Sea Music

by Sara MacDonald

Sharing a family home overlooking the sea in Cornwall, England, three generations of the Tremain family find their relationships and the fate of the house threatened by tragic and dangerous secrets that, once revealed, force them to question the price paid by violence, war, and prejudice. A first novel.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

416 pages, Hardcover

First published April 22, 2003

About the author

Much of my life has been as a gypsy without roots.

I travelled as a child, went to many schools, ending my education in a strict Catholic convent in Malta while my parents lived in Cyprus.

I was set on an acting career and after working as an ASM in The Theatre Royal Windsor I won a place at the London Academy of Music and Drama.

My acting career was brief. I went off to Germany, Norway, Sharjah, then on to Singapore and Malaysia as an army wife.

I kept journals of my time in the Middle East and my first novel, Falls The Shadow, (now out of print) was published by a small independent publisher.

Eventually, tired of an itinerant life, I moved to Cornwall and put down roots. Having secured an agent, my next two novels Listening to Voices and The Sleep of Birds were published by Headline.

Sea Music was published by Harper Collins to critical acclaim, followed by Another Life, The Hour Before Dawn and Come Away With Me.

At the end of 2009 I took the decision to take time off to travel. I visited Oman, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and lived for a year in Karachi, Pakistan. The result is a new book, set in Pakistan.

Reviews

[Paula White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neither the title nor the cover do this book justice. It should be re-published with both changed. I was drawn into their stories until I forgot everything around me. At times I would take a break because the nature of the Holocaust part of the story was so difficult to sit with. The writing is different but becomes a rhythm once you keep reading. It will bring you to tears and make you appreciate every ordinary day.

[Noella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heel mooi en aangrijpend boek. De dementerende Martha en haar man Fred wonen in Cornwall. Hun kleindochter Lucy logeert een tijdje bij hen in de cottage op hun domein. Ook hun zoon Barnaby, die dominee is, woont bij hen. Martha en Fred hebben steeds meer zorg nodig, en daarom wordt, naast de huishoudster, een hulp ingeschakeld, Kate.
De vriend van Lucy staat op het punt naar de Balkan te vertrekken, op vredesmissie.
De moeder van Lucy, Anna, die de dochter is van Martha, is een drukbezette advocate, die maar zelden de tijd vindt om haar familie in Cornwall te bezoeken.
Martha is een Poolse jodin, en heeft vele verschrikkingen meegemaakt in de oorlog, maar ze wil er nooit over praten. Ze kan er gewoon niet over praten. En ook wil ze haar kinderen en kleinkind niet belasten met dat verleden.
Er wordt ook veel verteld over Martha's kindertijd. Haar vader was een dokter, en ze woonden in Berlijn naast een Duitse familie, waarvan de man ook dokter was. Ze hadden een zoon, iets ouder dan Martha, waarmee ze bevriend geraakte. De moeder van de jongen was hier echter erg tegen, zodat ze dikwijls in het geheim samen speelden of gingen paardrijden. Dit alles veranderde echter toen ze tieners werden, en de jongen beïnvloed werd door de Nazi's. Hij veranderde helemaal, tot genoegen van zijn moeder, en verdriet van zijn vader. Hij werd, ten minste uiterlijk, een echte jodenhater. Hij genoot van de macht die hij had over anderen, speciaal over joden. Dit leidde tot een verschrikkelijke daad, waar hij echter onmiddellijk spijt van had. Maar gedane zaken nemen geen keer, en jaren later, als hij oud is, wordt hij geconfronteerd met de gevolgen, en hoewel hij eerder al wroeging had over zijn oorlogsmisdaden, beseft hij nu pas welk een persoonlijk verlies en gemis hij geleden heeft.
De levens van al deze mensen komen bij elkaar, op een manier die heel meeslepend beschreven is.
Een boek om niet te vergeten.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exceptionally beautiful book. It is beautifully written with respect for the English language yet not haughty in any way. The characters are beautifully complex and tender. I'd like people like them in my life. The setting serves the story beautifully. The story is both tragic and beautifully triumphant. It is a beautiful book in every way.

[Juliajuliah · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You can’t judge a book by its cover.” How many times do we hear this proverb? And yet so often we do judge books by their covers. We pick up books that look similar to those we have liked. We rule out books that look similar to those we haven’t liked.We believe the work of the marketing teams who pitch their books at us.

A novel that proves the underlying truth of the proverb is “Sea Music” by Sara MacDonald. It looks like a cheap holiday read.

