A review by bafine
The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

adventurous emotional mysterious sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

The Night Swim is one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time. Goldin's writing is hypnotic. It's both sophisticated and colloquial. The reader learns about her characters through podcasts, letters, testimony, and third-person omnipotence. Different fonts help set the tone and re-set the voice in the reader's head (or is that just me?) The exploration of two mysteries spanning multiple decades is engaging and never overwhelming.

Of course, and maybe because I recently read Know My Name by Chanel Miller, I couldn't help but noticing how much the origin idea (golden boy destined for Olympic swimming brought to trial for rape and risks losing swimming career) resembles Miller's own trial against a now-famous rapist whose name I won't write. I'd guess that this was on purpose.

As long as you're okay reading about graphic rape, I'd absolutely recommend this book to all thriller lovers, and anyone who enjoys strong and curious female protagonists. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings