I was surprised to see so many low ratings for this book! I checked this out from the library two days ago, have hardly put it down, and after finishing it tonight I was very satisfied. The prose is beautiful, it immersed me into the lives of some wonderfully genuine and distinct characters, and quite frankly, I loved it. This definitely made me an overnight Joshilyn Jackson fan, and I look forward to reading more from her.I did give this book four stars because I found the conclusion to be a tad underwhelming, at least compared to the quality subplots expertly woven together (like one of Laurel's quilts!) throughout the rest of "Swimming". The story exposes some pretty amazing twists and dark family secrets that drew me in and didn't let me go until they had come to fruition (as cliched as the term "page turner" is, there were passages where I had to stop myself from rushing through because I intensely wanted my questions answered), but, as is always the risk when writing a book with many suspenseful threads waiting to be followed, the big climax of the story falls short in comparison to the rest. However, Jackson's very "human" devotion to her characters and authentically poetic prose really work to make up for anything the ending lacks. You'll love the protagonist, and love everyone she loves with such a fierce emotion you'd think they were real. Also,Thalia might be one of the most interesting characters I've come across in contemporary fiction. Whether you're into ghost stories or are simply looking for an ardent story about familial allegiance and love, this book will supply all that and more. Most certainly worth the read.
This book starts many different, typical plots and finishes none of them. Dead child? Check. Ghosts? Check. Poor uneducated child that nobody cares about? Check. Distant mother and kind father? Check. Possibly unfaithful husband? Check. Kooky big sister to idol-worship? Check. What do all these things have to do with each other? I'm still not sure. The author doesn't know if this book is a mystery, a dysfuntional family story, a book about a mother protecting not only her child but the ones surrounding her...so she tries to cram it all in one book. The author introduces storylines, offers a hurried half-baked explaination, then moves on to something else. The main person in the book is much of the same. She is certain that a weird man in her neighborhood is not only a pedophile but a murderer. Then she thinks her husband is having an affair. Then she's convinced of her mother's actions during a childhood dispute (yet another storyline). The only constant in her life is to trust her nearly always incorrect instincts. This makes for a very unsatisfying book. It's sort of like having a friend who calls you daily to tell you her latest drama, her latest theories, the latest story about her crazy sister that you didn't like much anyway. After a while, you stop listening.
i hadn't heard of joshilyn jackson before this book. i'm very glad i have now. the woman has a voice that sings.this book has some weird--or weirde-er--parts, but the story is told so well that they sort of fade or get swallowed up in the story. suspension of disbelief is easy, as with any well-written novel. jackson produces amazing reveals, always at the perfect time, and my interest never flagged. there was not a slow minute in the book.kati, it isn't a book i would have chosen, either, based on the description on the book jacket. fortunately, i read the first page first. that's the real test. if the first page doesn't grab me, i won't read a book. this on grabbed on and never let go. so, two days later, i am happy to report i have another of this author's books on my shelf and it is getting moved to the front of my line of to-be-read. yummy.
—Marla
Ms. Jackson remains one of my favorite authors of Southern Literature. I hesitate to even tag it Southern literature because that might narrow it's appeal. The setting, the language, the cadence are all very familiar to anyone who has ever lived below the Mason-Dixon line and east of the Mississippi.However, the complexities of human relationships are universal, as they are in her previous efforts.In her third novel, the plot line delves the deep dark waters of parental love and how far one would be willing to go, in every sense of the word, for your child.It is not a departure from the style of her previous two novels, but a more intimate and richly constructed layering of need and want, expectation and realization.Highly recommended.
—Lisa
I love, love, love Southern writers, and J.J. is one of my favorites. I was a little dissappointed with this book, though. It was intriguing and I finished it quickly, but I felt like it was written really fast. I also thought that the real story was between Laurel and her mother, which wasn't explored. Also, the relationship between Lauren and Thalia could have just been what the entire book was about, without the ghosts and the Ouija board and the shady town in the background. J.J. usually digs deep with her characters, exposing them in a way that seems real and familiar. With this book, it seemed like she just skimmed the surface of these people, and I wanted more.
—Jennifer Bradley