I think the marketing team got it wrong in this case. This novel packs a powerful punch and deals with some brutal issues. The atrocities of the second world war are the thread holding the plot together – along with the more recent atrocities of the fighting in the Balkans.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book very difficult to "get into"...until about halfway through. Several times I almost gave up. But, I'm glad I perservered and finished it. The story was amazing, but the way it was told made it unnecessarily complicated for me...trying to figure out what stories went with what characters. Initially all was identified only by varying typefaces, and it was a well into the book before the reader could figure out what typeface belonged to what character and even the names of the characters. I appreciate the "creativity" of telling a story that way, but sometimes a good story is best told simply. My opinion...I'm sure many will disagree. But, overall, I did enjoy the book and appreciate the insight into the trauma of both the Holocost and Alzheimer's.

[Diana Scheffler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of two young children, both born into wealth (their fathers were doctors); one a Jew and one a German. The fathers practice medicine together until the war, where things get very dicey for the Jewish family However, as the book goes on and times change, secrets are revealed about both families that will leave you reeling. A well developed plot and characters with some very heart wrenching situations. It is a very thoughtfully written story about the price humans pay for prejudice and violence and family secrets. If you decide to read this wonderful book, make sure to have a box of tissues next to you.

[Miranda Summerset · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 STARS! One of the most heartwrenching, emotional, & harrowing books I have ever read. I can't begin to describe how deeply this book affected me as I read it. How this slid under the radar, I'll never know but I say this in capital letters, READ THIS BOOK! A beautiful novel, full of characters that feel real and close. Its an intense journey, but a book you will devour, as I did. Such poignant writing, I am now a fan of this authors for life. This book was lifechanging to me. A true masterpiece.

[Sharon Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book at the library while looking for a book by another author by a similar name. I liked the cover illustration, so I took it out.

Initially, I found the layout of the characters confusing but kept reading and couldn't put the book down. I'll now be searching out McDonald's on purpose.

[Gavin Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the story, the setting, and the characters. I wish I could find more novels like this. A real escape..an escape into caring about other wonderful people, even if they only live on the page of a book.

[Sarah Messenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful written story about a very sad time in history. A very touching story and one falls in love with the countryside and all of the characters. Great read!

[W.J. Small · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was mediocre. The first half is slow and, although the second half is better, the author spends more time telling the reader about what is happening than showing the reader through character actions and dialogue. And speaking of dialogue, I found the dialogue very distracting. Who, in 2017, calls people "dear so-and-so" and "dearest so-and-so" in conversation? Everyone did this in the book - it didn't matter if they were 90 or 20. Additionally, I found the relationship between Barnaby and Kate implausible and most of the characters fairly one dimensional. I was interested in how it the story would turn out, hence the two stars, but overall this is not a book I would recommend. If you're looking for a book which chronicles the stories from the Holocaust, I much prefer Bohjalian's "Skeletons at the Feast" or Richman's "The Lost Wife."

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like the author was trying too hard, and the language ends up stilted and a bit alienating. I never really connected to the characters in what should be an emotional story.

[Mandy Szuchnik-townrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever looked at the cover of a book and thought "No it's not for me" that's what I did when a friend gave me this book to read however after reading the blurb I'm so glad I decided to give it a go.
It's been a while since I've picked up a book and not wanted to put it down and work, eat or sleep! This story spans over the life of 3 generations of 3 women, Martha the jewish grandmother with dementia, Anna her cold and somewhat bitter daughter and Lucy, Martha's granddaughter and the apple of her eye.

[Trina Hollis · Rating 5 out of 5]

History. Romance and mystery all rolled into one book and a happy ending as well, brilliant.

[Jo Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written story about deception, love and forgiveness set in post war Europe. Loved the characters and hpw they were written.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, but yet again I have found and read a beautiful piece of historical fiction that has been on my bookshelf for more than a decade. I hope that another reader who has read this book I'm about to share will comment or share their thoughts on this poignant novel.

Sea Music by Sara MacDonald is a beautiful and heartbreaking piece of fiction that explores the strength of families in times of triumph and devastating loss. It's a book about the resilience of the human spirit to live when everything screams to give up. This is the story of Martha Tremain and her family. Martha, now an elderly woman with Alzheimers, has difficulty with most tasks and remembering the day, but still has visions of a past that still haunts her. Surrounded by a loving husband, son, and dutiful granddaughter, Martha is able to manage most days, but unbeknownst to the family her husband has kept Marthas past a secret in order for her to heal. But the past has a way of resurfacing and her husband can no longer protect her and their family from the truth. The past and present will collide and
atrocities and sins will need to be forgiven and only Martha has the power to do that. For fans of the book, The Nightingale, Sara MacDonald gives us a novel every bit as rich and poignant, sure to leave you loving the strength of the characters and wanting to read more.

