lilyaronovitz 's review for:

Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland

4.0

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Immediately from the first few pages, I was hooked on this book because it didn't waste any time jumping into the action. Similarly, it doesn't get stuck on the main premise of just Florence's death, as there is so much going on with all the side characters in the novel, and there is overall so much complexity keeping the book vibrant and captivating throughout. I really loved all the characters, each one with a nice balance of both good and bad qualities that kept them both likable and realistic. No matter which "sub-plotline" the chapter was about, I was genuinely interested and invested. Although obviously being historical fiction is a large aspect of this story, it isn't overbearing in the writing. The writing is still very approachable and relatable on many levels, with the historical elements also mixed it.
The only let down of this novel was the ending which wasn't as satisfying as I was hoping for, but also wasn't particularly surprising. But the connection that I felt to each character and the balance between light-hearted and depressing that this story strikes was really unique, and overall this was a really great and enjoyable read.