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The Restless Wave
When Nell comes across an old envelope in a desk drawer, the discovery sets her on a path to uncover a secret dating back to the Second World War.
Immensely empathetic, The Restless Wave contrasts the perspectives of Edward, born in Colonial India and later to serve as a military chaplain in the D Day Landings; Hope, a misfit who relinquishes Swinging London for the hippy trail, and Nell, a talented teacher in a deprived area of Oxford.
Immensely empathetic, The Restless Wave contrasts the perspectives of Edward, born in Colonial India and later to serve as a military chaplain in the D Day Landings; Hope, a misfit who relinquishes Swinging London for the hippy trail, and Nell, a talented teacher in a deprived area of Oxford.
- GenresFiction
240 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 6, 2021
Edward Meadow’s was born in Colonial India, his father Randolph is in the British army and he’s eight when he’s sent to boarding school in England. He hates school, he’s tormented by a teacher, and it’s freezing cold and suffers from chilblains. Edward loves going to stay with his Uncle Hubert and Aunt Florence in Exeter and he counts down the days until the school holidays.
Edward attends Oxford University and theological college and becomes a vicar. He marries Edith Taylor, they have six children, Prudence, Hope, Faith, Grace, William and Richard. Edward joins the army as a chaplain during WW II, he serves in Egypt, Italy and Normandy. He lands with the troops on D-Day, assigned to the 15th field dressing station, he and Hillman work tirelessly as stretcher-bearers, and he’s severely wounded. Edward's in hospital for weeks, for the rest of his life he suffers from terrible headaches and mood swings.
His granddaughter Nell, is a teacher in Oxford, her marriage ended a year ago and she makes a mistake at work. This causes her to suffer from depression and anxiety, and on sick leave she visits her Aunty Grace in Cotswold's. While cleaning out a shed on the farm, she finds a desk that belonged to her grandfather, hidden in a draw are two old photos and a letter.
Nell decides to find out who the people in the photo's are, she travels to France, and visits the beach at Normandy, various war museums, grave sites and a cafe in Lion-Sur-Mer. Nell’s grandfather died the year she was born, she never met him, she uncovers the secret he kept from his wife and it’s not what you assume.
The Restless Wave by Sarah Meyrick is a dual timeline story, about Edward, Hope and her daughter Nell. The Meadow's family are rather dysfunctional, the story jumps around a lot and at times it hard to follow. The information about D-Day was thoroughly researched by the author, for me it was the highlight of the story and three stars from me.
Edward attends Oxford University and theological college and becomes a vicar. He marries Edith Taylor, they have six children, Prudence, Hope, Faith, Grace, William and Richard. Edward joins the army as a chaplain during WW II, he serves in Egypt, Italy and Normandy. He lands with the troops on D-Day, assigned to the 15th field dressing station, he and Hillman work tirelessly as stretcher-bearers, and he’s severely wounded. Edward's in hospital for weeks, for the rest of his life he suffers from terrible headaches and mood swings.
His granddaughter Nell, is a teacher in Oxford, her marriage ended a year ago and she makes a mistake at work. This causes her to suffer from depression and anxiety, and on sick leave she visits her Aunty Grace in Cotswold's. While cleaning out a shed on the farm, she finds a desk that belonged to her grandfather, hidden in a draw are two old photos and a letter.
Nell decides to find out who the people in the photo's are, she travels to France, and visits the beach at Normandy, various war museums, grave sites and a cafe in Lion-Sur-Mer. Nell’s grandfather died the year she was born, she never met him, she uncovers the secret he kept from his wife and it’s not what you assume.
The Restless Wave by Sarah Meyrick is a dual timeline story, about Edward, Hope and her daughter Nell. The Meadow's family are rather dysfunctional, the story jumps around a lot and at times it hard to follow. The information about D-Day was thoroughly researched by the author, for me it was the highlight of the story and three stars from me.
