Book review-At the Water's Edge

I picked up At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen because I liked Water for Elephants so much. This book takes place during World War II, from the perspective of rich New Yorkers.  They are only mildly aware of what is going on in Europe and only because it inconviences them.  Maddie and Ellis Hyde are living a sheltered and pampered life, pretty much living off Ellis' parents.  They, along with Ellis' best friend Hank, get very drunk at a New Year's Eve party and become the talk of high society.  Ellis' parents decide enough is enough and throw them out.  Ellis and Hank decide the only way to get back in their good graces is to travel to Scotland and find the Loch Ness monster, which Ellis' father tried to do years ago.  Maddie does not want to go, pointing out that there is a war on, but Hank is able to book passage to Scotland and off they go.  Once there, they are appalled that they are not waited on hand and foot in the small inn.  Maddie is embarrassed by Ellis and Hank but is not sure what to do.  The two men start looking for the monster, leaving Maddie to her own devices.  She makes friends with the innkeeper and the  women who work at the inn.  She realizes that her marriage is a sham and that she has been sheltered from the realities of life. As she learns more she realizes that she cannot stay with Ellis. I enjoyed seeing how Maddie grew from a whiny young woman to a strong individual.  I also enjoyed the Scottish setting, and seeing the war from yet another point of view.  I would recommend it to people who are interested in World War II from the point of view of "home front" and people who like fiction about personal growth.

At the Water's Edge By Gruen, Sara 2015-11 - Spiegel & Grau 9780385523240 Check Our Catalog NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - In this thrilling new novel from the author of Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen again demonstrates her talent for creating spellbinding period pieces. At the Water's Edge is a gripping and poignant love story about a privileged young woman's awakening as she experiences the devastation of World War II in a tiny village in the Scottish …More

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