Publication
Waterville, Maine : Thorndike Press, a part of Gale, a Cengage Company, 2018.
Collection
Call number
Large Print Fiction M
Physical description
613 p.; 23 cm
Status
Available
Call number
Description
"From the darkest hours rises life in all its glory ... From the acclaimed author of Secrets of a Charmed Life and A Bridge Across the Ocean comes a new novel set in Philadelphia during the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918, which tells the story of a family reborn through loss and love. In 1918, Philadelphia was a city teeming with promise. Even as its young men went off to fight in the Great War, there were opportunities for a fresh start on its cobblestone streets. Into this bustling town, came Pauline Bright and her husband, filled with hope that they could now give their three daughters--Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa--a chance at a better life. Their dreams are short-lived. Just months after they arrive, the Spanish Flu reaches the shores of America. As the pandemic claims more than twelve thousand victims in their adopted city, they find their lives left with a world that looks nothing like the one they knew. But even as they lose loved ones, they take in a baby orphaned by the disease who becomes their single source of hope. Amidst the tragedy and challenges that surround them, they learn what they cannot live without--and what they are willing to do about it. Under the Canopy of Heaven is the compelling story of a mother and her daughters who find themselves in a harsh world not of their making, which will either crush their resolve to survive or purify it"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member nancyadair
In 1918 the Bright family leaves a tobacco farm in Quakertown, PA to move to center city Philadelphia. The father is to work for his uncle's funeral parlor, which he would then inherit. They have suffered the devastating--but at that time all too common loss--of a baby. Their grief travels with
In the autumn of 1918 the Spanish Influenza hits Philadelphia, leaving over 12,000 dead in its wake. The mortuary fills and the uncle dies. When a daughter falls ill, the mother keeps her alive but, worn down, succumbs and dies of the disease. Friends die, and a beloved neighbor leaves for the trenches of France. Amidst all this loss, one of the daughters rescues an infant in distress in a house full of the dead, and the child becomes the family's heart and reason to go on.
The women, the mother and her four daughters, speak in alternating chapters, their unique personalities and perspectives revealed through their own words. Philadelphia has a distinct presence, although fictionalized and geographically ambiguous at times. (The cover photo shows Logan Circle with City Hall in the background.) The time period, between 1918 and 1926, covers the flu and the war but also prohibition and the rise of the speakeasy.
The story is about people who suffer great loss and live through horrible times, who carry their ghosts and demons with them, until they are able to see that life goes on and somehow the world can be bright again.
My Goodreads friends have rated this a four or five star book and found it very engaging. So I will safely say that readers of historical fiction and woman's fiction will enjoy Meissner's book.
SPOILER ALERTS
I had several issues with the writing.
I lacked emotional connection to the characters. It could be the multitude of voices, but I think it was because the story is too much told and not enough shown. For instance, one daughter develops a crush on an older man who goes to war. He is gone for the bulk of the novel, and returns at age thirty-eight and the girl is still "in love." There is not enough interaction between them to make me believe she is "in love" with him for life. It seems contrived.
I found the book preachy and full of clichéd lessons. The ex-soldier, once returned home, consoles his now grown-up lover that the war was horrible and he had to heal. All this healing happened off camera and lacks emotional impact; he is just telling her a lesson he learned. Make peace with the past, he advises. Later, the foundling brother's family is discovered to be alive. The father forgives the Brights, saying that he was angry for a long time by his losses and is finally seeing there is good in life, ending with the old chestnut of 'we are all doing the best we can with what we have'. Nothing new here, kids.
And the story wrapped up with far too many predictable and implausible outcomes. I won't even go into them. There is talk of fate and destiny and finding patterns.
END OF SPOILER ALERT
Consequently, although I had looked forward to reading As Bright As Heaven, especially for its setting and the time period, I found the book an average read. For those who are not familiar with the Spanish Influenza, who like feel-good endings, and who want the horror of history softened by wish fulfillment romantic endings, this is the book for you. It was not my cup of tea.
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them into their new life.In the autumn of 1918 the Spanish Influenza hits Philadelphia, leaving over 12,000 dead in its wake. The mortuary fills and the uncle dies. When a daughter falls ill, the mother keeps her alive but, worn down, succumbs and dies of the disease. Friends die, and a beloved neighbor leaves for the trenches of France. Amidst all this loss, one of the daughters rescues an infant in distress in a house full of the dead, and the child becomes the family's heart and reason to go on.
The women, the mother and her four daughters, speak in alternating chapters, their unique personalities and perspectives revealed through their own words. Philadelphia has a distinct presence, although fictionalized and geographically ambiguous at times. (The cover photo shows Logan Circle with City Hall in the background.) The time period, between 1918 and 1926, covers the flu and the war but also prohibition and the rise of the speakeasy.
The story is about people who suffer great loss and live through horrible times, who carry their ghosts and demons with them, until they are able to see that life goes on and somehow the world can be bright again.
My Goodreads friends have rated this a four or five star book and found it very engaging. So I will safely say that readers of historical fiction and woman's fiction will enjoy Meissner's book.
SPOILER ALERTS
I had several issues with the writing.
I lacked emotional connection to the characters. It could be the multitude of voices, but I think it was because the story is too much told and not enough shown. For instance, one daughter develops a crush on an older man who goes to war. He is gone for the bulk of the novel, and returns at age thirty-eight and the girl is still "in love." There is not enough interaction between them to make me believe she is "in love" with him for life. It seems contrived.
I found the book preachy and full of clichéd lessons. The ex-soldier, once returned home, consoles his now grown-up lover that the war was horrible and he had to heal. All this healing happened off camera and lacks emotional impact; he is just telling her a lesson he learned. Make peace with the past, he advises. Later, the foundling brother's family is discovered to be alive. The father forgives the Brights, saying that he was angry for a long time by his losses and is finally seeing there is good in life, ending with the old chestnut of 'we are all doing the best we can with what we have'. Nothing new here, kids.
And the story wrapped up with far too many predictable and implausible outcomes. I won't even go into them. There is talk of fate and destiny and finding patterns.
END OF SPOILER ALERT
Consequently, although I had looked forward to reading As Bright As Heaven, especially for its setting and the time period, I found the book an average read. For those who are not familiar with the Spanish Influenza, who like feel-good endings, and who want the horror of history softened by wish fulfillment romantic endings, this is the book for you. It was not my cup of tea.
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LibraryThing member pdebolt
This novel begins in 1918 during the confluence of the Great War and the Spanish flu. It centers around the Bright family who left the tobacco fields when the father, Tom, is asked to assist his uncle in running a mortuary in Philadelphia where the family will live. The Brights' only son died as an
I am in the minority in not giving this book a higher rating, but I found that an interesting premise turned into a stereotypical happily-ever-after ending that lacked credibility. For me, it simply lacked a depth of emotion that would have made it memorable.
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infant leaving his parents and three sisters bereft. The experiences of the family members are seen in first-person accounts in alternating chapters. The unexpected advent of a foster son is shrouded in a mystery known only to the middle daughter, Maggie. They name him Alex and he brings joy to their lives. The mystery of his arrival at their home will have haunting repercussions. Tragedy strikes the family during the flu epidemic; however, the next eight years bring changes to the daughters' lives that ultimately end in happiness. I am in the minority in not giving this book a higher rating, but I found that an interesting premise turned into a stereotypical happily-ever-after ending that lacked credibility. For me, it simply lacked a depth of emotion that would have made it memorable.
