As Bright as Heaven

by Susan Meissner Narrated by Tavia Gilbert, Jorjeana Marie, Abigail Revasch, Cassandra Morris

Overview

From the acclaimed author of*The Last Year of the War comes a novel set during the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, telling 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.

Editorial Reviews

APRIL 2018 - AudioFile

In 1918, the Bright family moves to Philadelphia to take over the family funeral business. As they settle in, the great Spanish flu epidemic strikes, and death is everywhere. The story is told through the points of view of the women in the family. Tavia Gilbert as Pauline, the mother, is quietly accepting of the grim specter, treating it as a dark friend. Abigail Revasch portrays daughter Maggie with strength and determination. Oldest daughter Evelyn, performed by Jorjeana Marie, is horrified by their new circumstances and the growing dangers. All three actors are completely credible, but the standout performance is Cassandra Morris’s, in which she portrays the youngest daughter, Willa. Morris’s childlike voice is perfect expressing Willa’s exuberance and inexperience. This is a satisfying exploration of family, sorrow, love, and hope. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

From the Publisher

Praise for As Bright as Heaven

“A story of one family’s heartbreak and hope. Strong [and] resilient, Meissner’s characters step off the page and into history.”—Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours

“A family saga, coming-of-age tale, and riveting historical fiction all in one. A must read!”—Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan's Tale

“A thoughtful examination of life...somber, gripping, and illuminated with hope.”—Kate Quinn, USA Today bestselling author of The Alice Network

“Traces of Little Women in the trials and fortitude of the Bright women. An affirmation of the power of love and duty.”—Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand and The Summer Before the War

“A fascinating historical novel and a beautifully written story of love, loss, and family. A gorgeous, unforgettable book.”—Jillian Cantor, author of Margot and The Lost Letter

APRIL 2018 - AudioFile

In 1918, the Bright family moves to Philadelphia to take over the family funeral business. As they settle in, the great Spanish flu epidemic strikes, and death is everywhere. The story is told through the points of view of the women in the family. Tavia Gilbert as Pauline, the mother, is quietly accepting of the grim specter, treating it as a dark friend. Abigail Revasch portrays daughter Maggie with strength and determination. Oldest daughter Evelyn, performed by Jorjeana Marie, is horrified by their new circumstances and the growing dangers. All three actors are completely credible, but the standout performance is Cassandra Morris’s, in which she portrays the youngest daughter, Willa. Morris’s childlike voice is perfect expressing Willa’s exuberance and inexperience. This is a satisfying exploration of family, sorrow, love, and hope. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2017-11-28
In the final year of the Great War, an American family copes with the Spanish flu pandemic.The Brights, Pauline and Thomas and their daughters, Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa, relocate to better their future. Leaving Thomas' family tobacco farm in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, the family moves to Philadelphia, where Thomas' bachelor uncle, Fred, a mortician, has offered to teach him the undertaker's trade. Since he has no other heirs, Fred intends, in time, to bequeath his funeral business to the Brights. Pauline and the daughters narrate in turn. At the time of the move, the Brights are still reeling from the death of baby son Henry. Pauline becomes obsessed with death and insinuates herself into the mortuary business to an extent Fred never contemplated. What appears to be a slow-paced and rather morbid tale of domesticity gains momentum when Thomas volunteers to serve in the Army and leaves for basic training. Shortly thereafter, the influenza epidemic grips Philadelphia. As the death toll mounts, Fred's genteel funeral parlor becomes an auxiliary morgue. When Pauline and Maggie visit the slums on a charitable mission, Maggie wanders into a row house by herself and finds its occupants dead or dying except for a squalling, neglected infant boy. She and Pauline return home with the child, whom the Brights will name Alex, and inquiries as to his parentage are soon abandoned in light of the sheer number of orphaned children already taxing city authorities. Nevertheless, Maggie keeps the location where she found Alex a secret and lies about the fact that the boy's sister was still alive when Maggie rescued him. Pauline is torn between her guilt over this impulsive adoption and her desire to fill the void left by Henry's death. Up to this point, the novel is a somber and unblinking appraisal of grief, calamity, and the disruptions of war. An extended denouement, set in the 1920s, lightens the mood, but at the expense of believability.Stark realism offset by unreasonable optimism.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171819644
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	02/06/2018
Edition description:	Unabridged

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Chapter 1
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Excerpted from "As Bright as Heaven"
by .
Copyright © 2019 Susan Meissner.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Publishing Group.
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