May 6, 2019
Many thanks to the publishers at Marylebone House and NetGalley for the absolute privilege of an advanced copy to review. The Restless Wave was a story about the intricacies of familial relationships, and the atrocities of war. What begins as a charming weave of three separate narratives soon uncovers a multigenerational puzzle involving a letter and two photographs, taped to the bottom of a writing desk drawer. I really enjoyed the writing style and character development (Nell in particular) however the plot fell a little flat for me. I think I was expecting more from the mystery letter than it delivered; but the historical aspects of the novel surrounding D-Day and the Battle for Normandy were well researched. This would be a good fit for someone with a genuine interest in these events, as well as someone who doesn’t mind a very sad read. Publication date is the 16th of May.
May 16, 2019
When Nell comes across an old envelope in a desk drawer, the discovery sets her on a path to uncover a secret dating back to the Second World War.
Immensely empathetic, The Restless Wave contrasts the perspectives of Edward, born in Colonial India and later to serve as a military chaplain in the D Day Landings; Hope, a misfit who relinquishes Swinging London for the hippy trail, and Nell, a talented teacher in a deprived area of Oxford.
My rating:
Story: 3 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4 out of 5 stars
Character development: 3 out of 5 stars
Overall: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Review:
The book is told from the perspective of 3 different generations within one family. Edward; father and grandfather, Hope his daughter and Nell, Hopes daughter. However it takes until about half way through the story until it becomes clear how they are actually related to each other. The description of the plot was what really intrigued me; but wasn’t as mysterious as I expected. I found it all fell a bit flat towards the end. The historical part about the D- day Landings was well researched and very interesting. The characters were well depicted and they gave you a good inside how the trauma’s of war effect each generation within a family differently.
Overall this book is well written and gives an interesting historical inside into the D-Day landings and how families deal with the trauma of war. I am glad I read it.
I received an ARC through Netgalley at no cost to me.
Immensely empathetic, The Restless Wave contrasts the perspectives of Edward, born in Colonial India and later to serve as a military chaplain in the D Day Landings; Hope, a misfit who relinquishes Swinging London for the hippy trail, and Nell, a talented teacher in a deprived area of Oxford.
My rating:
Story: 3 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4 out of 5 stars
Character development: 3 out of 5 stars
Overall: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Review:
The book is told from the perspective of 3 different generations within one family. Edward; father and grandfather, Hope his daughter and Nell, Hopes daughter. However it takes until about half way through the story until it becomes clear how they are actually related to each other. The description of the plot was what really intrigued me; but wasn’t as mysterious as I expected. I found it all fell a bit flat towards the end. The historical part about the D- day Landings was well researched and very interesting. The characters were well depicted and they gave you a good inside how the trauma’s of war effect each generation within a family differently.
Overall this book is well written and gives an interesting historical inside into the D-Day landings and how families deal with the trauma of war. I am glad I read it.
I received an ARC through Netgalley at no cost to me.
May 19, 2019
This was an interesting story following mainly, three people. Edward who was a
military chaplain in WWII, his daughter Hope, who was a free spirit, and her daughter Nell, a teacher in Oxford.
All of these characters had issues , Edward with his daughter Hope, and Nell with her mother Hope. Throughout this story we see how each one impacted the other and how these differences affected the family.
Nell, who had been having a hard time at her school, needed to take a leave of absence to resolve the problem and to overcome the anxiety that it had created. She goes to visit her aunt who is going through things at her home which she plans on selling. Nell is offered and old desk which had belonged to Edward, and in it she finds a letter written by a French woman to him, and this sparks an interest for Nell to research that side of her family as she didn't know much about them.
A trip to France to see where her Grandfather had served during the war, with only the letter as a clue, became her mission.
This is just a piece of the story which has many more layers.
An entertaining read, with a look at the complexities of every day life.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Marylebone House for the ARC of this book.
military chaplain in WWII, his daughter Hope, who was a free spirit, and her daughter Nell, a teacher in Oxford.
All of these characters had issues , Edward with his daughter Hope, and Nell with her mother Hope. Throughout this story we see how each one impacted the other and how these differences affected the family.
Nell, who had been having a hard time at her school, needed to take a leave of absence to resolve the problem and to overcome the anxiety that it had created. She goes to visit her aunt who is going through things at her home which she plans on selling. Nell is offered and old desk which had belonged to Edward, and in it she finds a letter written by a French woman to him, and this sparks an interest for Nell to research that side of her family as she didn't know much about them.
