Scan barcode
A review by heykellyjensen
Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Bick
Wow.
Just.
Wow.
This is a story about very, very broken people in very, very terrible situations and the drastic, desperate attempts they make to help themselves (and one another). Jenna's voice is knock out, and it's exactly what you'd expect it to be for someone who has dealt with the immense amounts of pain she's dealt with. I'm not sure if this is worth putting a spoiler up on, since I won't in a longer review, but just in case: Spoiler there's an illicit relationship between a girl and her teacher, and it's one that you question not only as a reader because you know it's wrong, but you question it right as Jenna questions it, too. Is it real? Is it authentic? Or is she being toyed with? She comes up with the answer, but even after finishing the book I'm wondering .
All I wanted was for someone to reach out a hand to this poor girl. Spoiler Which I guess happens in the end, literally but making me feel that much for a character is impressive.
I'm a bit enamored and horrified by the setting, too. Because it's done so well and since I know these places, I can picture them too well, too. And there's the whole bit about how people here (in Wisconsin, in the midwest) are different than those in other places -- that's said by Mitch -- and it's so, so spot on and relevant to everything else that happens in the story. Bick really infuses the story with a local angle that I appreciate greatly, but it's not at the expense of making any readers who don't "get" it feel like they're missing anything.
I found myself tearing up a couple times while reading, too. I really have a heart for broken people, I think, but moreso Spoiler when all I want for them is to be loved and to love themselves which...that stuff tears at me .
Full review here: http://www.stackedbooks.org/2012/02/drowning-instinct-by-ilsa-j-bick.html
Just.
Wow.
This is a story about very, very broken people in very, very terrible situations and the drastic, desperate attempts they make to help themselves (and one another). Jenna's voice is knock out, and it's exactly what you'd expect it to be for someone who has dealt with the immense amounts of pain she's dealt with. I'm not sure if this is worth putting a spoiler up on, since I won't in a longer review, but just in case: Spoiler there's an illicit relationship between a girl and her teacher, and it's one that you question not only as a reader because you know it's wrong, but you question it right as Jenna questions it, too. Is it real? Is it authentic? Or is she being toyed with? She comes up with the answer, but even after finishing the book I'm wondering .
All I wanted was for someone to reach out a hand to this poor girl. Spoiler Which I guess happens in the end, literally but making me feel that much for a character is impressive.
I'm a bit enamored and horrified by the setting, too. Because it's done so well and since I know these places, I can picture them too well, too. And there's the whole bit about how people here (in Wisconsin, in the midwest) are different than those in other places -- that's said by Mitch -- and it's so, so spot on and relevant to everything else that happens in the story. Bick really infuses the story with a local angle that I appreciate greatly, but it's not at the expense of making any readers who don't "get" it feel like they're missing anything.
I found myself tearing up a couple times while reading, too. I really have a heart for broken people, I think, but moreso Spoiler when all I want for them is to be loved and to love themselves which...that stuff tears at me .
Full review here: http://www.stackedbooks.org/2012/02/drowning-instinct-by-ilsa-j-bick.html