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LibraryThing member eachurch
The early 20th century was a fascinating time full of unique challenges and social change. Susan Meissner has written a well-researched and easy to read novel about a family who moves to Philadelphia just before the outbreak of the Spanish Flu. Telling the story from multiple perspectives, Meissner
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is able to explore a number of interesting social questions and historical trends. This is both a virtue and a fault. It deepens the historical perspective, but at the cost of more fully realized characters. At times, particularly in the beginning when the main characters were children, I sometimes found it difficult to keep them straight. The ending ties everything up beautifully and things are resolved in a rather fairy tale-like way which is satisfying albeit unrealistic. Show Less
LibraryThing member hollysing
As Bright As Heaven, set in Philadelphia during the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918, is a dramatic example of the resilience of the human spirit. Heartening and dramatic, the book releases February 2018 from Berkley Penguin Random House.
As Bright As Heaven opens with a flash forward scene set in 1918.
Meissner excels at her craft. Her writing astounds in prose and plot. The tenacity of the human spirit is a signature of her novels. Written with exquisite prose and articulate historical detail, her prose wafts over the reader, pages clipping by like lightening.
As Bright As Heaven brims with unforeseen awakenings in the midst of loss. Narrated by various family members, the tension mounts as each reveal their experiences during the plague and experience emotional epiphanies. Characters are fully realized with distinctive personalities. We become completely absorbed into the lives, losses, and triumphs of the Bright family.
Meissner includes detail on embalming a dead body, an absorbing side trip. See if you can figure out the surprise ending before you read it. Complex in depth with a sweet aftertaste, As Bright As Heaven is highly recommended.
I thank Penguin Random House and Bookish First for the advance reader’s copy.
As Bright As Heaven opens with a flash forward scene set in 1918.
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Pauline Bright stands over the grave where a child has been laid to rest. She falls into reverie about the child’s birth. With that, the story of how she and her husband Thomas came to relocate from a poor tobacco farm to Philadelphia quietly and powerfully reveals itself. The shroud of the Spanish flu epidemic is about to cover the city and the Bright family will be fiercely tested and impacted. Clouds of love and compassion enfold the gravitas of their circumstances.Meissner excels at her craft. Her writing astounds in prose and plot. The tenacity of the human spirit is a signature of her novels. Written with exquisite prose and articulate historical detail, her prose wafts over the reader, pages clipping by like lightening.
As Bright As Heaven brims with unforeseen awakenings in the midst of loss. Narrated by various family members, the tension mounts as each reveal their experiences during the plague and experience emotional epiphanies. Characters are fully realized with distinctive personalities. We become completely absorbed into the lives, losses, and triumphs of the Bright family.
Meissner includes detail on embalming a dead body, an absorbing side trip. See if you can figure out the surprise ending before you read it. Complex in depth with a sweet aftertaste, As Bright As Heaven is highly recommended.
I thank Penguin Random House and Bookish First for the advance reader’s copy.
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LibraryThing member Kathl33n
Wow, did this book pack a punch. Stunningly written and the story itself was full of the darkest and lightest moments in life. It is a serious tearjerker but it leaves you full of hope. It's told from four POVs, a mother and her three daughters, over the course of several years. Normally
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alternating POVs are just not my thing, but the writing in this one was done so well I was seamlessly able to transition from character to character without noticing any interruption. If you love a good historical family saga definitely give this one a try. Thanks very much to the publisher for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kris_Anderson
As Bright As Heaven is the latest novel by Susan Meissner which is set in 1918. Pauline and Thomas Bright along with their family are relocating from Quakertown to Philadelphia. Thomas has been offered the opportunity to work with his uncle, Fred Bright and eventually inherit the Bright Funeral
As Bright As Heaven has a unique point-of-view with the Spanish Flu (instead of focusing on the war). The POV switches between Pauline and the three daughters (told in first person). We get to see life through each of their eyes with each person providing a unique perspective given their ages (Willa is the youngest at 6). It does, though, disrupt the flow of the book (pulls you out of the story). The book is nicely written, but I did find the pace a little slow during the first half of the story. It picks up in the second half as the girls grow older. I thought it was intriguing that Evelyn goes to medical school and is working to become a psychiatrist. This was very unusual for a woman in the 1920s. The characters are well developed, and I appreciated the strong female characters. The author did a good job at portraying the time period, the panic and horror of the Spanish Flu epidemic, how the war affected families, and the changing roles of women in America during the 1920s. As Bright As Heaven has love, sorrow, hope, grief, tragedy, fear and so much more. Get swept back in time in Susan Meisner’s latest novel As Bright As Heaven. Readers who enjoy historical dramas will enjoy reading As Bright As Heaven.
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Home. Pauline is hoping it will provide a better life for their family (three daughters: Evelyn, Willa and Maggie) and, after losing her six-month-old son, she feels that Death is near her. A few months later, Thomas is drafted and their neighbor’s son, Jamie Sutcliff goes off to training camp. Then the Spanish Flu arrives with a vengeance and thousands are dying. Pauline and Maggie are taking food to those without family to assist them. Maggie is waiting for her mother and hears a baby crying. She finds the infant’s mother dead, and Maggie feels the baby is a replacement for the brother she lost. The Bright family takes in the child and names him Alex. But then Willa becomes ill with the dreaded flu and Pauline is the next to become infected. Amidst sickness and war there is hope with little Alex. The Bright family will need to band together during this difficult time and find a way to move forward. As Bright As Heaven has a unique point-of-view with the Spanish Flu (instead of focusing on the war). The POV switches between Pauline and the three daughters (told in first person). We get to see life through each of their eyes with each person providing a unique perspective given their ages (Willa is the youngest at 6). It does, though, disrupt the flow of the book (pulls you out of the story). The book is nicely written, but I did find the pace a little slow during the first half of the story. It picks up in the second half as the girls grow older. I thought it was intriguing that Evelyn goes to medical school and is working to become a psychiatrist. This was very unusual for a woman in the 1920s. The characters are well developed, and I appreciated the strong female characters. The author did a good job at portraying the time period, the panic and horror of the Spanish Flu epidemic, how the war affected families, and the changing roles of women in America during the 1920s. As Bright As Heaven has love, sorrow, hope, grief, tragedy, fear and so much more. Get swept back in time in Susan Meisner’s latest novel As Bright As Heaven. Readers who enjoy historical dramas will enjoy reading As Bright As Heaven.
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LibraryThing member CoverLoverBookReview
This is the type of story that, upon reading the last page, you slowly close the book, close your eyes, sigh and reflect. So many emotions roil through your mind and it takes some thought to allow them to settle.
I didn’t know what to expect from As Bright As Heaven. I’ve read other books by
I’m glad I didn’t know more, because learning each aspect of the multi-faceted story as it happened surprised me, grabbed me, and refused to release me. The storyline is riveting, the storytelling is stunning, and each heartbreaking challenge encountered is delicately wrapped in the hope and strength of the human spirit.
The story is presented in two parts, before the First World War and Spanish Flu pandemic (1918-1919) and after (1925.) The narration is voiced from the four riveting first-person points of view; the mother and three daughters of the Bright family—Pauline, Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa.
I became attached to each girl. They have distinct voices and views of the world, but I mostly connected and sympathized with Maggie. Perhaps because I’m also a middle sister.
Not only was I drawn into the Bright’s story, and pulled into the early 1900s and the hardships and atrocities endured and succumbed to, but I also learned much about the history of the Influenza (Spanish Flu) pandemic—the deadliest disease in history! I also have a better understanding of what it meant to be the wife and daughter of an undertaker during this time period, how widespread the Spanish Flu was distributed, precautions taken (or not,) and how bodies were delivered, prepared, and presented (or not) during the outbreak.
