Unique perspective of growing up during WWII

Although I was drawn to the beautiful cover, I was drawn in to this unique story by the lovely descriptions and details that paint an emotional picture. The opening quote by Virginia Wolf that explains the title - “In the beginning, there was the nursery, with windows opening on to a garden, and beyond that the sea” - feels as though it refers to Bea’s journey from a child (reference to the nursery) to a young adult while she’s separated from her family by a vast ocean. I enjoy how the short, multi-perspective chapters gently propel the storyline that takes place over the course of many years.