Letters Across the Sea by Genevieve Graham

 ...from the publisher...

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 fored 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.

...my thoughts...

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