Happy Thursday, everyone, and happy book review day!
Covid has introduced a return to some of our local restrictions here, so between that and the cooler weather, I'm thinking of all things cozy and fall-like. My autumn and spooky reads have started, I have plans of baking up a storm this weekend, and I'm about three steps away from packing up my seashell decor and setting out pumpkins instead.
But before all of that, before the leaves started to change and before I went back to the classroom, when it was sunny and most people hid inside from the heat, I laid out on our deck and read The Sea Gate.
Something about warm weather makes me want to read about other places. Something about Covid makes me miss traveling (probably the whole missing-travel thing).
So this summer, after I read the subject of last week's review (see that here), a friend lent me another book about kind of the same time and kind of the same place.
The Sea Gate, by Jane Johnson.
Possibly the most unbelievably generic name I've heard (is it a pen name?), but anyway...
“Fear has trapped me, rendered me immobile and powerless. I'd forgotten I even had wings, let alone how to use them.”
The plot follows Rebecca, whose mother has passed away. She is thought of, apparently, as fragile, emotional; so much so that when she and her brother go to clean out her mother's house, she is given only one task: go through the mail.
Which is how she finds an old letter from an old aunt, asking for help.
The old woman is in hospital and is not permitted to be released until her beloved but decrepit home is deemed appropriately habitable. The woman, Olivia, is everything Rebecca seems not to be; she is feisty, opinionated, and a regular pain in the butt of everyone around her. Rebecca adores her immediately.
But as she sets out to save the home that means so much to Olivia, in some attempt to help her connect with her past family, her mother, and herself, she discovers that the house is full of secrets. And these secrets seem to all centre on WWII, the small community, and a whole lot of romance and danger.
The story shifts between the past and the present, between two young women - Rebecca and Olivia. I am particularly fond of this type of plot structure, and of particularly atmospheric stories, so the setting of Cornwall - both past and present - was beautiful and particularly appealing. I also enjoy the connection and similarities between the two women, despite the age difference.
“Kintsukuroi is the name for this ancient Japanese art, which teaches that broken objects are not something to hide away but should be displayed with pride, for they are stronger and more beautiful for surviving the breakage. I think I, too, am stronger and more beautiful for surviving”
Though the story did have exciting and action-focused moments, most of the writing was slow-moving and descriptive. This is not a criticism; it develops the mood and setting, which I love. In fact, the mysteries and secrets were more cleverly hidden than many of the suspense novels I have read. But if you're after something particularly intense, with only straight-up action, I do recommend passing on this one, as at its heart it is a character story.
While this is not a perfect novel, I did enjoy it quite a bit. In fact, looking back at it now, I think even more highly of it. While it wasn't life-changing or anything like that, it had so many elements that worked so well but didn't feel like it was trying too hard. This is a difficult thing to do, and The Sea Gate does it well.
It's a beautiful story, with beautiful writing, and beautiful characters. I'm not sure what more one could hope for.
Have you ever had a book that you liked more after reflecting on it for a while?
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