Letters Across the Sea
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- Create Date：2021-05-02 12:51:17
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：Genevieve Graham
- ISBN：1982156635
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Summary
Inspired by a little-known chapter of World War II history， a young Protestant girl and her Jewish neighbour are caught up in the terrible wave of hate sweeping the globe on the eve of war in this powerful love story that’s perfect for fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society。
If you’re reading this letter， that means I’m dead。 I had obviously hoped to see you again， to explain in person， but fate had other plans。
1933
At eighteen years old， Molly Ryan dreams of becoming a journalist， but instead she spends her days working any job she can to help her family through the Depression crippling her city。 The one bright spot in her life is watching baseball with her best friend， Hannah Dreyfus， and sneaking glances at Hannah’s handsome older brother， Max。
But as the summer unfolds， more and more of Hitler’s hateful ideas cross the sea and “Swastika Clubs” and “No Jews Allowed” signs spring up around Toronto， a city already simmering with mass unemployment， protests， and unrest。 When tensions between the Irish and Jewish communities erupt in a riot one smouldering day in August， Molly and Max are caught in the middle， with devastating consequences for both their families。
1939
Six years later， the Depression has eased and Molly is a reporter at her local paper。 But a new war is on the horizon， putting everyone she cares about most in peril。 As letters trickle in from overseas， Molly is forced to confront what happened all those years ago， but is it too late to make things right？
From the desperate streets of Toronto to the embattled shores of Hong Kong， Letters Across the Sea is a poignant novel about the enduring power of love to cross dangerous divides even in the darkest of times—from the #1 bestselling author of The Forgotten Home Child。
If you’re reading this letter， that means I’m dead。 I had obviously hoped to see you again， to explain in person， but fate had other plans。
1933
At eighteen years old， Molly Ryan dreams of becoming a journalist， but instead she spends her days working any job she can to help her family through the Depression crippling her city。 The one bright spot in her life is watching baseball with her best friend， Hannah Dreyfus， and sneaking glances at Hannah’s handsome older brother， Max。
But as the summer unfolds， more and more of Hitler’s hateful ideas cross the sea and “Swastika Clubs” and “No Jews Allowed” signs spring up around Toronto， a city already simmering with mass unemployment， protests， and unrest。 When tensions between the Irish and Jewish communities erupt in a riot one smouldering day in August， Molly and Max are caught in the middle， with devastating consequences for both their families。
1939
Six years later， the Depression has eased and Molly is a reporter at her local paper。 But a new war is on the horizon， putting everyone she cares about most in peril。 As letters trickle in from overseas， Molly is forced to confront what happened all those years ago， but is it too late to make things right？
From the desperate streets of Toronto to the embattled shores of Hong Kong， Letters Across the Sea is a poignant novel about the enduring power of love to cross dangerous divides even in the darkest of times—from the #1 bestselling author of The Forgotten Home Child。
Reviews
Maria-Anne
，
1933 Toronto， CanadaLots of books available about World War II but this is a bit unique， we have the Canadian view of the Great Depression， the local supporters of Hitler and the Nazi regime， also experience the rising friction between the Jewish and the Irish population Canada gets into World War II and some of the main character are fighting the Japanese and ending as prisoners of war。 The story centers on Molly Ryan who through determination and hard work fulfils her dream against all odds of 1933 Toronto， CanadaLots of books available about World War II but this is a bit unique， we have the Canadian view of the Great Depression， the local supporters of Hitler and the Nazi regime， also experience the rising friction between the Jewish and the Irish population Canada gets into World War II and some of the main character are fighting the Japanese and ending as prisoners of war。 The story centers on Molly Ryan who through determination and hard work fulfils her dream against all odds of becoming a journalist。 I will not tell you anymore about the story because I want you to read the book。The author did a great job in telling the story and even in some ways this is rather a hard subject to describe it ended up a smooth read that probably gives you a lot of new information of that time period that you might not have been aware off。 。。。more
Lori Oschefski
，
I learned so much from reading "Letters Across the Sea"， a big piece of our Canadian history I knew nothing about prior to reading your book。 From there we discovered that several of our British Home Children served in WW2's Battle of Hong Kong， some POW in the Japanese camps。 Although not about the BHC， it definitely adds another layer of education for our British Home Children。 One of our BHC's， FRANK CHAPMAN， was imprisoned there， died there and is buried there。 As with "The Forgotten Home Ch I learned so much from reading "Letters Across the Sea"， a big piece of our Canadian history I knew nothing about prior to reading your book。 From there we discovered that several of our British Home Children served in WW2's Battle of Hong Kong， some POW in the Japanese camps。 Although not about the BHC， it definitely adds another layer of education for our British Home Children。 One of our BHC's， FRANK CHAPMAN， was imprisoned there， died there and is buried there。 As with "The Forgotten Home Child" I have a lot of respect for your attention to historical details， making your books important and educational Canadian history lessons for your readers。 Well done once again！ 。。。more
Kelly Anne