The Bright family finds themselves in a new city, new home, and new life after the death of their youngest Bright, only months-old, baby Henry. With death, war, sickness, and heartbreak around every corner, will they have the strength and desire to do more than exist in the new world they’ve been propelled into?
Without giving you more of a description or breakdown of the story, I can tell you that you will learn a lot.
You will most likely shed some tears, and find yourself in the circle of life and death, sadness and hope, heartbreak and healing. You might even wonder why you’re willingly putting yourself through such a host of emotions. But upon completion of the book, I doubt you’ll be able to forget a single member of the Bright family. And I’m also confident that you’ll be forever changed. Yes. It’s that powerful.
As Bright As Heaven is much more than a story. It is a powerful, riveting, unforgettable experience.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via BookPleasures.
I didn’t know what to expect from As Bright As Heaven. I’ve read other books by
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Susan Meissner, (Secrets of a Charmed Life is a favorite) so I was confident the author was a gifted storyteller who infuses deep emotion in her work, and I was drawn in by the exquisite cover art. But upon choosing a book to read, I normally only skim over the blurb to avoid learning ‘too much,’ so all I basically knew was the story was set in Philadelphia during the First World War.I’m glad I didn’t know more, because learning each aspect of the multi-faceted story as it happened surprised me, grabbed me, and refused to release me. The storyline is riveting, the storytelling is stunning, and each heartbreaking challenge encountered is delicately wrapped in the hope and strength of the human spirit.
The story is presented in two parts, before the First World War and Spanish Flu pandemic (1918-1919) and after (1925.) The narration is voiced from the four riveting first-person points of view; the mother and three daughters of the Bright family—Pauline, Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa.
I became attached to each girl. They have distinct voices and views of the world, but I mostly connected and sympathized with Maggie. Perhaps because I’m also a middle sister.
Not only was I drawn into the Bright’s story, and pulled into the early 1900s and the hardships and atrocities endured and succumbed to, but I also learned much about the history of the Influenza (Spanish Flu) pandemic—the deadliest disease in history! I also have a better understanding of what it meant to be the wife and daughter of an undertaker during this time period, how widespread the Spanish Flu was distributed, precautions taken (or not,) and how bodies were delivered, prepared, and presented (or not) during the outbreak.
The Bright family finds themselves in a new city, new home, and new life after the death of their youngest Bright, only months-old, baby Henry. With death, war, sickness, and heartbreak around every corner, will they have the strength and desire to do more than exist in the new world they’ve been propelled into?
Without giving you more of a description or breakdown of the story, I can tell you that you will learn a lot.
You will most likely shed some tears, and find yourself in the circle of life and death, sadness and hope, heartbreak and healing. You might even wonder why you’re willingly putting yourself through such a host of emotions. But upon completion of the book, I doubt you’ll be able to forget a single member of the Bright family. And I’m also confident that you’ll be forever changed. Yes. It’s that powerful.
As Bright As Heaven is much more than a story. It is a powerful, riveting, unforgettable experience.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via BookPleasures.
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LibraryThing member debkrenzer
I have to admit, at first, I didn't really feel anything for this family at the beginning. I even considered packing it away. However, the more I read, the more I felt. This family went through a whole bunch of hardships most families face, but they also had the Great War and the Influenza Flu
I really was moved by this book and thoroughly enjoyed my journey with this family.
By the end of the book, I was actually sorry to see them go. Ending it on a somewhat more happy note really made the tears flow.
An incredible story of a family who loved, lost and lived.
Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
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epidemic. The latter really hitting the family and those around them really bad.I really was moved by this book and thoroughly enjoyed my journey with this family.
By the end of the book, I was actually sorry to see them go. Ending it on a somewhat more happy note really made the tears flow.
An incredible story of a family who loved, lost and lived.
Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
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LibraryThing member susan0316
This was another fantastic book from Susan Meissner. I have enjoyed all of her books but this one is my favorite - at least until her next book comes out.
This novel starts about 1917 when the Bright family decides to move to Philadelphia to better their lives. The dad has been given a chance to
This was a wonderful well-researched novel about a subject that I knew little about. It's always wonderful to read such a compelling book and learn more history at the same time. The characters were so well written that I laughed and cried with them throughout the book. If you enjoy historical fiction - this is a must read.
I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought’s Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.
This novel starts about 1917 when the Bright family decides to move to Philadelphia to better their lives. The dad has been given a chance to
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learn the mortuary business and eventually take over his uncle's funeral home. The family has been given beautiful room above the mortuary to live in. The novel is told in four alternating female voices - the Mom - Pauline and the three sisters, Evelyn, Maggie and Willa. As they begin to try to make friends in school, their lives are getting ready to change. The Spanish Flu epidemic hits Philadelphia and in fact the whole country with disastrous results. According to the author in the afterword, more than 12,000 people died in Philadelphia. The flu didn't discriminate between the rich and poor and didn't leave the Bright family untouched. After the flu epidemic is over, life will never be the same for the family and they struggle for normalcy and learn what is truly important in life.This was a wonderful well-researched novel about a subject that I knew little about. It's always wonderful to read such a compelling book and learn more history at the same time. The characters were so well written that I laughed and cried with them throughout the book. If you enjoy historical fiction - this is a must read.
I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought’s Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.
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LibraryThing member cburnett5
Sue Meissner’s books just get better and better with each new one; every time I pick up her latest book I hope that it will be as good as her last ones, and instead I end up liking the newest one the most. Very few authors can sustain that level of excellence; it is quite an impressive feat. As
I knew virtually nothing about the Spanish Flu epidemic in the United States (I knew that it had devastated parts of Europe) at the end of World War 1 before I read As Bright as Heaven. Learning about events like this is one of my favorite things about historical fiction, and I especially enjoyed that aspect in this book because it was a significant event about which I am glad I now know occurred. In her Author’s Note, Meissner states that the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919 was the deadliest disease in history, significantly worse than the Black Plague, and she chose it because it was an untold story. I am so glad that she did.
There are times when I am reading a novel, and the events occurring are such that I cannot see an ending that will be satisfactory to me. There were two such plot lines in As Bright as Heaven. Without including any spoilers, Meissner managed to wrap both issues up successfully (one better than the other but both reasonable resolutions) which I felt was no small feat.
I highly, highly recommend As Bright as Heaven. I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought’s Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.
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Bright as Heaven is simply fantastic: Meissner’s tale is fascinating, heartbreaking and an all-around beautifully written book. Moreover, her characters are well-developed, authentic and believable. Using the four Bright females as narrators was a solid and effective choice; their various stories are slowly unfurled as the pages fly by. Each female character has a distinct personality, and I was constantly awestruck at how Meissner chose the perfect individual to reveal a particular secret or fact. I knew virtually nothing about the Spanish Flu epidemic in the United States (I knew that it had devastated parts of Europe) at the end of World War 1 before I read As Bright as Heaven. Learning about events like this is one of my favorite things about historical fiction, and I especially enjoyed that aspect in this book because it was a significant event about which I am glad I now know occurred. In her Author’s Note, Meissner states that the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919 was the deadliest disease in history, significantly worse than the Black Plague, and she chose it because it was an untold story. I am so glad that she did.
There are times when I am reading a novel, and the events occurring are such that I cannot see an ending that will be satisfactory to me. There were two such plot lines in As Bright as Heaven. Without including any spoilers, Meissner managed to wrap both issues up successfully (one better than the other but both reasonable resolutions) which I felt was no small feat.
I highly, highly recommend As Bright as Heaven. I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought’s Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.
