Florence Adler Swims Forever

This is an interesting story about what a family will endure to protect and preserve itself. One thought that pervaded the pages was how much do we ever know about our relationships? How easily are we deluded? How often are we duped? Do we ever find a way to understand those we love through those that have loved them? When you only look forward for thirty years why are you surprised by the knockout punch the past throws? And at the end of the story I had to wonder what the future would hold. Forgiveness? Loss? Unrequited love? Surely understanding, love and compassion – please let there be that.

I wonder how I would have interpreted much of this story if I had little or no knowledge of the religion that defined the lives of the Adlers. show more Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a copy. show less

Rachel Beanland draws on her family history in Florence Adler Swims Forever, a tender, character-driven debut novel.

On a sunny morning in the summer of 1934, as Esther and Joseph Adler stroll along the Atlantic City Boardwalk and their granddaughter Gussie, and houseguest Anna wade in the shallows, their daughter, Florence dons her bright red bathing cap and heads into the ocean. A champion swimmer, twenty-year-old Florence is training to swim the English Channel in just a few weeks, so no one expects that an hour later, her lifeless body will be dragged from the water.

Florence Adler Swims Forever unfolds from multiple perspectives exploring the decisions made, and the changes wrought, in the wake of Florence’s untimely death. Esther show more and Joseph are devastated by the loss of their youngest daughter, but Esther in particular is worried about how the news will affect their oldest, and makes the decision that she not be told. Fannie, Gussie’s mother, is in hospital on bed rest waiting the birth of her third child, her second having been born too prematurely to survive, and is growing increasingly annoyed that her sister hasn’t visited. Freed from the daily care of his wife and daughter, and taking advantage of his distracted in-laws, Fannie’s husband Isaac grows more distant, chasing a foolish dream. Seven year old Gussie, sweet and precocious, has an innocent’s clear-eyed view of the changes in her world, but is bewildered by its nuances. Anna, a young German Jewish woman whom Joseph has sponsored to study in America on the strength of a long ago association with her mother, is somewhat uncomfortable to find herself in the midst of this family tragedy, especially when her own threatens. Stuart Williams is the outlier- a Gentile, a handsome lifeguard, swim coach, and reluctant heir to a Boardwalk hotelier. He thought himself in love with Florence, and in the aftermath of her death strikes up a friendship with Anna.

The novel examines several themes, including those of grief, love and family, but most significantly, the sacrifices parents will make to protect their children. Esther forgoes some of the traditional rituals of mourning of the Jewish faith, and attempts to represses her own devastating sense of loss to safeguard the health of her remaining daughter, as does Joseph. Joseph also willingly compromises his financial resources to protect Fannie from her husband’s weakness. Fannie meanwhile spends three months confined to her hospital bed in the hope that the child she carries will be born healthy. Anna’s parents, concerned by the political climate in Germany as Hitler ascends to power, insist she travel to America, and pull whatever strings they can to see her safely out of the country. Issac, in complete contrast, selfishly abandons Gussie in pursuit of his own dreams, and betrays the support offered by his own father. Stuart’s relationship with his father is a little more nuanced, though the man definitely has his faults, he does care about his son’s future.

Beanland grounds her story well in time and place, with vivid descriptions of the beach and boardwalk of Atlantic City, and the Adler’s baking empire. Fannie is obsessed with the Dionne quintuplets born earlier that year and battling for survival, in part because her late son, Hyram, spent some time in an incubator on display at the Boardwalk, just as they did. The author also touches on the anti-semitism rife not just in Europe as the Nazi party began to gain a foothold, but also in America.

With a measured pace, Florence Adler Swims Forever is a meditative, poignant, and engaging read, suited to a languid summer afternoon. show less

Some books are quiet--simple plots, universal themes, characters that could live next-door--and sometimes that hits the reading spot. If you need a book like that, Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland fits the bill. In 1934 Atlantic City, seven-year-old Gussie is spending the summer with her grandparents and Aunt Florence while her mother is on bed rest with a high-risk pregnancy. Also in their small apartment is Anna, a young German Jew her grandfather helped emigrate to the US while they try to get Anna’s parents over, too. When tragedy strikes, this small unlikely group bands together to make it through the summer filled with family secrets, betrayals, and grief. Florence Adler Swims Forever won’t change your life, but show more it is an interesting look at the Jewish community in New Jersey prior to WWII, and what it means to be family. show less

Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland is not the book I expected based on its description. I won't spoil why but it’s actually a good thing - the surprising twist that comes early in the book sets the stage for a compelling and rich family saga.

Based on the true story of the author's family, the novel is set during the summer of 1934 in Atlantic City (aka “the Jewish Riviera”) and told from alternating POVs including various members of the Adler family, the young German woman they've taken in, and a family friend. Their lives are all affected by a tragedy that befalls the family, whether they know it or not, and as the description notes, the book "explores how far we will go in order to protect our loved ones." It also show more addresses many social issues of the time, from the role of women to the prejudice Jews experienced in the U.S. as well as the persecution they were under in Europe. There are aspects of the plot that felt implausible, but when you read the author's note at the end and realize they really happened, you can't help but be amazed at the strength it took for her family to persevere.

Despite being a different story than I was anticipating, I truly enjoyed this book and the characters in it. It's a quiet, character-driven novel with a lot of heart, and a work of historical fiction that feels fresh. Each of the Adlers stole a piece of my heart and Beanland's love for her family comes through in the wonderful world, story and characters she created.

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and the author for an advanced copy of this book. show less

4.5 This story was brilliantly written and interesting throughout. All the characters were wonderfully drawn as each chapter focuses on a different characters point of view. The setting and time period add to the strength of the storytelling. The themes of family and loss are accompanied by the larger tragedy of the beginnings of the Third Reich and how that is affecting the character Anna and her family. It left me in awe and after I read the author's note, I was wrecked, but in a good way.

Part of the reason I selected this book was its setting in Atlantic City and the surrounding Southern New Jersey area. There is something compelling about the ocean there; I could imagine Florence wanting to swim forever. Once I dove into the book, the storytelling kept me hooked as I learned about the events and main personalities of the tale. This was a quick read and deserves 4.5 stars.

Florence Adler Swims Forever is the debut novel by Rachel Beanland. We meet three generations of the Adler family and follow them over a summer none of them will ever forget. When tragedy hits, the family members alternate narrating this family's journey as they move through loss, grief, and rebuilding their lives. While Florence is an ever-present force, the characters we meet are the ones that were behind after her untimely death.

I loved the multifaceted look at family dynamics and Beanland's gorgeous writing style made the characters really come alive. I alternated reading and listening to this book in audio format. The audio narrative was performed by a talented cast of narrators and was the perfect way to share this family saga. show more

The insights into a Jewish family living in Atlantic City in the mid-1930s added so much depth to the storyline. The suspense of this family secrets was just enthralling and reading the author's note at the end was especially satisfying when we find out that some of this novel is based on real-life events.

I have struggled with the historical fiction genre during this pandemic and I am happy to report that this was a 5-star read for me. I cannot wait for what Beanland writes next and I have my fingers crossed for a much-anticipated sequel to this stunning debut.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the gifted copy. As always, all thoughts are my own. show less