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I thought this author might have a difficult time equalling her last book， ‘The Forgotten Home Child’ but I was wrong。 This book is a well researched look at several unknown or long forgotten aspects of Canadian history。 I loved several aspects of this book but foremost would have to be the first portion which was set in 1933 Toronto amid the Great Depression and a rabid rise in anti-Semitism。 Support for the madman Hitler and his odious Nazi ideals were certainly not restricted to Germany or ev I thought this author might have a difficult time equalling her last book， ‘The Forgotten Home Child’ but I was wrong。 This book is a well researched look at several unknown or long forgotten aspects of Canadian history。 I loved several aspects of this book but foremost would have to be the first portion which was set in 1933 Toronto amid the Great Depression and a rabid rise in anti-Semitism。 Support for the madman Hitler and his odious Nazi ideals were certainly not restricted to Germany or even to the European continent; they were alive and thriving right here in Canada。 I think my favourite scene in this book was in a Toronto church with the pastor preaching about “love they neighbour” with all of the good Christians nodding along in agreement， many of them wearing their brown shirts and shining swastika pins。 What a perfect illustration！ From there the Christie Pits Riot was a complete surprise to me despite it being the largest race riot in Canadian history。I like how the author didn’t feel the need to keep a continuous timeline and was able to skip several years in between sections。 It kept the story from getting bogged down and as the reader I did not feel at all that I had missed anything in the gaps。 My knowledge of WWII in the Pacific is sketchy at best but I was aware of the Battle of Hong Kong and the massacre at St Stephen’s but I was NOT aware that it was our own Canadian troops， I assumed they were British so WOW， that was a huge eye-opener for me。Finally I liked the unique way the author chose to tell the stories of the men who fought， not by taking us in real time to the battlefields but by using the horrors and the trauma that they suffered and continued to suffer when they returned as the catalyst for them to tell their stories as a means of healing and trying to reconnect with loved ones。 It was， and still is， so difficult for soldiers to transition from a war zone to home which far too many people expect them to do the instant their feet touch home soil。 Kudos to the author for bringing that struggle to the forefront in this book。This is definitely a must read for Canadians but equally educational and engaging for readers from all walks of life。 。。。more
Heidi
，
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by the publisher， Simon & Schuster， via NetGalley。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres， so when I saw this one on NetGalley I jumped at the chance of reviewing it， and I was not disappointed！It is written in two different perspectives – Molly in the first person and Max in the third person。 This added such depth to the story and made it more well-rounded。 It helped me care about I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by the publisher， Simon & Schuster， via NetGalley。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres， so when I saw this one on NetGalley I jumped at the chance of reviewing it， and I was not disappointed！It is written in two different perspectives – Molly in the first person and Max in the third person。 This added such depth to the story and made it more well-rounded。 It helped me care about both of these characters and their families much more。 It also made their relationship more pure since both characters had nothing but love in their minds for each other。 There was no guessing as to why certain things happened or why one character acted one way versus another way。 This was refreshing because I don’t like second guessing things when it comes to romance。 Mysteries？ Sure。 Thrillers？ Absolutely！ Let’s play the guessing game！ Romance？ No thank you。 If two characters are in love or have the potential to be in love， I don’t need to play head games and try to guess if one truly loves the other or not。The characters themselves were very well-developed。 I felt like I knew Molly and Max so well and even their siblings somewhat。 It made me feel connected to them。 They are both strong， kind， and sweet characters that it was hard not to love them both！The war scenes were so sad and very easy to visualize。 I actually never thought of Canada’s involvement in WWII and how there were many people who were affected by antisemitism。 So sad…I also did not know about the riot that took place or the fact that a hospital was attacked by the Japanese soldiers across the sea。 My jaw dropped to learn this new piece of information and my heart was filled with sadness to visualize the poor injured men who were killed and/or led to their deaths without even given the chance to fight， even after a surrender white flag was waved。 My heart goes out to them and their families…I also appreciated the inclusion of how PTSD could affect people differently。 No two people are alike so how soldiers dealt with returning home after witnessing such horrific events also varies。 The readers see how Max was affected， but also Molly’s brothers。 They all had physical， mental， and emotional scars that take time to heal。If there was an aspect that I would think needs some improvement is the letters that were sent across the sea。 Though I felt there were enough letters being sent back and forth， it didn’t seem to be the primary focus of the whole story。 Therefore， the title seems a bit off。 However， this is just a nit-picky type of point。 It didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the novel at all。Overall， I loved everything about this read and feel grateful to have read it。 I would highly recommend this read to those who enjoy historical fiction about WWII and who enjoy reading about a sweet and kind romance that is woven into the text。https://bookloverblogs。com/2021/04/30。。。 。。。more
Lindsey （Bring My Books）
，
Thank you to Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date！ This in no way affected my review， opinions are my own。Full review to come！Content Warnings: （view spoiler）[Graphic Description of POW Camps where the Geneva Conventions were not being upheld （Torture， Starvation， Rape， Dismemberment）， Antisemitism， Homelessness， Rioting （hide spoiler）]["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]> Thank you to Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date！ This in no way affected my review， opinions are my own。Full review to come！Content Warnings: （view spoiler）[Graphic Description of POW Camps where the Geneva Conventions were not being upheld （Torture， Starvation， Rape， Dismemberment）， Antisemitism， Homelessness， Rioting （hide spoiler）]["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]> 。。。more
Kathleen Freeman
，
I stayed up way to late finishing this book， once I got to a certain point I did not want to stop。 For me this book was so interesting， I previously had heard of the Christie Pit riots but had no idea when they happened or what they were about， as well I had never heard of the Battle of Hong Kong。 So for me there was lots to learn and hold my interest。 Glad I read this book。
Bibi
，
