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autumnrevel's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I really enjoyed this read! A queer historical fiction and alternative WW2 timeline folllowing the lives of two queer individuals, there love, and the messy love triangle that seems to follow them throughout their lives.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Deadnaming, Antisemitism, and Dysphoria
Minor: Sexual content and Pregnancy
elliott_roi's review against another edition
5.0
ā Rating: 5/5 stars
š Publish date: Jan 30, 2024
Short review:
Very gender. All the feels. Loved it!
Long review:
I decided to pick up The Cure for Drowning when I saw it was a queer historical fiction set in Canada and Iām so glad I did! This quickly became a new favourite for me. I was laughing and crying throughout, and couldn't put it down!
The start of the book was very chilling and set the mood for the story. I loved the way magic was interwoven throughout the book in different ways, adding a mystical quality to everything.
I immediately loved Kit and related so much to their feelings about gender (and horses!) Rebekah was also a relatable character, nursing feelings she shouldn't have towards a friend and preferring to be inside reading. The story follows these characters from teens shirking chores to play in the river to teens fighting in WWII and against prejudice to adults unsure of their lives and feelings for each other.
I don't think I can properly describe the beautiful ways this book makes space for queerness during a time period where it was not accepted. My favourite example being the way Rebekah easily switches to they/them pronouns for Kit. There are certainly moments of heartbreak and hatred in this book, but what will stay with me is the hope.
A big thank you to Random House Canada and NetGalley for providing an early copy of this title. All thoughts are my own.
š Publish date: Jan 30, 2024
Short review:
Very gender. All the feels. Loved it!
Long review:
I decided to pick up The Cure for Drowning when I saw it was a queer historical fiction set in Canada and Iām so glad I did! This quickly became a new favourite for me. I was laughing and crying throughout, and couldn't put it down!
The start of the book was very chilling and set the mood for the story. I loved the way magic was interwoven throughout the book in different ways, adding a mystical quality to everything.
I immediately loved Kit and related so much to their feelings about gender (and horses!) Rebekah was also a relatable character, nursing feelings she shouldn't have towards a friend and preferring to be inside reading. The story follows these characters from teens shirking chores to play in the river to teens fighting in WWII and against prejudice to adults unsure of their lives and feelings for each other.
I don't think I can properly describe the beautiful ways this book makes space for queerness during a time period where it was not accepted. My favourite example being the way Rebekah easily switches to they/them pronouns for Kit. There are certainly moments of heartbreak and hatred in this book, but what will stay with me is the hope.
A big thank you to Random House Canada and NetGalley for providing an early copy of this title. All thoughts are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Homophobia
Moderate: Infidelity, Deadnaming, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
hmatt's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is such an original and compelling story. I read the entire second half of the book in one sitting. The changeling/nonbinary narrative was handled thoughtfully within its historical (and magical) contexts, and the main characters in particular were nuanced and well-written.
If I were to nitpick: I didn't get the sense of a long period of time passing in the first part of the book. I mostly only noticed this in contrast to the middle/war sections of the book and because, later on in the book, this time is referred to as if it were several formative years (and I think it was actually just a few months). The very end of the book(from when Landon came back) felt a little forced for the sake of the plot, as well. I completely understand the author's choices with wrapping everything up, but I think I would have been equally satisfied if Landon had stayed AWOL and we just did a little fade-to-black on the farm house with Kit, Rebekah, Adelaide, and Caroline .
There are definitely other queer WWII history novels out there, but I enjoyed the uniqueness of this Canadian take with its magical elements.
If I were to nitpick: I didn't get the sense of a long period of time passing in the first part of the book. I mostly only noticed this in contrast to the middle/war sections of the book and because, later on in the book, this time is referred to as if it were several formative years (and I think it was actually just a few months). The very end of the book
There are definitely other queer WWII history novels out there, but I enjoyed the uniqueness of this Canadian take with its magical elements.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, War, Violence, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Death, and Cursing
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Sexism
Minor: Classism and Sexual content
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