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Drowning Is Inevitable
Olivia has spent her whole life struggling to escape her dead mother’s shadow. But when her father can’t even look at her because Olivia reminds him of her mother, and her grandmother mistakenly calls her “Lillian,” shaking a reputation she didn’t ask for is next to impossible. Olivia is used to leaning on her best friend, Jamie; her handsome but hot-tempered boyfriend, Max; and their wild-child friend, Maggie, for the reality check that her small Louisiana town can’t provide. But when a terrible fight between Jamie and his father turns deadly, all Olivia can think to do is grab her friends and run.
In a flash, Olivia, Jamie, Max, and Maggie become fugitives on the back roads of Louisiana. They’re headed to New Orleans, where they hope to find a solution to an unfixable problem. But with their faces displayed on all the news stations, their journey becomes a harrowing game of hide-and-seek from the police—and so-called allies, who just might be the real enemy.
Shalanda Stanley’s breathtaking debut novel explores the deep ties between legacy, loyalty, and love, even as it asks the question: How far would you go to save a friend?
In a flash, Olivia, Jamie, Max, and Maggie become fugitives on the back roads of Louisiana. They’re headed to New Orleans, where they hope to find a solution to an unfixable problem. But with their faces displayed on all the news stations, their journey becomes a harrowing game of hide-and-seek from the police—and so-called allies, who just might be the real enemy.
Shalanda Stanley’s breathtaking debut novel explores the deep ties between legacy, loyalty, and love, even as it asks the question: How far would you go to save a friend?
288 pages, Library Binding
First published September 8, 2015
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3313 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
January 14, 2018
A heartbreaking YA novel about grief and its control over our lives. That being said, there was so much about Olivia and her father that would take more than one book to resolve.
September 20, 2015
This book is everything! I'm so undone by it. Beautifully written, amazing characterizations, mesmerizing focus on friendships and family, and a plot that is so fresh, rich in emotions and depth and content. I just... *sigh*... I need some time to get my thoughts together before writing a review for this stunning debut novel. It's a knockout.
January 3, 2016
4.5 stars
This was an absolutely heart-breaking and beautifully told story. It wasn’t even on my radar but then the lovely Cassie sent me an email and I’ll admit it, the cover grabbed my attention because let’s face it… it’s gorgeous.
Once I started reading, I realized that the words inside were just as beautiful.
I don’t even know where to start with my attempt to share my thoughts.
Olivia has spent her entire life in the shadow of her mother who took her own life… even her grandmother who she lives with calls her by her mom’s name. Her father can’t bear to look at her because of the similarities and the entire town is waiting for the day she walks into the water and doesn’t come back up.
She leans on her neighbor and best friend Jamie, who’s been there through thick and thin. But lately his life isn’t so perfect and when the unthinkable happens, it’s Olivia’s turn to step up and be there for him. Max, Olivia’s on again, off again boyfriend and Maggie her best girlfriend head out on a trip that will change their lives forever.
If you’re looking for a book about amazing and solid friendships then look no further, Stanley has created some pretty incredible ones here. Whether I’m talking about Jamie and Olivia, or Olivia and Maggie or Jamie and Max or Max and Olivia these four teens are just in it for good with each other. They’ve got each other’s backs even if it means putting their own on the line and this story really proved that, but I really love that this was told in just Olivia’s point of view – I loved getting to know about her friends through her eyes and hearing what she thought about them and why she loved them.
About Jamie
“Jamie was my favorite person in town and friend number one. He’d always lived next door, but we didn’t officially meet until the first day of kindergarten, when he had been sporting an unfortunate shorn look. His mom had shaved his head to combat his obsessive hair twirling, a thing he did when he was nervous or sleepy. This had caused a huge problem at naptime, so I had scooted my mat close to him.
“You can twirl my hair,” I’d said.”
About Max
“Max was beautiful, in the same hard and brown way as a lot of boys in St. Francisville. He was the size of a man, but when you looked in his eyes, a boy looked back at you. When he was near me, he made it hard to breathe. And not in that he’s-so-dreamy-and-perfect way, but because he was the physical reminder of the last bad choice I made. He was the kind of boy you could make a lot of mistakes with. He was also magnificent and fearless. He loved me too much.”
About Maggie
“She was a singer, songwriter, and artist - a bewilderment of beings. No one matched the sheer velocity with which she approached life… Everyone needed a Maggie.”
Stanley created an interesting premise here, while not far-fetched, it is high on the drama and bad choices. Each of these kids seems to have something major going on in their lives, Jamie’s alcoholic and abusive father, Maggie’s deadbeat mom, Max’s own drinking problems… and you can see why once they have these bonds between them, they might not break so easily.
I think that at some points while the group was on the run there were times that I felt the pacing should have been a bit different… (There seemed to be an awful lot of time spent at Steven’s house for how little it impacted the story) but that in no way affected my final opinion. Stanley’s writing really was incredibly beautiful … I think I highlighted so many passages in my e-copy I can’t decide what to share with you all!
“If I’d had my way, Jamie could have gone to sleep somewhere in the corners of his mind, and I’d wear his body like a suit. I’d feel everything he wasn’t ready to and answer all the questions coming his way. He wouldn’t have to wake up until he was ready.”
This is in no way a light story to read… there is a lot of heavy as I noted above, and there will be some of you who may find yourself wiping away a few tears here and there, but underneath all the heavy, there are glimpses of hope and the idea that someday there can and will be happiness.
If you’re looking for an amazing story of friendship, filled with wonderfully descriptive and beautiful writing then look no further.
Thank you Cassie & Knopf books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
This was an absolutely heart-breaking and beautifully told story. It wasn’t even on my radar but then the lovely Cassie sent me an email and I’ll admit it, the cover grabbed my attention because let’s face it… it’s gorgeous.
Once I started reading, I realized that the words inside were just as beautiful.
I don’t even know where to start with my attempt to share my thoughts.
Olivia has spent her entire life in the shadow of her mother who took her own life… even her grandmother who she lives with calls her by her mom’s name. Her father can’t bear to look at her because of the similarities and the entire town is waiting for the day she walks into the water and doesn’t come back up.
She leans on her neighbor and best friend Jamie, who’s been there through thick and thin. But lately his life isn’t so perfect and when the unthinkable happens, it’s Olivia’s turn to step up and be there for him. Max, Olivia’s on again, off again boyfriend and Maggie her best girlfriend head out on a trip that will change their lives forever.
If you’re looking for a book about amazing and solid friendships then look no further, Stanley has created some pretty incredible ones here. Whether I’m talking about Jamie and Olivia, or Olivia and Maggie or Jamie and Max or Max and Olivia these four teens are just in it for good with each other. They’ve got each other’s backs even if it means putting their own on the line and this story really proved that, but I really love that this was told in just Olivia’s point of view – I loved getting to know about her friends through her eyes and hearing what she thought about them and why she loved them.
About Jamie
“Jamie was my favorite person in town and friend number one. He’d always lived next door, but we didn’t officially meet until the first day of kindergarten, when he had been sporting an unfortunate shorn look. His mom had shaved his head to combat his obsessive hair twirling, a thing he did when he was nervous or sleepy. This had caused a huge problem at naptime, so I had scooted my mat close to him.
“You can twirl my hair,” I’d said.”
About Max
“Max was beautiful, in the same hard and brown way as a lot of boys in St. Francisville. He was the size of a man, but when you looked in his eyes, a boy looked back at you. When he was near me, he made it hard to breathe. And not in that he’s-so-dreamy-and-perfect way, but because he was the physical reminder of the last bad choice I made. He was the kind of boy you could make a lot of mistakes with. He was also magnificent and fearless. He loved me too much.”
About Maggie
“She was a singer, songwriter, and artist - a bewilderment of beings. No one matched the sheer velocity with which she approached life… Everyone needed a Maggie.”
Stanley created an interesting premise here, while not far-fetched, it is high on the drama and bad choices. Each of these kids seems to have something major going on in their lives, Jamie’s alcoholic and abusive father, Maggie’s deadbeat mom, Max’s own drinking problems… and you can see why once they have these bonds between them, they might not break so easily.
I think that at some points while the group was on the run there were times that I felt the pacing should have been a bit different… (There seemed to be an awful lot of time spent at Steven’s house for how little it impacted the story) but that in no way affected my final opinion. Stanley’s writing really was incredibly beautiful … I think I highlighted so many passages in my e-copy I can’t decide what to share with you all!
“If I’d had my way, Jamie could have gone to sleep somewhere in the corners of his mind, and I’d wear his body like a suit. I’d feel everything he wasn’t ready to and answer all the questions coming his way. He wouldn’t have to wake up until he was ready.”
This is in no way a light story to read… there is a lot of heavy as I noted above, and there will be some of you who may find yourself wiping away a few tears here and there, but underneath all the heavy, there are glimpses of hope and the idea that someday there can and will be happiness.
If you’re looking for an amazing story of friendship, filled with wonderfully descriptive and beautiful writing then look no further.