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LibraryThing member SilversReviews
From a small town in Pennsylvania as a family rolling tobacco leaves for a living to Philadelphia as a family living and working in a funeral home.
The Brights made a big change from their quiet life in Quakertown to the noisy, big city of Philadelphia. Both the city and the job Thomas Bright had
The girls had to leave their friends and make new ones, but most folks weren't interested in being friends with a funeral director's daughter. Pauline Bright was always solemn and quiet since the death of her infant son, but she seemed a bit better but different in Philadelphia.
Along with the change in their lives comes Thomas going off to war and then the Spanish flu arriving full force and killing thousands.
AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN has the reader following and becoming immersed in the lives of the Bright family. They were a sweet, unassuming family that you will want to be a part of and to get to know better.
The reader will also learn about The Spanish Flu and its devastation of the population around the world. If you are like me, you will do research of your own about the Spanish Flu.
Ms. Meissner has written another touching book that teaches us some history as well as teaches us about the goodness of mankind and its generosity in times of a crisis.
Another marvelous, heartfelt read by Ms. Meissner you won't want to miss. You will fall in love with the characters and won't want the book to end.
AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN has a beautiful story line, beautiful research, and beautiful characters.
You will also need a few tissues. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher, NetGalley, and BookishFirst. I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
The Brights made a big change from their quiet life in Quakertown to the noisy, big city of Philadelphia. Both the city and the job Thomas Bright had
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were quite different from what they were used to.The girls had to leave their friends and make new ones, but most folks weren't interested in being friends with a funeral director's daughter. Pauline Bright was always solemn and quiet since the death of her infant son, but she seemed a bit better but different in Philadelphia.
Along with the change in their lives comes Thomas going off to war and then the Spanish flu arriving full force and killing thousands.
AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN has the reader following and becoming immersed in the lives of the Bright family. They were a sweet, unassuming family that you will want to be a part of and to get to know better.
The reader will also learn about The Spanish Flu and its devastation of the population around the world. If you are like me, you will do research of your own about the Spanish Flu.
Ms. Meissner has written another touching book that teaches us some history as well as teaches us about the goodness of mankind and its generosity in times of a crisis.
Another marvelous, heartfelt read by Ms. Meissner you won't want to miss. You will fall in love with the characters and won't want the book to end.
AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN has a beautiful story line, beautiful research, and beautiful characters.
You will also need a few tissues. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher, NetGalley, and BookishFirst. I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
This historical fiction novel takes place in in 1918, when the world was stricken with the great influenza known as “The Spanish Flu.” Some 675,000 Americans died from it, with the hardest-hit city being Philadelphia, where this story is set. Thirty percent of Philadelphia residents contracted
The city was hit so hard for two main reasons. One was that there were many troops stationed there, with soldiers and sailors who had contracted the disease while abroad fighting World War I bringing it back to the cramped naval bases and military quarters. Second, against the advise of medical workers, the city sponsored a huge parade on September 28, 1918 to raise bonds for the war and to boost morale. More than 200,000 people turned out. The germs spread like wildfire.
This novel tells the story of Pauline and Thomas Bright, who moved at the beginning of 1918 from a small town in Pennsylvania to Philadelphia. Tom’s Uncle Fred had offered him a job as an undertaker in his mortuary business, with the prospect of inheriting it when his uncle was gone.
The story is told from four points of view: that of Pauline, and of each of her three daughters: Evie - 15, Maggie - 12, and Willa, 6. There was also a new baby brother, Henry, but he died just recently from a defective heart. The family was of course deeply affected by the loss of the little boy.
Pauline has been preoccupied with death since Henry died. Now she feels Death’s silent presence by her side almost like a companion (in a way reminiscent of The Book Thief). She feels Death hovering over her. She constantly muses on the nature of Death, and why some are taken and some are not, and comes to conclude: “I am sure now that Death is not the enemy….” Death “spreads its reach with the tender embrace of an angel, not the talons of a demon.” She muses: “We are like butterflies, delicate and wonderful here on earth for only a brilliant moment and then away we fly. Death is appointed to merely close the door to our suffering and open wide the gate to Paradise.”
But the real focus of the story is Maggie. It does seem as if her voice sounds much older than a 12-year-old. But if you overlook that and just follow the plot, the story rapidly becomes more engrossing.
The family moves in with Uncle Fred, above the Bright Funeral Home, and they take on new roles. Tom is an undertaker now, and Pauline helps with the cosmetic work on the bodies. Maggie makes friends with the two boys across the street - Charlie, who is 16 and “simpleminded” and Jamie, 21, who is getting ready to leave for Fort Meade to join the war. Maggie befriends Charlie, and develops a crush on Jamie. She also begs to help her mother prepare the bodies.
Before long, Tom, 36, is also called up to serve in a field hospital to help with the influenza cases that been inundating military camps. And then the big parade is held to raise liberty bonds, and the civilians are struck down by the flu as well. Some seven thousand died in just 11 days. The city morgue gets too full for all the bodies, and the mortuary cannot keep up.
Maggie accompanies Pauline to bring soup to the afflicted, and while Pauline is inside a house, Maggie finds an abandoned baby and rescues him. They bring him home, with Maggie convinced he is their compensation for Henry. Meanwhile, Willa contracts the flu and Pauline must stay by her side constantly. Maggie and Evie take care of the new baby they call Alex. Evie knows Maggie is not telling the whole truth about the baby, but they both get too involved in caring for it.
Before long, the flu affects the Bright family as well, and once again, all of them have to take on new roles.
Then the story picks up seven years later, in 1925, and we learn what happened to all the characters who made it through that horrible year in 1918 of loss and suffering.
Discussion: The author does an excellent job limning the impact the flu had on the lives of Philadelphians - even the children, who, when the schools reopened, had to face finding out which of their teachers and classmates had died. She also highlights the ways in which the survivors of both the war and flu may not have always had visible wounds, but no one had survived the year unscathed.
The story focuses on survival in the face of tragedy and loss, and the tenacity of the human spirit. It also has an almost religious bent, although it is Death, rather than God, that plays a major role.
Evaluation: This engrossing story is deeply affecting, and will also help shed light on an era that is not well-known in U.S. history.
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the flu, and more than 12,000 of them died in a short period of time.The city was hit so hard for two main reasons. One was that there were many troops stationed there, with soldiers and sailors who had contracted the disease while abroad fighting World War I bringing it back to the cramped naval bases and military quarters. Second, against the advise of medical workers, the city sponsored a huge parade on September 28, 1918 to raise bonds for the war and to boost morale. More than 200,000 people turned out. The germs spread like wildfire.
This novel tells the story of Pauline and Thomas Bright, who moved at the beginning of 1918 from a small town in Pennsylvania to Philadelphia. Tom’s Uncle Fred had offered him a job as an undertaker in his mortuary business, with the prospect of inheriting it when his uncle was gone.
The story is told from four points of view: that of Pauline, and of each of her three daughters: Evie - 15, Maggie - 12, and Willa, 6. There was also a new baby brother, Henry, but he died just recently from a defective heart. The family was of course deeply affected by the loss of the little boy.
Pauline has been preoccupied with death since Henry died. Now she feels Death’s silent presence by her side almost like a companion (in a way reminiscent of The Book Thief). She feels Death hovering over her. She constantly muses on the nature of Death, and why some are taken and some are not, and comes to conclude: “I am sure now that Death is not the enemy….” Death “spreads its reach with the tender embrace of an angel, not the talons of a demon.” She muses: “We are like butterflies, delicate and wonderful here on earth for only a brilliant moment and then away we fly. Death is appointed to merely close the door to our suffering and open wide the gate to Paradise.”
