Beyond That, the Sea

Beyond That, the Sea (2023) is a historical fiction novel by Laura Spence-Ash. It follows the story of Beatrix Thompson, an 11-year-old English girl sent to live in the US during World War II, and the two families that she connects over the years. The book explores themes of identity, family, and dreams versus reality.

Laura Spence-Ash is an American writer. She was the founding editor of CRAFT, an online literary journal, and has taught at several schools, including Rutgers University and the Princeton Adult School. While she previously published short fiction, Beyond That, the Sea is her debut novel, and it was chosen as an Indie Next Pick for April 2023, in addition to receiving a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

This guide is based on the Celadon Books Kindle edition.

Plot Summary

Beyond That, the Sea spans almost four decades and follows the life of two families—one in London, the other in Boston—linked together by Beatrix (“Bea”) Thompson. The story is told from the perspectives of eight different characters. It opens in 1940 as Bea, an 11-year-old English girl, is sent by her parents, Reginald and Millie, to live with the Gregorys, an American family in Boston, to keep her safe during World War II.