Customer Reviews

Swimming (Ballantine Reader's Circle)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Swimming" is without a doubt an impressive debut from a talented writer. It is not an entirely successful debut, but it interesting even in its flaws, and that is more than I can say for most novels I read. The tale is kind of an emotional whodunit, or perhaps a whydonit. The first part of the story takes place in 1987 when college student Aaron Silver brings his girlfriend Sunanne to meet his family in rural New Hampshire. The family is a bit odd, and there are unexplained and perhaps inexplicable tensions between Aaron and his wild brother, Jack, and soon sparks begin to fly between Jack and Suzanne. Much emotional mayhem ensues until the visit climaxes in a tragedy that the book cover describes but I will not, since I wished I hadn't known it when I was reading. The novel then picks up ten years later, focusing on Lila, the younger sister, who is obsessed with the events of that night and begins stalking Suzanne in an effort to learn the truth about her brothers.

Hershon's writing is at its most successful when she is conveying the very real emotional confusion people feel at what seem like key moments in their life. "Swimming" seems to me especially effective at demonstrating the intense importance of these private feelings and the sometimes horrific consequences of privileging irrational passion over logical responsibility. In the heat of the moment, the author wants to argue, the selfish and thoughtless decisions we make, radiate outward into our lives and the lives of others. The book is also wonderful when it examines the confluence of memory and sadness, demonstrating how we process our own bad decisions, what we chose to remember, forget and to fabricate.

On the other hand, "Swimming," splashes around in the pond a bit too loudly and clumsily at times. The opening prologue is both unnecessary and so badly written I cannot even believe the same person composed those few pages and the book that follows. In the main body of "Swimming," the writing is never bad or clunky, but it is sometimes burdened by too much attention to craft. The flap copy tells us that Hershon received her MFA from Columbia University, and this book reads to me like MFA fiction. Obviously some people like that sort of thing, but I find her endless and belabored details of clothes, rooms, smells, plants, and anything else on which she happens to draw a bead ultimately kind of tedious and rarely in service of the story she wants to tell. If anything, the resonance of her tale and her characters gets lots sometimes in her descriptions. This book could have been a bit slimmer, and if Hershon had reserved her truly impressive talents for elements of the story with emotional consequences, it would have been a sleeker and far more poignant volume. As it is, it reveals an unquestionably talented author whose next work I would most certainly seek out.

I really could not put this book down. Hershon developed the characters from Page one, and did not leave any facet of their personalities unexplored. They are all honest and human, which is what makes it easy to identify with one or more of the characters. I cannot belive this is her first book, as it is wonderfully haunting. I would recommend it 100 percent.

This is an excellent debut for Joanna Hershon. I picked this book up at the library and was not disappointed in its progression. While the prologue did not have much to do with the rest of the novel, I feel that its purpose was to set the background for what was to come.

The story begins in 1987 when Aaron brings his girlfriend, Suzanne, to his family's home in New Hampshire. We get a glimpse into his parents relationship, or lack thereof as Jeb really doesn't communicate with anyone. We meet Aaron's brother Jack and their little sister Lila. There seems to be an ongoing rivalry between the brothers that is never really explained. Jack is the wild one, he has no fears. He lives on a day to day basis and has no real plans for his future. Aaron on the other hand is his complete opposite. He plans everything, he's the good looking one with the world at his feet. And yet, despite all of this, he still feels like he has to compete with Jack. Then there is Lila. When we first meet her she is eight years old, but already wise beyond her years. She is doted on by both of her brothers and she is equally in love with them. She loves to be at the centre of their attention. Only a short time after their arrival, Aaron and Suzanne accompany Jack to a party. It is here that we get a glimpse into what Suzanne really wants...and that is a chance to be with Jack. The real tragedy occurs later that night, in the woods, by the pond. The forces of jealousy and anger rear their heads and a life is snuffed out. They are three people who have no idea that their actions will have consequences that reverberate for many years to come, especially on the life of a little girl lost...Lila.

The rest of the book deals with the issues of obsession and the healing power of redemption. It is an eerie account of one woman's search for the truth, the truth of what really happened that night by the pond, and the quest to find her true self. It is a moving story of love and loss.

I really enjoyed this novel and will definitely look for further books by this acclaimed writer.

This was a book I just couldn't put down. It is the story of one family. The parents [60's hippy types] are not a major player in the novel but provide an important insight into the background of Aaron, Jack and Lila and how they were raised.

When the boys were just teenagers and their sister only 9 years old a terrible tragedy happened to the family that threw them all into a tailspin. Lila, ten years later goes in search for her one missing brother and tries to piece together what happened. She witnessed in part the happening, but was so young and it has definitely distorted her life and how she lives it. She is in some ways mentally effected by the whole thing and has a very strange behavior pattern that at times was disturbing to read.

I'm glad I did cintinue reading though because it was worth it. This author deals with a very terrible tragedy with such depth and drama. I highly recommend this book.

I just got this book yesterday and I found myself turning the pages late into the night; I just finished it. It's a fantastic portrait of what binds a family and tears it apart. I loved the element of suspense (not to mention sensuality). My only gripe is that it's over and I'm going to have to wait for the next Hershon book.

Ms Hershon is a psychologist at heart with a gift for the written word. A truly gripping first novel .It catches you and spirals out of control before pulling you back. Bravo on an extraordinary first novel. Where's #2?

I lived in New Hampshire for four years, so I thought it would be fun to read a book set there. The story was ok...not great, not terrible; it was entertaining, but certainly not prize winning fiction. It's the story of two brothers, one girlfriend, an accident?, and how a little sister responds to it, both immediately and later in her life. On the jacket, it's described as, "exquisitely sexual," which leaves me puzzled and bemused. Sure, okay, if that's what it takes to sell the book, put it on the jacket. Perhaps somebody else will find it more arousing than I did.

I enjoyed this book very much. As everyone knows, families are complicated. Ones that have gone through a traumatic event, such as this one, tends to be even more so. This story of a girl searching for her lost brother, who disappeared after the death of her other brother, is one ful of drama and feeling. It is choppy at times, and it takes a lot of patience to be able to understand the motivations of the characters, but it is truly wonderful and I definitely recommend it!

This book had me hooked right from the start. The writing stlye is at a good pace, and the characters are easy to picture. The flow of the book is great, and you will not want to put it down once see where it's going. I can totally see this book becoming a great movie. Read it and you'll see what I mean.

I really enjoyed reading this book...the first half lets you learn so much about each character and after the story developed the second half forced me to stay up really late because I could not put it down. I was disappointed when this book was over because I just wanted more. I would highly recommend this book. I usually read true crime stories so this was one of the first fiction novels I have read in a while. It was wonderful!