But the real focus of the story is Maggie. It does seem as if her voice sounds much older than a 12-year-old. But if you overlook that and just follow the plot, the story rapidly becomes more engrossing.
The family moves in with Uncle Fred, above the Bright Funeral Home, and they take on new roles. Tom is an undertaker now, and Pauline helps with the cosmetic work on the bodies. Maggie makes friends with the two boys across the street - Charlie, who is 16 and “simpleminded” and Jamie, 21, who is getting ready to leave for Fort Meade to join the war. Maggie befriends Charlie, and develops a crush on Jamie. She also begs to help her mother prepare the bodies.
Before long, Tom, 36, is also called up to serve in a field hospital to help with the influenza cases that been inundating military camps. And then the big parade is held to raise liberty bonds, and the civilians are struck down by the flu as well. Some seven thousand died in just 11 days. The city morgue gets too full for all the bodies, and the mortuary cannot keep up.
Maggie accompanies Pauline to bring soup to the afflicted, and while Pauline is inside a house, Maggie finds an abandoned baby and rescues him. They bring him home, with Maggie convinced he is their compensation for Henry. Meanwhile, Willa contracts the flu and Pauline must stay by her side constantly. Maggie and Evie take care of the new baby they call Alex. Evie knows Maggie is not telling the whole truth about the baby, but they both get too involved in caring for it.
Before long, the flu affects the Bright family as well, and once again, all of them have to take on new roles.
Then the story picks up seven years later, in 1925, and we learn what happened to all the characters who made it through that horrible year in 1918 of loss and suffering.
Discussion: The author does an excellent job limning the impact the flu had on the lives of Philadelphians - even the children, who, when the schools reopened, had to face finding out which of their teachers and classmates had died. She also highlights the ways in which the survivors of both the war and flu may not have always had visible wounds, but no one had survived the year unscathed.
The story focuses on survival in the face of tragedy and loss, and the tenacity of the human spirit. It also has an almost religious bent, although it is Death, rather than God, that plays a major role.
Evaluation: This engrossing story is deeply affecting, and will also help shed light on an era that is not well-known in U.S. history.
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LibraryThing member KateBaxter
Kudos to author Susan Meissner whose thorough historical research provides solid ground on which she wove a stunningly beautiful and rich story of family, love, sorrow, regret, tragedy, endurance and joy. The precious nuggets of wisdom found within the book's pages are true gems. I savored each and
This exquisitely written historical fiction book presents the life of the Bright family starting in 1918 and concluding in 1926. They had recently been struck by grief and find themselves moving to Philadelphia from Quakertown for opportunity and a fresh start. Mr. Bright is the sole relative of an aging uncle who owns a Philadelphia mortuary. The uncle would like to pass on the business to his nephew but first must teach him the ropes. In early 1918, no one could have imagined how vital that training would become as the Spanish Flu pandemic took hold of the entire world to the tune of 50 million lives lost. Philadelphia, in October 1918, was particularly hard hit. The story also weaves in historical elements concerning the Great War, Prohibition and current day psychology and psychiatric practices.
The story is told in alternating chapters through the voices and thoughts of the four strong Bright women; mother Pauline and daughters Evelyn (age 15), Maggie (age 12) and Willa (age 6). Each brings to the fore a different perspective regarding their observations and shared experiences.
Through Death's indiscriminate taking of lives, an orphaned infant is added to the Bright household. As much as the Bright's care for this child had likely spared him from the disease, he too, as it turned out, was a blessing to a yet grieving family.
During my own recent family genealogical digging, I've discovered several relatives stricken by this horrific flu pandemic. I found this story poignant as it gave voice to those family members taken so early in their lives.
I am grateful to author Susan Meissner, publisher Penguin Random House and Goodreads First Reads for having provided a free advance reading copy of this book. Their generosity, however, did not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Synopsis (from back cover of Advance Reading Copy):
From the darkest hours rises life in all its glory…
Even as its young men go off to fight in the Great War, there are opportunities for a fresh start on Philadelphia’s cobblestone streets. Into this bustling town come Pauline Bright and her husband, filled with the hope that they can now give their three daughters – Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa – a chance at a better life.
Their dreams are short-lived. Just months after they arrive, the Spanish flu claims more than twelve thousand victims in their adopted city. But even as they lose loved ones, they take in a baby, orphaned by the disease, who becomes their single source of hope. Amidst the tragedy and challenges that surround them they learn what they cannot live without – and what they are willing to do about it.
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every one of them.This exquisitely written historical fiction book presents the life of the Bright family starting in 1918 and concluding in 1926. They had recently been struck by grief and find themselves moving to Philadelphia from Quakertown for opportunity and a fresh start. Mr. Bright is the sole relative of an aging uncle who owns a Philadelphia mortuary. The uncle would like to pass on the business to his nephew but first must teach him the ropes. In early 1918, no one could have imagined how vital that training would become as the Spanish Flu pandemic took hold of the entire world to the tune of 50 million lives lost. Philadelphia, in October 1918, was particularly hard hit. The story also weaves in historical elements concerning the Great War, Prohibition and current day psychology and psychiatric practices.
The story is told in alternating chapters through the voices and thoughts of the four strong Bright women; mother Pauline and daughters Evelyn (age 15), Maggie (age 12) and Willa (age 6). Each brings to the fore a different perspective regarding their observations and shared experiences.
Through Death's indiscriminate taking of lives, an orphaned infant is added to the Bright household. As much as the Bright's care for this child had likely spared him from the disease, he too, as it turned out, was a blessing to a yet grieving family.
During my own recent family genealogical digging, I've discovered several relatives stricken by this horrific flu pandemic. I found this story poignant as it gave voice to those family members taken so early in their lives.
I am grateful to author Susan Meissner, publisher Penguin Random House and Goodreads First Reads for having provided a free advance reading copy of this book. Their generosity, however, did not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Synopsis (from back cover of Advance Reading Copy):
From the darkest hours rises life in all its glory…
Even as its young men go off to fight in the Great War, there are opportunities for a fresh start on Philadelphia’s cobblestone streets. Into this bustling town come Pauline Bright and her husband, filled with the hope that they can now give their three daughters – Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa – a chance at a better life.
Their dreams are short-lived. Just months after they arrive, the Spanish flu claims more than twelve thousand victims in their adopted city. But even as they lose loved ones, they take in a baby, orphaned by the disease, who becomes their single source of hope. Amidst the tragedy and challenges that surround them they learn what they cannot live without – and what they are willing to do about it.
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LibraryThing member Staciele
As a fan of Susan Meissner, I had no doubt that her tale of WWI and the crippling Spanish Flu would be a page-turning tale. I was not disappointed. Even though this tale of a family in Philadephia suffers greatly and tragic events fill the pages, I was still drawn to this story. Each chapter is
It's January 1918 and the Bright family has just buried their sweet infant, Henry, after an incurable heart condition. Pauline and her husband decide to join her husband's uncle in the funeral home business. This fairly new idea of funeral parlors and embalming is unheard of in their rural area, but Pauline is no longer afraid of death and has this desire to be closer to it. What she doesn't know is how surrounded by death she and her family will be.
