I thought this book was wonderful. It captured and held my attention and had good flow and a good plot. It also made me cry which is how I know it was good because not every book can do that. I will definitely read more of this author.

3.5 stars I love multi-generational family sagas and boy did this one have potential! Thoroughly an attention holder for the first half or so, i was slowly becoming dismayed as i read the rest. I DID finish it, though with disappointment. WELL written and initial fantastic character personalities, but, well, i think too many years were crammed into the pages.
Time and the changes it brings, the book starts in a beautiful seaside location during WW2, and then makes an uncomfortable jump into the future. ( )

This family saga, set from WW II through the new millenium, is unique for not cramming in too many characters. Four generations of Porters have lived in Ashaunt Point on Buzzard's Bay on Cape Cod, and the focus is on Bea, the Scottish nanny; Nancy, the eldest daughter; and Charlie, her son. There are many lovely, descriptive passages about the beach, about family members and their summer rituals, and, most disturbingly, about Charlie's unfortunate acid trips.

Mid-narrative, the author drops in future outcomes, which I find to be both helpful and reassuring.

This is an enjoyable read, chock full of personality traits and twists that, although not typical, are realistic and deeply felt. ( )

The End of the Point by Elizabeth Graver is a family saga that basically covers three generations, with the connection being their summers spent at the coast in Ashaunt, Massachusetts. Graver opens the novel with a brief passage about the arrival of the first Europeans to the point. Then she proceeds to 1942, when the Porter family, three daughters and entourage arrive at the coast to find the army occupying a large portion of it with barracks and viewing platforms. This portion of the narrative is told through the voice of Bea, the Porter's Scottish nanny, but introduces us to other members of the family, especially Helen, the oldest daughter and Jane the youngest.

Then the novel jumps briefly to 1947 with letters from Helen, written when she was in Europe. It quickly switches to Helen's diary entries from 1960. The next section is set in 1970 and follows Helen's troubled oldest son, Charlie. The final year followed is 1999. Every character in The End of the Point is struggling with change and finding their place in the changing world around them.

Of the characters, Scottish nurse/nanny Bea is the most compelling. She has the courage to leave Scotland to seek employment in America, but struggles with truly living her own life. She is fretful about Janie and dislikes Helen, but is resolutely devoted to the Porter family and resists any change in her life that does not include them. I was totally swept up with Bea's story and looked forward to seeing the rest of this family saga through her eyes, an outsider but privy to the inside workings of the family.

However, once The End of the Point moved on and away from Bea's voice, for me it went down hill. Additionally, all the leaps from one time to another made the narrative feel abrupt and disjointed to me. In some ways I wish Graver had chose to connect the time periods by observing family members through Bea's eyes, and with her insight and perceptions about the situations. Once the first section from 1942 was over (a third of the novel) it went downhill for me. While I didn't care for the characters of Helen or Charlie, I was interested in Bea to the very end and looked for information on her life as the story continued.

What elevated my opinion of The End of the Point was Graves skillful writing. Graves writing ability shines through several murky plot points. She had some lyrical passages that just sang and resonated with me. Her powers of observation and description are incredible. So, even though parts of the novel didn't work for me it is Highly Recommended for the writing.

Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher and TLC for review purposes.
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This is a book covering three principle time periods using the voices of three different characters. What binds them together is a piece of land on the coast of New England referred to as the Point. The first character is Bea the Scottish servant of a wealthy family. The second focus is Helen one of the grown children that Bea took care of at the Point. Finally, there is Helen's son Charlie who is a bit of a black sheep who never quite lives up to has mother's expectations. The time periods ranges from 1942 to 1999. This novel is a well written portrayal of a family in transition. ( )