Thank you Cassie & Knopf books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
June 18, 2016
3.5 Stars
I enjoyed this one. Happy I picked it up again after DNFing last year. I loved the almost Southern Gothic tone of the story and the characters were very interesting. This felt like a Kristen Stewart indie film, if that makes any sense. I think that fans of Ava Lavender should give this a try. It didn't blow me away but it was unique and intriguing in tone.
I enjoyed this one. Happy I picked it up again after DNFing last year. I loved the almost Southern Gothic tone of the story and the characters were very interesting. This felt like a Kristen Stewart indie film, if that makes any sense. I think that fans of Ava Lavender should give this a try. It didn't blow me away but it was unique and intriguing in tone.
September 3, 2015
4.5 Stars!
Drowning is Inevitable is a heart breaking, beautifully told story about four people coming to terms with growing older, finding their places in life, dealing with family problems, and loving for the first time.
Beautifully detailed and worded, this is the type of story that sticks with you long after you have read the pages and put the book down.
Stanley's debut novel is one that will worm its way into your heart and your mind forever. With memorable characters that feel for all intent and purpose real. Like flesh and blood as their story unfolds heart breaking page after heartbreaking page until you are so spent you don't know whether to smile at the new beginnings or be saddened at the endings.
Devastating, fantastic, and emotionally draining, this truly was a masterpiece all its own and one I am so thankful I took the journey with.
*An ARC Copy of this was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Drowning is Inevitable is a heart breaking, beautifully told story about four people coming to terms with growing older, finding their places in life, dealing with family problems, and loving for the first time.
Beautifully detailed and worded, this is the type of story that sticks with you long after you have read the pages and put the book down.
Stanley's debut novel is one that will worm its way into your heart and your mind forever. With memorable characters that feel for all intent and purpose real. Like flesh and blood as their story unfolds heart breaking page after heartbreaking page until you are so spent you don't know whether to smile at the new beginnings or be saddened at the endings.
Devastating, fantastic, and emotionally draining, this truly was a masterpiece all its own and one I am so thankful I took the journey with.
*An ARC Copy of this was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
October 12, 2015
omg WHAT this sounds bonkers. gimme.
--
I'm probably a heartless monster but I didn't like any part of this. First, it felt like, between the story of the kids on the run, and the story of Olivia searching for pieces of her mother who killed herself 18 years ago, this book was taking on two totally different things that didn't mesh well together. It was like two incomplete books combined into one, with one storyline constantly outshining the other. The characters were impossible to feel connected to, especially as they kept making stupid decision after stupid decision. They had to personalities, and everything was just so bleak. There was no break in the melancholy, no brevity whatsoever, and it made reading this a chore. Even though these characters are on the run from police and they come into contact with a very colorful cast of side-characters, everything moved at a snail's pace. At about 50% I just started skimming and skipping big chunks of this book because I couldn't take it anymore. The ending was especially upsetting, too. It felt all for naught.
--
I'm probably a heartless monster but I didn't like any part of this. First, it felt like, between the story of the kids on the run, and the story of Olivia searching for pieces of her mother who killed herself 18 years ago, this book was taking on two totally different things that didn't mesh well together. It was like two incomplete books combined into one, with one storyline constantly outshining the other. The characters were impossible to feel connected to, especially as they kept making stupid decision after stupid decision. They had to personalities, and everything was just so bleak. There was no break in the melancholy, no brevity whatsoever, and it made reading this a chore. Even though these characters are on the run from police and they come into contact with a very colorful cast of side-characters, everything moved at a snail's pace. At about 50% I just started skimming and skipping big chunks of this book because I couldn't take it anymore. The ending was especially upsetting, too. It felt all for naught.
February 8, 2017
Not sure if this story has changed since the ARCs were released but I read 170 of it and it was good.
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com
I received an e-ARC of this book from Knopf Books for Young Readers and Random House Children’s via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Critically
Plot – 3 out of 5 stars
The plot is really hard to explain. It’s very hard to wrap your head around all the things that happen. It’s dramatic, dangerous, intense and emotional. Something new is always bombarding you, there’s no relief at all from it and it took me off guard. It’s important for me to mention that the plot deals with death, drugs, physical abuse and underage drinking.
Writing Style – 3 out of 5 stars
In the beginning, it was really hard to get used to. It kind of jumped all over the place and with a very strange pace. It was simple, but it carried a lot more depth and dram in every sentence than I was used to and it was right off the bat and it really surprised me. It was something to get used to. I’m still not sure if I liked it or hated it or not, pretty much feel like that about the whole book.
Characters – 3.5 out of 5 stars
I have no idea what to say about the characters. There are quite a few of them and they are all very complex but in kind of a negative way. They’re all a little off. Our main character, Olivia, is really strange. She’s spent her whole life being someone else and it makes it so she doesn’t have a real identity. She’s closed off but at the same time, feels things very deeply and makes her very emotional. I kind of feel like she’s an unreliable narrator at times because she’s dramatic and honestly a bit unstable. I didn’t know what to make of her and her thought process half the time. She has a really close, incredibly close, insanely close relationship with her best friend, Jamie. They’ve been neighbors their entire life and would do anything for each other which is the central theme in this book. But he’s just as peculiar as she is. He’s very protective of her, but just as closed off or even more. He’s angry on the inside and it’s like a quiet force inside him. Even the supporting characters are intense. I don’t know what to make of them.
Emotionally
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com
I received an e-ARC of this book from Knopf Books for Young Readers and Random House Children’s via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Critically
Plot – 3 out of 5 stars
The plot is really hard to explain. It’s very hard to wrap your head around all the things that happen. It’s dramatic, dangerous, intense and emotional. Something new is always bombarding you, there’s no relief at all from it and it took me off guard. It’s important for me to mention that the plot deals with death, drugs, physical abuse and underage drinking.
Writing Style – 3 out of 5 stars
In the beginning, it was really hard to get used to. It kind of jumped all over the place and with a very strange pace. It was simple, but it carried a lot more depth and dram in every sentence than I was used to and it was right off the bat and it really surprised me. It was something to get used to. I’m still not sure if I liked it or hated it or not, pretty much feel like that about the whole book.
Characters – 3.5 out of 5 stars
I have no idea what to say about the characters. There are quite a few of them and they are all very complex but in kind of a negative way. They’re all a little off. Our main character, Olivia, is really strange. She’s spent her whole life being someone else and it makes it so she doesn’t have a real identity. She’s closed off but at the same time, feels things very deeply and makes her very emotional. I kind of feel like she’s an unreliable narrator at times because she’s dramatic and honestly a bit unstable. I didn’t know what to make of her and her thought process half the time. She has a really close, incredibly close, insanely close relationship with her best friend, Jamie. They’ve been neighbors their entire life and would do anything for each other which is the central theme in this book. But he’s just as peculiar as she is. He’s very protective of her, but just as closed off or even more. He’s angry on the inside and it’s like a quiet force inside him. Even the supporting characters are intense. I don’t know what to make of them.
Emotionally
September 14, 2015
4.5 stars!
Drowning is Inevitable utterly and completely shocked me. I suppose it's because of my strict routine of not reading the synopsis immediately before reading the book. I had NO IDEA what this book was about, but just assumed I was getting a light and sweet YA contemporary. Um, no. It's not light. It's not sweet. It IS a contemporary, but that's as much as I had correct as far as my expectations were concerned. I was shocked by this book, in more ways than one... but it was such a good shocked. A fantastic one, actually. Though I didn't expect this book to go the way it did, I found myself thoroughly and completed invested in the story 100 percent, Kindle gripping until my fingers hurt. This one was such a great surprise.
What really stood out for me in this book was the gorgeous writing. I was so impressed with this debut from Shalanda Stanley. It read as if this was her hundredth book. The flow was also impeccable. There was never a dull moment, never a point that dragged or that didn't have purpose. And lastly, the messages weren't just waiting at the end for when you finally got there... they were spread throughout the entire story. Far too often we find book that just don't seem to have a purpose, until we get to the very bitter end and finally find out what their purpose was. With this story, there were actually several times where I had to put the book down because I was reeling and my mind was going haywire with SO MANY THOUGHTS! I don't find that much in books, so for that reason I found this story to be quite unique and astoundingly well written.
There is one thing that I had hoped to get more of, and that's the backstory on Max and Olivia. I felt as though their "relationship", if we can call it that, was a very shaky on-again-off-again type of relationship from the first page, yet I never really understood why.
I have a fear that with so many 5 star ratings, this book will scare people off. They will get this impression in their head, and then go into this story and feel almost disappointed in it. But this is the type of story that really and truly needs to be read blind, with no preconceived notions. No idea what the story is about. No expectations. Just go in with an open head and feel the story. I know that's next to impossible to make happen, but I really hope more people are able to enjoy this story to its fullest, like I was fortunate enough to.
