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julie_reads15's review against another edition
4.0
Summary
Storm and Grace by Kathryn Heyman is a suspense novel about free diving and dangerous love.
Grace is a university student in Sydney, Australia. She interviews Storm Hisray, a world-famous freediver, for the student diving magazine. Storm is known as the deepest man in the world. He can dive great lengths on just a single breath.
Grace is captivated by his charm. Storm lures Grace into his world, and invites her to his island in the Pacific. She watches him train and he begins to teach her how to free dive.
As Grace dives deeper and deeper, both literally and metaphorically, she begins to discover the violence and secrets that lurk beneath the surface. Storm pushes Grace further than her limits, both in and out of the water. She soon learns just how dangerous Storm and freediving can be.
Told in third person narration, the novel incorporates first person plural commentary by a Greek chorus.
The dangers of freediving and obsession are explored in a tale of love gone horribly wrong.
Review
It was a beautifully written novel. Heyman's prose was poetic and portrayed strong imagery. The setting was described vividly, and created a strong sense of claustrophobia and allure.
I liked the suspense and the gradual build up to the climax. The ending took me by surprise because it took an interesting turn. I would have liked a little more closure.
I thought it was creative including commentary by the Greek chorus in first person plural narration. It provided another layer of narrative and sense of depth.
It was interesting learning about free diving since it's a sport I don't know much about.
I thought it was creative how most of the violence was alluded to, and how most of it took place outside of the story. Heyman did an excellent job of showing and not telling.
I recommend this book for anyone who's 17 years and older, and wants to read a suspense novel about freediving and dangerous love.
Storm and Grace by Kathryn Heyman is a suspense novel about free diving and dangerous love.
Grace is a university student in Sydney, Australia. She interviews Storm Hisray, a world-famous freediver, for the student diving magazine. Storm is known as the deepest man in the world. He can dive great lengths on just a single breath.
Grace is captivated by his charm. Storm lures Grace into his world, and invites her to his island in the Pacific. She watches him train and he begins to teach her how to free dive.
As Grace dives deeper and deeper, both literally and metaphorically, she begins to discover the violence and secrets that lurk beneath the surface. Storm pushes Grace further than her limits, both in and out of the water. She soon learns just how dangerous Storm and freediving can be.
Told in third person narration, the novel incorporates first person plural commentary by a Greek chorus.
The dangers of freediving and obsession are explored in a tale of love gone horribly wrong.
Review
It was a beautifully written novel. Heyman's prose was poetic and portrayed strong imagery. The setting was described vividly, and created a strong sense of claustrophobia and allure.
I liked the suspense and the gradual build up to the climax. The ending took me by surprise because it took an interesting turn. I would have liked a little more closure.
I thought it was creative including commentary by the Greek chorus in first person plural narration. It provided another layer of narrative and sense of depth.
It was interesting learning about free diving since it's a sport I don't know much about.
I thought it was creative how most of the violence was alluded to, and how most of it took place outside of the story. Heyman did an excellent job of showing and not telling.
I recommend this book for anyone who's 17 years and older, and wants to read a suspense novel about freediving and dangerous love.
eefreadssometimes's review against another edition
2.0
The book was very hard to get through. Especially the detailed description of many dives. Although the passion between Storm and Grace was described in much detail I feel I didn't get to know much about them. The 'we' voice in the book didn't add anything for me but confusion. I wouldn't classify this as a thriller as I don't think there was enough suspense.
treesofreverie's review against another edition
5.0
Initial ramblings*: WOW this is an incredible, intensely mesmerising read and I just could not put this book down! It's an incredibly poetic and engaging read. The language so beautiful I kept finding myself going back to reread certain passages just to rediscover them again. The characters feel so real... I felt myself slipping into their world so hauntingly easily. Grace is such a beautiful character and I was so drawn to the way certain events unfolded and pushed her deeper into Storm's life. This book has left my whole body buzzing and my heart racing; I don't think I'll be able to stop thinking about this book for months to come!
Now I can't believe I have to wait until February to get this book into other people's hands. I already feel like this is going to be a huge hand-sell title for me at work next year... Everyone needs to read this book!
*I'll be writing up a proper review at a time closer to the publishing date but I just wanted to get some thoughts out now. PS I am also feeling somewhat triggered about some of my past experiences by a few things in this book but in a good/healthy/moved past this years ago way?? It's hard to explain here so I'd like to explore that more at a later time.
Now I can't believe I have to wait until February to get this book into other people's hands. I already feel like this is going to be a huge hand-sell title for me at work next year... Everyone needs to read this book!
*I'll be writing up a proper review at a time closer to the publishing date but I just wanted to get some thoughts out now. PS I am also feeling somewhat triggered about some of my past experiences by a few things in this book but in a good/healthy/moved past this years ago way?? It's hard to explain here so I'd like to explore that more at a later time.
erin_reads_all_the_books's review against another edition
3.0
I feel abit disappointed by this book....for me, it just didn't live up to the hype!
Predictable love story, predictable ending.
Although I read it just after I finished Jasper Jones, which was a hard act to follow!
Predictable love story, predictable ending.
Although I read it just after I finished Jasper Jones, which was a hard act to follow!
kj2355's review
3.0
It took me awhile to get into this book. I found the "falling in love" stage too long and overly soppy. But I can see that that was part of Storm's mo. I also struggled with the "poetic" language. At times it was too flowery. But once I got into the storyline and the more sinister and subtle themes came through I found that I was hooked and want to know what had happened.
The ending was unsatisfactory, as I felt that evil didn't get its comeuppance.
But on the other hand, I really liked the cover. The colours and the water looks great!
Thanks again to #allen&unwin and #kathrynheyman for the opportunity to win this book.
The ending was unsatisfactory, as I felt that evil didn't get its comeuppance.
But on the other hand, I really liked the cover. The colours and the water looks great!
Thanks again to #allen&unwin and #kathrynheyman for the opportunity to win this book.
aquamarine's review
5.0
An important book that in beautiful precise prose builds up a love affair with the sea while deconstructing traditional romance - to a heartbreaking conclusion that is all too real and omnipresent, alas. There are intriguing hints of Inuit mythology underpinning the tale - and much as I love Greek myth it was great to see another cosmology being referenced. Still, it was the Bluebeard imagery that really had me on the edge of my seat.
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