A trip to France to see where her Grandfather had served during the war, with only the letter as a clue, became her mission.
This is just a piece of the story which has many more layers.
An entertaining read, with a look at the complexities of every day life.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Marylebone House for the ARC of this book.
June 27, 2019
There are three stories in this book set in different times: Nell is a teacher now and gets herself into trouble with social media comments about a student's first name; Hope is a hippy and Edward a military chaplain in World War 2. Hope is Edward's daughter and Nell is Hope's daughter. I found the strongest story was that of Nell perhaps because it is set in contemporary times, perhaps because I had been a teacher myself or perhaps it was just better written.
I find that interwoven stories can be terribly difficult to pull off successfully. Just as the reader has settled into one narrative they are pulled away and introduced to a whole set of new characters and it often feels like a real wrench. It's bad enough when there are two stories to interweave, but three seems unmanageable. I resented being pulled away to meet characters who were in a different time and place and had a hard time empathising with them. It was only Nell's story that kept me going. I think if this story had been structured differently I would have enjoyed it more.
I find that interwoven stories can be terribly difficult to pull off successfully. Just as the reader has settled into one narrative they are pulled away and introduced to a whole set of new characters and it often feels like a real wrench. It's bad enough when there are two stories to interweave, but three seems unmanageable. I resented being pulled away to meet characters who were in a different time and place and had a hard time empathising with them. It was only Nell's story that kept me going. I think if this story had been structured differently I would have enjoyed it more.
September 10, 2023
The restless wave makes you feel restless. The story is horrible. The author tried to build up the characters in the first 150 pages or so, which had to be the most boring part of the book. Then the next 50 odd pages were interesting with the various plot lines converging and just when I thought this is gonna build up to a great piece. All the characters just loose their essence. Some are randomly cut off and rest just started acting out of character. it's like the author just forgot what she had written till that moment and went in a new direction. And I don't even want to get started in the final 50 odd pages. Simply put this writing is as bland as the English cusine. It also shows the lack of understanding on part of author towards other countries in the world apart from the GREAT BRITAN and the overall lack of research apart from the bare minimum done on the events of world war 2 on a very tiny scale. I suggest piercing your own eyes to reading this book.
May 5, 2019
Thank you NetGalley and Marylebone House for the eARC.
This was a good book, I enjoyed it a lot. The story follows three main characters: Edward, family man and priest, Hope, his daughter and Nell, his granddaughter.
Edward ends up serving the soldiers physically and emotionally in the army during WWII, a wrenching, horrifying ordeal in which he conducts himself bravely and honorably. I admired his character. Hope leads a chaotic and interesting life, but I didn't really like her, she seemed very selfish. On the other hand, her daughter Nell was a sympathetic character and the one who eventually researched Edward's life, enriching hers.
Yes, the WWII chapters were depressing, but it was fascinating with many facts and figures I didn't know. The Rudyard Kipling quotes were beautiful and one brought me to tears. The book was thoughtful and well written and I recommend it.
This was a good book, I enjoyed it a lot. The story follows three main characters: Edward, family man and priest, Hope, his daughter and Nell, his granddaughter.
Edward ends up serving the soldiers physically and emotionally in the army during WWII, a wrenching, horrifying ordeal in which he conducts himself bravely and honorably. I admired his character. Hope leads a chaotic and interesting life, but I didn't really like her, she seemed very selfish. On the other hand, her daughter Nell was a sympathetic character and the one who eventually researched Edward's life, enriching hers.
Yes, the WWII chapters were depressing, but it was fascinating with many facts and figures I didn't know. The Rudyard Kipling quotes were beautiful and one brought me to tears. The book was thoughtful and well written and I recommend it.
May 28, 2020
There’s a lot I liked about this book, but having raved about Knowing Anna, and even bought it for people I found this fell slightly short of being exceptional. I still find it a lovely angle that she takes on the world - that of finding people of faith live with an integrity and kindness more often than not, and not the appalling excesses of hypocrisy and egotism, and left wing politics that so frequently ruins the churches reputation today.
A nice gentle read, but not exceptional.
