Beyond That, the Sea is a lovely story about family dynamics, love, and hope. The novel begins with eleven year-old Beatrix being sent by ship from London to the U.S. in 1940 for her safety during WWII. She was taken in and cared in by the Gregory Family. Upon her arrival, Beatrix was greeted by the two Gregory boys, blond haired William and the "wide-open American boy" Gerald.
Although the Gregory's primary residence was in Quincy, MA, it was during their summers on a private island in Maine where Beatrix finds a new home and, despite her ties to London, a new family. Beatrix went from carrying a gas mask while in London to learning to swim & dreaming about the future while on the little island.
I did not love the structure of this book with its very short chapters. But I did really like the perspective of WWII from Massachusetts and Maine.
Although the Gregory's primary residence was in Quincy, MA, it was during their summers on a private island in Maine where Beatrix finds a new home and, despite her ties to London, a new family. Beatrix went from carrying a gas mask while in London to learning to swim & dreaming about the future while on the little island.
I did not love the structure of this book with its very short chapters. But I did really like the perspective of WWII from Massachusetts and Maine.