Pauline and her three daughters tell their family's story. Evelyn, the bright teenager who is thrilled by the huge library in Philadephia. Maggie, the slightly younger caretaker of her siblings isn't afraid of what is behind the doors in the embalming room. Willa, the youngest, isn't happy with all the rules in this new house and doesn't understand why her family had to leave the countryside, her grandparents and live in a funeral home. As the family begins to adjust to living with Uncle Fred, to the dead bodies in the other side of the house, and the hustle and bustle of the city, their father decides to go help during the war efforts. Pauline is left behind to run the funeral home with Uncle Fred. There is word of a devastating flu moving swiftly through the city, but no one realizes the tragedies that lie ahead for them as bodies start to pile up outside their door.
You would think a story of war and a flu that took 12,000 lives in one city would be too full of sadness to read. Just when you think this family can't bear any more sadness, another layer is added, yet you keep reading because you have to believe there is hope for each of them. You have to believe that in the depths of a horrific disease, something will soon change. It does when Maggie finds a baby and saves him from certain death. This baby is the light in their dark tunnel. As Philadelphia emerges from disease, so too the Bright family must emerge from their own personal tragedies. Their story and resilience will amaze you and remind you that there can be happiness in even the worst of times.
Miessner expertly takes readers into the minds of her characters whether they are an eight-year-old girl full of fear and anger or a mother who can't shake the shadow of death following her every day since she buried her baby. The story moves swiftly because we are eager to hear the next character's voice. We wonder how Maggie is adjusting to her neighborhood crush leaving for the war or how Pauline is grappling with caring for her daughters and running an overflowing funeral home while trying to keep the disease away from her family.
I was fairly unaware of the devastation the Spanish Flu had in our country let alone the city of Philadephia. Meissner paints a vivid portrait of the awful events that took place and how it didn't discriminate...hitting the slums and the richest families equally. The fear seeps off the pages and the grief grabs you by the throat making it hard to believe any family could suffer this much. Fans of historical fiction and family stories will find Meissner's tale one they will want to talk about with others.
Favorite Quotes:
"You think you have a view of what's waiting for you just up the road,
but then something happens,
and you find out pretty quick you were looking at the wrong road."
"I think that grief is such a strange guest,
making its home in a person
like it's a new thing that no one has ever experienced before."
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told from a different character's perspective which gives the reader a broad view of how one small decision can change the trajectory of a family forever.It's January 1918 and the Bright family has just buried their sweet infant, Henry, after an incurable heart condition. Pauline and her husband decide to join her husband's uncle in the funeral home business. This fairly new idea of funeral parlors and embalming is unheard of in their rural area, but Pauline is no longer afraid of death and has this desire to be closer to it. What she doesn't know is how surrounded by death she and her family will be.
Pauline and her three daughters tell their family's story. Evelyn, the bright teenager who is thrilled by the huge library in Philadephia. Maggie, the slightly younger caretaker of her siblings isn't afraid of what is behind the doors in the embalming room. Willa, the youngest, isn't happy with all the rules in this new house and doesn't understand why her family had to leave the countryside, her grandparents and live in a funeral home. As the family begins to adjust to living with Uncle Fred, to the dead bodies in the other side of the house, and the hustle and bustle of the city, their father decides to go help during the war efforts. Pauline is left behind to run the funeral home with Uncle Fred. There is word of a devastating flu moving swiftly through the city, but no one realizes the tragedies that lie ahead for them as bodies start to pile up outside their door.
You would think a story of war and a flu that took 12,000 lives in one city would be too full of sadness to read. Just when you think this family can't bear any more sadness, another layer is added, yet you keep reading because you have to believe there is hope for each of them. You have to believe that in the depths of a horrific disease, something will soon change. It does when Maggie finds a baby and saves him from certain death. This baby is the light in their dark tunnel. As Philadelphia emerges from disease, so too the Bright family must emerge from their own personal tragedies. Their story and resilience will amaze you and remind you that there can be happiness in even the worst of times.
Miessner expertly takes readers into the minds of her characters whether they are an eight-year-old girl full of fear and anger or a mother who can't shake the shadow of death following her every day since she buried her baby. The story moves swiftly because we are eager to hear the next character's voice. We wonder how Maggie is adjusting to her neighborhood crush leaving for the war or how Pauline is grappling with caring for her daughters and running an overflowing funeral home while trying to keep the disease away from her family.
I was fairly unaware of the devastation the Spanish Flu had in our country let alone the city of Philadephia. Meissner paints a vivid portrait of the awful events that took place and how it didn't discriminate...hitting the slums and the richest families equally. The fear seeps off the pages and the grief grabs you by the throat making it hard to believe any family could suffer this much. Fans of historical fiction and family stories will find Meissner's tale one they will want to talk about with others.
Favorite Quotes:
"You think you have a view of what's waiting for you just up the road,
but then something happens,
and you find out pretty quick you were looking at the wrong road."
"I think that grief is such a strange guest,
making its home in a person
like it's a new thing that no one has ever experienced before."
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LibraryThing member m.belljackson
What could possibly be As Bright as Heaven?
Readers may be mystified by the title and guess, as I did, that it will turn out to be Hope and Promise.
The tragic challenges faced by the mother, daughters, and the nearly abandoned baby illuminate an
entire history of Philadelphia that many readers have
This epidemic in the United States was overshadowed by World War I and its infinite horrors,
as John Dos Passos wrote "And this was what all the centuries of Civilization had struggled for."
Readers may be mystified by the title and guess, as I did, that it will turn out to be Hope and Promise.
The tragic challenges faced by the mother, daughters, and the nearly abandoned baby illuminate an
entire history of Philadelphia that many readers have
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never encountered, beginning with The Spanish Flu.This epidemic in the United States was overshadowed by World War I and its infinite horrors,
as John Dos Passos wrote "And this was what all the centuries of Civilization had struggled for."
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LibraryThing member JanaRose1
The Bright family move from the farm to Philadelphia, where Thomas, the husband, is to become an undertaker. The book alternates between Pauline, the mother, and their daughters, Evelyn, Maggie and Willa. With an outbreak of Spanish flu, their new life is suddenly transformed beyond all belief.
This was a well written and engaging book. Each point of view was interesting and added to the story. Well paced, the book spanned multiple years, showing how the flu epidemic changed and shaped their lives. I love historical fiction and this is one of the better ones that I've read. Overall, highly recommended.
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When Maggie and Pauline visit the sick to hand out food, Maggie finds a baby and a dying girl in one of the houses. Taking the baby, Maggie pretends that he was alone and that she can't remember where he was found. This was a well written and engaging book. Each point of view was interesting and added to the story. Well paced, the book spanned multiple years, showing how the flu epidemic changed and shaped their lives. I love historical fiction and this is one of the better ones that I've read. Overall, highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member Slevyr26
"You want to fix what hurts the moment it starts hurting, but this time you're going to have to embrace the slowness of healing."
Loss and healing are at the very center of Susan Meissner's newest novel, As Bright As Heaven, and as much as the story tore my heart out and stomped on it, it then
The story revolves around the Bright family and their move to Philadelphia not long before the Spanish Influenza of 1918, which took out tens of thousands of people in Philadelphia alone; tens of millions worldwide.
It's hard to say much in case I reveal parts of the story that should be left for the reader to discover for him/her/themselves. There is so much good here. So much wonderful storytelling. It is indeed a hefty book, coming in at around 400 pages, but this feels like a necessary length to get all the Brights' stories out completely.
I grew to adore all the Brights (even little Willa, self-centered as she was) because they all suffered so greatly, yet none of them gave up on living. Certainly hope was lost, how can it not in such dire times as a pandemic that's wiping your friends and family out left right and center? But the continuation of life and determination to not stop, even when you feel like there is no other choice but to stop, was a main theme in As Bright As Heaven. Each Bright girl grapples with her own struggles, internally and externally. Meissner gives each girl an individuality and a uniqueness that I so enjoyed reading about and warming to.
There are some oddities to these stories woven into the book as a whole that I found strange, but I do not wish to share them here, as they would be too revealing. I would absolutely love to chat about this book if you'd like in private though!
This is a beautiful, heartwarming story. Thank you so much to BookishFirst, the publishers and the author for a chance to read this in advance.
Loss and healing are at the very center of Susan Meissner's newest novel, As Bright As Heaven, and as much as the story tore my heart out and stomped on it, it then
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proceeded to sew it back up and make it whole again. The story revolves around the Bright family and their move to Philadelphia not long before the Spanish Influenza of 1918, which took out tens of thousands of people in Philadelphia alone; tens of millions worldwide.
It's hard to say much in case I reveal parts of the story that should be left for the reader to discover for him/her/themselves. There is so much good here. So much wonderful storytelling. It is indeed a hefty book, coming in at around 400 pages, but this feels like a necessary length to get all the Brights' stories out completely.
I grew to adore all the Brights (even little Willa, self-centered as she was) because they all suffered so greatly, yet none of them gave up on living. Certainly hope was lost, how can it not in such dire times as a pandemic that's wiping your friends and family out left right and center? But the continuation of life and determination to not stop, even when you feel like there is no other choice but to stop, was a main theme in As Bright As Heaven. Each Bright girl grapples with her own struggles, internally and externally. Meissner gives each girl an individuality and a uniqueness that I so enjoyed reading about and warming to.
There are some oddities to these stories woven into the book as a whole that I found strange, but I do not wish to share them here, as they would be too revealing. I would absolutely love to chat about this book if you'd like in private though!
This is a beautiful, heartwarming story. Thank you so much to BookishFirst, the publishers and the author for a chance to read this in advance.
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LibraryThing member ErickaS
Set during WWI and the outbreak of the Spanish flu epidemic, As Bright as Heaven follows the Bright family and their move to Philadelphia to begin a new life helping their uncle run his funeral business. There are 3 daughters: Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa, who each have their own plans for the future.
The Spanish flu affected everyone during this time, especially a funeral home overwhelmed with the number of victims requiring burial. The flu took the old and young alike, the healthy and the infirm, and there was no explanation for those who recovered and those who did not. On top of the desperation and fear of the flu, men were leaving to fight in the war, leaving behind many women to endure this calamity on their own. This book was well-researched and skillfully organized.
This story is wholesome; there is little violence, no bad language, and no sex. It’s a book you can lend to your grandmother or your middle-schooler without concern. Despite the lack of the usual sordid inclusions, it’s still a riveting story and the drama doesn’t disappoint.
As Bright as Heaven had steady pacing, and the plot moved forward with new developments to keep my interest. The writing was superb, never trite or cloying. I read this book in two days, and I always looked forward to reading more. There were no slow sections, no middle-of-the-book slump. I enjoyed the experience of this book,and I’m definitely going to investigate some of this author’s previous work.
Recommended to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or an easy-to-read, enjoyable story.
Many thanks to BookishFirst and Penguin Random House for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
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The family is already under the burden of mourning, and they hope that starting again in a new town may help overcome their grief. The book is organized with multiple points of view, so the reader can understand the family’s situation from different characters’ perspectives.The Spanish flu affected everyone during this time, especially a funeral home overwhelmed with the number of victims requiring burial. The flu took the old and young alike, the healthy and the infirm, and there was no explanation for those who recovered and those who did not. On top of the desperation and fear of the flu, men were leaving to fight in the war, leaving behind many women to endure this calamity on their own. This book was well-researched and skillfully organized.
This story is wholesome; there is little violence, no bad language, and no sex. It’s a book you can lend to your grandmother or your middle-schooler without concern. Despite the lack of the usual sordid inclusions, it’s still a riveting story and the drama doesn’t disappoint.
As Bright as Heaven had steady pacing, and the plot moved forward with new developments to keep my interest. The writing was superb, never trite or cloying. I read this book in two days, and I always looked forward to reading more. There were no slow sections, no middle-of-the-book slump. I enjoyed the experience of this book,and I’m definitely going to investigate some of this author’s previous work.
Recommended to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or an easy-to-read, enjoyable story.
Many thanks to BookishFirst and Penguin Random House for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
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LibraryThing member SumisBooks
What an incredible book! Such amazing story telling! Beautifully written and easy to follow each person's point of view. Great build up to a heart breaking climax then down again to prepare you for a great ending. This book made me laugh, cry, get mad, feel afraid and have hope. A truly amazing
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piece of fiction. BRAVO! 🌹👏👏👏🌹 Show Less
LibraryThing member vintagebeckie
Susan Meissner is one of my favorite authors. I have loved all the books that I have read by this very talented author — from her poignant contemporary debut through her richly detailed historical novels. When given the chance to read As Bright As Heaven, I, of course, issued a resounding YES!
The setting of As Bright As Heaven is Philadelphia in 1918 and then skips ahead 7 years to 1925. The book begins in the early days of the United States’ involvement in WWI and before the devastating Spanish Flu pandemic hits the city. The Bright family has made a big transition from tobacco farm to the big city and a new venture for parents, Pauline and Thomas. The story is written in the first person voice of the Bright women, mom Pauline and daughters, Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa, with each chapter alternating perspective. The style of the novel provides an intimate look into each character’s thoughts while spotlighting the family dynamics. As the tragedy and consequences of both the flu and the war unfold, Meissner explores the impact on this family and the community as a whole. The combination of the two large events presents a unique framework to show how lives can be changed quickly and unexpectedly. Meissner certainly did her research — the fear, loss, and desperation of those times are clear. While the book is at times rather dark, the Brights have moments of beauty that keep the soul hoping and living. As one character puts it — “We only see a little bit of our stories at time, and the hard parts remind us too harshly that we’re fragile and flawed. But it isn’t all hard. Your story isn’t all hard parts. Some of it is incredibly beautiful.” That pretty much sums up the book and life in general. The characters are very real — they make bad choices often for the right reasons, and those have unimagined and widespread effects (again very true to life). For those who have read Meissner’s Christian fiction, this book is targeted to the general market and has no overt faith message. However, the author’s worldview informs the novel and breaks through in subtle ways.
As Bright As Heaven was a difficult book for me to read. It is a bit unconventional and it touched on difficult circumstances. I didn’t ugly cry during it, but I did have feelings of sorrow for both the characters and those who lived through those difficult times. Meisnner is a very talented writer and has created a beautifully crafted novel. It is a recommended read for me.
Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to Berkley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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But I have to say I have mixed feelings about this novel. It is indeed a beautifully written novel set during an unfamiliar (to me) era in US history. But it was a difficult book to read. I said to a friend that it was very true to life, making it messy and filled with sorrow despite the joy. I definitely recommend this one, but this book requires work on the part of the reader, so don’t expect a quick or easy reading experience.The setting of As Bright As Heaven is Philadelphia in 1918 and then skips ahead 7 years to 1925. The book begins in the early days of the United States’ involvement in WWI and before the devastating Spanish Flu pandemic hits the city. The Bright family has made a big transition from tobacco farm to the big city and a new venture for parents, Pauline and Thomas. The story is written in the first person voice of the Bright women, mom Pauline and daughters, Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa, with each chapter alternating perspective. The style of the novel provides an intimate look into each character’s thoughts while spotlighting the family dynamics. As the tragedy and consequences of both the flu and the war unfold, Meissner explores the impact on this family and the community as a whole. The combination of the two large events presents a unique framework to show how lives can be changed quickly and unexpectedly. Meissner certainly did her research — the fear, loss, and desperation of those times are clear. While the book is at times rather dark, the Brights have moments of beauty that keep the soul hoping and living. As one character puts it — “We only see a little bit of our stories at time, and the hard parts remind us too harshly that we’re fragile and flawed. But it isn’t all hard. Your story isn’t all hard parts. Some of it is incredibly beautiful.” That pretty much sums up the book and life in general. The characters are very real — they make bad choices often for the right reasons, and those have unimagined and widespread effects (again very true to life). For those who have read Meissner’s Christian fiction, this book is targeted to the general market and has no overt faith message. However, the author’s worldview informs the novel and breaks through in subtle ways.
