Sara Gruen's At the Water's Edge
Gruen's latest, after Ape House, will probably please her Water for Elephants fans more than a book about bonobos did. It centers on Maddie, a young American in 1945, newly wed to a guy determined to prove himself by finding proof of the Loch Ness Monster (her husband wasn't allowed to enlist b/c he's colorblind, AND his father is famous for faking photos of Nessie, so he REALLY wants this). So her husband and his best friend drag her off to Scotland at wartime. I really feel like the message here is "rich American guys are terrible, tragic Scotsman are wonderful"--but you could get the former just as easily from watching an episode of The Kroll Show. Anyway, it's all very readable, despite some over-the-top writing, and there are some interesting hints of magic and folklore. Maddie is likable enough, if hopelessly naive. The romance stuff is more than a little bit unbelievable, but Gruen sure can paint a portrait of a crumbling marriage. I will rate this as: mildly silly, but entertaining. B/B+.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book is available now.
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