Reviews

The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka

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kaehess's review against another edition

5.0

Woah ok, don’t remember where I got this rec and didn’t read the synopsis so I didn’t know what I was getting into. Was super vibing with the first story and thinking about it in allegorical ways and how it explored themes of obsession, compulsion, community, and growth in both good and bad ways. (High key was really vibing with it as a sort of commentary about religion). THEN the next story happened and it was so heartbreaking and beautiful about an aging mother with a deteriorating memory, and then I realized she was mentioned in the first story. THEN the next story was like a satirical advertisement for a care facility for individuals with memory issues and it just kept building as this tragic grouping of stories that connected with each other and kept becoming more individualized and specific as it went ok. I desperately need my own copy of this book and to reread with all the stories in mind.

mackinseyjoy's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

ambergamgee's review against another edition

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2.0

I was excited about this book, it sounded like an interesting concept. As a swimmer I was enticed by that angle. But this was way too repetitive. It could have been pared down significantly to a couple of good short stories. I suppose the author made it repetitive to mimic the way that swimming laps can feel repetitive? But the swimming repetitive feels meditative and calming, and it did not translate to writing. It felt like a waste of time. Tbh I fast forwarded big chunks and I don’t think I missed much.

alesehunter's review against another edition

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The storyline was very intriguing but I personally really struggled to read the we/us narrative. This was my first book from that perspective and I found myself having to reread many parts of it to understand. However, I get why that was the voice of this story. So many people are affected by dementia and it shares the collective pain and confusion that affects them personally and their families. I think that’s a very neat tool to use to get the weight of that across but it was just too challenging for me to comfortably read/comprehend. But a heartbreaking story underneath it.