Reviews

This is such a beautiful and unique read. It starts as a kind of meditation on swimming and the wonders of an underground swimming pool which has its own distinct ecosystem. Then, the pool develops a crack and everyone has a theory about the meaning of this crack. Simultaneously, it’s the story of a particular swimmer, Alice, whose mind develops its own kind of crack - dementia. At first, Alice is just one of many swimmers, but as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that narrator has a vested interest in her - is in fact her daughter - grieving the loss of her mind and imagining aspects of her mother’s life.

It’s at once a tale of immense grief, regret and pain, and a darkly comedic tale of life - the different roles we play, whether in our personal lives or our time at the swimming pool, or the nursing home. It’s beautiful rendered and I highly recommend reading it.

1umbrella1's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

lammeyb's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.0

poopierobroby's review against another edition

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dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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