Reviews

Summerwater by Sarah Moss

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

ayymealzz's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A

elliemelliemoo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective 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

4.0

leighsneade's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

kkdlia's review against another edition

5.0

"Do they have rap in Poland?"

abisjb's review

emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.0

marie5952's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.75

ayami's review against another edition

3.0

3.5?
It was a solid five star read in the beginning, but the chapters were very uneven and the ending felt rushed. I loved the underlying message of the story, the execution of the idea - not so much.

Full review to come.