A nice gentle read, but not exceptional.
May 19, 2019
The cover initially drew my attention to this book and so glad it did. I really enjoyed this book, which although sad, had me gripped from start to finish. It is the first time that i have read a book by Sarah Meyrick and hope to read more. Recommended.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, freely given.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, freely given.
May 30, 2019
Clearly, I'm reading something different to everyone else because what I read was awful. A load of words the writer has thrown together with no actual decent storyline behind it. Trying to sound intelligent for the sake of sounding intelligent with no thought to the story whatsoever.
June 13, 2019
This is an interesting novel, where the different narrators have their own struggles and they (the characters) are linked to each other. It takes a while before the dots between them are connected, but the historical background (such as D-Day) is obviously researched.
May 19, 2019
Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.
June 30, 2019
The characters seem like real people, very well written and heartfelt.
July 21, 2019
I greatly enjoyed this Great story. Fabulously engaging characters and an intriguing plot. Highly recommended."
January 3, 2022
Interessanti alcuni spunti ma in generale non mi è piaciuto molto
December 30, 2020
The Restless Wave is told from the perspectives of teacher Nell, her complicated mother Hope and her D-Day Army Chaplain grandfather Edward.
Nell’s part in the story begins when she makes a BIG mistake by posting a social media comment which rapidly wrecks her life. (I’m not sure I’d have realised that a child’s name of Kar-ian would be pronounced ‘Kardashian’ rather than ‘Carrie-Anne’ either!)
We first meet Hope in 1945, an evacuee child about to be torn from the Dorset countryside she loves, to move to Birmingham with a father she barely knows and who is scarred both physically and mentally by the war.
Meanwhile, Edward’s story is woven in and out of both Nell and Hope’s. We follow him from childhood in colonial India to his ordination training which will lead from an Oxford curacy to the French beaches of D-Day, and beyond.
This is a complex, multi-layered book. The story (‘stories’?) is engrossing and I was eager to find out what happened next for each of the characters, and to find out the resolution of the mystery of the letter and photograph Nell finds in an old desk. There is some swearing, and a rather nasty incident at Edward’s school. The latter is a pity as I couldn’t see that it added anything to the rest of the story. However, it’s a couple of paragraphs in what is otherwise an excellent book.
Nell’s part in the story begins when she makes a BIG mistake by posting a social media comment which rapidly wrecks her life. (I’m not sure I’d have realised that a child’s name of Kar-ian would be pronounced ‘Kardashian’ rather than ‘Carrie-Anne’ either!)
We first meet Hope in 1945, an evacuee child about to be torn from the Dorset countryside she loves, to move to Birmingham with a father she barely knows and who is scarred both physically and mentally by the war.
Meanwhile, Edward’s story is woven in and out of both Nell and Hope’s. We follow him from childhood in colonial India to his ordination training which will lead from an Oxford curacy to the French beaches of D-Day, and beyond.
This is a complex, multi-layered book. The story (‘stories’?) is engrossing and I was eager to find out what happened next for each of the characters, and to find out the resolution of the mystery of the letter and photograph Nell finds in an old desk. There is some swearing, and a rather nasty incident at Edward’s school. The latter is a pity as I couldn’t see that it added anything to the rest of the story. However, it’s a couple of paragraphs in what is otherwise an excellent book.
May 1, 2019
***The Restless Wave explores the lives of three generations: Edward, the father and priest, Hope, his daughter, and Nell, his granddaughter. It takes a while for the author to reveal these relationships...a long, extremely wordy, introspective while. Told in alternating chapters, the reader is taken through childhood traumas into more recent traumas. I kept wanting to just stop reading because the story was so depressing, buy curiosity kept me going to see what kind of resolution, if any, the author planned. Religion, and the relationship the characters have with it or not, plays a huge role in the story which moves from colonial India, through WWII, and into the present. The historical parts were very interesting and seemingly well researched. All in all it was a fairly good read. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book.
May 3, 2019
It's a well written book but it was not my cup of tea mainly because I wasn't in the mood for a very sad book.
I liked the well researched historical background, not a fan of the plot.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I liked the well researched historical background, not a fan of the plot.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews