‘A Sense of Things Beyond’: Maritime author reimagines untold wartime stories in new novel

Maritime author Renee Belliveau’s new novel follows a couple rebuilding their lives after the First World War.

One Maritime author is marking Remembrance Day by shining a light on the quieter stories often left out of history.

Archivist and writer Renée Belliveau is exploring the aftermath of war through fiction in her new novel, “A Sense of Things Beyond.”

Set in Nova Scotia in 1922, the book was inspired by a real-life couple – a nurse who cared for soldiers near the frontlines and a man once imprisoned in a German internment camp during the First World War. Their stories intertwine as they try to rebuild their lives after the war, revealing the lasting effects of conflict long after peace is declared.

Much of Belliveau’s inspiration comes from her work in the archives.

“Things like letters, diaries, and photographs are the kinds of records that really give texture to the past,” said Belliveau in an interview with CTV News Atlantic’s Katie Kelly.

Belliveau says fiction allows her to give voice to those who were silenced and to help readers connect with history on a more human level.

“I’ve always been interested in stories at the margins of history,” said Belliveau. “Preserving these stories ensures they’re not forgotten, and that future generations can still access them.”

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