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The Pools by Bethan Roberts
Christmas 1985 Robert, only sixteen years old, is dead. His body has been found in the pond,near the power station of Oxfordshire, one of the typical small towns in nowhere. Nothing happens here, just nothing. Even Robert's violent death is more of an accident, an unhappy linkage of desires, longings, hopes for another life, and the fear of loss. How it could come to this, Bethan Roberts tells about it in silence water with a beguilantly simple, poetic language in which the threat of an inevitably tragic end is always present.There are Rob's parents, Howard and Kathryn. Howard, who is trapped in the compulsion of conventions to which he also wants to commit wife and son. Kathryn, who never wounded the loss of her first husband and tries to preserve the missed own happiness for her son. There is Joanna, Rob's beautiful clmate trying her sexual effect on the mentally restrained Shane although her interest is Rob. The wise and confident robe who only wants to get away from these confined conditions, just like them.It is the small gestures, the unsaid words that Bethan Roberts sets so masterfully that we read this novel like a psychothriller whose secret is the unfulfilled longing for life.
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First published October 1, 2007
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About the author
Bethan Roberts
12 books365 followersBethan Roberts was born in Abingdon. Her first novel 'The Pools' was published in 2007 and won a Jerwood/Arvon Young Writers’ Award. Her second novel 'The Good Plain Cook', published in 2008, was serialized on BBC Radio 4’s Book at Bedtime and was chosen as one of Time Out’s books of the year. 'My Policeman' was published by Chatto and Windus in February 2012 and was selected as that year's City Read for Brighton. Her latest novel, 'Mother Island', is longlisted for the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize. She also writes short stories (in 2006 she was awarded the Olive Cook short story prize by the Society of Authors) and drama for BBC Radio 4. Bethan has worked as a television documentary researcher, writer and assistant producer, and has taught Creative Writing at Chichester University and Goldsmiths College, London. She lives in Brighton with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 21, 2015
Book Review
The Pools by Bethan Roberts –
Serpent’s Tail Publishing – ISBN – 9781846686511
281 Pages - £7.99
The Pools looks at the death of Robert, a 15 year old boy, and the repercussions that the event has on people involved with the boy’s life.
The novel is set in a small town in Middle England, in the Mid 1980’s, where nothing seems to happen. The teenagers seem to suffer from terminal boredom, and when not at school talk about nothing in particular.
The characters of the parents are well drawn, and the fact that the courtship of Robert’s parents, Kathryn and Howard shows something of their lives together. Howard’s father died when he was young, and he spends much of his adult life looking out for and after his Mother, whilst Kathryn is a young widow.
Howard works at the local Power Station, whilst Kathryn is a Librarian, and their quiet domestic life of work, home, and the garden, which is Howard’s pride and joy, is bought into sharp relief by the arrival of their Son.
The book follows the life of the three, but it also includes Joanna, who becomes another narrator for the story. She is a friend of Roberts, who works Saturday’s in the local shop. Her domestic situation is in total contrast to Robert’s. Her Parents have split up, she rarely sees her Father, and she does not much care for her Mother’s new partner, Simon, he tries to tutor her in the ways of Literature and Poetry.
Joanna narrates Simon’s life when he is at school, and she develops a crush on her, even though his close friendships with other boys, and talent for art indicate to her that he may well not be interested.
The emerging sexuality of Robert is a topic that Howard, in his somewhat repressed way is uncomfortable in dealing with, which puts a distance between Father and Son. The closeness of their early relationship, Howard’s recollection of the first bike he bought for his son, and his remembrance of the Minnie Mouse bell, or the day that they spent at the Tank Museum, bonding over the weapons of war, is shown in direct contrast to the distant relationship, and distinct lack of understanding between the two at the end of the book.
The tragic and early death of Robert, by either drowning, or being stabbed by Shane, another boy who’s development was effected by a Car Accident is sign-posted from the prologue of the book, which shows Kathryn unable and unwilling to move, whilst Robert prepares her for their Son’s funeral.
At nearly three hundred pages, the book is not a short read, but the fact that the novel is chopped into small chapters, with each chapter narrated by either Joanna, or Howard, it helps to push the narrative thrust of the book along.
There are no unnecessary chapters or moments within the book as a whole, although the awkwardness of teenage life, and parents struggling with the changes that those teenage years brings is very well drawn through the whole of the book.
Howard cannot understand the leanings that his son is developing, but as their only child Kathryn feels it is important to encourage the artistic talents of their son, which leads to him changing schools, and meeting Joanna. The dichotomy of Howard’s way of wanting to bring up Robert, and his wives more bohemian way shows the times that the two were bought up. They were both children of the 1960’s, but with different outlooks and character imprints from that time.
As well as the novel, there is also a revealing story about how the book came to be written, and this helps to explain some of the choices in the authorial voices within the story, and it also says how even though she has had her novel published, she still has to struggle as much as anyone else to get the next one finished, which is reassuring news for anyone sitting at a computer, hammering out words, hoping that one day they may make sense to someone else.
The Pools by Bethan Roberts –
Serpent’s Tail Publishing – ISBN – 9781846686511
281 Pages - £7.99
The Pools looks at the death of Robert, a 15 year old boy, and the repercussions that the event has on people involved with the boy’s life.
The novel is set in a small town in Middle England, in the Mid 1980’s, where nothing seems to happen. The teenagers seem to suffer from terminal boredom, and when not at school talk about nothing in particular.
The characters of the parents are well drawn, and the fact that the courtship of Robert’s parents, Kathryn and Howard shows something of their lives together. Howard’s father died when he was young, and he spends much of his adult life looking out for and after his Mother, whilst Kathryn is a young widow.
Howard works at the local Power Station, whilst Kathryn is a Librarian, and their quiet domestic life of work, home, and the garden, which is Howard’s pride and joy, is bought into sharp relief by the arrival of their Son.
The book follows the life of the three, but it also includes Joanna, who becomes another narrator for the story. She is a friend of Roberts, who works Saturday’s in the local shop. Her domestic situation is in total contrast to Robert’s. Her Parents have split up, she rarely sees her Father, and she does not much care for her Mother’s new partner, Simon, he tries to tutor her in the ways of Literature and Poetry.
Joanna narrates Simon’s life when he is at school, and she develops a crush on her, even though his close friendships with other boys, and talent for art indicate to her that he may well not be interested.
The emerging sexuality of Robert is a topic that Howard, in his somewhat repressed way is uncomfortable in dealing with, which puts a distance between Father and Son. The closeness of their early relationship, Howard’s recollection of the first bike he bought for his son, and his remembrance of the Minnie Mouse bell, or the day that they spent at the Tank Museum, bonding over the weapons of war, is shown in direct contrast to the distant relationship, and distinct lack of understanding between the two at the end of the book.
The tragic and early death of Robert, by either drowning, or being stabbed by Shane, another boy who’s development was effected by a Car Accident is sign-posted from the prologue of the book, which shows Kathryn unable and unwilling to move, whilst Robert prepares her for their Son’s funeral.
At nearly three hundred pages, the book is not a short read, but the fact that the novel is chopped into small chapters, with each chapter narrated by either Joanna, or Howard, it helps to push the narrative thrust of the book along.
There are no unnecessary chapters or moments within the book as a whole, although the awkwardness of teenage life, and parents struggling with the changes that those teenage years brings is very well drawn through the whole of the book.
Howard cannot understand the leanings that his son is developing, but as their only child Kathryn feels it is important to encourage the artistic talents of their son, which leads to him changing schools, and meeting Joanna. The dichotomy of Howard’s way of wanting to bring up Robert, and his wives more bohemian way shows the times that the two were bought up. They were both children of the 1960’s, but with different outlooks and character imprints from that time.
As well as the novel, there is also a revealing story about how the book came to be written, and this helps to explain some of the choices in the authorial voices within the story, and it also says how even though she has had her novel published, she still has to struggle as much as anyone else to get the next one finished, which is reassuring news for anyone sitting at a computer, hammering out words, hoping that one day they may make sense to someone else.
February 14, 2021
This is the second book by Bethan Roberts that I have read (first being 'My policeman') and I think that they are a great author.
Although there is no real mystery or plot twist in this book, (we know that it will end with grief and death from the first chapter) I loved seeing the story develop. The author does a great job of showing us how the characters grow and change throughout the novel. We see a seemingly normal and ordinary family torn apart by the events of a single chapter. Knowing Rob's tragic fate from the start creates a sense of dread throughout the novel and made the happiest moments seem bitter sweet.
