Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

Book Review

The author Lauren Wolk lives on the coast somewhere in Cape Cod and wrote this novel from the depth of her heart and soul and in tune with the music of the sea, her coastal lifestyle, and her detailed observations. I have already mentioned this book in a previous post, where I briefly touched on the themes and the plot. I am happily returning to it to relive Crow’s sunsets.

I have been looking for the soundtrack for this book and these songs came to mind:

* Traveler by The Weather Station

* Not Alone by Patti Griffin

* Diamond Girl by Abigail Lapell

* Mad World, Outlive Me by Amelia Curran

* Re by Nils Frahm

* Night Song by Peter Phippen

I dream that this book comes on the big screen and I can see Crow’s face reflecting her innocent restlessness and indulge in the stoic resolve of Osh, who has lived through so much – all of it unsaid – and does not need more than gestures to communicate. And then there is Miss Maggie who is such a necessary bother to Crow and Osh’s perfect tandem.

This novel is considered historical fiction for its 1920s setting in the Elizabeth Islands with their complicated history. It is less critical to me that the novel reveal the not-so-good history of Elizabeth’s Islands, than that it touch on the larger themes of prejudice, healing, sacrifice, the pursuit of the truth and its cost, self discovery, family, and unconditional love.

I believe that people who live on the coast can read waves. Surfers definitely can (more on that another day), but Lauren Wolk did it for us her own way in this character-driven, atmospheric, and lyrical novel for anyone who wants to try reading waves, too.

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The day I first shared this review was not the first time I tried “selling” sunset to my kids, but it was the first time they eagerly indulged me. We missed it, but we caught something else in its leftovers and I fell asleep to Jorjeana Marie‘s melodic narration of this book.