A story about three women with bright futures who meet at West Point, “Beyond the Point” gives a glimpse into what life is like for women in the military. I got this book as a Book of the Month pick and thought the plot sounded interesting. I’ll be honest though, at nearly 500 pages, I was glad to finish this book. There were various viewpoints and jumps in time, making it hard to keep up with what was going on. As author Claire Gibson’s debut novel, I thought this was just OK, although I’d be interested in reading more from her in the future.
Here is the book’s description:
“Duty. Honor. Country. That’s West Point’s motto, and every cadet who passes through its stone gates vows to live it. But on the eve of 9/11, as Dani, Hannah and Avery face four grueling years ahead, they realize they’ll only survive if they do it together.
“Everyone knows Dani is going places. With athletic talent and a brilliant mind, she navigates West Point’s predominantly male environment with wit and confidence, breaking stereotypes and embracing new friends.
“Hannah’s grandfather, a legendary Army general, offers a stark warning about the dangers that lie ahead, but she moves forward anyway, letting faith guide her path. When she meets her soul mate at West Point, the future looks perfect, just as planned.
“Wild child Avery moves fast and doesn’t mind breaking a few rules (and hearts) along the way. But she can’t outpace her self-doubt, and the harder she tries, the further it leads her down a treacherous path.
“The world—of business, of love, and of war—awaits Dani, Hannah, and Avery beyond the gates of West Point. These three women know that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. But soon, that adage no longer rings true—for their future, or their friendship. As they’re pulled in different directions, will their hard-forged bond prevail or shatter?“
The prologue of the book begins in 2006 from Hannah’s point of view as an active officer in Afghanistan. Then the first chapter jumps back in time to 2000 from Dani’s point of view when she signs her basketball contract with West Point. We then meet Avery in chapter two and are reintroduced to Hannah in chapter three. The rest of the novel takes this pattern jumping from each character’s story over time, and then the final chapter ends in 2007.
What I Liked About the Book
The novel covers a lot of ground, which could be both good and bad. There are so many elements to this book: military life, love, friendship, 9/11, racism, and finding oneself. At the time of their attendance at West Point, the three main characters endure the struggles of being teammates on the basketball team and training as freshman at the academy. I liked the glimpse into West Point since I don’t know much about it, however, much of the characters’ time there had to do with their romantic interests and crushes.
As the three women move beyond their time at West Point, they each end up in different areas and much of their correspondence is through email. I liked this because it served as a reminder that this was the time before texting and smartphones was very prominent. I could easily picture three friends in their 20s emailing each other in an effort to stay close.
What I Didn’t Like About the Book
The jumping through time and multiple viewpoints gets a bit confusing. Characters Hannah and Avery are both described as blond and beautiful, which confused me at the beginning of the book. I couldn’t tell who was who and had to reread some parts. They have different personalities with Avery being more headstrong and rebellious, while Hannah is a Christian and follows by the rules. Both Avery and Hannah serve in the military after West Point, but their experiences are vastly different. Dani is black with freckles who takes more of a tomboy personality. Although she does not end up serving in the military after West Point, her journey takes her overseas for her career in business. Each of the characters is athletic with a talent for basketball, and they all end up being recruited to the West Point basketball team.
I thought the book seemed to go on and on and lost much of its focus. The book started off about three individual characters who eventually become friends, but then it sort of evolves into their love lives and flings. Initially, I chose the book because it mentioned 9/11, and I thought much of the plot had to do with that. However, this book was not really about 9/11 at all, which instead served more as a point in the overall timeline. I thought Gibson’s writing was good, but I think this book kind of lost its way, especially towards the end. Because of the multiple viewpoints, I found it hard to connect with the characters and thought they could have been more fleshed out.
My Rating: “Beyond the Point” by Claire Gibson is Worth Reading
Overall, I think this book is worth reading, and I’m glad I picked it up. I give it 3.5 of 5 stars. This book is for you if you enjoy reading about female friendships. I got a Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants sort of vibe from it, although it really wasn’t funny or charming the same way Sisterhood is. You might enjoy this book if you regularly read novels more than 400 pages long. I confess, I rarely read books longer than 400 pages, so this one was more of a chore for me to finish.
This book has a 4.12 rating on Goodreads based on more than 10,000 ratings. Some readers enjoyed the West Point and military aspect of the novel and the camaraderie between the three characters. Critics thought the book should have been classified as Christian fiction. I wouldn’t classify this as Christian fiction, but I understand why people would say that.
According to Goodreads, similar books to this one are The Wives by Simone Gorrindo, Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams, and All We Were Promised by Ashton Lattimore.
Thanks so much for reading! If you read this book, let me know what you thought of it. I’d love to hear from you.
What Jas Reads 