Swimming

by Joanna Hershon

Twenty years ago, Vivian Silver abandoned her dreams of travel to marry the mysterious Jeb Wheeler, seduced both by his unnerving charm and his acres of untamed New Hampshire land. The hand-built house and swimming pond become the center of the universe for their entire family. Lila, their youngest, is consumed with love for her two older brothers, Aaron and Jack, and remains blind to the simmering tension between them. For beneath the surface of their idyllic setting lies a depth of explosive feeling that none of them can control.

Into this heated atmosphere glides Aaron’s girlfriend, Suzanne, whose presence is threatening, exciting; Lila thrills to the ominous quality of Aaron’s absolute adoration for this young woman. Before her visit is over, Suzanne will unleash the forces of rage between Aaron and Jack, compelling one brother to commit an act against the other that can never be taken back.
A decade later, living in New York, Lila still searches for Aaron, who disappeared that night, and Suzanne, whose mystique still exerts a hold on her memory. For Lila to move past her family’s tragedy, she must piece together what happened that fateful weekend–and recover the things lost down by the water–before she can at last let them go.

A stunning literary novel that captures the lingering effects of longing and loss, Swimming is by turns a gripping family story, a heartbreaking coming of age journey, and a suspenseful psychological investigation into the meaning and limits of fidelity, identity, and intimacy.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Fiction, Drama, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Womens Fiction, Relationships, Book Club

356 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I had this paperback for some time and I was reminded of it again when the author’s new book, A Dual Inheritance was recently reviewed. This is a compelling tale of sibling rivalry, jealousy and the consequences of pent up anger. No one character is perfectly good or perfectly bad, which makes the family dynamics all the more real for me. The novel is suspenseful, even though the tragic main event happens early on in the story. Still, I was captivated until the end as layers and riddles of the story began to peel away. I couldn't put this one down and I look forward to reading her new book.

[Shannon The Co-Captain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love how the story unfolds with going back in time when the events actually took place and then unfolding the mystery in present day. The book has a very dark tone and that's probably one of the things I liked so much about it. I don't think the story focuses as much on the sibling rivalry as how the tragedy has shaped Lila's life. I didn't connect at all with the parents but really liked all the other characters. It's definitely worth reading.

[Em · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found the writing to be tedious and inane. This sentence:

Suzanna hadn't been with him in the same kind of way--the way that brought his heart into his thighs, when his mouth was full with the back of his ribs and everything moved better.

just makes me say "HUH?!?" Gems like that are sprinkled throughout the book. How did it ever get into print?

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is approximately 2:38 in the morning and I have just finished reading "Swimming." I could not put this book down even after reminding myself of everything I have to do today like church and hosting a sleepover for my teenager.

Hershon is riveting with her descriptions. Everyone is off kilter, a little strange but believable in this novel that has to do with consequences, searching and heartbreak.

This book was emotionally wrenching so I've got to rest and not read anything too over the top for a few days.

I never like to give things away when I review a book. But here there is a ten year old mystery that has kept a protagonist in limbo. There is a colorful cast to support the oddities that the writer delves into and I thoroughly enjoyed how she pulled everything together.

I highly recommend this book to people.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh, I say. There was a fair amount of sex and longing, which was fun. The night at the lake was intense. I could have done without the entire second section...that girl was a whine-fest. And while I liked that the brother had an unexpected life, I thought the reunion was a stretch.

That's about all I can say without a spoiler alert.

[allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cried on the subway as I finished this book, but I can't say I loved it. The story is great, but even after nearly 300 or so pages, I never really felt close to or like I identified with any of the characters.

[John · Rating 1 out of 5]

Overwrought, indulgent and pseudo-intellectual. Complete crap and a complete waste of my time. The main character is totally unlikable and I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to spend time with her. Skip this, please.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time sticking with this book. The writing felt very dense and I found myself frequently thinking "Come on! Get to the point already!" Too slow moving and lethargic for my tastes.

[Coryn Wallick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was okay, because there were some interesting parts, but it was also kind of boring. I didn't like the beginning of the book because it wasn't very interesting and it had information that didn't really matter in the book. I thought the plot was good, but the characters made it a little boring. I didn't really like the characters except for Lila, the younger sister of the two main characters, I liked her because she was nice and believes in her brothers. I didn't like Jack because he made Aaron mad, after spending a lot of time with his girlfriend. I didn't really like Aaron either because he wants things to go his way all the time. I didn't like Suzanne either because even though she says that she cares for Aaron she spends a lot of time with Jack, she is also self absorbed. I thought the book could have included more characters to make the book more interesting. I did like the part when broke the door, because it was very interesting to see what she would do about it, especially since it was new, and she was at Aaron's parents house. I think the book did have a little suspense when trying to figure out what happened to make Suzanne stop swimming.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one that tugs at the heart strings. A story of a family focusing on the relationships between siblings, mostly between sister and brother, and how tragedy can take its toll on a family. This book is very well written and truly details each characters life and dynamics in relationships.