This is the second book I have read by this author and she has certainly earned my respect and esteem。 I will definitely be reading more of her works。 I like that she researches Canadian history and creates characters and plots to tell tales involving segments of Canada's history which are not familiar or often talked about or taught。In her latest book （2021）， Letters Across the Sea， the author starts with life in Toronto during the Great Depression and progresses to the intolerance， anti-Semiti This is the second book I have read by this author and she has certainly earned my respect and esteem。 I will definitely be reading more of her works。 I like that she researches Canadian history and creates characters and plots to tell tales involving segments of Canada's history which are not familiar or often talked about or taught。In her latest book （2021）， Letters Across the Sea， the author starts with life in Toronto during the Great Depression and progresses to the intolerance， anti-Semitism， and prejudices which definitely smears the city's moniker - Toronto the Good - leading to the Christie Pits riot in Toronto and ultimately the role of Canadian veterans in WWII in the least known Battle for Hong Kong。 She touches too on the horrible internment of Japanese in Canada by biased politicians， the Bowmanville POW Camp， and the horrible atrocities meted out to Canadians as POWs in Japanese Camps such as the Niigata mines。 This book is first and foremost， historical fiction but there is much Canadian history incorporated which Graham brings to light in powerful story-telling。The Christie Pits riot In Toronto followed a baseball game and is sometimes referred to as an ethnic riot。 The two main characters - Molly and Max - are inserted right into this historic event which saw a clash between Irish Protestants and the Jewish communities。 Seems difficult to envision that Toronto once had Swastika Clubs and blatant anti-Jewish sentiments reflected in signs which reads "Help wanted。 Jews need not apply" or "No Dogs or Jews Allowed" on beaches or in stores。 On the flip side， the League for the Defense of Jewish Rights emerges with boycotts on businesses and sanctions on German-manufactured goods。 In the early 1930s， prejudice was rampant in Toronto; as Molly observed "I seemed to witness more prejudice by the day。 Protestants against Catholics。 Orangemen against immigrants。 Employers against employees。 Government against the people。。。"。 Max， on the other hand， is keen to understand all that is happening so "he could navigate it expertly"。 He observes and reads about Toronto being "like a hot tin roof these days， with people hopping from one cause to another， demanding jobs， homes， and fair treatment， extolling communism， walking lines of tension as strained as a tightrope"Like today， the press reporting is flawed and plays a major part in fuelling division。 Molly with aspirations to become a journalist notes "I could read a dozen newspapers reporting on the same thing differently。 How do I know which is the truth？" It is perhaps the quest for honesty， accuracy， and integrity in journalism which propels Molly to take night school while also working to support her family and leading to her eventual career as a reporter for the Toronto Star newspaper。 Her journey to being a journalist is not without hardships and the first part of the book illustrates the plight of families trying to survive during the depression years。The Dreyfuss （Max's family） and the Ryans （Molly's family） are neighbours with children of similar ages playing with each other， attending school， and participating in sports together。 The Christie Pits riot changes the dynamics of their relationship when Molly's dad is injured by a tossed brick which affects not only his career as a policeman but also his health。 The incident also strains the relationship between Max's sister， Hannah and Molly。 In a more profound way， it strains a budding love relationship between Molly and Max doomed from the start because of who they are based on race and religion。As the war escalates， Max enlists expecting to be sent to Europe， first to fulfill his duty as a Canadian and secondly "to settle a score" with Hitler。 He never thought he'd be sent to Hong Kong。 Molly's four brothers also join the military。 The Japanese forces bomb Pearl Harbor in December 1941， and quickly set their sights on Malaysia， The Philippines， and Hong Kong。 The government of Canada "knowingly put 2，000 men as lambs to the slaughter" - untrained and unfit for battle with inadequate weapons。 The troops were told that they may not see action and many， like the character Max did not even know how to toss a grenade。 Canadian troops had no chance against the experienced and combat hardened Japanese soldiers。 They fought bravely and heroically despite the terrible odds。 The courageous Rajput troops （from British India） left to guard a hill called Devil's Peak were obliterated。 The Japanese offensive was horrific - shelling and dive-bombing planes; besides they were in a position of advantage。 The men were out-numbered; survivors captured by Japanese were taken on "hell boats" to Japanese camps as prisoners of war where they experienced a second hell。Max ends up at a camp in Japan; not all of Molly's brothers returned and those who did are scarred both physically and psychologically。 The appalling conditions， torture， disease， starvation and senseless be-headings and death at the whim of sadistic guards are brought forth by the author's splendid writing。 It is a tough read about the gruesome Japanese massacre， murder， and rape at the St。 Stephen’s hospital which the Japanese claimed "was a fort， despite the hospital flag flying outside。" Max returns home after the liberation by Americans and the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing。 He was presumed dead。 Molly is engaged to be married to a decent man at the Toronto Star but Max's return stirs up old emotions。 Prior to reading Letters Across the Sea， I had never imagined the prejudices which existed in one of the most diverse cities today - Toronto。 I was also unaware of our troops fighting the Japanese in Hong Kong during WW II and becoming prisoners of war。 The most often told stories are those of Normandy and Vimy Ridge。 I also did not know that while the Japanese Emperor agreed to the Geneva Convention， they never ratified it which led to inhumane conditions for POWs compared to Canadian generosity and the POWS held in Bowmanville， a site sadly left to deteriorate and one which I hope to visit。 It was also an eye-opener to learn that the Red Cross was denied access to Japanese camps and that care packages were never given to the POWs but sold on the black market。I am intrigued by history and I am forever grateful and appreciative of our veterans for their sacrifice。 I have ventured far and wide from Hiroshima to Gallipoli to Normandy to El-Alamein in Egypt and even further afield to witness first hand， sites and memorials about battles fought， won， and lost long ago。 I must revisit the Ottawa War Museum if only to gaze at the medal posthumously given to Sergeant Gander， a loyal dog， belonging to the men originally stationed in Newfoundland， who saved soldiers by retrieving a grenade and moving it away from what would have been devastating to her regiment。 While there， I must remember to see the Memorial Wall dedicated to those who fought in the "Battle for Hong Kong" when Canada （The Canadian Royal Rifles） and the British India （Rajput Troops） were forced to send troops to safeguard Hong Kong， a vague concern of the British who at the time were busy fighting Germany。Genevieve Graham did it again。 This is definitely a five-stars book for me。 The historical aspects are very enlightening and surprisingly， she manages to swing in a love story to make the overall read， very satisfying indeed。 Highly recommend。 。。。more
