Above the Water

Orphaned as a boy and raised by an uncle he barely cared to know, Harry Dietrichson leaves his surrogate family as quickly as possible to become a foreign correspondent. He is sent to Shanghai on the eve of the Second World War. In Cosmopolitan Shanghai — the Paris of the East — British, French, and other Western expatriates continue leading opulent lives seemingly oblivious to the world crumbling around them; but it is only a matter of time before Shanghai will be enmeshed in the war. On assignment Harry meets and falls in love with a young woman named Viktoria who comes from a prominent Russian family that has lived in Shanghai for decades. Before they are betrothed, Harry is called back to the States.

 

Once back in America, the war breaks out and Harry is unable to return to Shanghai. He knows nothing of Viktoria’s circumstances since communications are non-existent, but the story switches to her point of view periodically and we see the Japanese take over Shanghai. 

 

We witness Viktoria’s self-sacrificing efforts to save her family from starvation and persecution. She confronts moral ambiguity on a daily basis. She also discovers she’s pregnant with Harry’s child. Meanwhile, Harry takes a commission in the Marines and endures a bloody slog of battles across the Pacific, during which his comrades-in-arms become like brothers to him. He witnesses their close ties to families back home, and he longs for his reunion with Viktoria and the future they might have together. 

 

As the war ends, Harry returns to war-torn China in search of Viktoria. This book traces the paths of two young lovers whose life together has been interrupted by war. It’s a story of love, family, moral ambiguity, and perseverance.