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At the Water's Edge: A Novel Audiobook
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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 Highlands.
After disgracing themselves at a high society New Year’s Eve party in Philadelphia in 1944, Madeline Hyde and her husband, Ellis, are cut off financially by his father, a former army colonel who is already ashamed of his son’s inability to serve in the war. When Ellis and his best friend, Hank, decide that the only way to regain the Colonel’s favor is to succeed where the Colonel very publicly failed—by hunting down the famous Loch Ness monster—Maddie reluctantly follows them across the Atlantic, leaving her sheltered world behind.
The trio find themselves in a remote village in the Scottish Highlands, where the locals have nothing but contempt for the privileged interlopers. Maddie is left on her own at the isolated inn, where food is rationed, fuel is scarce, and a knock from the postman can bring tragic news. Yet she finds herself falling in love with the stark beauty and subtle magic of the Scottish countryside. Gradually she comes to know the villagers, and the friendships she forms with two young women open her up to a larger world than she knew existed. Maddie begins to see that nothing is as it first appears: the values she holds dear prove unsustainable, and monsters lurk where they are least expected.
As she embraces a fuller sense of who she might be, Maddie becomes aware not only of the dark forces around her, but of life’s beauty and surprising possibilities.
Praise for At the Water’s Edge
“Breathtaking . . . a daring story of adventure, friendship, and love in the shadow of WWII.”—Harper’s Bazaar
“A gripping, compelling story . . . Gruen’s characters are vividly drawn and her scenes are perfectly paced.”—The Boston Globe
“A page-turner of a novel that rollicks along with crisp historical detail.”—Fort Worth Star-Telegram
“Powerfully evocative.”—USA Today
“Gruen is a master at the period piece—and [this] novel is just another stunning example of that craft.”—Glamour
“A captivating tale.”—Us Weekly
“Compulsively readable . . . a rich, beautiful novel . . . at once a gripping love story, a profound examination of the effects of war on ordinary women, and a compelling portrait of female friendship.”—Kristin Hannah
“Utterly winning.”—The Miami Herald
“A compelling, enthralling read, a novel which captivates and rewards, paying off in a series of emotional and narrative twists . . . comfort reading of the highest order.”—The Globe and Mail
“A super steamy love story.”—Good Housekeeping
“Unique in its setting and scope, this impeccably researched historical fiction is full of the gorgeous prose I’ve come to expect from this author.”—Jodi Picoult
“[Gruen] conveys the lure of the Scottish Highlands. . . . At the Water’s Edge captivates with its drama, intrigue and glimpses of both the dark and light of humanity.”—BookPage
From the Hardcover edition.
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“[Gruen] combines historical fiction, romance, and fable to good effect, and her narrative description is often sublime…Married Maddie and Ellis and perennial sidekick Hank are also faced with the daunting task of sorting out their own issues, including their own unresolved love triangle. As Maddie connects with the environment and the locals, her self-awareness deepens, while Ellis and Hank seem to regress. Though the waning days of WWII initially seem like a strange backdrop for this tale, as Maddie shows signs of emotional growth, it begins to make more sense as an effective narrative counterpoint…This ambitious novel is a natural for the book-club set.”
— Booklist
Quotes
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Breathtaking . . . a daring story of adventure, friendship, and love in the shadow of WWII.
— Harper’s Bazaar -
A gripping, compelling story . . . [Sara] Gruen’s characters are vividly drawn and her scenes are perfectly paced.
— The Boston Globe -
A page-turner of a novel that rollicks along with crisp historical detail.
— Fort Worth Star-Telegram -
Powerfully evocative.
— USA Today -
Gruen is a master at the period piece—and [this] novel is just another stunning example of that craft.
— Glamour -
A captivating tale.
— Us Weekly -
Utterly winning.
— The Miami Herald -
A compelling, enthralling read, a novel which captivates and rewards, paying off in a series of emotional and narrative twists . . . comfort reading of the highest order.
— The Globe and Mail -
A super steamy love story.
— Good Housekeeping -
[Gruen] conveys the lure of the Scottish Highlands. . . . At the Water’s Edge captivates with its drama, intrigue and glimpses of both the dark and light of humanity.
— BookPage -
A heartwarming story about life, and the places it can potentially take you.
— InStyle -
A natural for the book-club set.