There were so many messages in this story. It packed a punch and definitely made me think. This story isn't just about four teens on the run to New Orleans. Yes, that's part of the story... but there's SO MUCH MORE. It's about friendship, first and foremost, everlasting love, the vast differences in parenting, living life without hesitation, coming into oneself, and so much more! I can't even express how much I felt this book had to show, and I really hope more people read it. I feel this book will impact many different people for many different reasons, and I adore finding that in a book. Almost anyone can relate to one aspect or another in this book. It's a hidden gem that I'm so happy to have stumbled upon.
(Thanks to Knopf Books for Young Readers for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
Drowning is Inevitable utterly and completely shocked me. I suppose it's because of my strict routine of not reading the synopsis immediately before reading the book. I had NO IDEA what this book was about, but just assumed I was getting a light and sweet YA contemporary. Um, no. It's not light. It's not sweet. It IS a contemporary, but that's as much as I had correct as far as my expectations were concerned. I was shocked by this book, in more ways than one... but it was such a good shocked. A fantastic one, actually. Though I didn't expect this book to go the way it did, I found myself thoroughly and completed invested in the story 100 percent, Kindle gripping until my fingers hurt. This one was such a great surprise.
What really stood out for me in this book was the gorgeous writing. I was so impressed with this debut from Shalanda Stanley. It read as if this was her hundredth book. The flow was also impeccable. There was never a dull moment, never a point that dragged or that didn't have purpose. And lastly, the messages weren't just waiting at the end for when you finally got there... they were spread throughout the entire story. Far too often we find book that just don't seem to have a purpose, until we get to the very bitter end and finally find out what their purpose was. With this story, there were actually several times where I had to put the book down because I was reeling and my mind was going haywire with SO MANY THOUGHTS! I don't find that much in books, so for that reason I found this story to be quite unique and astoundingly well written.
There is one thing that I had hoped to get more of, and that's the backstory on Max and Olivia. I felt as though their "relationship", if we can call it that, was a very shaky on-again-off-again type of relationship from the first page, yet I never really understood why.
I have a fear that with so many 5 star ratings, this book will scare people off. They will get this impression in their head, and then go into this story and feel almost disappointed in it. But this is the type of story that really and truly needs to be read blind, with no preconceived notions. No idea what the story is about. No expectations. Just go in with an open head and feel the story. I know that's next to impossible to make happen, but I really hope more people are able to enjoy this story to its fullest, like I was fortunate enough to.
There were so many messages in this story. It packed a punch and definitely made me think. This story isn't just about four teens on the run to New Orleans. Yes, that's part of the story... but there's SO MUCH MORE. It's about friendship, first and foremost, everlasting love, the vast differences in parenting, living life without hesitation, coming into oneself, and so much more! I can't even express how much I felt this book had to show, and I really hope more people read it. I feel this book will impact many different people for many different reasons, and I adore finding that in a book. Almost anyone can relate to one aspect or another in this book. It's a hidden gem that I'm so happy to have stumbled upon.
(Thanks to Knopf Books for Young Readers for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
September 5, 2015
Review is also posted on Let’s Say It’s A Blog.
*I received digital ARC of this book from the Random House Children's through Netgalley*
A heart-breaking story of a girl who tries to find herself in between reality and illusion, memories and projections, .... life and death.
I have a complicated feeling about this book. At first, I was really excited to start reading this. Then halfway through the book, I found the story was too dark and the characters were too morbid to my liking. In the end, it felt like I just read a really gripping story of a confused girl trying to find her true self among layers of tragic memories, negative-judgments, and non-existence parental guidance. And when I re-read my highlights once again before writing down this review, I just realized how sad yet beautiful this book was.
This is the thing about reviewing a book: you could end up falling in love with the book you think you dislike after reading it. It’s only one of so many reasons I love reviewing books.
Drowning is Inevitable starts when Olivia, the narrator slash the female lead, began telling a story about what truly happened to her and her best-friend for life, Jamie Benton. The paragraph is written in a way that you could assume that Olivia was addressing it to someone particular. This what I think is a riveting start and is also what makes me believe what I would read more later wouldn’t be so pretty. And it is.
The majority of this book consists of Olivia’s depressing description of her deceased-mother’s―Lillian’s―past life and how it affected her life ever since it happened, with people’s scrutiny of whether she would end up remain eighteen forever like her mom. ‘Seeing’ it from Olivia’s perspective is much more depressing than the story itself because at seventeen Olivia had this morbid thought that following Lillian’s habit would somehow lead her to the biggest mystery in her life. A mystery of why her mom walked into the Mississippi river and never came back―all she did when Olivia was still three-years old, all she did on her eighteenth birthday. I know it’s just really sad that Olivia thinks and acts like that considering her very unsupportive environment (father who’s drowning in his own grief and couldn’t own up his responsibility as a parent; grandmother who takes care of her well―as Lillian) but I felt that it’s just difficult to relate to her. When Olivia was in ‘Lillian’ mode, she tended to do reckless things that only made her friends worried and people’s judgment worsened. I tried to understand her―really, but sometimes it’s hard to truly understand someone’s mindset when you never experienced what they have. Even until I went through halfway of the book, I still couldn’t figure out where I stand about her character. It’s a good thing Shalanda Stanley gradually and steadily directed us to understand where her characters actually come from.
When something awful happened to Jamie’s family, Olivia decided to keep their childhood promise made on Fidelity Street―where every promise was taken very seriously by people in St. Francisville. Along with Maggie, their other best friend, and Max, Olivia’s on-and-off again boyfriend, Olivia took Jamie away from their small town on a trip to anywhere people couldn’t find them. She was aware that what they did was totally illegal but leaving Jamie alone to deal with things on his own felt more illegal than anything forbidden in the world. So began their journey of finding safe haven where happiness was possible and actually existed for them. Olivia’s friendship with Jamie is eerily beautiful and strange. From Olivia’s description of Jamie, we could see how much Jamie meant to her. It’s actually such an interesting part to go into but it’s just unfortunate that we could only ‘see’ this portrayal of friendship from Olivia’s perspective. Majority things we knew about Jamie we got them from Olivia’s narration instead of an actual scene of him. It somehow made it looks like their friendship was unbalance to Olivia’s side. It’s as if Olivia was obsessed too much about Jamie rather than they both felt an equal amount of chemistry to each other. I guess I could say that Jamie’s character was a little too shallow especially when the book tried to include a topic of friendship involving him. What’s funny is I could actually feel more with Maggie and Max than with Jamie. It’s strange because Maggie and Max are only side characters who naturally are supposed to be easily forgotten.
It’s when Olivia was on this escapade with her friends where she found the answer of every question she had ever since forever. Olivia’s character was more reachable when she finally meets someone who could really tell her about Lillian. I guess getting a shade of light on such long-directionless search opened her eyes wide to the reality. As Olivia learned the truth and realized what she should’ve been doing all along, it became much easier to connect with her character.
Reading this book, I felt these series of frustrating feelings: dreaded, disturbed, and sad. The latter I felt somewhere near the ending because during the three-fourth of the book I was too focused on its dark and heavy situation that it’s so hard to feel sad or even shed a tear.
The ending was my best favorite part of the story. For the first time since I picked this book up, I felt like I could release the breath that I didn’t realize I’d been holding. I was anxious about how the author would end it but I’m so thankful that she managed to wrap it up very well for such a complex issue.
Drowning is Inevitable is a story about a girl who’s supposed to fight her demon but ended up fighting her best friend’s instead. It tells about a kind of friendship that could make someone have no fear doing their worst and the best because to be a friend is to give your all. But it also tells you that being a best friend isn’t about blindly doing everything for them but knowing exactly the right things to do for them. Because sometimes to be a friend is not about giving your all. Because sometimes to be a friend is about to give and to receive as well. And most importantly, whether you’ll lose yourself or find yourself through that friendship you build.
With a smooth and lyrical writing style, Drowning is Inevitable is a read that suits tastes of readers who enjoy heart-rending story of one’s journey to find herself among complexities.
*I received digital ARC of this book from the Random House Children's through Netgalley*
A heart-breaking story of a girl who tries to find herself in between reality and illusion, memories and projections, .... life and death.
I have a complicated feeling about this book. At first, I was really excited to start reading this. Then halfway through the book, I found the story was too dark and the characters were too morbid to my liking. In the end, it felt like I just read a really gripping story of a confused girl trying to find her true self among layers of tragic memories, negative-judgments, and non-existence parental guidance. And when I re-read my highlights once again before writing down this review, I just realized how sad yet beautiful this book was.
This is the thing about reviewing a book: you could end up falling in love with the book you think you dislike after reading it. It’s only one of so many reasons I love reviewing books.
Drowning is Inevitable starts when Olivia, the narrator slash the female lead, began telling a story about what truly happened to her and her best-friend for life, Jamie Benton. The paragraph is written in a way that you could assume that Olivia was addressing it to someone particular. This what I think is a riveting start and is also what makes me believe what I would read more later wouldn’t be so pretty. And it is.
