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A review by cassiealexandra
The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
Lee was a New York restauranteur before the pandemic. Fleeing her career failure, some major debt to a dangerous man, and familial strife with her sister, she's now in Seattle, Washington. One night as she sleeps in her car (home) along the beach of an upscale neighborhood where she hopes to go unnoticed, she hears a woman's screams. Lee ends up saving Hazel's life, but Hazel isn't grateful for the rescue. The women start an unlikely friendship where Hazel shares about her abusive marriage and desire for escape.
I really liked this one and felt like every time I had the plot figured out, there was more to the story. I was a definitely uncomfortable with the nature of the abusive marriage, and normally would never pick up a story with BDSM and a total power exchange in it, but none of it was explicit or descriptive. I liked seeing the way each of the main characters developed, and liked the dual point of view. There were a couple of times when Lee came off as naive. It was also interesting to explore the topic of homelessness and privilege through this lens.
Overall, I'd recommend this one to readers who are okay with some gruesome scenes, enjoy some twists and turns, and like to puzzle out plots.
I really liked this one and felt like every time I had the plot figured out, there was more to the story. I was a definitely uncomfortable with the nature of the abusive marriage, and normally would never pick up a story with BDSM and a total power exchange in it, but none of it was explicit or descriptive. I liked seeing the way each of the main characters developed, and liked the dual point of view. There were a couple of times when Lee came off as naive. It was also interesting to explore the topic of homelessness and privilege through this lens.
Overall, I'd recommend this one to readers who are okay with some gruesome scenes, enjoy some twists and turns, and like to puzzle out plots.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual violence