My only criticism is the ending. It left me feeling a bit depressed and in need of more information about the characters and certain elements of the plot.
It only took me a day to finish it which is quite quick for me. Overall, I would really recommend this book to anyone who liked 'My policeman' or for anyone who wants to go on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster.
Although there is no real mystery or plot twist in this book, (we know that it will end with grief and death from the first chapter) I loved seeing the story develop. The author does a great job of showing us how the characters grow and change throughout the novel. We see a seemingly normal and ordinary family torn apart by the events of a single chapter. Knowing Rob's tragic fate from the start creates a sense of dread throughout the novel and made the happiest moments seem bitter sweet.
My only criticism is the ending. It left me feeling a bit depressed and in need of more information about the characters and certain elements of the plot.
It only took me a day to finish it which is quite quick for me. Overall, I would really recommend this book to anyone who liked 'My policeman' or for anyone who wants to go on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster.
July 9, 2024
The Pools looks at the death of Robert, a 15-year-old boy, and the repercussions that the event has on people involved with the boy’s life.
The novel is set in a small town in Middle England, in the Mid 1980s, where nothing seems to happen. The teenagers seem to suffer from terminal boredom, and when not at school talk about nothing in particular.
The characters of the parents are well drawn, and the fact that the courtship of Robert’s parents, Kathryn and Howard shows something of their lives together. Howard’s father died when he was young, and he spends much of his adult life looking out for and after his Mother, whilst Kathryn is a young widow.
Howard works at the local Power Station, whilst Kathryn is a Librarian, and their quiet domestic life of work, home, and the garden, which is Howard’s pride and joy, is brought into sharp relief by the arrival of their Son.
The book follows the life of the three, but it also includes Joanna, who becomes another narrator for the story. She is a friend of Roberts, who works Saturdays in the local shop. Her domestic situation is in total contrast to Robert’s. Her Parents have split up, she rarely sees her Father, and she does not much care for her Mother’s new partner, Simon, he tries to tutor her in the ways of Literature and Poetry.
Joanna narrates Simon’s life when he is at school, and she develops a crush on her, even though his close friendships with other boys, and talent for art indicate to her that he may well not be interested.
The emerging sexuality of Robert is a topic that Howard, in his somewhat repressed way is uncomfortable in dealing with, which puts a distance between Father and Son. The closeness of their early relationship, Howard’s recollection of the first bike he bought for his son, and his remembrance of the Minnie Mouse bell, or the day that they spent at the Tank Museum, bonding over the weapons of war, is shown in direct contrast to the distant relationship, and distinct lack of understanding between the two at the end of the book.
The tragic and early death of Robert, by either drowning or being stabbed by Shane, another boy whose development was affected by a Car Accident is sign-posted from the prologue of the book, which shows Kathryn unable and unwilling to move, whilst Robert prepares her for their Son’s funeral.
At nearly three hundred pages, the book is not a short read, but the fact that the novel is chopped into small chapters, with each chapter narrated by either Joanna or Howard, helps to push the narrative thrust of the book along.
There are no unnecessary chapters or moments within the book as a whole, although the awkwardness of teenage life, and parents struggling with the changes that those teenage years bring is very well drawn through the whole of the book.
Howard cannot understand the leanings that his son is developing, but as their only child, Kathryn feels it is important to encourage the artistic talents of their son, which leads to him changing schools, and meeting Joanna. The dichotomy of Howard’s way of wanting to bring up Robert, and his wife's more bohemian way shows the times that the two were brought up. They were both children of the 1960s but with different outlooks and character imprints from that time.
As well as the novel, there is also a revealing story about how the book came to be written, and this helps to explain some of the choices in the authorial voices within the story, it also says how even though she has had her novel published, she still has to struggle as much as anyone else to get the next one finished, which is reassuring news for anyone sitting at a computer, hammering out words, hoping that one day they may make sense to someone else.
The novel is set in a small town in Middle England, in the Mid 1980s, where nothing seems to happen. The teenagers seem to suffer from terminal boredom, and when not at school talk about nothing in particular.