[Maria Arechiga · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't liked this book at first because I found it kind of boring and it wouldn't grab my attention and it was kind of confusing but as a kept reading it became more interesting. I think it would've been better if the book had Suzanne, Aaron and Lila's point of view because they are the character that the book is more focused on.

[Debi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up the book at a used book store, and I read it because it's been recommended for those who enjoyed Girls in Trouble (Caroline Leavitt), A Map of the World (Jane Hamilton), and Perfect Family (Pam Lewis).

Like A Map of the World, the mood and pace are suitably downtrodden and labored, considering the plot and its effect on the characters. Like Perfect Family, their path may have gone differently if not for one rash choice. Caroline Leavitt or Elizabeth Brundage could have handled this character/plot stew in a more adept, haunting, and riveting manner, but it's still quite good--especially for a first novel. I know I'll read more by Joanna Hershon.

As in real life, I found myself drawn to the characters I understood the least or knew the least about. Vivian, Jeb, and Jack were piteously silent or absent, but this is also what Lila wished was not so. Another similarity to reality is the instability of impressions the characters make. Just when I thought I had a handle on Pria, Suzanne, or even Lila, I had to take something else into consideration, or adjust my opinion based on new information.

I feel I'm being harder on this book than I should be, for much of the prose is startlingly keen. One of my favorite descriptions, typical of the author's style, signals a generational action in a particular place: the pond. "A kiss can be as miniscule as a moth or the tiny flame it craves, a torn fingernail or an eyelash; and yet a kiss can be huge. It can be as expansive and dangerous as this one was. It can be the origin of a family" (6).

[Edienna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those books I read while traveling, so somehow whenever i think about the book, I see it happening there. The book deals with a lot of family and relationship drama, everything feels kind of dark and heavy ...not like a fairy tale or anything. The people in the story seemed so real and imperfect.

I read it a little while ago so i don't as much remember the words but more of the things that happened and the way it made me feel. And the feeling I got from it was a very dark yet natural sadness, also a sense of family and love and all the heartbreak and questions that come with that. I also remember that the book to me had a very odd sense of time.

It spanned longer than I thought it would and the past and present seemed to mix together a bit. I also found myself not being able to tell whether or not i liked the people in the story at all, these days it seems as though everything is put into categories...good and bad. So not being able to put these character in those categories not only made them more real to me but kept me on the edge of my seat.

I didn't expect the things that happened to happen and that in itself makes an exciting read.

[Kinsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

1/17/11
I have to say that so far I am not loving this book. I am not far into it, but it is not grabbing my attention at the moment.

1/18/11
Okay, so I am enjoying this book a lot more. It is sad and confusing and very realistic. I feel for all of them. Lila, the little girl makes me worry. She seems to involved in what her older brothers are doing, she seems to treat them more like the parents. Vivian and Jeb must have some problems that aren't brought to light yet, or will never be. They are very unusual parents. Smoking joints, letting their 8 year old drink wine, not really interacting, having the kids call them by their names. Kinda strange. SPOILER ALERT* Jack just died, so I am interested to see how they react. I am more interested in what is not being brought to light than what is...I guess that is normal though.

1/21/10
Lila has issues. I guess knowing your brother drowned in you family pond and then seeing him dead would give you issues, but still...she's got zero confidence and no trist for anyone.

[Michelle Only Wants to Read · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't. The plot is decent, and the writing is not horrible. She goes into many useless details that felt as fillers, rather than adding anything to the story.

The characters are not that interesting in general. From the start I knew one of the brothers was going to die. No surprise there. The second part of the book was dreadful. Lila is odd and annoying. I couldn't connect to her, or understand her sickly and almost sexual obsession with her brothers. I was supposed to care about her and her tragedy, but I couldn't. The only one I cared about in the book was Ben.

The everybody is happy ending was predictable and boring. Am I really to believe that she just happened to bump into her brother on the same day she made it into Ann Arbor? And things just get peachy in 48 hours? Sorry, not buying it.

Ok, maybe this book is meant for a different audience.

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and one half stars. This book has been on my to read list for some time.

It's really two stories- there is the story of two brothers and what leads up to a tragedy, and the second is a story about their little sister's coming of age.

The story reminded me of East of Eden: the good brother and the bad one, but that's where the similarities end.

I found some of the characters well defined, but Jack was elusive to me, as were the parents Jeb and Vivian. I wanted to know why the boys came to dislike each other so much. There were hints but I never felt satisfied that I had figured them out.

The second half the of book moved slowly at times, and I became impatient with Lila's circular trek towards the truth.

Overall the book was entertaining and I did keep reading to see if things would be resolved.

[Maryann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aaron, Jack, and Lila are siblings. One horrible night, Jack falls and nothing is ever the same again. Aaron disappears, and Lila spends the next ten years looking for him.