Reta
，
Letters Across the Sea by Genevieve GrahamThank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an e-ARC for an honest review。 Before reading this book， I wasn't aware of the anti-Jewish sentiment in 'Toronto the Good'， the Christie Pits Riot or the Canadian soldiers being imprisoned by the Japanese in Hong Kong during WWII。 With well-developed characters and settings， I felt like I was witnessing the events firsthand。I love how she weaves little known historical facts into their story。 I didn' Letters Across the Sea by Genevieve GrahamThank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an e-ARC for an honest review。 Before reading this book， I wasn't aware of the anti-Jewish sentiment in 'Toronto the Good'， the Christie Pits Riot or the Canadian soldiers being imprisoned by the Japanese in Hong Kong during WWII。 With well-developed characters and settings， I felt like I was witnessing the events firsthand。I love how she weaves little known historical facts into their story。 I didn't want the story to end！Thank you to Genevieve Graham for another great read！ She is a master of Canadian Historical Fiction。 。。。more
Sharon
，
If you like historical fiction then here is another book you can to your list。 I just finished reading this book and really enjoyed reading a story based in Toronto that involved the riot at Christie Pits。 i had heard about it growing up and was made aware of the anti-semitism my family faced in the city。 So I was very motivated to read a book so I could gain more of an understanding。 I enjoyed reading about the relationship that developed between the Dreyfus family and the Ryans。 There was so m If you like historical fiction then here is another book you can to your list。 I just finished reading this book and really enjoyed reading a story based in Toronto that involved the riot at Christie Pits。 i had heard about it growing up and was made aware of the anti-semitism my family faced in the city。 So I was very motivated to read a book so I could gain more of an understanding。 I enjoyed reading about the relationship that developed between the Dreyfus family and the Ryans。 There was so much interesting information based on historical research done by the author。 I also appreciated learning about the Canadians that were stationed in Hong Kong and what happened to them。 It was first tine I had heard any of this。 The details at the end of the book were really helpful。 。。。more
Carolyn
，
I wish I could give this more than five stars。To my mind， there are several facts that are always guaranteed which I will find when I read a book by Genevieve Graham， a master of her craft。 First， I will read about an unknown piece of history。 That lost piece of Canadian history will be significant， most likely shocking and heart wrenching， intensely researched and factually accurate。 Always， always， I will know that this history should be told and not forgotten。 Second， I know that the fictiona I wish I could give this more than five stars。To my mind， there are several facts that are always guaranteed which I will find when I read a book by Genevieve Graham， a master of her craft。 First， I will read about an unknown piece of history。 That lost piece of Canadian history will be significant， most likely shocking and heart wrenching， intensely researched and factually accurate。 Always， always， I will know that this history should be told and not forgotten。 Second， I know that the fictional story and characters that revolve around the historical facts will be engrossing and gripping。 And third， but never least， I know that the story and the true facts will stay with me。 It will always be in my mind and my memory as something that I am glad I learned and should never be forgotten。 I started to write about all the things I learned with this book and then decided that it would be better if the reader discovered it themselves in the pages of this mind blowing book。 Know that you will be riveted， emotionally invested， sometimes horrified， saddened， proud and heartened by the spirit and strength of those involved。 Oh yes， and just like I knew it would， the story and true historical facts will always be in my mind and never be forgotten。 。。。more
Sue
，
4。5 starsGenevieve Graham is a gem of an author， with a gift for bringing the Canadian experience to world history。Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my eARC for review。Spanning from Depression-era 1933 Toronto， to post-war 1945， the story is told between the characters of childhood neighbours Molly Ryan and Max Dreyfus。 Despite their love for one another， Molly and Max are kept apart due to the tensions between their Irish Protestant and Jewish families， respectively。Illustr 4。5 starsGenevieve Graham is a gem of an author， with a gift for bringing the Canadian experience to world history。Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my eARC for review。Spanning from Depression-era 1933 Toronto， to post-war 1945， the story is told between the characters of childhood neighbours Molly Ryan and Max Dreyfus。 Despite their love for one another， Molly and Max are kept apart due to the tensions between their Irish Protestant and Jewish families， respectively。Illustrated through these characters and their siblings， we are taken through the role Canadians played in the war; those who did not return， and those who returned but beyond changed。I especially enjoyed the element of Molly becoming a journalist， providing a unique storytelling device and strong female characterization。This is only my second Genevieve Graham novel but I'll absolutely be working my way through her backlist （Tides Of Honour is on my TBR cart）。 While technically fictional stories， hers are well researched and based actual events that make for essential reading。 Recommended！Released on April 27。 。。。more
Heather Johnston
，
Letters across seaThis is a story of world war 2 and the impact on the Jewish community in Toronto。 A piece of Canadian history that is not well known brought to life in a fictional book。 Before reading this book I had no clue about swastika clubs here in Canada。 When you think of ww2 most people think of Hitler and Germany but this book is about the battles in Hong Kong and what our Canadian Soldiers faced there。 Max and Molly are the story center- the book flips back and forth between their ch Letters across seaThis is a story of world war 2 and the impact on the Jewish community in Toronto。 A piece of Canadian history that is not well known brought to life in a fictional book。 Before reading this book I had no clue about swastika clubs here in Canada。 When you think of ww2 most people think of Hitler and Germany but this book is about the battles in Hong Kong and what our Canadian Soldiers faced there。 Max and Molly are the story center- the book flips back and forth between their characters and what is happening through their eyes。 Molly comes from a family struggling to get by in a time of depression。 Not sure what food will be on the table if any。Max from a Jewish family who own and run a factory。 While things are tight there is always food on the table and new clothes and shoes when needed。 Things change as Hilter comes into power and Molly’s eyes are opened to the discrimination and hatred toward her friends。 She knows it isn’t right and tries to stand and fight against it but her own family she learns is part of the problem。 The riot at Christie pits separates these two young loves before they even have a chance to try。 Max goes to war and Molly finds a way to fight the discrimination by becoming a reporter for the Toronto star and telling the stories of Toronto’s immigrants and veterans。 There’s so much to say about this story but I don’t want to take one word or minute away from someone else experiencing it for themselves！Genevieve Graham has a way of bringing history to life and I am always so intrigued to learn these untold historical truths about the country; province and city I live in！ 。。。more
