Florence Adler Swims Forever - Rachel Beanland
Florence Adler Swims Forever is what I would consider a perfect summer read for me. Historical fiction, the beach, a secret, interesting characters… A great read that pulls you in from the tragedy in the first chapter all the way through to the end. It’s hard to describe the plot without giving away spoilers, but I don’t think knowing some of the main points ruins the story at all. While Florence Adler starts the summer getting ready to swim across the English Channel, her sister Fannie lies in hospital, pregnant and on bedrest with the hopes that she will not lose this child. Fannie’s 7 year old daughter Gussie is staying with her grandparents, Joseph and Esther, and Florence, rather than with her father Isaac. And there is also Anna, a Hungarian Jew who Joseph sponsored for a student visa, daughter of an old flame, as well as Stuart, Florence’s trainer and possible love interest.
Told through the voices of each of the characters above, and based in the pre-war setting of 1934 Atlantic City, Florence Adler Swims Forever is an engaging story of family, friendship, secrets, and the choices we make and live with. I personally loved how the author was able to add an important historical element about the immigration situation for German Jews at the time, a story within the story. Rachel Beanland’s prose is just lovely, and I honestly had a hard time putting this book down. I wasn’t 100% sure about the ending, a little too abrupt and easy for my liking, but it did work, and I didn’t leave me feeling disappointed, just wanting more. All in all this really is a great read!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.