*sigh* The more I read, the more of a book snob I become, and the harder it is to read mediocre storytelling. This is the author's debut novel and it's alright. There are moments when her attempts at deep, meaningful emotion actually work. Most of the time, however, it feels like she's just trying a little too hard. The end is slightly redeeming.

Food: that meal on the menu that really sells itself with luscious descriptions and a great glam shot, but when you get it, it's just okay. You wouldn't send it back and it filled your belly, but maybe you could have had something that would have been just a little better.

[Teshamae · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book centers around one fateful night at a New Hampshire pond where jealousy rages out of control and suddenly the life of a Wheeler boy is over. The problem with this book was that I didn't really like the characters. There was the teenage girl who was dating one brother and wanted another. She was a liar and a cheat. There was the weird brother, and the handsome one, who was gone for most of the book. And there was the little girl searching for answers -- she was the only one I liked. I don't think I'd pick up another book by this author.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fabulous book, I started it weeks ago, rarely had time to pick it up so was very slow reading. And then last night I picked it up cause I had some time, starting at chapter 4. By midway through chapter 4 I was unable to put it down! I got so engrossed I actually used my cell phone to try and read some more in the dark! The characters were very engaging, the mystery and the search for Lila felt very real and I wanted her to find the answers, even though I already knew what had happened, I wanted her to know. I highly recommend this book.

[Malissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first part of the book is not captivating at all. I was reading through the pages wondering what the point was, or what the book was even about. There was plenty of forshadowing to suggest that something terrible was going to happen to the brother, so it wasn't a shocker and did not affect me emotionally. However, the story shifted when it came to Lila's perspective 10years after the fact. The story became more interesting and progressed as she came closer and closer to finding her brother. I liked the ending section, happy to have finished it and moving on!

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this book up from a library sale, not knowing anything about the author, but it looked like something I would enjoy.
It was a chore to get through. The characters are all off center and not at all interesting or believable. This is a debut novel for Hershon and it reads like she is trying too hard. Descriptions were over done. Too much minutia - felt like filler for the story.
The story line itself could be plausible if told differently.
This book will be leaving my house through the back door.

[H.L. Gibson · Rating 1 out of 5]

The tension between the brothers is never explained. If it's just typical brother stuff, so what. Same for the father: why is he so mysterious? Who knows? I'm thinking if just one of these people would have spoken to another, they would have resolved all their problems instead of going through life wondering and supposing. But then there wouldn't be a story. Actually, there still isn't. Most boring book I've ever read. Couldn't have cared less about any of the characters. It's not that the writing was bad, it was just boring.

[Marsha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was pure nonsense and a waste of shelf space. The first part was just filled with unnecessary inner thoughts of the characters, sex, and swear words.

This may be a stretch, but the rest of the book reminded me of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens". Both characters are trying to figure out their past and find someone who is hiding from them.

The only reason I gave the book a two was for how interesting part 3 of the book was.

[Paige Kress · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just don’t know. At times I hated this book but I always felt compelled to find out if Lila was going to find her brother. I am not a fan of the author’s descriptive writing. I found myself skimming through things that didn’t seem pertinent to the story. The beginning was very hard to read, but her writing got easier as the book went on. I am glad I finished it, but can’t say I’d recommend it.

[Cera Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's something about this book that has stayed with me long after I read it. It's heady and lustful and charged and yes...imperfect. The first and last sections of the book are worth reading it for, though the middle section lags and feels unnecessary with its lack of suspense. Still, I think I'll read it again someday for the atmosphere.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh, this book was alright. It has been on my to read list forever so I thought it was time to dig in. Beginning had a lot of promise but then the books jumps into the future 20 years and the characters are just yuck. Not a fan. The last half of the book is better but not good. Ending was fine.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved reading this. beautiful, sensual, dark and tragic mystery about family bonds, desire, jealousy and the relativity of truth.

[Morgan Stoner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Such an odd read.. WAY too descriptive, & I don’t normally mind that. I did have a decent amount of interest in the concept & kept going, but the vibes were off.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I had read reviews where others thought Lila was too much of a whiner, but I sympathized with her situation. I really loved Joanna’s writing style. It could be very detailed at times but I liked the details and how she shared them. You felt like you were there and her character development was excellent! Sometimes a novel can really absorb you and this one did that for me. It was hard to put down, even to the end. Death can be a bizarre, crazy thing for some people and none of us grieves the same. I loved the perspective of an 8 year old and the fact that her brothers were so much older than her. I think this will be a novel I won’t soon forget...which can happen to even some of the best novels.

[Diane Eskridge · Rating 2 out of 5]

In theory, this has the makings for a great story but in reality it fell just a little short for my taste. I enjoyed the characters, it has a good story line, it just developed a little slowly for me. While I enjoyed the ending the most the closing seemed a bit abrupt, especially in comparison to the rest of the storytelling being so drawn out.