Mardell
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I enjoy historical fiction and Letter Across the Sea was a captivating story。 The glimpse into how the war affected our Canadian neighbors shows how far this terrible war truly spread its web across the world。 I was taken aback at the way lifelong friendships were impacted not only by anti-antisemitism but also political ideology。 The book starts out during the Great Depression leading up to the war。 Growing up my parents spoke of the depression。 Their sacrifices led to lifelong habits where not I enjoy historical fiction and Letter Across the Sea was a captivating story。 The glimpse into how the war affected our Canadian neighbors shows how far this terrible war truly spread its web across the world。 I was taken aback at the way lifelong friendships were impacted not only by anti-antisemitism but also political ideology。 The book starts out during the Great Depression leading up to the war。 Growing up my parents spoke of the depression。 Their sacrifices led to lifelong habits where nothing was wasted， especially food。 Reading the accounts written by Genevieve Graham brought their plight to life。This story is not about victory gardens and ration books。 The harsh realities of Max and Molly's story and the aftermath of the riots in Toronto are compelling。 Letters Across the Sea is one of those memorable books that lingers long after it is been closed。 The characters are rich with the life they bring to the story。 They are heroic whether they fought in a battle facing death， wasted away in a P。O。W。 camp constantly under duress or writing of the war and the conditions it leaves the world。 I appreciate the new perspective this book has given me。 Many thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book。 My opinions are mine 。。。more
Deb
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Letters Across the Sea by Genevieve GrahamThis book is a perfect YA read for those looking for an understanding of Canada’s role in World War II。 It’s an easy story， simply written with a predictable ending。 The Ryan and Dreyfus families are neighbors in a multicultural neighborhood in Toronto， Canada。 The children are good friends until anti-Semitic tensions arise。 The “boys” in both families join the military （though if you fight in a war， you are no longer a “boy，” in my opinion）， and suffer Letters Across the Sea by Genevieve GrahamThis book is a perfect YA read for those looking for an understanding of Canada’s role in World War II。 It’s an easy story， simply written with a predictable ending。 The Ryan and Dreyfus families are neighbors in a multicultural neighborhood in Toronto， Canada。 The children are good friends until anti-Semitic tensions arise。 The “boys” in both families join the military （though if you fight in a war， you are no longer a “boy，” in my opinion）， and suffer the usual wounds and horrors of all wars。 Who gets injured？ Who returns？Main character Molly Ryan， and her friend， Hannah Dreyfus， fear for their brothers， but their lives go on back home。 Of special interest to Molly is Hannah’s brother Max， her life-long secret crush。 The story captures wartime life for the young fighters and the worried families left behind。 I think the ending was meant to surprise the reader， though I feel it came off as not unexpected。 Three stars from this reviewer。 。。。more
Sharon
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Genevieve Graham is known for writing historical fiction about little known events in Canadian history。 The two main characters are Molly who is Protestant and Max who is Jewish。 The children of both families and their parents have been friends for years。 Then everything starts to change。 Letters Across the Sea is about anti-semitism and events leading up to WWII Such a vivid description of the Battle of Hong Kong， POW's and the crippling effects the war had on men long after they came home。 The Genevieve Graham is known for writing historical fiction about little known events in Canadian history。 The two main characters are Molly who is Protestant and Max who is Jewish。 The children of both families and their parents have been friends for years。 Then everything starts to change。 Letters Across the Sea is about anti-semitism and events leading up to WWII Such a vivid description of the Battle of Hong Kong， POW's and the crippling effects the war had on men long after they came home。 The characters really stay with you long after you finish this book。 I highly recommend！ Thank you NetGalley for an early copy！ 。。。more
Carmela
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Thank you Netgalley， Simon & Schuster Canada and Genevieve Graham。Heart wrenching historical fiction which grips you from the very first page。I felt part of the characters lives and every time I put this book down I could not wait to pick it up again。Beautifully written！ Well researched。 Loved the characters。Every time I pick up Genevieve Graham books I learn a different part of our Canadian history。 She is one of my go to authors and I absolutely love her books。Congratulations Ms。 Graham on ano Thank you Netgalley， Simon & Schuster Canada and Genevieve Graham。Heart wrenching historical fiction which grips you from the very first page。I felt part of the characters lives and every time I put this book down I could not wait to pick it up again。Beautifully written！ Well researched。 Loved the characters。Every time I pick up Genevieve Graham books I learn a different part of our Canadian history。 She is one of my go to authors and I absolutely love her books。Congratulations Ms。 Graham on another hit and please continue writing I am a big fan of yours。Highly recommend 5 stars 。。。more
smalltownbookmom