— Booklist -
If I needed a reminder why I am such a fan of Sara Gruen’s books, her latest novel provides plenty. Unique in its setting and scope, this impeccably researched historical fiction is full of the gorgeous prose I’ve come to expect from this author. And even after the final page, its message still resonates with me: The monsters we seek may be right in front of us. In fact, the only fault I can find with this book is that I’ve already finished it.
— Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Leaving Time -
I devoured this book. Once again Sara Gruen has proven herself to be one of America’s most compelling storytellers. You might be tempted to rush to get to the answers at the end—but don’t, or you’ll miss the delectable journey that is Gruen’s prose.
— Kathryn Stockett, New York Times bestselling author of The Help -
Magical . . . At the Water’s Edge skillfully transports us to a small, tenacious Scottish village in the grip of war, and into the heart of Madeline Hyde, a woman who is a stranger to herself until forces convene to rock her awake. Sara Gruen is a wizard at capturing the essence of her historical setting, and does so here in spades, but it’s Maddie’s unexpected transformation that grounds and drives the novel. As her husband and best friend search the surface of the Loch, desperate for a sign of the elusive creature, Maddie learns to plumb her own depths, and comes fully alive to the world around her.
— Paula McLain, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife -
At the Water’s Edge is a rich, beautiful novel. Elegantly written and compulsively readable, it is at once a gripping love story, a profound examination of the effects of war on ordinary women, and a compelling portrait of female friendship. While delving into powerful themes, Sara Gruen never loses sight of what matters: her characters. This story of one privileged young woman, coming of age in a time of impossible upheaval and terrible choices, will keep you riveted until the very last page.
— Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale -
Intoxicating . . . Sara Gruen has an exquisite eye for detail, and she evokes the haunted—and haunting—Scottish landscape with her signature passion, freshness, and scope. Atmospheric and gritty, the compelling tale of Madeline’s struggle to redefine herself in a world gone mad will linger long after you turn the final page. I love this marvelous, marvelous book.
— Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Someone Else’s Love Story -
“Unique in its setting and scope, this impeccably researched historical fiction is full of the gorgeous prose I’ve come to expect from this author. And even after the final page, its message still resonates with me.”
— Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Leaving Time -
“Once again Sara Gruen has proven herself to be one of America’s most compelling storytellers. You might be tempted to rush to get to the answers at the end—but don’t, or you’ll miss the delectable journey that is Gruen’s prose.”
— Kathryn Stockett, New York Times bestselling author of The Help -
“A tale of deceit and passion set in World War II Scotland…Drama—and a super steamy love story—unfolds.”
— Good Housekeeping -
“There’s a lot of familiar territory here for fans of Gruen’s Water For Elephants: the fish out of water who’s lost it all, the dazzling hero with clay feet, the setting that feels entirely foreign. Maddie’s gradual awakening is an excellent read, and new readers will undoubtedly love this story of redemption and triumph over classism. The descriptions of wartime Scotland and the characters who live there are mesmerizing.”
— RT Book Reviews (4 stars) -
“Narrator Justine Eyre transports listeners to the mid-twentieth-century Scottish Highlands in Gruen’s story of love and monsters…Eyre does a wonderful job with the multitude of voices and accents in the story, deftly switching between American and Scottish accents and subtly denoting character traits from personality to educational level. Gruen develops her characters, particularly Maddie, incredibly well over the course of the story, and Eyre’s skillful narration ensures that listeners engage with Maddie on her journey of self-discovery. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile -
“The author conveys the lure of the Scottish Highlands, and its storied lore and mystery help create her novel’s riveting, ethereal atmosphere…At the Water’s Edge captivates with its drama, intrigue and glimpses of both the dark and light of humanity.”
— BookPage
Awards
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A Good Housekeeping Pick for March 2015
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Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award
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A BookPage Top Pick in Fiction for April 2015
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An April 2015 LibraryReads Pick
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About Sara Gruen
Sara Gruen is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel Water for Elephants, now a major motion picture starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson, as well as the novels Riding Lessons, Flying Changes, and the New York Times bestseller Ape House. She shares her North Carolina home with her own version of a blended family: a husband, three children, four cats, two dogs, two horses, and a goat. She donates a portion of her earnings from all her books to various animal charities.
About Justine Eyre
Justine Eyre is a classically trained actress who has narrated many audiobooks, earning the prestigious Audie Award for best narration and numerous Earphones Awards. She is multilingual and known for her great facility with accents. She has appeared on stage, with leading roles in King Lear and The Crucible, and has had starring roles in four films on the indie circuit. Her television credits include Two and a Half Men and Mad Men.