Along the Infinite Sea
Beatriz Williams, 2015
Penguin Publishing
464 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780399171314
Summary
An epic story of star-crossed lovers in pre-war Europe collides with a woman on the run in the swinging '60s, in another riveting novel of the Schuyler sisters from the New York Times bestselling author of Tiny Little Thing.
In the autumn of 1966, Pepper Schuyler's problems are in a class of their own. To find a way to take care of herself and the baby she carries—the result of an affair with a married, legendary politician—she fixes up a beautiful and rare vintage Mercedes and sells it at auction.
But the car's new owner, the glamorous Annabelle Dommerich, has her own secrets: a Nazi husband, a Jewish lover, a flight from Europe, and a love so profound it transcends decades.
As the many threads of Annabelle's life before the Second World War stretch out to entangle Pepper in 1960s America, and the father of her unborn baby tracks her down to a remote town in coastal Georgia, the two women must come together to face down the shadows of their complicated pasts. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
• Birth—ca. 1971-72
• Raised—Seattle, Washington, USA
• Education—B.A., Stanford University; M.B.A., Columbia University
• Currently—lives in Greenwich, Connecticut
A graduate of Stanford University with an MBA from Columbia, Beatriz spent several years in New York and London hiding her early attempts at fiction, first on company laptops as a corporate and communications strategy consultant, and then as an at-home producer of small persons.
She now lives with her husband and four children near the Connecticut shore, where she divides her time between writing and laundry. (From the author's website.)
Book Reviews
[R]iveting historical fiction that illuminates love so strong that it transcends decades.
Boston Globe
Annabelle, Stefan and Johann are a complicated and compelling love triangle. In this romantic adventure, Williams gives even the Nazi a measure of humanity. Curl up in your comfy chair and leave your doubts behind. Pepper and Annabelle are fabulous babes to spend time with on a cold winter night.
USA Today
Similar to the author’s other page-turners, there is a parallel story here about another young woman...whose life in 1935 is upended when her Jewish lover disappears.... Though Williams tries to give both narratives nearly equal weight, Annabelle’s distinctive character and story are far stronger than Pepper’s. Nonetheless, the happy ending will surely satisfy the bestselling author’s many fans.
Publishers Weekly
With spunky characters full of grace and grit... The swift pacing and emotional twists and turns of the plot will leave readers guessing up to the final pages. Recommended for readers who enjoyed the atmosphere and characters of Jess Walter’s Beautiful Ruins.
Library Journal
(Starred review.) With the killer charm of a Rodgers and Hammerstein score and a touch of du Maurier intrigue, Williams' latest sexy and enthralling period drama (on the high heels of Tiny Little Thing) draws readers into the parallel, luxe worlds of two sparky women in the post-Camelot 1960s (a Best Book of the Year).
Kirkus Reviews
Discussion Questions
We'll add specific questions if and when they're made available by the publisher. In the meantime, use these LitLovers talking points to start a discussion for Along the Infinite Sea...then take off on your own:
1. Talk about the two women, Pepper and Annabelle. Describe their personalities—how they differ from and how they resemble one another. What does Annabelle see in Pepper (other than the pregnancy) that draws her to the younger woman?
2. Is it probable that a woman with a Jewish lover, especially if he joins the Resistance, would fall in love with a Nazi officer? How does the author portray Johann? Talk, then, about the nature of love—how it grows in the most improbable of circumstances and is capable of surmounting obstacles thrown in its path. Does love conquer all?
3. The story switches back and forth between the two heroines and two time frames. Did you find one story more compelling than the other, or were both equally engaging to you?
4. Did you find the plot predictable? Or were you pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns and the way in which the book ended?
5. Have you read Beatriz Williams's two previous books in the Schuyler sisters series. If so, how does this book compare? Is it necessary to have read the other two before reading this third installment, or does this last stand on its own?
6. Talk about the title of the book, "Along the Infinite Sea," and its significance to the story?
(Questions by LitLovers. Please feel free to use them, online or off, with attribution. Thanks.)