The characters of the parents are well drawn, and the fact that the courtship of Robert’s parents, Kathryn and Howard shows something of their lives together. Howard’s father died when he was young, and he spends much of his adult life looking out for and after his Mother, whilst Kathryn is a young widow.
Howard works at the local Power Station, whilst Kathryn is a Librarian, and their quiet domestic life of work, home, and the garden, which is Howard’s pride and joy, is brought into sharp relief by the arrival of their Son.
The book follows the life of the three, but it also includes Joanna, who becomes another narrator for the story. She is a friend of Roberts, who works Saturdays in the local shop. Her domestic situation is in total contrast to Robert’s. Her Parents have split up, she rarely sees her Father, and she does not much care for her Mother’s new partner, Simon, he tries to tutor her in the ways of Literature and Poetry.
Joanna narrates Simon’s life when he is at school, and she develops a crush on her, even though his close friendships with other boys, and talent for art indicate to her that he may well not be interested.
The emerging sexuality of Robert is a topic that Howard, in his somewhat repressed way is uncomfortable in dealing with, which puts a distance between Father and Son. The closeness of their early relationship, Howard’s recollection of the first bike he bought for his son, and his remembrance of the Minnie Mouse bell, or the day that they spent at the Tank Museum, bonding over the weapons of war, is shown in direct contrast to the distant relationship, and distinct lack of understanding between the two at the end of the book.
The tragic and early death of Robert, by either drowning or being stabbed by Shane, another boy whose development was affected by a Car Accident is sign-posted from the prologue of the book, which shows Kathryn unable and unwilling to move, whilst Robert prepares her for their Son’s funeral.
At nearly three hundred pages, the book is not a short read, but the fact that the novel is chopped into small chapters, with each chapter narrated by either Joanna or Howard, helps to push the narrative thrust of the book along.
There are no unnecessary chapters or moments within the book as a whole, although the awkwardness of teenage life, and parents struggling with the changes that those teenage years bring is very well drawn through the whole of the book.
Howard cannot understand the leanings that his son is developing, but as their only child, Kathryn feels it is important to encourage the artistic talents of their son, which leads to him changing schools, and meeting Joanna. The dichotomy of Howard’s way of wanting to bring up Robert, and his wife's more bohemian way shows the times that the two were brought up. They were both children of the 1960s but with different outlooks and character imprints from that time.
As well as the novel, there is also a revealing story about how the book came to be written, and this helps to explain some of the choices in the authorial voices within the story, it also says how even though she has had her novel published, she still has to struggle as much as anyone else to get the next one finished, which is reassuring news for anyone sitting at a computer, hammering out words, hoping that one day they may make sense to someone else.
August 30, 2021
The story's central event is the sudden death of 15-year-old Robert. It is told through Howard (his father) and Joanna (his friend), leaving blind spots about Rob's own experiences. There is not much mystery, and yet the layers in which the book comes together is refreshingly haunting. I liked the characters, how their experiences are all weaved, bit by bit, with subtle undertones and foreshadowing. The ending felt too quick compared to the steadiness with which the rest of the book flows and left me unsettled (but then I think a proper ending wouldn't be appropriate either).
November 16, 2018
I loved this! Just my sort of era.... from Robert's parents' courtship in the mid-Sixties to the climax of the novel in the winter of 1985. Lots of wonderful historical references relevant to the period, some of which I'd forgotten about (eg. Midnight Mint ice cream; Tomorrow's World and cerise pink kitten heels). This novel sums up the angst of being a teenager as well as the sexual tension. Throw in a boy with a mental illness resulting from a car accident caused by his father and it's a heady mix, which is bound to end in tragedy. I loved the the way the author switched from 15-year-old sexually provocative Joanna's viewpoint and her friend, Rob's father's viewpoint (Howard). A great contrast of how they see the world. Howard stuck in the 1950s and Joanna, a child of her time. The character I identified most with is Kathryn, Rob's mum. Having lost her first love to a motorbike accident, she settles for Howard, who you can't help thinking is second best. It's obvious he feels this, too. A wonderful book that I whizzed through in two days.
June 16, 2012
I finally got around to reading The Pools, it's been sitting on my shelf for far too long!
