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A review by heniaakbar
The Night Swim by Megan Goldin
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
5.0
This is simple yet powerful story. I understand that most of thrillers have some degrees of relatability to us in a real life, but this is one of those which hits the nail. Spot on.
What I Like:
1. The theme. Although rape and sexual crimes are something as common as murder, this theme will never get exhausting.
2. Fact-spitting honesty: when murder occurs, no one doubts its wrongness, no one doubts that the guilty party is the killer. When rape occurs, however, some people, even the rapist, still see it as "depends", or worse, they blame the victim. It's what the victim is wearing, it's their fault because they go out and drink with men, it's their fault to walk alone in the dark. They're asking for it.
3. Sometimes people even defend the perp, especially if he has power, wealth, money and if they're good looking.
4. Not much plot twist which can be explored in the end, but still managed to be engaging.
5. This book jumps back and forth between the present (Rachel and the Podcast) and the past (Jenny's story, through Hannah's POV), and all of them intertwined just neatly without being overlapping.
6. Jenny is what happened when a group of men see a beautiful girl, can't keep their pants off, and then blaming the girl for being pretty. The crime happens "just because" and that's the worst kind of crime. At least Scott Blair has motives.
7. The courtroom trial is EXCELLENT!
8. It's devastating that we are this close to lose the case. Imagine if Vince wasn't there to testify, what will happen with the case? It's frustrating to see so many rapists walk free because the victim is just to afraid to speak.
9. Also learn the humiliating state of rape kit examination. Didn't think it would be this hard.
10. Some thrillers don't need to be all complicated and twisty, yet still give you the thrill. With its narration, delivery and the simplicity of it all, Megan Goldin gives a spine shivering tale and at the same time gives us a hard slap on the face.
I love this book so much.
What I Like:
1. The theme. Although rape and sexual crimes are something as common as murder, this theme will never get exhausting.
2. Fact-spitting honesty: when murder occurs, no one doubts its wrongness, no one doubts that the guilty party is the killer. When rape occurs, however, some people, even the rapist, still see it as "depends", or worse, they blame the victim. It's what the victim is wearing, it's their fault because they go out and drink with men, it's their fault to walk alone in the dark. They're asking for it.
3. Sometimes people even defend the perp, especially if he has power, wealth, money and if they're good looking.
4. Not much plot twist which can be explored in the end, but still managed to be engaging.
5. This book jumps back and forth between the present (Rachel and the Podcast) and the past (Jenny's story, through Hannah's POV), and all of them intertwined just neatly without being overlapping.
6. Jenny is what happened when a group of men see a beautiful girl, can't keep their pants off, and then blaming the girl for being pretty. The crime happens "just because" and that's the worst kind of crime. At least Scott Blair has motives.
7. The courtroom trial is EXCELLENT!
8. It's devastating that we are this close to lose the case. Imagine if Vince wasn't there to testify, what will happen with the case? It's frustrating to see so many rapists walk free because the victim is just to afraid to speak.
9. Also learn the humiliating state of rape kit examination. Didn't think it would be this hard.
10. Some thrillers don't need to be all complicated and twisty, yet still give you the thrill. With its narration, delivery and the simplicity of it all, Megan Goldin gives a spine shivering tale and at the same time gives us a hard slap on the face.
I love this book so much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence