As Bright as Heaven

Books | Fiction / Historical / General

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Susan Meissner

From the acclaimed author of A Bridge Across the Ocean and The Last Year of the War 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. But 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, they learn what they cannot live without--and what they are willing to do about it. As Bright as 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.

Historical Fiction

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More Details:

Author

Susan Meissner

Pages

387

Publisher

Penguin

Published Date

2018

ISBN

0399585966 9780399585968

Community ReviewsSee all

"I enjoyed this book. A family survives the heart-break of WWI and the Spanish flu epidemic, not without also incurring loss. As the bodies pile up at the mortuary which is their home, one of the three surviving daughters finds a little baby in a tenement, the only survivor of his family. "

Merry

"Artfully written and draws you in without even trying"

Meriel Grace

"If you are quarantined in the Corona pandemic of 2020, you’ve no doubt wondered about the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. The fictional Bright family of Quakertown and Philadelphia invite you to live the horrors of 1918 with them. A solid story with the obligatory twists, the novel drags a little halfway through, but pulled me back in for the nicely tied-up ending."

Patty Hardwick

"I want to thank BookishFirst, Berkeley Books, and Penguin Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have been hearing about As Bright As Heaven for a while and it has been on my "must-read" list. I was so excited to win a copy of it for advanced reading! I love historical fiction and this was set in a time that I did not know much about previously (flu pandemic). As Bright As Heaven follows the Bright family who relocate to Philadelphia during WW I and just as the Spanish flu pandemic is hitting the world. They come to Philadelphia after a tragedy hits them in the hopes of starting a new life in the family mortuary business - and then tragedy strikes again as the flu hits and takes many, many lives. Though there are some heartwrenching scenes/events, this is ultimately a book about the triumph of the human spirit, the love of family, and our ability to survive and love.<br/><br/>I was hooked by the story from the moment I started reading the book. The writing was beautiful and I loved how it was told in differing characters' voices - Susan Meissner was superbly able to capture each characters' voice, emotions, and thoughts even down to the youngest child (and it was quite fun to see the events unfolding through a young child's eyes!). I felt invested in each of the characters and couldn't put the book down as I wanted to find out what happened next and how the story unfolded - I was completely immersed in the story which is a sign of a truly amazing book for me. As Bright As Heaven surpassed my expectations and it will go onto my all-time favorites list. Definitely highly recommend!!<br/>"

J C

Jennifer Cohen

"World War II fiction. "