I really enjoyed this debut novel, it's a very complex story, and Roberts has dealt with it very well. The reader knows from the off that Robert is dead, and the story then goes back over the years, narrated alternatively by Howard; Robert's father and Joanna; Robert's class mate. There is an underlying air of tension and almost bleakness throughout the story. As relationships develop, and fail, the reader is allowed to see into the minds of the main characters.
This is not a joyful read, nor a happy story. It is unsettling and at times disturbing, but it is very well written with real power and emotion.
I really enjoyed this debut novel, it's a very complex story, and Roberts has dealt with it very well. The reader knows from the off that Robert is dead, and the story then goes back over the years, narrated alternatively by Howard; Robert's father and Joanna; Robert's class mate. There is an underlying air of tension and almost bleakness throughout the story. As relationships develop, and fail, the reader is allowed to see into the minds of the main characters.
This is not a joyful read, nor a happy story. It is unsettling and at times disturbing, but it is very well written with real power and emotion.
Read
December 20, 2022Bethan Roberts has started her literary career with a disturbing tale of Middle England, mid-1980s when the death of a teenager, Robert, is the inevitably conclusion to the paths of many lives.
This is a hard book to pin down. Beth rebuilds the events that lead up to Robert’s death but she goes further than that. She dismembers them. She gets under the skin of the narrators as she retraces the steps.
This is not a who dunnit. It’s not even a why dunnit. It’s story of life and how our characters might be natured as well as nurtured and how we can’t escape from what is in our hearts.
I wish that Roberts wasn’t so honest in her portrayal. I was she’d been more writery so that the story isn’t as brutal as it is. But she doesn’t flinch and she doesn’t pull her punches. She confronts the confusion we experience as we find out who we are and maybe face the realisation that we can’t escape what we done or perhaps the effect that our parents have on us.
Overall, Bethan has created a challenging novel that delves deep into the pools inside each one of us and it makes you question your own decisions. It also makes you thankful that you still have choices. An outstandingly insightful début.
This is a hard book to pin down. Beth rebuilds the events that lead up to Robert’s death but she goes further than that. She dismembers them. She gets under the skin of the narrators as she retraces the steps.
This is not a who dunnit. It’s not even a why dunnit. It’s story of life and how our characters might be natured as well as nurtured and how we can’t escape from what is in our hearts.
I wish that Roberts wasn’t so honest in her portrayal. I was she’d been more writery so that the story isn’t as brutal as it is. But she doesn’t flinch and she doesn’t pull her punches. She confronts the confusion we experience as we find out who we are and maybe face the realisation that we can’t escape what we done or perhaps the effect that our parents have on us.
Overall, Bethan has created a challenging novel that delves deep into the pools inside each one of us and it makes you question your own decisions. It also makes you thankful that you still have choices. An outstandingly insightful début.
April 2, 2023
Probably a 3.5 rating. Something of a slow burn set around the intimacies and tragedies, petty and significant, of family life. The 1980s setting is very well drawn out, as are the lives of parents seeking to fulfil their roles and the exploration of young people of their emerging sexualities. These are ultimately rather more significant for this book than the plot itself which takes a while to reach simmering temperature and never quite gets to the boil.
March 13, 2023
Interesting...
May 7, 2023
2.5 stars.
The ending was so unsatisfactory. Most disappointing read of 2023 so far.
The ending was so unsatisfactory. Most disappointing read of 2023 so far.
October 4, 2008
From the very beginning of Bethan Roberts' taut, haunting debut novel, we know that something awful has happened: Howard and Kathryn's son has died. But we don't know how, or why.
After alluding to Robert's death in the prologue, the author deftly takes the reader back in time through the eyes of the novel's two narrators: Howard and Robert's teenage classmate, Joanna.
The fact of Robert's death bookends this story, but the bulk of the novel and what makes it such an appealing read is what happens in between. With Howard, we go back to the mid 1960's, when he meets Kathryn at the library where she works, and follow the marriage some twenty years to the present day.
Joanna chimes in a third of the way through the novel, in the early 1980's. An attractive girl who is affected by her parents' divorce more than she wants to admit, Joanna uses her burgeoning sexuality to get what she wants in life, whether it be from the boys at school or her mother's creepy boyfriend.