The majority of this book consists of Olivia’s depressing description of her deceased-mother’s―Lillian’s―past life and how it affected her life ever since it happened, with people’s scrutiny of whether she would end up remain eighteen forever like her mom. ‘Seeing’ it from Olivia’s perspective is much more depressing than the story itself because at seventeen Olivia had this morbid thought that following Lillian’s habit would somehow lead her to the biggest mystery in her life. A mystery of why her mom walked into the Mississippi river and never came back―all she did when Olivia was still three-years old, all she did on her eighteenth birthday. I know it’s just really sad that Olivia thinks and acts like that considering her very unsupportive environment (father who’s drowning in his own grief and couldn’t own up his responsibility as a parent; grandmother who takes care of her well―as Lillian) but I felt that it’s just difficult to relate to her. When Olivia was in ‘Lillian’ mode, she tended to do reckless things that only made her friends worried and people’s judgment worsened. I tried to understand her―really, but sometimes it’s hard to truly understand someone’s mindset when you never experienced what they have. Even until I went through halfway of the book, I still couldn’t figure out where I stand about her character. It’s a good thing Shalanda Stanley gradually and steadily directed us to understand where her characters actually come from.
When something awful happened to Jamie’s family, Olivia decided to keep their childhood promise made on Fidelity Street―where every promise was taken very seriously by people in St. Francisville. Along with Maggie, their other best friend, and Max, Olivia’s on-and-off again boyfriend, Olivia took Jamie away from their small town on a trip to anywhere people couldn’t find them. She was aware that what they did was totally illegal but leaving Jamie alone to deal with things on his own felt more illegal than anything forbidden in the world. So began their journey of finding safe haven where happiness was possible and actually existed for them. Olivia’s friendship with Jamie is eerily beautiful and strange. From Olivia’s description of Jamie, we could see how much Jamie meant to her. It’s actually such an interesting part to go into but it’s just unfortunate that we could only ‘see’ this portrayal of friendship from Olivia’s perspective. Majority things we knew about Jamie we got them from Olivia’s narration instead of an actual scene of him. It somehow made it looks like their friendship was unbalance to Olivia’s side. It’s as if Olivia was obsessed too much about Jamie rather than they both felt an equal amount of chemistry to each other. I guess I could say that Jamie’s character was a little too shallow especially when the book tried to include a topic of friendship involving him. What’s funny is I could actually feel more with Maggie and Max than with Jamie. It’s strange because Maggie and Max are only side characters who naturally are supposed to be easily forgotten.
It’s when Olivia was on this escapade with her friends where she found the answer of every question she had ever since forever. Olivia’s character was more reachable when she finally meets someone who could really tell her about Lillian. I guess getting a shade of light on such long-directionless search opened her eyes wide to the reality. As Olivia learned the truth and realized what she should’ve been doing all along, it became much easier to connect with her character.
Reading this book, I felt these series of frustrating feelings: dreaded, disturbed, and sad. The latter I felt somewhere near the ending because during the three-fourth of the book I was too focused on its dark and heavy situation that it’s so hard to feel sad or even shed a tear.
The ending was my best favorite part of the story. For the first time since I picked this book up, I felt like I could release the breath that I didn’t realize I’d been holding. I was anxious about how the author would end it but I’m so thankful that she managed to wrap it up very well for such a complex issue.
Drowning is Inevitable is a story about a girl who’s supposed to fight her demon but ended up fighting her best friend’s instead. It tells about a kind of friendship that could make someone have no fear doing their worst and the best because to be a friend is to give your all. But it also tells you that being a best friend isn’t about blindly doing everything for them but knowing exactly the right things to do for them. Because sometimes to be a friend is not about giving your all. Because sometimes to be a friend is about to give and to receive as well. And most importantly, whether you’ll lose yourself or find yourself through that friendship you build.
With a smooth and lyrical writing style, Drowning is Inevitable is a read that suits tastes of readers who enjoy heart-rending story of one’s journey to find herself among complexities.
January 5, 2016
Special thanks to the author and publisher for a copy of this book.
This is the story of 17-year old Olivia who lives on Fidelity Street in the closely-knit town of St. Francisville with her grandmother.
When Olivia was three days old, her teenage mother Lillian got up in the middle of the night and walked right into the Mississippi River, never to return.
Olivia has lived in the shadow of her dead mother ever since, what with her grandmother and father seeing too much of Lillian in her.
The townsfolk half expect Olivia to follow in her mother's footsteps, when she turns 18 in a few days' time.
After an evening at her boy-next-door (literally) best friend Jamie's place turns deadly, they flee the town along with another wild friend Maggie and Olivia's on-and-off boyfriend Max.
Thus begins their journey with seemingly no happy end in sight, but which also brings them closer, and helps Olivia rediscover herself.
I really liked the style of writing, there were descriptions which I loved, which were the bright spots in this book. But I found the subject and even the behavior of Olivia and Lillian too morbid for my taste.
This is the story of 17-year old Olivia who lives on Fidelity Street in the closely-knit town of St. Francisville with her grandmother.
When Olivia was three days old, her teenage mother Lillian got up in the middle of the night and walked right into the Mississippi River, never to return.
Olivia has lived in the shadow of her dead mother ever since, what with her grandmother and father seeing too much of Lillian in her.
The townsfolk half expect Olivia to follow in her mother's footsteps, when she turns 18 in a few days' time.
After an evening at her boy-next-door (literally) best friend Jamie's place turns deadly, they flee the town along with another wild friend Maggie and Olivia's on-and-off boyfriend Max.
Thus begins their journey with seemingly no happy end in sight, but which also brings them closer, and helps Olivia rediscover herself.
I really liked the style of writing, there were descriptions which I loved, which were the bright spots in this book. But I found the subject and even the behavior of Olivia and Lillian too morbid for my taste.
June 5, 2019
Honestly, I don't know why I continued to read this. I figured early on that it was not my type of novel, but I decided to press on in an attempt to see if it got better. But due to its incredibly short length (under 300 pages), within an hour or so I was halfway done, so I decided to just finish it out.
Olivia and her best friend, Jamie, tell each other everything. Jamie knows all about Olivia's obsession with her dead mother. Olivia knows all about Jamie's dad being a drunk and regularly beating up his mom. They've been together forever, and they'll do anything for each other. And then comes the day when Jamie and his father get into an argument, and its ends in death. Olivia and Jamie collect their friends Max and Maggie, and they run to New Orleans to find their way out of the country.
This book claims to be one about loyalty, but it's one about stupidity. Ugh. In my head I kept thinking that it was basically the equivalent of a kid claiming that he's going to run away from home. Like, he grabs his backpack, stuffs it with his favorite action figures, and then walks three blocks to his grandma's house, where he's found hours later stuffing his face with homemade cookies, completely unaware that mom and dad knew where he was the whole time.
Olivia decides to run away with Jamie. So she grabs her backpack and puts in a change of clothes (no money, because that would be too smart, right?) Then she calls her on-again/off-again boyfriend, Max (though they are currently off) and her best friend Maggie. She doesn't tell them that Jamie just stabbed his father, just that she needs their help. Together, all four teens decide that the best course of action is to run to New Orleans, where Lillian's best friend Beth, a woman that Olivia has never met, lives. When they get there, they stay with Maggie's druggie mom at some drug house while they search for Beth.
During all of this, the teens have pointless conversations that have nothing to do with their situation. They get drunk and party in bars. They become drug runners for a night to pay for staying at the house. In short, they're all idiots, and I'm not surprised that they got into such a situation and didn't know how to get out of it.
I didn't like a single character. Not a single one.
Olivia is a seventeen-year-old girl, the product of a teenage pregnancy. Her mother committed suicide at the age of eighteen, and since then Olivia's very small town watches her, waiting for her to do the same. Her father doesn't like to see her much, because she looks so much like her mother, so she lives with her senile grandmother who confuses her with her mom and hasn't called her by her name in years. Oh, and, she routinely locks her in her/her mom's bedroom at night, NBD. She's obsessed with Lillian, and stays in her mom's old room without changing any of the decor. She listens to her mom's CDs, wears her mom's clothes, and sleeps in her mom's bed.
Jamie, on the other hand, has a drunk father and a mom that doesn't want to abandon her husband. Everyone knows that his dad is abusive, but nobody does anything about it. Jamie is, in a way, Olivia's voice of conscience. But he's also an idiot, so that doesn't help too much.
Max's greatest characteristics are that he is jealous of Olivia and Jamie's relationship and that he drives a truck. Maggie is an artist and a singer who works at a coffee shop.
I was not a fan of the writing style. It's very simplistic. Too simplistic. It's like reading a grocery list. We did this. I thought this. He said this. Over and over and over again. It also skips around a lot, spending pages on some insignificant conversation or some fantasy of Olivia's, only to skip to hours later, in another setting, with another conversation.
It also focuses way too much on Olivia's ambiguous relationship with Max. It's pointless to the story, and I honestly don't care whether Olivia finds romance and a happily ever after. So.
I didn't like the book, and I still don't know why I finished it. I honestly wouldn't bother to read it. If you want a real action-packed thriller, you'd be better off looking elsewhere.