I absolutely loved this book. As I read the novel, I knew there was a reckoning coming which kept me turning the pages.. The build to that moment had me on the edge of my seat. The characters in the book were amazing and I couldn't help but love their ability to cherish their relationships and protect one another. This truly is a remarkable piece of fiction and I am so glad I finally read it. So, if you love stories surrounding WWII, I think you'll love this novel too.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written.

Sea Music is a relatively complex story that flows beautifully.

Fred and Martha are an aging couple who lived through the Nazi occupation during WWII. They have not shared the complete story of their lives during that time with their children, Anna and Barnaby. Martha, who now has Alzheimer's Disease, has always been adamant that certain secrets be kept from her children, but Fred stored away documents related to those secrets. Anna's daughter, Lucy, has discovered these documents and the secrets start to be revealed. Family relationships become increasingly fragile with the reality that the full story may never be known because of Fred and Martha's health and age.

Difficult situations are handled with great respect and care by this author. Her writing style adds a level of grace to the story. Although the book starts slowly, please stay with it. Recommended.

[Pamela Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sea music is a book you’ll want to read when you have time to savor the descriptive flow of the words and unravel the heart of this mystery. It starts in the beautiful landscape of current day Cornwall where the mother and father are both in their twilight years and slowly succumbing to memory loss. They look back on their earlier lives and how WW2 changed them; while their adult son, daughter and granddaughter deal with making sense of their past and present circumstances. There are so many secrets and so much miscommunication or non-communication that they need to deal with after some hidden documents are found. A mysterious man is following the daughter, and new young caretaker enters their life and adds more dimension to the story. Highly recommend.

[joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. One of the better books I’ve read lately, the characters were well developed and layered. Despite the cover and title, it is not a light subject. The story is essentially about three different perspectives of the holocaust. A US soldier, A survivor, and a Nazi soldier. The story is a flash back, and tells how each of them deal with the aftermath of World War II, and what it takes to move on. It is heartbreaking and also makes a reader think, those are the kind of books I enjoy. I’ve read a lot of World War II stories, and this one was different. There are other minor themes in the book. The reason I didn’t give it a 5 star is it’s a little weird in the way the characters name each other. Some times it’s mum, or dad, or they use their first names. It throw me a bit.

[Martina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mooi verhaal over de familie Tremain, waarbij steeds flashbacks waren naar de holocaust. Het verhaal is heel goed geschreven, waardoor je echt van sommige familieleden houdt en voor sommige een antipathie voelt. Naast het historische gedeelte wordt ook ruim aandacht besteed aan de "tegenwoordige tijd", kortom een fijn boek!!! Een ding.....misschien super dom, maar ik snap de titel Zeemuziek niet zo, geen flauw idee waarom het noem deze titel draagt. Niet anders dan dat de familie al jaren vlakbij het strand woont, maar dan nog?

[Kira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exploring a complicated family with an even more complex past with a good mix of anticipation, even for past events. I was often on the edge of my seat or would quietly close the book and think of my own complicated family and grandmother with Alzheimer's.

[Susan Kerkhof · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an "ok" read. Felt the story between Marta and Kurt could have been expanded. The story of Lucy and her boyfriend deleted. Anna character, I never got into and Barnaby and Kate?? It started off interesting then I just lost interest with the story because I was thinking what I would have written.

[vicky becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Engaging story. Characters and plot unfold gradually. Personalized the affect of the Holocaust on individuals without being a depressing story.

[Rianne Kool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wat een prachtig boek!

[Alexa Asakiewicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting much from this book, simply because it has been sitting in my house forever. That being said, it was interesting and delightful. Although I don't think the characters were very nuanced, I did appreciate the narrative of the story and how you slowly encounter the past through Marta's Alzheimer's.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Melancholy.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely page-turner. Family saga, Cornwall, Holocaust, Polish Jews, “good”people

[Carolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sublime book, touching story, complex characters. An engaging novel narrating the horrific nazi nightmare as well as infinite compasion and kindness in human beings.

[Sylviahoward028gmail.Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled at times with the story because it jumped around and it took me a bit to figure out who a section was about. Overall the story was good.