Roberts' prose is striking in its ability to set a mood. She creates a palpable tension in and between her characters. There is a strong sense of Howard's timidity, his fear of saying or doing the wrong thing in Kathryn's eyes. Kathryn obviously holds her husband at arm's length, fixating on her son in what borders on an unhealthy way. Robert is typical in his desire to separate from his parents, but is never openly defiant, choosing instead to cling to the role of 'good boy.'
Depiste the serious subject matter this was a quick read, and one that was difficult to put down. There is so much atmosphere in this book. Foreboding. Tension. Relationships about to erupt or implode. Gripping and beautifully written, you will be thinking about the characters and events of The Pools long after you have read the last page.
After alluding to Robert's death in the prologue, the author deftly takes the reader back in time through the eyes of the novel's two narrators: Howard and Robert's teenage classmate, Joanna.
The fact of Robert's death bookends this story, but the bulk of the novel and what makes it such an appealing read is what happens in between. With Howard, we go back to the mid 1960's, when he meets Kathryn at the library where she works, and follow the marriage some twenty years to the present day.
Joanna chimes in a third of the way through the novel, in the early 1980's. An attractive girl who is affected by her parents' divorce more than she wants to admit, Joanna uses her burgeoning sexuality to get what she wants in life, whether it be from the boys at school or her mother's creepy boyfriend.
Roberts' prose is striking in its ability to set a mood. She creates a palpable tension in and between her characters. There is a strong sense of Howard's timidity, his fear of saying or doing the wrong thing in Kathryn's eyes. Kathryn obviously holds her husband at arm's length, fixating on her son in what borders on an unhealthy way. Robert is typical in his desire to separate from his parents, but is never openly defiant, choosing instead to cling to the role of 'good boy.'
Depiste the serious subject matter this was a quick read, and one that was difficult to put down. There is so much atmosphere in this book. Foreboding. Tension. Relationships about to erupt or implode. Gripping and beautifully written, you will be thinking about the characters and events of The Pools long after you have read the last page.
March 24, 2012
Time taken to read - 1 day
Blurb From Goodreads
“A complex anatomy of a murder. Bethan Roberts is a fearless writer. . . . A compelling debut.”—Louise Welsh“A cool and relevant novel . . . an urban Cold Comfort Farm . . . expertly crafted.”—Sunday ExpressMiddle England, mid-1980s: the kind of place where nothing ever happens. Except something has happened: A fifteen-year-old boy called Robert has died down by the pools. And half a dozen lives will come unraveled. The Pools subtly reveals the tensions and terrors that underpin apparently ordinary lives, causing them to spiral suddenly out of control.Bethan Roberts lives in Brighton in the south of England. The Pools is her first novel.
My Review
The story starts with the death of 15 year old Robert and the chapters flick between Howard his dad and Joanna (not sure what she was to Robert, a classmate or even an acquaintance). Then it jumps back to Howard and his meeting with Roberts mum and their relationship to present day and Joanna's first encounter with Rob to present day.
Howard and Kathryn's relationship makes for good reading and how it changes and they are with their son, Howard's neediness and the different dimensions of his relationship with his wife. Joanna I wasn't sure what to make of her, there seemed to be no reason (none that is explained) to her behaviors and to be honest I didn't much like her character at all but she is a big part in the story.
The event that the book is centered around (Rob's death) is very briefly covered and to be honest I think I would have given a much better rating and enjoyed it more had we had more time devoted to it than say the toying relationship between Joanna and her step dad or even her interactions with her own father. Either way not a bad first novel but I am not raving over it either, so a likable 3/5.
Blurb From Goodreads
“A complex anatomy of a murder. Bethan Roberts is a fearless writer. . . . A compelling debut.”—Louise Welsh“A cool and relevant novel . . . an urban Cold Comfort Farm . . . expertly crafted.”—Sunday ExpressMiddle England, mid-1980s: the kind of place where nothing ever happens. Except something has happened: A fifteen-year-old boy called Robert has died down by the pools. And half a dozen lives will come unraveled. The Pools subtly reveals the tensions and terrors that underpin apparently ordinary lives, causing them to spiral suddenly out of control.Bethan Roberts lives in Brighton in the south of England. The Pools is her first novel.
