs despite the geographical distance.

With its beautiful prose and well-thought-out characters Beyond That, The Sea by Laura Spence-Ash is a moving story, that touches upon themes of kindness, family, home and relationships. The pace is on the slower side but that suits the story and the narrative structure well. The author describes human emotions both in their simplicity and their complexity in a very balanced tone. Though the story is predominantly an emotional, character-driven story, the author does not revert to an overly melodramatic representation of the characters or their relationships. However, I did feel that the multiple perspectives detracted from the fluidity of the narrative. While I did enjoy the story, I did not quite agree with a crucial decision Beatrix makes towards the end of the story. I found her behavior slightly contradictory to her personality as is revealed to us throughout the narrative. But then, human emotions are complicated and the author does well in giving us a glimpse into Beatrix’s thoughts as she ponders over certain decisions.

Overall, I did enjoy this heartbreaking yet uplifting story and would be eager to read more from this author in the future.

“We love people for all sorts of different reasons and in all sorts of different ways, she says. Remember that.”