As Bright As Heaven was a difficult book for me to read. It is a bit unconventional and it touched on difficult circumstances. I didn’t ugly cry during it, but I did have feelings of sorrow for both the characters and those who lived through those difficult times. Meisnner is a very talented writer and has created a beautifully crafted novel. It is a recommended read for me.
Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to Berkley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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LibraryThing member bemislibrary
The flu epidemic of 1918 occurred during World War I devastating impact on families is told through the many characters that pass through the door of Uncle Fred’s funeral home. This is a tale of missed opportunities, sadness, and consequences. The setting is accurate to the period. My favorite
I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Although encouraged, I was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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line in the book comes near the end, “I guess all of us are just doing the best we can with what life hands us”.I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Although encouraged, I was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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LibraryThing member beckyhaase
AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN by Susan Meissner
In 1918 there was the Spanish Flu. It was devastating. Millions died. This is the story of how one ordinary family was affected.
The Bright family choses to move to Philadelphia where they will take over the family mortuary just as the Great War and the Spanish
This picture of how a family and a city is changed, gives a realistic picture of medicine and funerary practices as well as family life in a middle class family. Well written and researched, the book is compelling even as Corona 19 claims lives today.
5 of 5 stars
In 1918 there was the Spanish Flu. It was devastating. Millions died. This is the story of how one ordinary family was affected.
The Bright family choses to move to Philadelphia where they will take over the family mortuary just as the Great War and the Spanish
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Flu descend upon the city. Thomas and Pauline and their three daughters, Evie, Maggie and Willa, take up residence and intend to have a better life than tobacco farmers. The victims of the flu upend their plans as the mortuary fills and then is inundated with bodies. Disease strikes every family even as the war takes away the young men. This picture of how a family and a city is changed, gives a realistic picture of medicine and funerary practices as well as family life in a middle class family. Well written and researched, the book is compelling even as Corona 19 claims lives today.
5 of 5 stars
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LibraryThing member Beamis12
1918, Philadelphia, a city with many opportunities, a city that the Bright family, Pauline, Thomas and their three daughters move to for just that purpose. Thomas's elderly, childless uncle wants them to live in his large house, and for Thomas to train and takeover his mortuary business. Leaving
I fell in love with this family, and we hear individually from each of them in alternating chapters. Things look promising for them but then the Spanish flu comes to call, an unwelcome Spector that causes further loss. Such a winning combination of characters, history and a first hand look at the devastation of War. The Spanish flu hit Philadelphia extremely hard, the hardest in the nation and caused untold hardship and heartache for many. The Bright family will lose much but also gain a baby in an unusual manner, and this child will keep the family moving forward.
We watch as the girls grow, but there is a secret one is keeping that will come back to haunt. Prohibition is also instated at this time so we also are treated to a look at some of the results of this act. This is a wonderfully told story, rich in family, love, and history. So many details make this book stand out, details for n the mortuary business and in everyday lives. Sorrows and hurts, joys and happiness. An immersive story that tugs at the heart.
ARC from bookbrowse and publisher.
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Quakertown behind, this is what the family looks forward to, a new and better life, especially after the tragedy of a terrific loss.I fell in love with this family, and we hear individually from each of them in alternating chapters. Things look promising for them but then the Spanish flu comes to call, an unwelcome Spector that causes further loss. Such a winning combination of characters, history and a first hand look at the devastation of War. The Spanish flu hit Philadelphia extremely hard, the hardest in the nation and caused untold hardship and heartache for many. The Bright family will lose much but also gain a baby in an unusual manner, and this child will keep the family moving forward.
We watch as the girls grow, but there is a secret one is keeping that will come back to haunt. Prohibition is also instated at this time so we also are treated to a look at some of the results of this act. This is a wonderfully told story, rich in family, love, and history. So many details make this book stand out, details for n the mortuary business and in everyday lives. Sorrows and hurts, joys and happiness. An immersive story that tugs at the heart.
ARC from bookbrowse and publisher.
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LibraryThing member niquetteb
Novel about the 1918 flu involving a family who owns/works for a funeral parlor and the effects of this loss on the institution. The story is told in alternating chapters from the women characters' points of view, the mom, and three sisters. My only problem with this is that the author used the
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character's voice to tell the other character's stories instead of their own story, but I liked that the story continued rather than repeating from all of their view points. Show Less
LibraryThing member ang709
I didn't feel that the book's description was the most accurate depiction of the story that waited inside. Living in a funeral parlor and learning the work of an undertaker were huge parts of the story but were left out of the description. On the other hand, the flu seemed as if it would be a huge
I wish there had been more character growth. Instead, Willa begins the novel as a selfish six year old brat, prone to throwing temper tantrums and making promises she doesn't intend to keep. At the end of the novel, Willa is a selfish fifteen year old brat, prone to throwing temper tantrums and making promises she doesn't intend to keep. Ugh. Even her narration voice stayed the same. Did she not mature at all over the years?
Then there was Maggie. She did something, initially with the best intentions, but when she realized maybe she'd made a mistake and would have to give up something she wanted, she lied. She knew the pain she could cause but gave in to selfishness. And when she learns of the suffering her actions have caused others, she still has the nerve to act as if she is the one being wronged. No decency or character growth. Again, ugh.
I didn't care for the romances. While there may not be anything abnormal about a 13 year old girl developing a crush on a 21 year old guy, the fact that he wrote her a letter expressing inner thoughts and feelings that he hadn't even revealed to his family creeped me out. As for Evelyn, her romance is at the very least unethical.
I know I'm in the minority, but this book frustrated me, and I can not recommend it.
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part of the story. Instead, it doesn't enter until about 1/3 of the way in and is gone by the 2/3 mark. I would describe the story as being about a family learning to deal with loss. Flu is just one obstacle on the route to recovery. I wish there had been more character growth. Instead, Willa begins the novel as a selfish six year old brat, prone to throwing temper tantrums and making promises she doesn't intend to keep. At the end of the novel, Willa is a selfish fifteen year old brat, prone to throwing temper tantrums and making promises she doesn't intend to keep. Ugh. Even her narration voice stayed the same. Did she not mature at all over the years?
Then there was Maggie. She did something, initially with the best intentions, but when she realized maybe she'd made a mistake and would have to give up something she wanted, she lied. She knew the pain she could cause but gave in to selfishness. And when she learns of the suffering her actions have caused others, she still has the nerve to act as if she is the one being wronged. No decency or character growth. Again, ugh.
I didn't care for the romances. While there may not be anything abnormal about a 13 year old girl developing a crush on a 21 year old guy, the fact that he wrote her a letter expressing inner thoughts and feelings that he hadn't even revealed to his family creeped me out. As for Evelyn, her romance is at the very least unethical.
I know I'm in the minority, but this book frustrated me, and I can not recommend it.
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Awards
Language
Original publication date
2018
ISBN
9781432850159