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Another well-written historical fiction book that sheds light on a little known aspect of Canada's past。 The story follows Molly， a Protestant girl and Max， a Jewish boy， two childhood friends living in Toronto whose friendship comes to an abrupt end when anti-Semitism in the city ramps up during the summer of 1933 with the Christie Pits riot。 When Canada enters WWII， Max and Molly's brothers enlist and get sent all across Europe and the Pacific。 Max ends up a POW in Japan and Molly carves a car Another well-written historical fiction book that sheds light on a little known aspect of Canada's past。 The story follows Molly， a Protestant girl and Max， a Jewish boy， two childhood friends living in Toronto whose friendship comes to an abrupt end when anti-Semitism in the city ramps up during the summer of 1933 with the Christie Pits riot。 When Canada enters WWII， Max and Molly's brothers enlist and get sent all across Europe and the Pacific。 Max ends up a POW in Japan and Molly carves a career for herself working as a journalist at the Toronto Star。 One of the best fiction books I've read about what life in Canada was like during WWII and especially what the POWs endured in Japan。 HIGHLY， highly recommend for historical fiction lovers， especially anyone who enjoyed Our darkest night by Jennifer Robson （another WWII story about an interfaith relationship） or Forgiveness by Mark Sakamoto （a memoir about his grandfather's experience as a POW）。Favorite quote:"Of all the places， a bookstore is where people can escape the ugliness of the world。 It's not a political place or a religious place or anything like that。 It's a personal place。。。I don't understand how you can find room for hate in all this beauty。" 。。。more
Charlotte Lynn
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I never even thought about WWII and Canada。 I knew nothing for their WWII history but now I am intrigued。 I want to learn more， read more， and meet more amazing people from history。 The divide between Jews and other races was not something I really thought about happening in North America。 I thought of that as a Europe thing， but in Canada the divide led to protests， riots， loss of friends， and distrust in communities。 I could feel the pain and fear that Molly and Max felt as their friends took I never even thought about WWII and Canada。 I knew nothing for their WWII history but now I am intrigued。 I want to learn more， read more， and meet more amazing people from history。 The divide between Jews and other races was not something I really thought about happening in North America。 I thought of that as a Europe thing， but in Canada the divide led to protests， riots， loss of friends， and distrust in communities。 I could feel the pain and fear that Molly and Max felt as their friends took sides， fights broke out， and a community was divided。 Even with all the WWII books I have read， I struggle with the idea that a choice of religion is a reason not to like someone。 Yet， this is entirely what the late 30’s early 40’s was about， all over the world。Genevieve Graham told the story of what Max， his friends， and Molly’s brothers saw after enlisting in careful detail that brought the battlefields to life。 The horror， the injuries， and the loss of lives were unthinkable， yet these brave heroes did what they had to just to keep alive。 I liked that those who came home were able to tell their stories。 Letters Across the Sea is an amazing story giving an unique look at a time when everyone had an opinion and the world was at war。 I recommend picking up your own copy。 。。。more
Erin
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Inspired by a little known chapter in Canadian history Letters Across the Sea is a wonderful historical fiction set in 1930s and WWII。Molly a Protestant girl and her neighbor Max who is Jewish get caught in the antisemitism sweeping through Toronto in 1933。 After the Christie Pitts riot their families are never the same。 As WWII starts and Molly's brothers all enlist， one of her brothers and Max end up in Hong Kong together while Molly's made her dreams come true of being a journalist。This was s Inspired by a little known chapter in Canadian history Letters Across the Sea is a wonderful historical fiction set in 1930s and WWII。Molly a Protestant girl and her neighbor Max who is Jewish get caught in the antisemitism sweeping through Toronto in 1933。 After the Christie Pitts riot their families are never the same。 As WWII starts and Molly's brothers all enlist， one of her brothers and Max end up in Hong Kong together while Molly's made her dreams come true of being a journalist。This was such a well written and researched historical fiction！ The authors not at the end was one of the best I've ever seen and she went into such detail about the events described in this book。 I don't know much Canadian history and I found this book fascinating！ 。。。more
Linda McCutcheon
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"I seemed to witness more prejudice by the day。"Sadly that sentence has just as much meaning today as it did in the 1930s。 The beautifully written Letters Across The Sea by the esteemed Genevieve Graham demonstrates with perfect descriptive prose the destructiveness of prejudice in our lives。In the early 1930s Irish high schooler Molly's best friend Hannah and her handsome brother Max are Jewish and Molly thought "who cares。" Unfortunately everyone seem to care in Toronto。I had no idea that in C "I seemed to witness more prejudice by the day。"Sadly that sentence has just as much meaning today as it did in the 1930s。 The beautifully written Letters Across The Sea by the esteemed Genevieve Graham demonstrates with perfect descriptive prose the destructiveness of prejudice in our lives。In the early 1930s Irish high schooler Molly's best friend Hannah and her handsome brother Max are Jewish and Molly thought "who cares。" Unfortunately everyone seem to care in Toronto。I had no idea that in Canada there has been a violent ethnic riot in 1933 known as the Christie Pit riots。 The author recreates the tensions between Jewish citizens and everyone else who blamed them for the financial depression at the time。 Of course this prejudice was fueled by the Nazi rhetoric spreading across the seas。After the riot， which has disastrous results for Molly and Max， the story jumps to 1939。 Canada is sending soldiers to Hong Kong to protect it from the Japanese。 They are ill prepared and those who live are forced into sadistic POW camps where there is no humanity to be found。 Max is there。Molly， now a reporter， thinks Max is dead and tries to move on with her life。 Molly covers the horrors of WWII but always hopes for peace。 Her and Max are on different journeys yet their memories of innocent times are very much the same。 Maybe， just maybe， the world will be kind and love will prevail for them。I learned so much history from this book。 I never realize how much Canadians sacrificed during this era。 The author's notes at the end are essential reading as is this whole book。 I was startled when I finished and felt the tears streaming down my face。 It is a testament to the writer's creative talent and it is why I love historical fiction。I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via #Netgalley for a fair and honest review。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Melissa