Olivia and her best friend, Jamie, tell each other everything. Jamie knows all about Olivia's obsession with her dead mother. Olivia knows all about Jamie's dad being a drunk and regularly beating up his mom. They've been together forever, and they'll do anything for each other. And then comes the day when Jamie and his father get into an argument, and its ends in death. Olivia and Jamie collect their friends Max and Maggie, and they run to New Orleans to find their way out of the country.
This book claims to be one about loyalty, but it's one about stupidity. Ugh. In my head I kept thinking that it was basically the equivalent of a kid claiming that he's going to run away from home. Like, he grabs his backpack, stuffs it with his favorite action figures, and then walks three blocks to his grandma's house, where he's found hours later stuffing his face with homemade cookies, completely unaware that mom and dad knew where he was the whole time.
Olivia decides to run away with Jamie. So she grabs her backpack and puts in a change of clothes (no money, because that would be too smart, right?) Then she calls her on-again/off-again boyfriend, Max (though they are currently off) and her best friend Maggie. She doesn't tell them that Jamie just stabbed his father, just that she needs their help. Together, all four teens decide that the best course of action is to run to New Orleans, where Lillian's best friend Beth, a woman that Olivia has never met, lives. When they get there, they stay with Maggie's druggie mom at some drug house while they search for Beth.
During all of this, the teens have pointless conversations that have nothing to do with their situation. They get drunk and party in bars. They become drug runners for a night to pay for staying at the house. In short, they're all idiots, and I'm not surprised that they got into such a situation and didn't know how to get out of it.
I didn't like a single character. Not a single one.
Olivia is a seventeen-year-old girl, the product of a teenage pregnancy. Her mother committed suicide at the age of eighteen, and since then Olivia's very small town watches her, waiting for her to do the same. Her father doesn't like to see her much, because she looks so much like her mother, so she lives with her senile grandmother who confuses her with her mom and hasn't called her by her name in years. Oh, and, she routinely locks her in her/her mom's bedroom at night, NBD. She's obsessed with Lillian, and stays in her mom's old room without changing any of the decor. She listens to her mom's CDs, wears her mom's clothes, and sleeps in her mom's bed.
Jamie, on the other hand, has a drunk father and a mom that doesn't want to abandon her husband. Everyone knows that his dad is abusive, but nobody does anything about it. Jamie is, in a way, Olivia's voice of conscience. But he's also an idiot, so that doesn't help too much.
Max's greatest characteristics are that he is jealous of Olivia and Jamie's relationship and that he drives a truck. Maggie is an artist and a singer who works at a coffee shop.
I was not a fan of the writing style. It's very simplistic. Too simplistic. It's like reading a grocery list. We did this. I thought this. He said this. Over and over and over again. It also skips around a lot, spending pages on some insignificant conversation or some fantasy of Olivia's, only to skip to hours later, in another setting, with another conversation.
It also focuses way too much on Olivia's ambiguous relationship with Max. It's pointless to the story, and I honestly don't care whether Olivia finds romance and a happily ever after. So.
I didn't like the book, and I still don't know why I finished it. I honestly wouldn't bother to read it. If you want a real action-packed thriller, you'd be better off looking elsewhere.
September 13, 2015
“Drowning is Inevitable” is a book that is written in the Southern Gothic tradition. Do not expect to be at all happy when you finish, as that is not the book’s intent.
The story of Olivia and Jamie begins with the troubles in their respective home lives. Olivia’s mother committed suicide when she was only three days old, and Jamie has an alcoholic and violent father. I don’t want to give away any of the plot, but things go horribly wrong and keep getting worse by the page. The plot has a lot of potential, and I’m sure many will appreciate its melancholy nature.
The problem I had with it is that it was extremely melodramatic. This probably would not have bothered me so much if I felt for the characters. They are sad and suffered, but they are not well-developed enough for me to shed tears or be too emotionally invested in their plight. In fact, the one character that evoked the most feelings was the place itself. The feeling of being stifled, and yet loved, by a small southern town was captured perfectly.
“Drowning is Inevitable” is a book that just wasn’t for me. It was a promising plot that fell flat. If you do think it is something you may enjoy, give it a try. This may very well be a case of “it’s not you book, it’s me.”
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The story of Olivia and Jamie begins with the troubles in their respective home lives. Olivia’s mother committed suicide when she was only three days old, and Jamie has an alcoholic and violent father. I don’t want to give away any of the plot, but things go horribly wrong and keep getting worse by the page. The plot has a lot of potential, and I’m sure many will appreciate its melancholy nature.
The problem I had with it is that it was extremely melodramatic. This probably would not have bothered me so much if I felt for the characters. They are sad and suffered, but they are not well-developed enough for me to shed tears or be too emotionally invested in their plight. In fact, the one character that evoked the most feelings was the place itself. The feeling of being stifled, and yet loved, by a small southern town was captured perfectly.
“Drowning is Inevitable” is a book that just wasn’t for me. It was a promising plot that fell flat. If you do think it is something you may enjoy, give it a try. This may very well be a case of “it’s not you book, it’s me.”
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2015
If you're looking for a book about fierce friendships, devastating families, and heartbreaking sadness, oh boy is this the book for you.
December 7, 2015
If you can read this without crying, you are a stronger person than I. This book utterly wrecked me.
September 12, 2015
4 stars
My goodness. Drowning is Inevitable doesn’t hold back on the feels. This story gutted me and left me feeling empty yet whole at the same time. I wasn’t expecting to have so many emotions, but Shalanda Stanley proved me wrong. Drowning is Inevitable is not the easiest of reads, and readers definitely need to be in the right mindset to read it.
1. A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON, BUT IT WORKS
+ We follow the main story of Olivia, whose mother committed suicide at the age of 18. She has to deal with a lot of pity from the small town where she’s from, and I really supported her strength in ignoring people’s judgments.
+ Olivia’s best friend Jamie has an extremely abusive and alcoholic father. That alone is dreadful. Jamie is always there for Olivia, and I love that Stanley kept this boy/girl best friend relationship strictly a friendship – it doesn’t bud into something more.
+ Olivia’s boyfriend Max is the on-again, off-again type of boyfriend, and at first he comes off as a jerk, but his endearing side sure came out as the story went on, and I grew to love him a lot as well.
+ Lastly, Olivia’s best friend Maggie is quirky but also supportive. Maggie’s mother left her for drugs when she was young, but Maggie doesn’t become selfish as a result. She’s there for Olivia whenever, and I loved that about her.
So yes, each character has their own problems going on, but Stanley really made it work. They all intertwine and don’t become too convoluted whatsoever. Stanley keeps it really balanced for sure.
2. STANLEY’S WRITING FITS THE BOOK
It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly made me keep reading this story because it’s difficult to read in that it’s so gritty and horrifying what these 18 year-olds must endure, but Stanley’s compulsive and lyrical writing style really works with the storyline. It just does.
3. FINAL THOUGHTS
It’s hard to recommend Drowning is Inevitable to all readers because that’s just it: it’s not for all readers. It’s difficult to relate to the characters in this book just because of the situation they’re put in and I’m fortunate enough to not have experienced those events, but Drowning is Inevitable is not for the lighthearted. However, if you do pick it up, you’re in for a treat – it’ll make you think, empathize, and realize that the world around you is not just the comfort of your own home.
Check out this review and more at Books and Other Happy Ever Afters
My goodness. Drowning is Inevitable doesn’t hold back on the feels. This story gutted me and left me feeling empty yet whole at the same time. I wasn’t expecting to have so many emotions, but Shalanda Stanley proved me wrong. Drowning is Inevitable is not the easiest of reads, and readers definitely need to be in the right mindset to read it.
1. A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON, BUT IT WORKS
+ We follow the main story of Olivia, whose mother committed suicide at the age of 18. She has to deal with a lot of pity from the small town where she’s from, and I really supported her strength in ignoring people’s judgments.
+ Olivia’s best friend Jamie has an extremely abusive and alcoholic father. That alone is dreadful. Jamie is always there for Olivia, and I love that Stanley kept this boy/girl best friend relationship strictly a friendship – it doesn’t bud into something more.
+ Olivia’s boyfriend Max is the on-again, off-again type of boyfriend, and at first he comes off as a jerk, but his endearing side sure came out as the story went on, and I grew to love him a lot as well.
+ Lastly, Olivia’s best friend Maggie is quirky but also supportive. Maggie’s mother left her for drugs when she was young, but Maggie doesn’t become selfish as a result. She’s there for Olivia whenever, and I loved that about her.
So yes, each character has their own problems going on, but Stanley really made it work. They all intertwine and don’t become too convoluted whatsoever. Stanley keeps it really balanced for sure.
2. STANLEY’S WRITING FITS THE BOOK
It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly made me keep reading this story because it’s difficult to read in that it’s so gritty and horrifying what these 18 year-olds must endure, but Stanley’s compulsive and lyrical writing style really works with the storyline. It just does.
