Beyond the Clouds (The Women of Midtown)
Beyond the Clouds, third in The Women of Midtown Series, combines well-researched history of pre-World War I America and 1917 occupied Belgium with a challenging postwar relationship.
Elizabeth Camden expertly weaves teenagers Finn Delaney and Delia Byrne’s backstory before World War I with their present-day situation, hopes, and fears. Years after a betrayal, conflict ensues as war hero Finn returns to the US, and Delia, a pacifist, is working as a paralegal. The descriptions and details of Delia’s life in New York City sink readers into the social dilemmas faced by working women and the political climate pre- and post-WWI.
From the initial description of Finn’s plane crash, the novel quickly draws readers into occupied Belgium while contrasting it with the social and political turmoil in the US. Camden focuses attention on compelling historical details of Herbert Hoover’s creation of the CRB, Commission for Relief in Belgium. A strong sense of the US economic climate is provided by Finn’s experiences contacting wealthy Americans for contributions, such as Randolph Hearst, former president Howard Taft, and many others.
A Christian romance, Beyond the Clouds spans just over a decade, ending in 1928 in New York City’s Times Square. This is a splendid exploration of fear, courage, duty and love that’s filled with hope and possibility.
