At The Water's Edge by Sara Gruen Review

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A well-to-do married English woman, Maddie, finds herself in a grungy lodge in Scotland with her husband Ellis Hyde to capture the Loch Ness monster. Among a whirlwind of a failing marriage, war, illness, and a troubled childhood Maddie discovers her true self and finds love.
This novel takes place in 1942 during World War II. After a family disagreement threatens Ellis and Maddie’s inheritance and allowance, Ellis and his comrade decide to journey to Scotland to one-up his ex-monster hunter father. Ellis is determined to prove to everyone his worth and regain his purpose after being denied service in the military. Poor Maddie gets dragged along right into the middle of the war. Soon Maddie realizes the impacts of war when German U-boats sink some of the English fleet they are traveling with. The triad eventually makes it to Scotland but not before Maddie becomes troubled with her genetic nerve sickness.
Soon, Maddie realizes that her husband Ellis is the true monster, not whatever creature might dwell within the Loch. Ellis falls deeper into despair and substance abuse while Maddie finds happiness in the running of the lodge. Alongside her first ever girl- friends, Maddie discovers that she can be an independent woman and begins to despise her old lifestyle and attitudes. As Ellis becomes more and more abusive Maddie finds solace in a war veteran and together they find love once again.
The hunt for the Loch Ness monster drove Maddie to conclude that there is a “monster” that resides within everyone. Set in Scotland amongst superstitions Maddie has to battle the monster inside her and the monsters surrounding her. With the help of new friends Maddie finds her happiness in the end.
All in all, this book kept me entertained with some twists that were unpredictable. Honestly this book was not quite what I was expecting and I did not enjoy it as much as “Water for Elephants”. It was a good read and I would recommend it to a select audience. This book was an easy read; I finished the book in a day. I do have to admit that Gruen did a nice job with the portrayal of a wealthy woman in the 1940’s and her coming to self story.