by Sara Gruen
“Gripping, compelling . . . Gruen’s characters are vividly drawn and her scenes are perfectly paced.”—The Boston Globe
In January 1945, when Madeline Hyde and her husband, Ellis, are cut off financially by his father, a retired army colonel who is ashamed of his son’s inability to serve, Ellis decides that the only way to regain his father’s favor is to succeed where the Colonel very publicly failed—by hunting down the famous Loch Ness monster. Leaving her sheltered world behind, Maddie reluctantly follows Ellis and his best friend, Hank, to a remote village in the Scottish Highlands. Gradually, the friendships Maddie forms with the townspeople open her up to a larger world than she knew existed. Maddie begins to see that nothing is as it first appears, and as she embraces a fuller sense of who she might be, she becomes aware not only of darker forces around her but of life’s surprising possibilities.
“Gripping, compelling . . . Gruen’s characters are vividly drawn and her scenes are perfectly paced.”—The Boston Globe
In January 1945, when Madeline Hyde and her husband, Ellis, are cut off financially by his father, a retired army colonel who is ashamed of his son’s inability to serve, Ellis decides that the only way to regain his father’s favor is to succeed where the Colonel very publicly failed—by hunting down the famous Loch Ness monster. Leaving her sheltered world behind, Maddie reluctantly follows Ellis and his best friend, Hank, to a remote village in the Scottish Highlands. Gradually, the friendships Maddie forms with the townspeople open her up to a larger world than she knew existed. Maddie begins to see that nothing is as it first appears, and as she embraces a fuller sense of who she might be, she becomes aware not only of darker forces around her but of life’s surprising possibilities.
Reviews-
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March 23, 2015
Gruenâs (Water for Elephants) riveting fifth novel follows Philadelphia socialite Madeline Hyde; her husband, Ellis; and his best friend, Hank, on a quest to Loch Ness in January 1945 as they seek proof of the legendary monster, which Ellisâs father allegedly photographed 13 years earlier. Once the trio is ensconced in the tiny village of Drumnadrochit, Hank and Ellis begin disappearing for days at a time, leaving Maddie alone back at the inn with no ration card, no practical skills, and no emergency gear. She soon bonds with the localsâeven Angus, the innâs brooding, standoffish ownerâand her newfound friendships help her cope with household chores and air raids alike. As the days drag on, Maddie begins to uncover truths about her family, as well as secrets about Ellis, that force her to reimagine her entire life as she knows it. A slow start gives way to mystery upon mystery, building to a gripping climax. Though some aspects, particularly an ambiguous brush with the supernatural, are a little pedestrian, Gruenâs beautiful setting and deeply sympathetic characters ensure a memorable read for new and returning fans alike. -
January 15, 2015
Three spoiled brats from Philadelphia go to Scotland to look for the Loch Ness monster in the middle of World War II."I pointed out, as gently as I could, what I'd hoped was obvious: that it made no sense whatsoever to throw ourselves into the middle of an ocean crawling with U-boats on a quest to find a monster that probably didn't even exist," explains Maddie Hyde as she embarks on that very journey with her husband and their best friend. If only she could have gotten this across to Gruen (Ape House, 2010, etc.), who is not likely to replicate the success of the best-selling Water for Elephants (2006) with this silly novel. Unlike the other brave boys of their generation, Ellis and Hank are not off fighting Hitler; they are 4-F due to color blindness and flat feet, respectively. Instead of hanging around town being sneered at by their friends and family, they scoop up Maddie and take off for Scotland, where their dubious plan is to redeem the reputation of Ellis' father, who supposedly faked a sighting of Nessie a decade earlier, by this time really finding the monster. After a gruesome trip through the Battle of the Atlantic, they arrive at the tiny village of Drumnadrochit, where they take rooms at a run-down public house run by a crew from Central Casting: a gruff, wild-looking innkeeper, a beautiful red-haired barmaid, etc. While Ellis and Hank spend their days getting wildly drunk and monster-hunting, Maddie befriends the locals and learns to make a bed and mash potatoes. Various types of forbidden love, deception and skullduggery ensue. Gruen's handling of air raids, food rations, sad telegrams and reports from the front makes the thinness of the story's premise all the more awkward. At heart, this is an unlikely romance novel. A little too unlikely.COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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February 15, 2015
