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mrslcampbell17's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mikkelsonch's review
3.0
I would have liked a faster pace and more action. Kids might like trying to figure out the mystery. Knowing that it's a mystery ahead of time would help some readers make predictions. The more advanced readers and thinkers might find the book too boring.
Not feeling like they belong seems to be a very common theme for many YA characters which may resonate with some readers because... middle school. The female main character in this book though did not pull it off for me. I did not find her sympathetic but whiny and kids with real problems might also.
Spoiler: no romance in this book which I actually found refreshing.
Not feeling like they belong seems to be a very common theme for many YA characters which may resonate with some readers because... middle school. The female main character in this book though did not pull it off for me. I did not find her sympathetic but whiny and kids with real problems might also.
Spoiler: no romance in this book which I actually found refreshing.
izumisano's review
2.0
The novel was too short. Not enough substance to care about anyone in the story. You only catch mere glimpses of the truth of the characters
weweresotired's review
3.0
I read this book very quickly and when I was done, I definitely wanted more. I wasn't quite sure where this book was going -- it was one I picked at random on my kindle on a long train ride -- so I didn't know what to expect, and was pleased to see that it was a simple story about Cassie trying to unravel a mystery.
At times this story just felt like sketches of a larger universe. We get enough detail about the characters and the history of the town to be able to make the story work, but also the sense that there could be a much fuller picture if we spent more time in the story. The writing has a dreamy quality about it, and there's almost a feeling of magical realism, although the story isn't fantasy in the slightest (that I can tell). I really enjoyed McKinlay's writing style here, and it worked very well with the whole theme of an underwater/drowned town.
I did at times forget how old Cassie is supposed to be. She's around 12, but sometimes the narration felt much older than that in tone, and sometimes she just seems more mature and thoughtful than your average pre-teen. I really liked her, though, as well as her relationship with her family (both of her parents are actually there! and involved! and don't just disappear!) and friend Liam. I kept expecting romance to bloom between them, whenever I forgot that she was 12. There's nothing of the sort happening there, though, Cassie and Liam are just friends who learn to work together to uncover a mystery that they didn't even know they were searching for in the first place.
The ending of Below approaches quickly, with the mystery being solved in just the last few pages of the book. This is where I would have wanted a little more, because the "and then this is what happened" wrap up felt very rushed. Overall I enjoyed the read, though, it was a great way to pass an hour or so. It's a clean read, with only a few references to a violent car crash and a past character death that is only mentioned.
At times this story just felt like sketches of a larger universe. We get enough detail about the characters and the history of the town to be able to make the story work, but also the sense that there could be a much fuller picture if we spent more time in the story. The writing has a dreamy quality about it, and there's almost a feeling of magical realism, although the story isn't fantasy in the slightest (that I can tell). I really enjoyed McKinlay's writing style here, and it worked very well with the whole theme of an underwater/drowned town.
I did at times forget how old Cassie is supposed to be. She's around 12, but sometimes the narration felt much older than that in tone, and sometimes she just seems more mature and thoughtful than your average pre-teen. I really liked her, though, as well as her relationship with her family (both of her parents are actually there! and involved! and don't just disappear!) and friend Liam. I kept expecting romance to bloom between them, whenever I forgot that she was 12. There's nothing of the sort happening there, though, Cassie and Liam are just friends who learn to work together to uncover a mystery that they didn't even know they were searching for in the first place.
The ending of Below approaches quickly, with the mystery being solved in just the last few pages of the book. This is where I would have wanted a little more, because the "and then this is what happened" wrap up felt very rushed. Overall I enjoyed the read, though, it was a great way to pass an hour or so. It's a clean read, with only a few references to a violent car crash and a past character death that is only mentioned.
farmgirl103's review
4.0
A quick and entertaining mystery. I picked it up because, like the author, I've walked on the streets of a drowned town.
lawbooks600's review against another edition
3.0
7/10, it was an interesting and original mystery book about a town being flooded for a dam.
sanmeow's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
cassie's family used to live in old lower george town, before it was drowned on purpose. it is now completely covered in water, supposedly because of some kind of water supply plans, and the citizens all moved to a different place. cassie, the protagonist, knows that she wants to go swim over the old town, because she has a feeling that there must be secrets to discover. and of course, she's right.
such a unique plot to be honest. i mean yeah, it'll inevitably remind everyone of atlantis, but it's quite different in reality. i liked both the mystery of the plot and cassie as a character, because she was developed well. she had an intriguing relationship with her family, and some identity issues to deal with. i also feel like the way the author wrote her, and the story overall, fits the fact that this is marketed as a middle grade book. other than that, i really loved the descriptions of the setting itself, it very much added to the atmosphere. pretty good, especially for a middle grade read.
such a unique plot to be honest. i mean yeah, it'll inevitably remind everyone of atlantis, but it's quite different in reality. i liked both the mystery of the plot and cassie as a character, because she was developed well. she had an intriguing relationship with her family, and some identity issues to deal with. i also feel like the way the author wrote her, and the story overall, fits the fact that this is marketed as a middle grade book. other than that, i really loved the descriptions of the setting itself, it very much added to the atmosphere. pretty good, especially for a middle grade read.
abbyreads8's review
3.0
Below is a dystopian/fantasy-esque book that follows Cassie, a girl who was born on the day that her town was drowned. Yes, literally drowned—the mayor flipped a switch and the whole town that they once new was submerged in water. Twelve years after the drowing and relocating to Upper Lower Grange, Cassie and her friend Liam are determined to fill in the gray space. They know something is weird, and they are going to figure it out.
I think this was a very good middle-grade read. While it wasn’t personally the most captivating story, I felt very connected to Cassie and Liam and was rooting for them the entire time. The book definitely had its lulls where I drifted off a bit, but the end was especially incredible—I was not expecting that whatsoever!
I think this was a very good middle-grade read. While it wasn’t personally the most captivating story, I felt very connected to Cassie and Liam and was rooting for them the entire time. The book definitely had its lulls where I drifted off a bit, but the end was especially incredible—I was not expecting that whatsoever!
catladylover94's review
5.0
good book, suprise ending, but i knew something was going on but could not figure it out