Dark Waters

by Cathy MacPhail

Col McCann is used to being in trouble. It is always the McCann family that the police think of first. But Col has recently aquired a new fan - Dominic. Different as the two boys are, their lives touch when Col saves Dominic from drowning.

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Friendship, Fiction, Realistic Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Catherine MacPhail

Reviews

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I liked this book despite its simple premise. Warning to the wise - you may not like the main character at all for a good part of the first measure of the book. That's because the main character, Col, belongs to a family of criminals and he couldn't be more (though I wish the author could've delved more into that - would've made the work that much more potent). Col lives with his mother and elder brother where his father was a major criminal within the town. So their family has a bit of a bad reputation, and Col is willing to watch his brother's back no matter what amount of trouble he gets into.

However, all that changes when Col inadvertently saves the life of a younger boy named Dominic. Then he becomes the community hero and has to contend with all the attention that receives. And it doesn't fare well with Cal's brother, who doesn't like the public attention - mostly because it brings unwanted attention to the family, but I think the author could've played it as a jealousy factor as well. As Col gets closer to Dominic's family and undergoes the transformation of what "doing a good dead" entails, he starts questioning many morality issues, involving his brother, and involving a boy who asks Cal for his help close to the lake.

Oh the revelations in this book. Some of them hit me and I felt bad for Col, but others I kind of saw coming. I didn't really like the main character or feel for him until a good way into the book, but I think that's intentional. When you do, it makes the conflict that much more, but I think the the author could've played upon it on a more intimate scale. But I will fully admit that I enjoyed the read in the two hours I took to sit down and take it all in. It sends an intriguing message about loyalty, but could've taken it further to make it more realistic.

Overall score: 3/5

[Jef · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm about to start reading this novel with my P7 class. Cathy MacPhail has written many young adult novels set in the west of Scotland, which I've yet to read, but this one was pitched well for my eleven year olds, living quite close to where this story is set. I think many of them will easily identify with Col and even the situation that Mungo finds himself in. It will be a good way of tackling our preconceptions of families whose lives have been affected by criminal activity, our notions of loyalty to family/friends, and our judgements of doing the right thing. I enjoyed the story and was fairly satisfied with the outcome, though I can imagine it will spark a heavy discussion on what Col should or could have done in the end.

[Adele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent YA story that went a different way than I expected.

[Erin L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting to get as much out of this book as I did. It's a short little novella that I picked up used in the SFF section with little knowledge of what to expect.

Set in Scotland, the book follows Col - a teenaged boy - when he makes one decision that changes his life. It's interesting to see how his life is changed and how the people in his life react to that - both old and new. It's a bit of a nature vs. nurture story, exploring how we change through those formative years and the effect it can have on us.

I found it especially interesting at this point in my life (well past my teen years) as I look back on who I thought I'd been when I grew up compared to who I have become. For a shorter book, it wielded more power than I expected from a book meant for a much younger audience.

[Cyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

i'm not all the way done yet but its coming ok.

[Victoria Vivente · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Waters is a standout example of how to craft a meaningful, suspenseful story for younger teens. Cathy MacPhail proves that a thriller doesn't need excessive length or shock value to be deeply engaging and thought-provoking. Highly recommended for school libraries, English classrooms exploring moral dilemmas, and any reader aged 12+ who enjoys a fast-paced story that leaves them with something substantial to ponder. It's a modern companion to classic moral tales like The Chocolate War or The Wave, delivered with a distinctive Scottish voice and undeniable narrative grip.

[Wendell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this up from a free library because it sounded interesting. I knew where the story was going from the start, but still enjoyed it.

Great development of characters and they are relatable. A good fun read, not overly challenging, but still makes one think.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Checked this book out for a quick read and it was interesting. It wasn't a great story, but I liked it and would recommend it.

[Clare Hutley · Rating 5 out of 5]

fab little YA fiction, well written with some good twists and turns, would say it would be suitable for anyone 12+

[Corkery · Rating 3 out of 5]

Natalia Antunez
I am currently reading 'Dark Waters' by Catherine MacPhail. I thought this book looked really interesting so I picked it up. The main character is Col and he has an older brother, and a mother. He lives with both of them and they get along really well. One day his brother runs home and he tells Col that he is getting chased by the cops, and that he did something bad. Col tries to find a way to protect his brother from not going to jail, he suddenly tells his brother to punch him so the cops could think they were fighting but nothing serious. This book reminds me of 'Zach's Lie' because they are both people that are in danger and have to run away from their regular life and the things that they mostly love.
I think that people who love kind of dramatic and mysterious books will highly enjoy this story because it's a mix of both and it's pretty cool.