3. FINAL THOUGHTS
It’s hard to recommend Drowning is Inevitable to all readers because that’s just it: it’s not for all readers. It’s difficult to relate to the characters in this book just because of the situation they’re put in and I’m fortunate enough to not have experienced those events, but Drowning is Inevitable is not for the lighthearted. However, if you do pick it up, you’re in for a treat – it’ll make you think, empathize, and realize that the world around you is not just the comfort of your own home.
Check out this review and more at Books and Other Happy Ever Afters
September 4, 2015
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
So, in Drowning Is Inevitable, we have Olivia, whose mom killed herself when she was a baby (and only 18 years old). Her dad is basically afraid to look at her, and her grandma is practically senile. (Someone please tell me where Child Protective Services is in all this? Great.) She’s best friends with Jamie, who has been there for her since they were kids. And she’s dating Max. Jamie has an awful home life too, his dad has turned into an abusive alcoholic, and one night after a fight, Jamie, Olivia, Max, and their friend Maggie skip town, because of course.
See, this is where things got a bit confusing for me. Who actually runs away? Especially when there are witnesses, and a very clear history of this dude being a raging jackass? Guess we’ll chalk this one up to “teenage stupidity” and move on.ezgif-2817510299
Anyway. There are some good things about this book for sure. First, the writing is very lovely. The book is paced well, and I had no trouble staying interested in the plot. Olivia’s story is so heartbreaking, her yearning to know her mother was so profound. And some of the story may have led me to cry on a bus to New York. The friendships and family relations in this book were really solidly fleshed out, and I liked how every relationship that was presented had its own development and characteristics.
But there were parts that I did have trouble with. Mostly Maggie and Max, I didn’t really understand their purpose. I never really felt chemistry with Olivia and Max, so he could have stayed home for sure. All the poor decision making was hard to swallow too. Eventually, you’d think that one of them would realize how ridiculous, and more importantly, reckless they were being. A lot of what happened throughout the story made me think that perhaps it wasn’t quite in line with reality, and I was less connected to the plot because of it.
Bottom Line: The characters were the stars of this book, as well as the intricate family and friend relationships. It’s worth a read for those things alone, even if the plot itself had some believability issues.
**Copy provided from publisher for review
So, in Drowning Is Inevitable, we have Olivia, whose mom killed herself when she was a baby (and only 18 years old). Her dad is basically afraid to look at her, and her grandma is practically senile. (Someone please tell me where Child Protective Services is in all this? Great.) She’s best friends with Jamie, who has been there for her since they were kids. And she’s dating Max. Jamie has an awful home life too, his dad has turned into an abusive alcoholic, and one night after a fight, Jamie, Olivia, Max, and their friend Maggie skip town, because of course.
See, this is where things got a bit confusing for me. Who actually runs away? Especially when there are witnesses, and a very clear history of this dude being a raging jackass? Guess we’ll chalk this one up to “teenage stupidity” and move on.ezgif-2817510299
Anyway. There are some good things about this book for sure. First, the writing is very lovely. The book is paced well, and I had no trouble staying interested in the plot. Olivia’s story is so heartbreaking, her yearning to know her mother was so profound. And some of the story may have led me to cry on a bus to New York. The friendships and family relations in this book were really solidly fleshed out, and I liked how every relationship that was presented had its own development and characteristics.
But there were parts that I did have trouble with. Mostly Maggie and Max, I didn’t really understand their purpose. I never really felt chemistry with Olivia and Max, so he could have stayed home for sure. All the poor decision making was hard to swallow too. Eventually, you’d think that one of them would realize how ridiculous, and more importantly, reckless they were being. A lot of what happened throughout the story made me think that perhaps it wasn’t quite in line with reality, and I was less connected to the plot because of it.
Bottom Line: The characters were the stars of this book, as well as the intricate family and friend relationships. It’s worth a read for those things alone, even if the plot itself had some believability issues.
**Copy provided from publisher for review
June 12, 2016
“I listened to it as I looked at the landscape around me, and I thought about possibilities. I thought about where I'd gone and where I was headed, about tiny towns and big cities and all these roads in between. I thought about best friends and the word forever, about held hands and late-night promises made under stars. With the sound of my grandmother's humming in my ears, I thought about sacrifice. I remembered the words I love you, I love you, whispered by the boy I loved back. I leaned back against the branch of the tree and closed my eyes. I imagined myself somewhere new, someplace I'd never been.”
I'M DROWNING ON MY OWN TEARS. God, where do I even start? It was an amazing read. This book tore my heart up, but I don't regret reading it. The story itself is very well developed, and these characters are deep and full of personality! Drowning Is Inevitable has a great and beautiful message about friendship, sacrifice, loyalty, bravery and love. This book made me so emotional, everything about it is just so beautiful and amazing. HONESTLY, I don't think there are enough words to describe how much I enjoyed reading this book. This is already one of my favorites and if you aren't sure of reading this, I promise that it is worth it (I tried to write this and not fangirl about the book at the same time but I think I failed miserably, right?).
I'M DROWNING ON MY OWN TEARS. God, where do I even start? It was an amazing read. This book tore my heart up, but I don't regret reading it. The story itself is very well developed, and these characters are deep and full of personality! Drowning Is Inevitable has a great and beautiful message about friendship, sacrifice, loyalty, bravery and love. This book made me so emotional, everything about it is just so beautiful and amazing. HONESTLY, I don't think there are enough words to describe how much I enjoyed reading this book. This is already one of my favorites and if you aren't sure of reading this, I promise that it is worth it (I tried to write this and not fangirl about the book at the same time but I think I failed miserably, right?).
February 11, 2016
I've been crying for the last 60 pages or so. Not just crying, I've been sobbing.
September 10, 2015
My thanks to Knopf Books for Young Readers
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How I wished I ended up loving this book. It started out very promising. I loved the fact that the main character tried to remember her mother who had committed suicide at the age of 18. Then when the story became about 4 kids making a run for it, I kinda lost interest.
The writing was really good. However, at times it felt a little off with the pacing which sometime was very slow. Besides that though, it was quite nice.
February 28, 2015
A literary wow!! The writing takes the reader on a journey as they read. I could visualize the events as they were happening and felt as emotionally drained as the characters. I felt like I was one of them; I could feel their connection to each other and the emotions they felt throughout as if they were my own, especially Olivia's. An awesome read!!!
July 4, 2018
I didn't like Olivia or any of the other charaters.
dnf
February 6, 2016DNF: 50%
Original de: El Extraño Gato del Cuento
Mi reseña sobre este libro será solo del 50% que pude leer. Sip, otro libro más abandonado en el año. Es triste porque le tenía muchas ganas a esta historia.
Por lo general, valoro mucho los libros por los primeros capítulos, esos son los que me hacen sentirme cómoda con la historia. Drowning Is Inevitable pensé sería uno de esos libros que no podría olvidar por mucho tiempo, de los que podría cerrar y sentir que alguien entendía esa parte de mí. Pero, lamentablemente, es una historia engañosa.
Lo que yo creía que sería: la historia sobre una chica con problemas de compromiso, con un poco de "depresión" y que podría traernos una historia real de amistad entre un chico y una chica. Con esa premisa, creo que tenía suficiente drama como para un libro.
Lo que fue: una chica "re-deprimida", que dan ganas de golpearla a cada rato; con unos amigos que usa a su antojo y ellos se dejan, un tipo que tiene mucho como potencial para aguantar este tipo de historia, pero que la protagonista hace que caiga en el cliché de oh-no-mi-vida-apesta-bu-bu.
Sé que estoy siendo injusta con el libro, quizá ese 50% que no leí hace a esta historia una de las mejores del año. Quizá.
El problema es que no dejaba de pensar que este es otro libro a lo John Green, pero no en las cosas buenas que te hacen seguir leyendo, sino el tomar a la chica emo y sobre valorada y hacerlo algo especial. Soy una persona que vive con la depresión diariamente, y lo que sentí al leer Drowning Is Inevitable es solo una chica con un poquito demasiado dramatismo. ¿Has visto esas cuentas en Twitter sobre como se van a suicidar y están con la cuchilla en la vena? No quiero desmerecer ni ridiculizar el cómo se siente cada persona, pero hay una graaan diferencia entre realmente tener depresión y ser esa figura MPDG tan idealizada por directores de cine y escritores. La diferencia es que una es una enfermedad y el otro es un concepto sexualizado de la bipolaridad.
Y NO ME HAGAS EMPEZAR CON LOS AMIGUETES
"Soy la clase de amigo al que llamar cuando necesites esconder un cadáver" Esa es una frase que me gusta, en las buenas y las delincuenciales con los amigos.
