Florence Adler Swims Forever: A Novel Paperback – June 1, 2021

I got a lot of enjoyment from this book. I've been having trouble getting into a good book since the pandemic started and Florence Adler Swims Forever turned that all around.The story is told in several voices and I tend to like that structure in a novel. There is Florence, the golden Wellesley girl who lives in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She is set to swim the English Channel with the help of her WASP boyfriend who is also her coach. Unfortunately she drowns at the very beginning of the novel. From here, the novel is told from the vantage point of those close to Florence - her mother and father, her sister, her boyfriend, her grandparents, a summer visitor, and her niece.Everyone knows a different Florence and we, the readers, put her together after he death with out own vision and our own sculpting. In a sense, Florence is our creation and this novel creatively points out that all of what we see and know is manipulated and created through our personal and unique vision.I saw a woman who was strong, smart and sassy, ahead of her time just prior to WWII. Though Jewish and a part of the Jewish community, she has already been exposed to a more worldly living style. Wellesley is an all female school and was known for having quotas on Jewish students for many years. Florence must have exceeded all expectations to get into that school. Additionally, there is the hint, just a brief shadowing of the possibility that Florence might be gay. This is only whispered at because at that time, almost everyone was closeted.The narrative is welcoming, easy to access and a delight to read.

Great writing, dynamic characters and a clever storyline. Definitely worth the read! The story draws the reader immediately and the characters have great development throughout. It keeps you on your toes!

Beautifully written story with interesting characters and family dynamics. I was sad to come to the end of this one and wished for 300 more pages of time with the Adlers and friends. While I do agree with other reviews that the end of the story was rather abrupt (especially regarding Fannie), I'm hoping this means there will be a sequel in the works. If not, the story was indeed wrapped up, I just miss the family already! That's the effect this book had: it subtly draws you into the summer world of Atlantic City in 1934 and before you know it, you are there and fully invested in the lives of these characters. Tragic. Complicated. Revealing. All of the above. It would make a really great film as well, if ever taken down that road.

Lyrical writing with an atmospheric setting on the 1930’s Atlantic City shoreline sets the stage for this debut novel. Could have used a bit more editing to keep the story tight but overall insightful to me re the Jewish immigrant experience prior to WW2. Would probably have rather ckd it out of my library. Not for my permanent collection unfortunately

I appreciate times when I can pick up a book and there is an emotional component with depth to connect with. I enjoyed the interwoven Jewish Culture; the well sketched characters and relationships; the secrets and dilemmas with their ensuing tensions; the Atlantic City backdrop and the Pre WWII storm. A loving, wonderfully woven story.

FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER opens with a tragedy that takes place in Atlantic City in the summer of 1934. the book tells the story of how this one family grieves their loss while also keeping several secrets in order to protect other members of the family. the entire book is beautifully written, but the writing on loss, love, and parenting throughout the book is particularly heartfelt and well-done (I cried several times throughout the book). the story is both compelling and enjoyable, but there’s enough substance and depth in the book to strike the perfect balance. also worth noting is that the book is based on an incident which happened in the author’s own family. 5/5⭐️—I loved it!

I spent 30 years of my life in Atlantic City. This book captures the 30's in Atlantic City that my grandparents described when the hotels were being built on the ATLANTIC ocean, jews moved into the inlet end of the island, into a tight community of conservative Judaism, familiar origins, family secrets, and fears buffeted by new individual prosperity. The writer is gifted in telling a story from the initial scene where the main character dies and then plotting backward to what that death did to the family, in a world the early Nazis where Jews fled and emigrated to cities like Atlantic City, finding anti-Semitism in what they thought would be their river of Jordan. It is the tale of a family who must hide the death from a family member through most of the book, twisting the family already battered by an inconceivable death. . The charters are drawn so well- the family ties that keep them together and support facing barriers to love from religion and a hint of lesbianism -. It is seeing the slow change in society in pre-world war 2 America, on a barrier island where the ocean itself is an evil character. . I loved the book

I enjoyed this book. I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day.

I enjoyed this book very much. Rather sad butA good read

I really enjoyed the book, not realising that it was a partially true story. That fact made it more poignant when I read the author’s note. I loved the characters, their personalities and emotions were so realistic and touchingly beautiful. A thoroughly good read.

A charming but rather predictable plot. Characterization was satisfactory. The authors notes at the end added nicely to the reasoning for the story.

Characters very one dimensional. Nice story badly told.