"At the Water's Edge" by Sara Gruen is a historical fiction novel set during World War II in Scotland. The story follows Maddie, a wealthy American, who accompanies her husband and his best friend on a quest to find the Loch Ness monster. As Maddie navigates life outside her privileged bubble, she begins to question her relationships and undergo a personal transformation. The book touches on themes of class structures, mental illness, wartime struggles, and personal growth, all against the backdrop of a vividly depicted Scottish landscape. The plot unfolds with a mix of romance, mystery, and elements of the supernatural, keeping readers engaged until the satisfying conclusion.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include references to domestic abuse, substance abuse, and themes of PTSD related to war experiences.
Has Romance?
The romance in At the Water's Edge is a central element, featuring both Maddie's evolving relationship with her husband and her connection with the innkeeper, Angus.
From The Publisher:
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
In this thrilling new novel from the author of Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen again demonstrates her talent for creating spellbinding period pieces. At the Water's Edge is a gripping and poignant love story about a privileged young woman's awakening as she experiences the devastation of World War II in a tiny village in the Scottish Highlands.
After disgracing themselves at a high society New Year's Eve party in Philadelphia in 1944, Madeline Hyde and her husband, Ellis, are cut off financially by his father, a former army colonel who is already ashamed of his son's inability to serve in the war. When Ellis and his best friend, Hank, decide that the only way to regain the Colonel's favor is to succeed where the Colonel very publicly failed-by hunting down the famous Loch Ness monster-Maddie reluctantly follows them across the Atlantic, leaving her sheltered world behind.
The trio find themselves in a remote village in the Scottish Highlands, where the locals have nothing but contempt for the privileged interlopers. Maddie is left on her own at the isolated inn, where food is rationed, fuel is scarce, and a knock from the postman can bring tragic news. Yet she finds herself falling in love with the stark beauty and subtle magic of the Scottish countryside. Gradually she comes to know the villagers, and the friendships she forms with two young women open her up to a larger world than she knew existed. Maddie begins to see that nothing is as it first appears: the values she holds dear prove unsustainable, and monsters lurk where they are least expected.
As she embraces a fuller sense of who she might be, Maddie becomes aware not only of the dark forces around her, but of life's beauty and surprising possibilities.
Praise for At the Water's Edge
"Breathtaking . . . a daring story of adventure, friendship, and love in the shadow of WWII."-Harper's Bazaar
"A gripping, compelling story . . . Gruen's characters are vividly drawn and her scenes are perfectly paced."-The Boston Globe
"A page-turner of a novel that rollicks along with crisp historical detail."-Fort Worth Star-Telegram
"Powerfully evocative."-USA Today
"Gruen is a master at the period piece-and [this] novel is just another stunning example of that craft."-Glamour
Ratings (4)
Loved It (3) | |
It Was OK (1) |
Reader Stats (6):
Read It (4) | |
Want To Read (2) |
2 comment(s)
This was an ARC copy of the book won from Goodreads. It was a wonderful book and is a great read for historical fiction fans!
Entertaining but a little too soap opera for me to really love.
What can you read after
At the Water's Edge?
About the Author:
Sara Gruen is the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Water for Elephants, Ape House, Riding Lessons, and Flying Changes. Her works have been translated into forty-three languages and have sold more than ten million copies…
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