Olivia tiene esta relación de amor puro no romántico con su mejor amigo, tanto así que cuando las cosas se salen de las manos huye con él. Hasta ahí todo bien. Lo que no me gustó es como arrastra a su intermitente novio y su otra amiga. Me gusta la frase del cadáver porque en cierta forma dice que si nos atrapan, no tengo nada que perder. Mi problema con este giro en la trama donde terminan siendo perseguidos por la policía es la pasividad de estos dos chicos, se dice desde al inicio que irán a la universidad muy pronto, que tiene una gran inicio para su vida, al menos uno de los dos amigos arrastrados en cierto momento muestra un gran entusiasmo, por lo que estuve esperando en algún momento una queja, al menos una mención de que quizá huir sin tener nada que ver fue una mala idea. PERO NO.
Lo peor de todo es que Olivia no le da ni pensamiento a como la vida de estas dos personas puede haberse arruinado sin ellas tener nada que ver en el asunto.
Me es difícil creer que alguien dejaría toda su vida atrás por seguir y apoyar a una persona tan egoísta como Olivia.
O quizá es como los adolescentes reales se comporten, qué sé yo, traté seriamente de saltarme esa parte de mi vida.
***
Si te gustó mucho, mucho, PERO MUCHO Looking for Alaska o Paper Towns, hay una gran probabilidad que Drowning Is Inevitable te guste. Imagina que si Alyson Nöel y John Green escribieran un libro, sería este.
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Original de: El Extraño Gato del Cuento
Mi reseña sobre este libro será solo del 50% que pude leer. Sip, otro libro más abandonado en el año. Es triste porque le tenía muchas ganas a esta historia.
Por lo general, valoro mucho los libros por los primeros capítulos, esos son los que me hacen sentirme cómoda con la historia. Drowning Is Inevitable pensé sería uno de esos libros que no podría olvidar por mucho tiempo, de los que podría cerrar y sentir que alguien entendía esa parte de mí. Pero, lamentablemente, es una historia engañosa.
Lo que yo creía que sería: la historia sobre una chica con problemas de compromiso, con un poco de "depresión" y que podría traernos una historia real de amistad entre un chico y una chica. Con esa premisa, creo que tenía suficiente drama como para un libro.
Lo que fue: una chica "re-deprimida", que dan ganas de golpearla a cada rato; con unos amigos que usa a su antojo y ellos se dejan, un tipo que tiene mucho como potencial para aguantar este tipo de historia, pero que la protagonista hace que caiga en el cliché de oh-no-mi-vida-apesta-bu-bu.
Sé que estoy siendo injusta con el libro, quizá ese 50% que no leí hace a esta historia una de las mejores del año. Quizá.
El problema es que no dejaba de pensar que este es otro libro a lo John Green, pero no en las cosas buenas que te hacen seguir leyendo, sino el tomar a la chica emo y sobre valorada y hacerlo algo especial. Soy una persona que vive con la depresión diariamente, y lo que sentí al leer Drowning Is Inevitable es solo una chica con un poquito demasiado dramatismo. ¿Has visto esas cuentas en Twitter sobre como se van a suicidar y están con la cuchilla en la vena? No quiero desmerecer ni ridiculizar el cómo se siente cada persona, pero hay una graaan diferencia entre realmente tener depresión y ser esa figura MPDG tan idealizada por directores de cine y escritores. La diferencia es que una es una enfermedad y el otro es un concepto sexualizado de la bipolaridad.
Y NO ME HAGAS EMPEZAR CON LOS AMIGUETES
"Soy la clase de amigo al que llamar cuando necesites esconder un cadáver" Esa es una frase que me gusta, en las buenas y las delincuenciales con los amigos.
Olivia tiene esta relación de amor puro no romántico con su mejor amigo, tanto así que cuando las cosas se salen de las manos huye con él. Hasta ahí todo bien. Lo que no me gustó es como arrastra a su intermitente novio y su otra amiga. Me gusta la frase del cadáver porque en cierta forma dice que si nos atrapan, no tengo nada que perder. Mi problema con este giro en la trama donde terminan siendo perseguidos por la policía es la pasividad de estos dos chicos, se dice desde al inicio que irán a la universidad muy pronto, que tiene una gran inicio para su vida, al menos uno de los dos amigos arrastrados en cierto momento muestra un gran entusiasmo, por lo que estuve esperando en algún momento una queja, al menos una mención de que quizá huir sin tener nada que ver fue una mala idea. PERO NO.
Lo peor de todo es que Olivia no le da ni pensamiento a como la vida de estas dos personas puede haberse arruinado sin ellas tener nada que ver en el asunto.
Me es difícil creer que alguien dejaría toda su vida atrás por seguir y apoyar a una persona tan egoísta como Olivia.
O quizá es como los adolescentes reales se comporten, qué sé yo, traté seriamente de saltarme esa parte de mi vida.
***
Si te gustó mucho, mucho, PERO MUCHO Looking for Alaska o Paper Towns, hay una gran probabilidad que Drowning Is Inevitable te guste. Imagina que si Alyson Nöel y John Green escribieran un libro, sería este.
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June 17, 2016
"I didn’t always do the right thing; sometimes I channeled self-destruction.
Drowning Is Inevitable was such a fantastic novel. I'm so mad at myself for not reading it sooner. I went into this story blindly so I wasn't sure what to expect. The story concept was so different and nothing played out how I anticipated it would. This story tore at my heart and easily kept me on edge. This story well written, it was engaging, and and Ms. Stanley made me care about each of these characters.
"...My life seemed almost perfect. It was perfect as long as I ignored a few blaring truths. Like the fact that in my grandmother’s house, I pretended to be my mother, and my grandmother pretended she wasn’t crazy, and Jamie, sitting across the table from us, pretended everything in his life was normal."
From the very beginning, this story easily captured my attention. This story wasn't a romance but it was a love story. This was a beautiful depiction of friendship, loving someone, and sacrificing for them. I loved each character. Each character was unique, complex, and and had depth to them. The dynamic between Olivia, Jamie, Max, and Maggie, was truly amazing. The depth and the level of loyalty to one another was beautiful.
“I had dreams for us. They didn’t look like this.”
There is very little that I'm going to say about this book. From the synopsis you know that something terrible occurs. The story plays out through the days after an awful incident occurs. Throughout the novel the characters relied one another. They sacrificed for one another and god it broke my heart. There was so much love, pain, and emotion infused into this story. I cried more than once during this book. The characters went through so much. You can see the growth and change that happened from the begging to the end. Ms. Stanley wrote an amazing story. I would love to read more of her writing. I highly recommend this novel.
"If you come down, I won’t let anything bad happen to you. I promise.” A promise made on Fidelity Street. “I’ll take care of you.”
Original Review:
4.5 Stars. I'm upset at myself for not reading this book sooner. I'm still gathering my thoughts but this was truly well written, poignant, and heart breaking story. The level of friendship and love between the characters was simply beautiful and amazing.
September 17, 2015
Olivia lives in a small town where the children are assumed to take after their parents. For Olivia, this means the town treats her like her mother’s suicide is contagious, and Olivia will follow in her mother’s footsteps. Everyone is shocked when Olivia and her three friends are instead involved in a homicide after Olivia’s best friend, Jamie, is attacked by his abusive father. Now on the run, their group has to figure out what happens next and how to keep everyone safe.
Drowning is Inevitable is a stunning, magnificent book that should be on readers’ immediate buy lists. Shalanda Stanley’s writing is beautiful and consuming. There is a strange sense of both melancholy and hope throughout the story, and hearts will break over and over as Olivia discovers how she and her mother fit together, what sacrifice means, and how far she will go for a friend. The sentences have a way of sinking their weight in slowly and calmly, almost leaving it up to the reader to decide how much weight s/he can bear.
This is hands down the best book I have read that captures and embraces the idea of platonic soulmates. The person that can mean the world to you, the one you would literally go to the ends of the Earth for, is not always the person you are romantically involved with. The author harnesses that friendship dynamic and creates a simply beautiful relationship. The interactions with Olivia’s boyfriend, Max, are also nailed to perfection. This is far from any kind of romantic love triangle, but the author brings in natural emotions that come from having to decide what path to go on when they all cannot go the same way. Each character, Olivia, Jamie, Max, and Maggie, are all distinctive and complex, and it is pure joy to read about their group.
With a plot that never lets up, more realism than a heart can handle sometimes, and a genius examination of the ties between a group of people and a town, Drowning is Inevitable is a story to stay in hearts forever and on the bookshelf for as long as humanly possible. Shalanda Stanley crafted what is bound to beloved by many, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
Review originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yaficti...
Drowning is Inevitable is a stunning, magnificent book that should be on readers’ immediate buy lists. Shalanda Stanley’s writing is beautiful and consuming. There is a strange sense of both melancholy and hope throughout the story, and hearts will break over and over as Olivia discovers how she and her mother fit together, what sacrifice means, and how far she will go for a friend. The sentences have a way of sinking their weight in slowly and calmly, almost leaving it up to the reader to decide how much weight s/he can bear.
