Letters Across the Sea
Books | Fiction / Historical / 20th Century / World War II
4.4
Genevieve Graham
Inspired by a little-known chapter of World War II history, a young Protestant girl and her Jewish neighbour are caught up in the terrible wave of hate sweeping the globe on the eve of war in this powerful love story that’s perfect for fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.If you’re reading this letter, that means I’m dead. I had obviously hoped to see you again, to explain in person, but fate had other plans. 1933 At eighteen years old, Molly Ryan dreams of becoming a journalist, but instead she spends her days working any job she can to help her family through the Depression crippling her city. The one bright spot in her life is watching baseball with her best friend, Hannah Dreyfus, and sneaking glances at Hannah’s handsome older brother, Max. But as the summer unfolds, more and more of Hitler’s hateful ideas cross the sea and “Swastika Clubs” and “No Jews Allowed” signs spring up around Toronto, a city already simmering with mass unemployment, protests, and unrest. When tensions between the Irish and Jewish communities erupt in a riot one smouldering day in August, Molly and Max are caught in the middle, with devastating consequences for both their families. 1939 Six years later, the Depression has eased and Molly is a reporter at her local paper. But a new war is on the horizon, putting everyone she cares about most in peril. As letters trickle in from overseas, Molly is forced to confront what happened all those years ago, but is it too late to make things right? From the desperate streets of Toronto to the embattled shores of Hong Kong, Letters Across the Sea is a poignant novel about the enduring power of love to cross dangerous divides even in the darkest of times—from the #1 bestselling author of The Forgotten Home Child.
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Author
Genevieve Graham
Pages
384
Publisher
Simon and Schuster
Published Date
2021-04-27
ISBN
1982156643 9781982156640
Community ReviewsSee all
"Bookclub book"
Annie Murray
"I decided this book deserved the full five stars, because it really opened my eyes to an aspect of WWII that I hadn’t known, and I love that! With the ever growing influx of WWII stories over the past decade, it’s refreshing to be shown something that not many people know, and the beauty of fiction allows us to examine how the events would affect us. These characters may not be real, but they examine forgotten historical events, and give us an access point to understanding that history.<br/><br/>I’ve long been a fan of historical fiction, mostly for the fact that it lends a voice to people who aren’t written about, and whose thoughts we may never know. This of course include women and people of color, as well as other marginalized communities. In this novel, I was particular drawn to the disparities in how the Jewish Canadian population was treated during the 1930s. It’s something I’m ashamed I hadn’t considered, and I’m grateful to the author for shining a light on things many would rather forget.<br/><br/>I can’t wait to read more of this author’s backlist, I know she tackles different historical time periods through a Canadian lens, and seeing as I hold my neighbor to the north in high regard, I am eager to see what else I can learn! <br/>"
A P
Allie Peduto
"So beautiful, I could not put it down. The forbidden love had me clutching my pearls I wanted them to be together so bad 😭 I learned a lot while reading this novel. 10/10 would recommend. One of my favorite books ever."
yoongi toocute
