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A review by cristinasuarezmunoz
Left Drowning by Jessica Park
3.0
I wanted to love Left Drowning. No, I wanted to adore it and I had such high hopes but sadly and I hate to admit it, I was disappointed but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it. It pains me to write it, say it, think it…when I don’t love a book, especially when I am a fan of the author. I fell in love with her previous book, Flat Out Love; I wanted to feel that same reaction to this book.
Jessica’s writing is still stellar, the characters she has created are brilliantly flawed and there was a good dose of mystery. All of those elements are present and amazing however, the story itself was missing something. And I think it had something to do with the consistency of the overall fluidity. There were hiccups along the way that distracted me from falling in love with the story and it kept me from feeling emotionally invested in the main characters. At times the dialogue felt somewhat forced between Blythe and Chris, perhaps it had to do with their more intimate moments because it didn’t always feel genuine.
With all of that aside, Jessica Park has created a group of unforgettable characters and they each have their own story to tell (I could totally see this being a series and Sabin needs his own book). The relationship between Chris and all his siblings gave me that warm and fuzzy feeling, I could see it being over-the-top but I rather enjoyed that dysfunctional group of people! And can I just say how much I loved the wit throughout this story?? It’s classic Jessica and I enjoyed it immensely.
“I am hit with the enormity of the impact that this family is having in my life. They, and mostly Chris, are saving me. Or teaching me to save myself.”
While Chris and Blythe fall in love rather quickly, it’s not an easy relationship and the drama is intense and it turns into something much more painful. The story isn’t predictable, it’s slow building and the flashback sequences are crucial to understanding the mystery that surrounds Chris and Blythe.
“I guess I liked the idea that... well, that there might be some kind of larger meaning to life or whatever. My mother was into that. She had a nonreligious spiritual side to her, if that makes any sense. She believed in the idea of fate and destiny. An interconnectedness and purpose in life.”
Even though I had issues with Left Drowning, I still enjoyed it. Ultimately the good outweighs the not so great and who knows, this could be your next favorite book!
Jessica’s writing is still stellar, the characters she has created are brilliantly flawed and there was a good dose of mystery. All of those elements are present and amazing however, the story itself was missing something. And I think it had something to do with the consistency of the overall fluidity. There were hiccups along the way that distracted me from falling in love with the story and it kept me from feeling emotionally invested in the main characters. At times the dialogue felt somewhat forced between Blythe and Chris, perhaps it had to do with their more intimate moments because it didn’t always feel genuine.
With all of that aside, Jessica Park has created a group of unforgettable characters and they each have their own story to tell (I could totally see this being a series and Sabin needs his own book). The relationship between Chris and all his siblings gave me that warm and fuzzy feeling, I could see it being over-the-top but I rather enjoyed that dysfunctional group of people! And can I just say how much I loved the wit throughout this story?? It’s classic Jessica and I enjoyed it immensely.
“I am hit with the enormity of the impact that this family is having in my life. They, and mostly Chris, are saving me. Or teaching me to save myself.”
While Chris and Blythe fall in love rather quickly, it’s not an easy relationship and the drama is intense and it turns into something much more painful. The story isn’t predictable, it’s slow building and the flashback sequences are crucial to understanding the mystery that surrounds Chris and Blythe.
“I guess I liked the idea that... well, that there might be some kind of larger meaning to life or whatever. My mother was into that. She had a nonreligious spiritual side to her, if that makes any sense. She believed in the idea of fate and destiny. An interconnectedness and purpose in life.”
Even though I had issues with Left Drowning, I still enjoyed it. Ultimately the good outweighs the not so great and who knows, this could be your next favorite book!