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As an avid reader of WWII books I appreciated the new take on it in this book。 I truly never realized the Canadians were in the war let alone the inner turmoil their country was in。 The battle in Hong Kong was brand new information for me。 This author truly brought this subject to life for me。 While this book is truly fiction the author included a chapter that explained the events that inspired the book。 Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book。 All op As an avid reader of WWII books I appreciated the new take on it in this book。 I truly never realized the Canadians were in the war let alone the inner turmoil their country was in。 The battle in Hong Kong was brand new information for me。 This author truly brought this subject to life for me。 While this book is truly fiction the author included a chapter that explained the events that inspired the book。 Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
sloane_reads
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The only thing that I enjoy more than pub day， is pub day for a book that I LOVED。The book follows a young protestant girl， Molly， and her Jewish neighbour， Max， who are watching hate sweeping the globe and the city of Toronto during World War II。If you are a historical fiction fan， you would be cutting yourself short if you did not add this magnificent book to your list of TBRs。 Genevieve seamless weaves pieces of history together with a romantic storyline。 I was hooked within 20 pages and co The only thing that I enjoy more than pub day， is pub day for a book that I LOVED。The book follows a young protestant girl， Molly， and her Jewish neighbour， Max， who are watching hate sweeping the globe and the city of Toronto during World War II。If you are a historical fiction fan， you would be cutting yourself short if you did not add this magnificent book to your list of TBRs。 Genevieve seamless weaves pieces of history together with a romantic storyline。 I was hooked within 20 pages and could not put it down。 My copy is more tattered than I care to admit， because I carried it with me as an extension of my body until I was done。Take all of the above and say it ten times if you are Canadian。 We do not have enough books about home。 My family and I live in Toronto， not far from the stomping grounds of the main characters。 Reading about different neighbourhoods that exist today and their bits of history felt so comforting。 Reading about Canadian soldiers and their battles in Hong Kong in 1941 was an education for me that was long overdue。My grandfather was born and raised in Parkdale， a small neighbourhood in west Toronto。 As I read about various west-end hangouts， parks and city streets， I could picture him and the stories he has told me about his youth。 So much so， that his copy was delivered to his kindle today because I told him he needed to read it。 The book is said to be perfect for fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society， but I say it is perfect for everyone。 。。。more
Janet Graham
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Haunting Story of Toronto From Depression Through WWIIThis is a well-researched piece of historical fiction。 It covers， or touches on; living through The Great Depression， the anti-semitism of the age， slanted journalism， and the Canadian troops sent to Hong Kong who became Japanese prisoners of war。 The author does a fantastic job of weaving the story of two families through all of this。 It is not a dark story but does tell some hard truths。 This is an incredibly important story to tell。 As The Haunting Story of Toronto From Depression Through WWIIThis is a well-researched piece of historical fiction。 It covers， or touches on; living through The Great Depression， the anti-semitism of the age， slanted journalism， and the Canadian troops sent to Hong Kong who became Japanese prisoners of war。 The author does a fantastic job of weaving the story of two families through all of this。 It is not a dark story but does tell some hard truths。 This is an incredibly important story to tell。 As The Greatest Generation passes on， it is up to us to tell and remember their stories。 This book does a fine job of that。 I will definitely be reading more of this author's work！ I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review。 。。。more
Angel White （Certified_Book_Nerd）
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I am still relatively new to the historical fiction genre and with each book I read。。。I learn more than I ever thought possible。 There is so much out there that we never learn in history classes。 This is one subject I know I never read about。I know this is fiction but with historical fiction there is truth within the pages。 I will never understand how people can treat others with so much hate and misplaced anger。 However， despite the painful setting and writing the story of Molly and Max had me I am still relatively new to the historical fiction genre and with each book I read。。。I learn more than I ever thought possible。 There is so much out there that we never learn in history classes。 This is one subject I know I never read about。I know this is fiction but with historical fiction there is truth within the pages。 I will never understand how people can treat others with so much hate and misplaced anger。 However， despite the painful setting and writing the story of Molly and Max had me captivated。 So much so I literally lost hours as I was drawn into their lives and their love。This is one of those books that is hard to review。 How do you review something that covers such a horrific time in history？ And daresay you loved the book at the same time？ I guess it comes down to this。。。Was I touched？ Immensely。 Did my heart break open？ More than once。 Were my emotions all over the place？ Very much so。 Would I recommend this one？ Most definitely。I sincerely appreciate NetGalley for providing me a copy of this E-Book。 All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone。 。。。more
thereadingowlvina （Elvina Ulrich）
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Oh boy， where do I begin with this book？ This was my first book by this author and I've binged read it in one sitting！ The story captivated me and I honestly learnt a lot about this little known Canadian history！ Christie Pits Riot in Toronto 1933， anti-Semitism， "Swastika Clubs"， Orangemen， and the little known Battle of Hong Kong 1941 which never should have happened。 Many Canadian soldiers were sent to POW Camp known as the North Point Camp。Later they were shipped to Japan labour camps。 It wa Oh boy， where do I begin with this book？ This was my first book by this author and I've binged read it in one sitting！ The story captivated me and I honestly learnt a lot about this little known Canadian history！ Christie Pits Riot in Toronto 1933， anti-Semitism， "Swastika Clubs"， Orangemen， and the little known Battle of Hong Kong 1941 which never should have happened。 Many Canadian soldiers were sent to POW Camp known as the North Point Camp。Later they were shipped to Japan labour camps。 It was so heartbreaking！ On the same day of Battle of Hong Kong， there was a massacre at St。 Stephen's College which was used as a hospital during that time。This is the setting where our main characters Molly Ryan （an Irish protestant） and Maxim Dreyfuss （a Jew） grew up and endured。 I loved both Molly and Max - such strong and resilient characters！ There were four parts in the story spanning from 1933 to 1945 and I really enjoyed the first part。 We were introduced to all the characters who will play vital roles in the overall story。 It totally got me so invested in the storyline and I seriously do not want this book to end！ Author notes！ Please read the author's notes！ This was an absolutely insightful section！ You will feel more appreciative of the story。This was a beautifully written story about acceptance， love， forgiveness， bravery and resilience - an incredible historical fiction that you do not want to miss out on！ Pub。 Date: April 27th， 2021***Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada and author Genevieve Graham for this gifted copy to read and review。*** 。。。more