This is hands down the best book I have read that captures and embraces the idea of platonic soulmates. The person that can mean the world to you, the one you would literally go to the ends of the Earth for, is not always the person you are romantically involved with. The author harnesses that friendship dynamic and creates a simply beautiful relationship. The interactions with Olivia’s boyfriend, Max, are also nailed to perfection. This is far from any kind of romantic love triangle, but the author brings in natural emotions that come from having to decide what path to go on when they all cannot go the same way. Each character, Olivia, Jamie, Max, and Maggie, are all distinctive and complex, and it is pure joy to read about their group.
With a plot that never lets up, more realism than a heart can handle sometimes, and a genius examination of the ties between a group of people and a town, Drowning is Inevitable is a story to stay in hearts forever and on the bookshelf for as long as humanly possible. Shalanda Stanley crafted what is bound to beloved by many, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
Review originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yaficti...
January 11, 2016
I received a copy of this for free thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's, all opinions are my own
At A Glance
Genre: Young Adult
Love Triangle/Insta Love/Obsession?: No
Cliff Hanger: No.
Rating: 3 Stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 8
Plot: 6
Characters: 7
World Building: 6
Flow: 4
Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 6
Ending: 7
Total: 6
In Dept
Best Part: Dad got what was coming
Worst Part: Plot was all wrong, i think.
Thoughts Had: oh snap!; get him!!!; bored.
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: n/a
Recommending: eh
Misc.: Domestic Violence Trigger.
Short Review: Okay, this was well thought out book, but took a very wrong turn, in my opinion. This really should have been focused on the boy and his feelings and dealing with what happened. But instead most of the book was focused on this girl's issue with being compared to her late mother. Really, who gives a crap, just smile and be happy people remember your dead mom at all. I was disappointed.
Review in GIF Form:
At A Glance
Genre: Young Adult
Love Triangle/Insta Love/Obsession?: No
Cliff Hanger: No.
Rating: 3 Stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 8
Plot: 6
Characters: 7
World Building: 6
Flow: 4
Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 6
Ending: 7
Total: 6
In Dept
Best Part: Dad got what was coming
Worst Part: Plot was all wrong, i think.
Thoughts Had: oh snap!; get him!!!; bored.
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: n/a
Recommending: eh
Misc.: Domestic Violence Trigger.
Short Review: Okay, this was well thought out book, but took a very wrong turn, in my opinion. This really should have been focused on the boy and his feelings and dealing with what happened. But instead most of the book was focused on this girl's issue with being compared to her late mother. Really, who gives a crap, just smile and be happy people remember your dead mom at all. I was disappointed.
Review in GIF Form:
March 1, 2016
Initial reaction: Beautiful. Desperately sad. I am wrecked.
Official review: Growing up in the shadow of her mother’s suicide at age 18, Olivia—as well as the entire town of St. Francisville, Louisiana—has always believed that she would follow in her mother’s footsteps because, well, isn’t suicide genetic? Raised by her grandmother who more often than not calls her by her dead mother’s name, and avoided by her grieving father, Olivia has only ever been able to count on her best friend and next door neighbor, Jamie. When Jamie’s drunk father shows up unexpectedly one night, things get out of control quickly, and Jamie ends up making a mistake of monumental proportions. The teens escape to New Orleans with their friends, Max and Maggie, where one bad decision leads to another. Ultimately, the train wreck that has overtaken their lives speeds towards its inevitable tragic conclusion.
The writing is beautiful. The characters, though achingly flawed and incapable of making good decisions, are steadfast and loyal friends. I wanted to reach into the book, pull the characters out, and give them better lives—lives that they deserved, not the ones that they were stuck with. Have a box of Kleenex handy. You will need it.
Official review: Growing up in the shadow of her mother’s suicide at age 18, Olivia—as well as the entire town of St. Francisville, Louisiana—has always believed that she would follow in her mother’s footsteps because, well, isn’t suicide genetic? Raised by her grandmother who more often than not calls her by her dead mother’s name, and avoided by her grieving father, Olivia has only ever been able to count on her best friend and next door neighbor, Jamie. When Jamie’s drunk father shows up unexpectedly one night, things get out of control quickly, and Jamie ends up making a mistake of monumental proportions. The teens escape to New Orleans with their friends, Max and Maggie, where one bad decision leads to another. Ultimately, the train wreck that has overtaken their lives speeds towards its inevitable tragic conclusion.
The writing is beautiful. The characters, though achingly flawed and incapable of making good decisions, are steadfast and loyal friends. I wanted to reach into the book, pull the characters out, and give them better lives—lives that they deserved, not the ones that they were stuck with. Have a box of Kleenex handy. You will need it.
May 2, 2015
Amazing book about relationships. Relationships of all kinds: friends, parents, lost ones, significant others, etc. A few plot things were questionable in the beginning, but as I kept reading I realized they didn't matter. The plot could have been anything and this book would still be incredible because it was truly about the relationships. <3
August 21, 2015
SO SO SO SO SO good. Like unbelievably so. And it will make you CRY. So much. But the story is so worth it. And the FRIENDSHIPS, love, and loyalty.
Will write a more coherent review soon!
Will write a more coherent review soon!
June 1, 2017
WARNING: THIS BOOK WILL MAKE YOU BAWL LIKE A BABY!!! True story, it happened to me while reading this during a flight. In fact, the tears were streaming down my face and the flight attendant asked me if I was ok.
Several factors regarding this book tugged at my heart strings. First, it is set in my community in St. Francisville, LA, which made the setting very personal for me. The characters actually reside blocks from my home, so I immediately connected with the story due my familiarity with the Mississippi River, False River, and Thompson Creek. The author even mentions the famous ferry that once toted people across the Mississippi to New Roads. Although a new bridge replaced the ferry a few years ago, this added touch personalized the story for me.
Second, the author actually resides in the town where I grew up, so the fact that she wrote a story about where I have lived for the past 15+ years. And, although, some of the details of St. Francisville are not 100% accurate, I am in awe of the amount of details the author does know. (Side note: if you ever come to St. Francisville and eat at the Magnolia Cafe, it is not an establishment that allows for rowdy underage drinking. It is a juke joint but let the description of the teen brawls fool you! That was an elaboration created for the novel's sake).
Third, the tragedy of loss is something no on truly ever recovers from no matter if the loss occurred yesterday, 5 years ago, or 25 years ago. Those left behind have so many questions, particularly that deal with why this tragedy had to occur.
Finally, while this novel is tagged YA reading, I have not shed that many tears while reading a novel (especially in a public place). The story is well-written, with just enough suspense to keep the reader on the edge of his/her seat, but also with enough emotion to make the character actually care about the characters and their fate. Was the story perfect? Heck, no! There were several parts that were a bit unbelievable, but the point is that in one split second our fates can change.
I will definitely be sharing this book with friends, with only one caveat-- this book will suck you in, so keep the tissue handy!!!! (It is best to read this book in the privacy of your own home!)
Several factors regarding this book tugged at my heart strings. First, it is set in my community in St. Francisville, LA, which made the setting very personal for me. The characters actually reside blocks from my home, so I immediately connected with the story due my familiarity with the Mississippi River, False River, and Thompson Creek. The author even mentions the famous ferry that once toted people across the Mississippi to New Roads. Although a new bridge replaced the ferry a few years ago, this added touch personalized the story for me.
Second, the author actually resides in the town where I grew up, so the fact that she wrote a story about where I have lived for the past 15+ years. And, although, some of the details of St. Francisville are not 100% accurate, I am in awe of the amount of details the author does know. (Side note: if you ever come to St. Francisville and eat at the Magnolia Cafe, it is not an establishment that allows for rowdy underage drinking. It is a juke joint but let the description of the teen brawls fool you! That was an elaboration created for the novel's sake).
Third, the tragedy of loss is something no on truly ever recovers from no matter if the loss occurred yesterday, 5 years ago, or 25 years ago. Those left behind have so many questions, particularly that deal with why this tragedy had to occur.
Finally, while this novel is tagged YA reading, I have not shed that many tears while reading a novel (especially in a public place). The story is well-written, with just enough suspense to keep the reader on the edge of his/her seat, but also with enough emotion to make the character actually care about the characters and their fate. Was the story perfect? Heck, no! There were several parts that were a bit unbelievable, but the point is that in one split second our fates can change.
I will definitely be sharing this book with friends, with only one caveat-- this book will suck you in, so keep the tissue handy!!!! (It is best to read this book in the privacy of your own home!)
July 18, 2018
I went back and forth with myself for awhile trying to decide between 4 or 5 stars. But 4 stars denotes that "I really liked it" and 5 means "it was amazing." In my mind, 4 is "I really liked it" and 5 is "I loved it." I knew as soon as I saw this book that I would love it, I had to read it the moment I got my hands on it and it did not disappoint. This was the grief read I needed: a book about the unexpected bringing us together, friends whose hold we will never escape, and the messes that get made by running from our problems. The reason this almost got a lower rating was that the characters were problematic. Then I realized that if I could care so deeply for obviously flawed characters, the book must have done something really right.
"You love him more than me."
I shook my head. "Just longer."
"You love him more than me."
I shook my head. "Just longer."
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