My Review
The story starts with the death of 15 year old Robert and the chapters flick between Howard his dad and Joanna (not sure what she was to Robert, a classmate or even an acquaintance). Then it jumps back to Howard and his meeting with Roberts mum and their relationship to present day and Joanna's first encounter with Rob to present day.
Howard and Kathryn's relationship makes for good reading and how it changes and they are with their son, Howard's neediness and the different dimensions of his relationship with his wife. Joanna I wasn't sure what to make of her, there seemed to be no reason (none that is explained) to her behaviors and to be honest I didn't much like her character at all but she is a big part in the story.
The event that the book is centered around (Rob's death) is very briefly covered and to be honest I think I would have given a much better rating and enjoyed it more had we had more time devoted to it than say the toying relationship between Joanna and her step dad or even her interactions with her own father. Either way not a bad first novel but I am not raving over it either, so a likable 3/5.
February 5, 2012
I read this book over the space of a couple of afternoons, and whilst it is a quick read, it is still a powerful story.
Told through a sequence of narratives, The Pools follows the lives of Howard and Kathryn, both damaged individuals in their own way , with the consequence of this damage being followed into the next generation. Their son Robert, is fighting for his own independence, and the need to become his own person. At the same time, Joanna, a school friend of Robert's is struggling with her own thoughts, feelings, and burgeoning sexuality.
When fifteen year old Robert is found dead at a local landmark known as The Pools, the story told retrospectively by all the characters is spellbinding,full of menace, and when the ultimate betrayal happens, the consequences are far reaching, and heart breaking.
Enjoyed it.
Told through a sequence of narratives, The Pools follows the lives of Howard and Kathryn, both damaged individuals in their own way , with the consequence of this damage being followed into the next generation. Their son Robert, is fighting for his own independence, and the need to become his own person. At the same time, Joanna, a school friend of Robert's is struggling with her own thoughts, feelings, and burgeoning sexuality.
When fifteen year old Robert is found dead at a local landmark known as The Pools, the story told retrospectively by all the characters is spellbinding,full of menace, and when the ultimate betrayal happens, the consequences are far reaching, and heart breaking.
Enjoyed it.
October 31, 2008
This is a debut novel and starts off with a wonderful sense of dread and fear. Everyday events all seem to have a sinister undercurrent, which is mainly caused by the foreshadowing when we know that the child Robert is dead - found at the eponymous pools.
The book then starts to lose its way, as it is told from the view point of the emotionally stunted father, howard, the mother, kathryn and a friend - a chav trolloppe, joanne.
Once the early promise and sinister atmosphere wears off - it moves into a book where not a lot happens - Yes, Robert is gay, the parents (and there courtship from the 60s) are nicely rounded and Joanna's home life and maturing sexuality are well examined - but not a lot happens in the story.
Promising but not spectacular.
The book then starts to lose its way, as it is told from the view point of the emotionally stunted father, howard, the mother, kathryn and a friend - a chav trolloppe, joanne.
Once the early promise and sinister atmosphere wears off - it moves into a book where not a lot happens - Yes, Robert is gay, the parents (and there courtship from the 60s) are nicely rounded and Joanna's home life and maturing sexuality are well examined - but not a lot happens in the story.
Promising but not spectacular.
December 31, 2011
As dark, moody and mysterious as its cover, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. The blurb paints it as a sort of murder mystery, but it’s actually the story of the events leading up to a death, and an examination of the personalities involved. It is character-based fiction at its very best, the author writing with a quiet confidence, depicting the victim’s father, Howard, with particular skill. As ill at ease with himself as he is with his wife and son, he is a fascinating character. I was less clear about the other narrator, Joanna, whose aims and motivations were not always clear, but her story was very good nonetheless. I would definitely read more by this author.
November 23, 2009
Couldn't stop reading this (finished it in 2 days). Very well written first novel. Starts with a death and rewinds the story to explain the relationships of those involved. More a character study than a murder mystery. Characters realistic, set in the UK in the 80s. Leaves you feeling sad and with some unanswered questions (in a way that fits the plot and makes it more realistic). I will look for more from this author.
July 19, 2010
Set in a fictionalized version of where I live, whuch I found extraordinarily distracting for some reason.
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August 7, 2011Absolutely amazing, brilliantly written. I devoured it.
August 10, 2011
Terrific.
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