Lacking a strong cast of sympathetic protagonists, Gruen's latest is slightly off target. Though she combines historical fiction, romance, and fable to good effect, and her narrative description is often sublime, a cast of extremely unlikable main characters prohibits the author from scoring the literary bull's-eye she achieved in Water for Elephants (1992). In 1945, three admittedly spoiled brats, who humiliated themselves and their families on the social circuit, take off for a lark in the Scottish Highlands. While hunting for the elusive Loch Ness monster as a way of redeeming themselves and their fortunes, married Maddie and Ellis and perennial sidekick Hank are also faced with the daunting task of sorting out their own issues, including their own unresolved love triangle. As Maddie connects with the environment and the locals, her self-awareness deepens, while Ellis and Hank seem to regress. Though the waning days of WWII initially seem like a strange backdrop for this tale, as Maddie shows signs of emotional growth, it begins to make more sense as an effective narrative counterpoint. Though flawed, this ambitious novel is a natural for the book-club set.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Since she scored an undisputed literary and best-selling bull's-eye with Water for Elephants, anything Gruen writes is destined to fly off the shelves.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.) - BookPage "Breathtaking . . . a daring story of adventure, friendship, and love in the shadow of WWII."--Harper's Bazaar "A gripping, compelling story . . . [Sara] 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 "A captivating tale."--Us Weekly "Utterly winning."--The Miami Herald "A compelling, enthralling read, a novel which captivates and rewards, paying off in a series of emotional and narrative twists . . . comfort reading of the highest order."--The Globe and Mail "A super steamy love story."--Good Housekeeping "[Gruen] conveys the lure of the Scottish Highlands. . . . At the Water's Edge captivates with its drama, intrigue and glimpses of both the dark and light of humanity."
- Booklist "A heartwarming story about life, and the places it can potentially take you."--InStyle "A natural for the book-club set."
- Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale "If I needed a reminder why I am such a fan of Sara Gruen's books, her latest novel provides plenty. Unique in its setting and scope, this impeccably researched historical fiction is full of the gorgeous prose I've come to expect from this author. And even after the final page, its message still resonates with me: The monsters we seek may be right in front of us. In fact, the only fault I can find with this book is that I've already finished it."--Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Leaving Time "I devoured this book. Once again Sara Gruen has proven herself to be one of America's most compelling storytellers. You might be tempted to rush to get to the answers at the end--but don't, or you'll miss the delectable journey that is Gruen's prose."--Kathryn Stockett, New York Times bestselling author of The Help "Magical . . . At the Water's Edge skillfully transports us to a small, tenacious Scottish village in the grip of war, and into the heart of Madeline Hyde, a woman who is a stranger to herself until forces convene to rock her awake. Sara Gruen is a wizard at capturing the essence of her historical setting, and does so here in spades, but it's Maddie's unexpected transformation that grounds and drives the novel. As her husband and best friend search the surface of the Loch, desperate for a sign of the elusive creature, Maddie learns to plumb her own depths, and comes fully alive to the world around her."--Paula McLain, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife "At the Water's Edge is a rich, beautiful novel. Elegantly written and compulsively readable, it is at once a gripping love story, a profound examination of the effects of war on ordinary women, and a compelling portrait of female friendship. While delving into powerful themes, Sara Gruen never loses sight of what matters: her characters. This story of one privileged young woman, coming of age in a time of impossible upheaval and terrible choices, will keep you riveted until the very last page."
- Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Someone Else's Love Story "Intoxicating . . . Sara Gruen has an exquisite eye for detail, and she evokes the haunted--and haunting--Scottish landscape with her signature passion, freshness, and scope. Atmospheric and gritty, the compelling tale of Madeline's struggle to redefine herself in a world gone mad will linger long after you turn the final page. I love this marvelous, marvelous book."
