Although I always find Anita Shreve's novels somewhat depressing, there's no denying that she produces extremely well-written and, in this and many other instances, mesmerizing stories. The year is 1929 as Honora and Sexton Beecher begin their life together as husband and wife. The home Sexton sets out to buy is somewhat beyond his means, but through a clever deception, he manages to secure a mortgage for the home, which is situated directly on the beach of a small New England town. In the town itself, Ely Falls, most of the residents work at the town's clothing mills and live very menial, hard-working lives. Initially, Sexton sees himself above these people and, as a typewriter and business-machines salesman, he does, indeed, earn a better living than the mill workers. It is not long before Honora senses her husband's deceit and by Christmas of that year, all their dreams come crashing down on them. As the entire country is falling on bad times, the bank calls in the Beecher's home loan and Sexton loses his job. His deceit is discovered and, suddenly, he is relegated to taking a job at the mill, something upon which he'd looked down his nose only 6 short months ago. The author focuses on 5 main characters, each of their stories told in separate chapters, all of their lives gradually coming to intertwine: Honora, a homemaker; Sexton; Vivien, a high-society neighbor who becomes Honora's friend; McDermott, a mill-worker and a leader of the strike that would soon come to pass; and Alfonse, a young, mill-working 12-year old who McDermott befriends and quickly grows to love and watch over. Outside strike organizer, Louis M, enlists McDermott's help in gathering the unionized mill workers and attempting to expand their support-- to non-union workers -- for a strike calling for fairer wages. Sexton becomes a central figure in the organizing movement, when he offers his copy machine for the printing of daily newsletters. The beach house soon becomes a refuge and a great organizing venue, being that it is in an isolated location where they are not likely to be found. As the lives of the main characters come together in very interesting fashion and as the true historical depiction of the times unfolds, I found I couldn't wait to pick up reading where I left off each day. As with other Shreve novels, however, there is a haunting quality, from the very beginning, that transcends the tenor of the book. I find this somewhat off-putting each time I consider whether I want to read another Anita Shreve novel. So long as the reader recognizes that these novels are not light-hearted, fluffy reads, he/she will find that they are, most certainly, well worth reading.
Lena Wright2-29-12P.1tA summer beach house, a summer romance that turns into a marriage, the whole summer of school. Who doesn’t dream of these things? But things don’t always turn put the way were dream of them happening.t“Sea Glass,” by Anita Shreve tells the story of a five very different people, from very different back rounds, all brought together in the most intricate ways, beautifully described in this book. From driving their Buick, to days spent on the beach searching for sea glass, Sexton and Honora started off strong, but as Sextons jobs and loans for the house slowly degraded, it put stress on their marriage. Alphonse, and 11-year-old boy, with the worst mother and sister imaginable, becomes friends with McDermott after witnessing the robbery of a house, McDermott was supervising. In agreement to keep his mouth shut, McDermott agrees to takes Alphonse, the 11-year-old boy fishing, most Sundays. McDermott being married to Vivian. They live down the beach form Sexton and Honora. As Honora’s and Vivian’s friendship grew, they discovered how much alike they are, and their marriages, after Honora introduced her to searching for sea glass. The story illustrates how through struggle, you are made into the person you are, and are made stronger and better because of it. You find how you change, and in this case, for the better. tIn the end, Honora and Sexton, Vivian and McDermott and even Alphonse made it through their struggles. The author shows this by intertwining all of their struggles, in a way that they could all relate, including the reader. She shows how with friendship, you can overcome any obstacle.
What do You think about Sea Glass (2006)?
I was totally hooked on this story from the beginning. A captivating story line made rich with recognizable personalities, this story is a journey of recognition. We easily recognize our youth with its hasty decisions and some of the struggles that accompany those decisions. Ms. Shreve has taken those elements and placed them in a historical situation and added enough intrigue and additional perceptions to give the story, and its characters, a bit of mystery. A quick story to read but one that lingers when you place the book back on the shelf.
—Olivia
A Southwest Airlines flight attendant gave me this book when she saw me reading another Shreve novel and said this was the author's best work yet. She was right! Some Anita Shreve novels grab you from the start and don't let you go, while others are nearly impossible to get into. Sea Glass is the former. The plot and the characters are captivating, and the book provides a great history lesson on the early years of the labor movement in New England. I must say, I didn't know much about that topic and found it fascinating. I definitely do not recommend all of Anita Shreve's novels, but this one is worth your time!
—Christina Kirby
I've always enjoyed Anita Shreve's novels, beginning with "The Pilot's Wife," and through "Where or When," which haunted me for quite some time. And that seems to be the theme of all her novels that I've read so far: a passionate love, in some form, which is allowed to spark and maybe blossom for a very short period of time, and which is then thwarted either by death or other impossible circumstances. Which of course is very sad and moving, but leaves you wanting more. Which I suppose is how her characters feel, thwarted and left wanting more. However, the author writes beautifully, and her prose flows so calmly and poetically that you can almost forgive the repetitiveness of her plots. I did learn a bit about the labor unrest in New England at the start of the Depression, and I enjoyed how each character's story starts out separately, but then they all become entwined eventually. A lovely novel, if not terribly original.
—Vivian
