Reviews

Summerwater by Sarah Moss

decembermagpie's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

fruitcollecti0n's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

nmellor's review against another edition

4.0

This was a great quick read and I really enjoyed the writing style. I felt that the characters were well written and I enjoyed reading all of the different perspectives. The ending felt a little bit rushed, but it did fit the way the story was told. I enjoyed seeing the ways in which our characters wove into one another's holidays. All in all an enjoyable quick read with great writing.

trendingline221's review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

esther_a_'s review against another edition

5.0

Re read. Loved it so much again. 
Easy to get immersed in one day of these characters lives. Didn’t have the mysterious feel as much the second time as I knew the ending but it was still a great read. 

rootedinreading's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

gemmascott's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Beautiful haunting prose, an unwinding mystery and an intense exploration of one’s inner life. 

Thoroughly enjoyable page turner and ended my reading slump. The second of Sarah Moss’ books I’ve read and I’ll certainly be in the market for more! 

moshalala's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

2.0

lauralhart's review against another edition

2.0

SUMMERWATER by Sarah Moss is a novel told from the multiple perspectives of vacationers renting cabins in rural Scotland, interspersed with vignettes, that according to the publisher seeks to "[explore] our capacity for kinship and cruelty." At 202 pages, it's a relatively short read.

I went in with no expectations but finished feeling disappointed regardless. What is promised to be a poignant and claustrophobic and funny tale felt, to me, very cold and boring. I didn't think this book was particularly original or engaging, and I ended up skimming a lot of the second half because the characters all started to feel the same and the prose dragged. I suppose I was expecting something with a little more substance, something more like Rumaan Alam's LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND. Ultimately, I didn't enjoy this and don't plan on revisiting Sarah Moss.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and the publisher.

racheldaisy's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0