[Joan Gagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Col is a young man with a problem. He has a bad reputation with all the grownups in his life except his mother. He has a brother who is constantly getting into trouble and has a volatile temper. Col even suspects his mother is afraid of his brother Mungo. Then, for no reason he can think of, Col saves the life of a 10 year old rich kid. Almost losing his life in the process, Col becomes a local hero. Everyone starts treating him with respect. He’s beginning to like this attention, but his brother doesn’t. He thinks the attention will lead to the discovery of a dark secret. Col is torn between his newfound celebrity and loyalty to family. Mungo will do anything to keep Col in his place. I love that this character defies everyone's pre-conceived notions.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Col, a teen boy in the lochs of Scotland, is part of a family that is known for their bad behaviors. His dad was a thief and his older brother Mango is following in his footsteps. Col is at the loch when he sees a young boy fall through the ice. Col saves him from drowning and becomes a local hero. Will he continue his path of courage and heroism or will he let loyalty to his family keep him from friendships and self esteem? There is a little Scottish dialect which is fun to read. I didn't really like parts of the storyy and it is supposed to be a thrilling mystery but I didn't find it that thrilling or mysterious. I would guess that boys would like this more but I didn't like it enough to recommend it.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't at all what I thought it would be. Although it was short, it was packed full of moral dilemmas for the main character. I loved the Scottish vernacular and will be looking up more books by this author. This would make a great book for reluctant readers due to how short it is, but it is a good read that others can sink their teeth into. It primarily deals with loyalty to family, but at what cost? Does that loyalty mean you turn your back on those who deserve justice even if they aren't family. It also dives into who should be our role models and what the responsibility is of someone who finds themselves in that role. For such a short book, it certainly made you think.

[Rosalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to try this book because it had an interesting synopsis. I'm glad that I gave it a chance because it is a wonderful story about family and loyalty and all that comes in between. The main chatacter, Col, is brought up with a rough family reputation and eventually goes on to defy what everyone in his town thinks of him by committing a good deed for once in his lifetime. This good deed changes his life and the life of those around him. This story explains the hardships of truly being a family and the challenges that come with wanting to be loyal to your family, but trying to do the right thing in the end.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Waters is an astounding novel; short, but sweet. It is highly unappreciated, I saw a lot of bad reviews, though I don't know why...

Catherine MacPhail's writing style leaves little to the imagination, every little detail is written with utmost style and accuracy.

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Catherine, who is a wonderful woman, and she told me how she came up with the ideas of many of her books, from the Tyler Lawless series to Dark Waters, in fact.

Great book for 10 - 13 year olds.

[William Hiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hero
Dark Waters, written by Catherine Macphail, is a 175 page children’s literature of hero’s, ghosts, and loyality published by Bloomsbury and Holtzrinck Publishers in 2003. It was written for grades 5 – 8, ages 10 – 14. Although it is set in modern times, this is a classic heroic tale focusing on human vulnerabilities of people that do extraordinary things. Col McCann has become a local hero because he saved the life of a drowning boy. Now he must choice between telling the truth and protecting his older brother from being charged with murder.

[- ̗̀ bibliophile ̖́- · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Dark Waters' was one emotion filled book. The main character Col was a person whom had perhaps saved a little boy's life. His brother was one tempered person and I strongly believe that the author had clearly portrayed the emotions of this book. The plot certainly thickens throughout the course of the book. I am overly amused, I had no clue that the book would go the direction in which it did. I was utterly pleased with this wonderful quick read!

[Jiselle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like this book. It's lame. Not interesting to me at all. The plot was confusing. The characters weren't very real feeling to me. Mr. Hoy thinks this book is a '5' and I think he's crazy but he asks for it! IU mean the man is STRANGE!!!! No wonder he likes this book cause it's strange, too.

[Lili Kathey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess this was alright, it was a very simple and quick book, but the message was... not exactly thought-provoking, but rather beautiful. I took a liking to Col. However... there were far too little details, which I understand is the point of this specific writing style, so it fit in well. It sort of reminded me about Markus Zusak's "The Wolfe brothers" in a way.

[Brayden Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book I really enjoyed from the start to the end. There were a couple of slow parts but it soon picked up again and was very exciting. I felt like I was always engaged on the story and trying to figure out what is going to come next. I would recommend this book to people but I'm not so sure that I would read it again.

176/176

Date finished: 3/26/15

[Lilly H · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book got a three star rating because it provided some vivid imagery but, not a lot. This book was a pretty good mystery about what really happened involving the drowning. The reason it was not the highest ranking was that there was not a consistent amount of action throughout the book. Even though it was not the best book, overall it was a pretty solid read.

[Payton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this book two stars because after the main, dramatic moment there was not much else to give until the very end. The characters always changed and most of them were so different it changed to way that the story would flow. The story stayed the same for most of the story and changed so drastically it never kept with the theme of the original meaning at the beginning.

[Jacob Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was about a kid named col who's trying to follow in his brothers footsteps, but Mungo (cols brother) is trying to follow in his fathers footsteps but his fathers dead and Col mother thinks that it's to late for Mungo.

[Maureen Glover]

I don't like this book one the ending is bad and I just don't like it and other people I know haite it so if you are a awesome preson don't read this book or even think of reading this book my Rating is zero and that means it's a bad book and if you have a life don't read this book.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Col McCann becomes a local hero when he saves a boy from drowning but when his older brother is suspected of a serious crime, Col must decide if he should be loyal to his family or tell the truth about what he saw while under the water.

[Gail Harcourt-Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful and severely under-appreciated book.

[Aislinn Forbes · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was delightful and surprising. Something was always happening!

[Andriadora]

This book was bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jordann. · Rating 1 out of 5]

wickkkked boring book!
dont read it!

[Ellie]

i hated it