Nikki
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THIS REVIEW & MORE → THIS REVIEW & MORE → 。。。more
Kim Fox
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I loved this book！ I love most WW2 historical fiction。 But I especially love the ones that are also based in truth。 Letters Across the Sea by Genevieve Graham， is based Toronto， Canada and Hong Kong。 It starts during the Depression， and continues until after WW2。 Molly Ryan and her family are Protestants and Molly's beat friend Hannah Dreyfus and her family are Jewish。 Their families have always been friends。 But things get tough during the Depression。 Molly is working to bring home money for th I loved this book！ I love most WW2 historical fiction。 But I especially love the ones that are also based in truth。 Letters Across the Sea by Genevieve Graham， is based Toronto， Canada and Hong Kong。 It starts during the Depression， and continues until after WW2。 Molly Ryan and her family are Protestants and Molly's beat friend Hannah Dreyfus and her family are Jewish。 Their families have always been friends。 But things get tough during the Depression。 Molly is working to bring home money for the family， all of the family chip in to make ends meet。 Molly's favorite thing is to watch her brothers and Hannah's brother playing baseball。 But as the Depression starts to ease a little， the hatred towards Jewish people starts to heat up。。。。even in Toronto。 And one night at one of the baseball games both Hannah and Molly's friendship is forever changed。 This book has a little of everything。。。 Romance， War， Fighting and Family。 Like with everyone during that time， The War changed everything for everyone， and all everyone wants is for things to get back to the way they used to be。。。Genevieve Graham did impeccable research on this part of the world and how things were during the war。 This isn't your typical WW2 Historical Fiction book and it really resonated with me。 So yourself a favor。。。read this book and don't forget to read the Author Note at the end。。。for me it made the book！Thank you to Netgalley， Simon & Schuster， and Genevieve Graham for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review。 I will be buying this book so I can have it for my own collection。 。。。more
Patty
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This is a very moving， insightful and historic novel。 I became enmeshed in the storyline， following the characters through a horrible time in our world's history， WWII。 While I was familiar with history， I wasn't aware that Toronto， Canada had a large Jewish population， and how affected they were by the atrocities committed against the Jewish people during that time。The story follows Max， a Jewish boy， and Molly， his across the street neighbor and childhood friend。 She was friends with his siste This is a very moving， insightful and historic novel。 I became enmeshed in the storyline， following the characters through a horrible time in our world's history， WWII。 While I was familiar with history， I wasn't aware that Toronto， Canada had a large Jewish population， and how affected they were by the atrocities committed against the Jewish people during that time。The story follows Max， a Jewish boy， and Molly， his across the street neighbor and childhood friend。 She was friends with his sister， the whole family， really， until the anti-Jewish sentiment caused her father to forbid Molly to associate with them。 When Max went to war， Molly's parents burned his farewell letter。Life goes on for Molly， she goes to school for journalism， lands a job and starts dating Ian， a man her family approves of。 Molly's brothers， who also enlisted， are either lost or terribly wounded， and nothing is heard from Max。 Molly eventually gets engaged to Ian， and they plan a Christmas wedding。That's as far as I'll go， I don't write spoilers。 This book will make you think， reflect and probably cry。。。but its worth it。Thanks to the author， publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book， but my opinions are my own。 。。。more
Shelly
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It’s just heartbreaking when you finish a review & accidentally erase it。。。。 that may have just happened and now I’m happy to have that mishap off my chest。 This story begins in a modest Canadian town where a favorite pastime is for families to gather and cheer on their favorite baseball teams。 The hateful murmurings from abroad arrive and the community falters。 Specifically， two families who have lived across the street from one another and the children have been close friends all their lives。 It’s just heartbreaking when you finish a review & accidentally erase it。。。。 that may have just happened and now I’m happy to have that mishap off my chest。 This story begins in a modest Canadian town where a favorite pastime is for families to gather and cheer on their favorite baseball teams。 The hateful murmurings from abroad arrive and the community falters。 Specifically， two families who have lived across the street from one another and the children have been close friends all their lives。 Hate dictates that they question everything they’ve always known， and some make regretful choices with life changing consequences。 What a blessing it is that some awaken to the errors of their ways and find a way to apologize and know their apology is accepted。 To bad this isn’t the norm。 In my opinion this book reads primarily as a love story。 The historical fiction portion of it felt more like scenery — descriptions of time and place for a nice backdrop to keep historical fiction readers interested。 The soldier’s letters home and the homecoming portrayals of the wounded soldiers were portrayed in a believable way as were the stories told （via main characters newspaper reports） of the POW conditions abroad and for the Japanese in Canada。 Thank you to #Netgalley， #SimonAndSchusterCanada， and #GenieveGraham for the opportunity to preview this book in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Letters Across the Sea
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Letters Across the Sea&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft