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Dark Water
Friendship doesn't die, it waits...
A haunting and lyrical novel, Dark Water is a psychologically intense portrait of adolescent yearning and obsession.
When Helena returns to her childhood home in Orkney, she is forced to face memories that she has spent half a lifetime running from. Her best friend, the charismatic Anastasia, disappeared after a swimming incident. But what really happened that night by the wrecks?
A haunting and lyrical novel, Dark Water is a psychologically intense portrait of adolescent yearning and obsession.
When Helena returns to her childhood home in Orkney, she is forced to face memories that she has spent half a lifetime running from. Her best friend, the charismatic Anastasia, disappeared after a swimming incident. But what really happened that night by the wrecks?
281 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 3, 2016
3 people are currently reading
211 people want to read
About the author
Sara Bailey
3 books27 followersSara Bailey is writer and lecturer for UHI (University of the Highlands and Islands). Her first book was published by Bloomsbury in 2013 'Writing the Horror Movie' which was co-authored with Marc Blake.
She has recently returned to the Orkney Islands, after 37 years. Her first novel, 'Dark Water', is set in Orkney.
She has recently returned to the Orkney Islands, after 37 years. Her first novel, 'Dark Water', is set in Orkney.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
September 13, 2016
This is a debut novel? You have got to be kidding me right!
Like a lot of regular reviewers we read a lot of books, so when we get a debut novel we realize that is may not yet reach a standard of someone with more experience.
I am getting more and more debut novels that 'knock my socks off', 'really blow me away' because the talent is so experienced and so polished.
This book was such and all and more of the above.
As a reviewer I tend to study the book covers. I take the book at an entirety [right or wrong] but, me personally, the whole package has to make me dribble with longing to devour it.
Sometimes the cover doesn't do that, but the blurb does.
This book made me salivate to read it from not only the attractive inquisitive cover but the blurb too.
The cover stands a woman, blackened out like a silhouette almost facing toward to ocean. The sky is not overcast its looking like not too bad a day.
But look at the waters movement.
Now the blurb is short and to the point. So how could that attract me? Because its short, because its to the point and leaves you wondering......what happened to Anastasia? I'm so nosy, I needed to know.
There seems to be some ties with the title, the cover and the blurb that taken as a whole pulls you into its web and deviousness.
This is so well written you really will not be able to put it down, and, if you really need to, then you will want to get back to reading it as soon as possible.
Helena has to return home because her Father is ill. He is now married to his second wife.
She has a part to play too I found out later.
No matter what she does, no matter where she goes, she is faced with the memories of Anastasia.
It spans back sometimes so we can see how close Helena and Anastasia are, doing all the girly girl stuff, getting into mischief that sort of thing, boys etc. They were more like close sisters.
Its so different before the teen years, play, play play. However, then boys come on the scene, that is when things can drive a wedge between the closest of friends.
I loved the tingling surprises that lurked between the pages unexpectedly that made the hairs on my neck come up. Not shocking, just....oh my, type of moments.
There was a part in the book that I don't think I am giving away spoilers its just one of the sections that I recall so well:
There was Helena's Father, her step mother and a "neighbor" who had moved into the home Anastasia used to live, they wanted Helena to join them for an evening there for a meal.
It must have been one of the hardest moments she had.
I read "shall we tell her?"
By then we still didn't know what had happened to Anastasia. I was pleading that when she came back from her walk they would tell her, alas, no.
I loved, loved loved this debut novel and if this is anything to go by, I cannot wait for another to read from her.
My thanks to her PA for the copy of my book.
Do not miss this one
November 29, 2016
Having just read a couple of heavy - full on books, "Dark Water" by Sara Bailey was a breath of fresh air, the idyllic island of Orkney was so refreshing to visit. I could almost hear the lapping of the waves on the sand. And since I adore all things Scottish this was a dream book for me. Sara does not come across as a debut author but as a seasoned writer with experience and I found the style of writing easy to follow with characters you instantly engaged with. I loved the way the story kept going back in time to Helena and Anastasia's teenage years and was intrigued as to what had happened to Anastasia. A great story, easy to read and follow, I would highly recommend and award a well deserved 4 stars....thoroughly enjoyed it!
August 7, 2016
The reader cannot tell that this book is a debut novel, taking a look at a woman returning to her childhood home for one reason only - her father is in ill health.
Everywhere she turns, Helena relives her growing up years when Anastasia was her best loved friend. The early days were a delight ... they were always together, always finding some new mischief. But young girls grow up to be teenage girls.
Teenagers turn to boys, makeup, boys, clothes, dreaming of their future when a white knight will sweep them away, and then, of course, boys.
And in this case, boys will stress and strain this friendship. The friends will be tested on their loyalty to each other, petty jealousies, envy, heartbreak, .... and even death.
This is described as a psychologically intense portrait of adolescent yearning and obsession. It is certainly intense ... brings back memories of the angst of being a teenager. It is extremely well written. The author has taken extra care is defining her characters and bringing them to life. There are surprises along the way, not huge swings of suspense, but of small jolts that can lift the hair off your arms.
I highly recommend this one as its one of the best I've read this year. Sara Bailey has a brilliant future as an author. She's one I'm certainly going to follow.
Many thanks to the author and Nightingale Editions who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Everywhere she turns, Helena relives her growing up years when Anastasia was her best loved friend. The early days were a delight ... they were always together, always finding some new mischief. But young girls grow up to be teenage girls.
Teenagers turn to boys, makeup, boys, clothes, dreaming of their future when a white knight will sweep them away, and then, of course, boys.
And in this case, boys will stress and strain this friendship. The friends will be tested on their loyalty to each other, petty jealousies, envy, heartbreak, .... and even death.
This is described as a psychologically intense portrait of adolescent yearning and obsession. It is certainly intense ... brings back memories of the angst of being a teenager. It is extremely well written. The author has taken extra care is defining her characters and bringing them to life. There are surprises along the way, not huge swings of suspense, but of small jolts that can lift the hair off your arms.
I highly recommend this one as its one of the best I've read this year. Sara Bailey has a brilliant future as an author. She's one I'm certainly going to follow.
Many thanks to the author and Nightingale Editions who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
October 10, 2016
For a debut novel this is an excellent book, I am very impressed with this author's work. Helena returns to her home in Orkney to look after her father who is ill. Helena has not been home for many years and on her return many from her home town are interested to see how she has grown up, she would prefer to keep to herself. As children Helena and Anastasia were best friends. Sadly, Anastasia disappeared while they were out swimming and drowned, Helena was devastated by her friend's death. The story highlights how old views differ from those of today. This is a story about obsession, love and friendship, a captivating read where you will meet interesting characters and a plot that will keep you engaged. The OMG moment does not come until the last sentences, I loved the way this was done. A very enjoyable book. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
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September 26, 2016I have a few comments, but I will not be rating this book that I received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Dark Water by Sara Bailey was extremely well written, the characters were fully fleshed and the atmosphere of the Orkney Islands makes you feel like you are right there. Flashbacks occur throughout the story, but are handled very well and never interrupt the flow of reading. This writer is very talented.
This book is not what I would normally read, which is why I am not rating it. I was lead to believe it was a psychological thriller, but it is more of a literary adolescent coming of age story. I did not really enjoy it, but for many it will be what they are looking for. The author was spot on for what she wanted to accomplish, but not for me.
Dark Water by Sara Bailey was extremely well written, the characters were fully fleshed and the atmosphere of the Orkney Islands makes you feel like you are right there. Flashbacks occur throughout the story, but are handled very well and never interrupt the flow of reading. This writer is very talented.
This book is not what I would normally read, which is why I am not rating it. I was lead to believe it was a psychological thriller, but it is more of a literary adolescent coming of age story. I did not really enjoy it, but for many it will be what they are looking for. The author was spot on for what she wanted to accomplish, but not for me.
December 7, 2016
Friendship doesn't die, it waits...When Helena returns to her childhood home in Orkney, she is forced to face memories that she has spent half a lifetime running from. Her best friend, the charismatic Anastasia, disappeared after a swimming incident. But what really happened that night by the wrecks?
I was fascinated by this book. It's quite a distance from my usual genre, but it certainly has an eerie psychological feeling to it. Helena returns to Orkney from her job in London to help look after her father after he suffers a heart attack. On her return, Helena also has to face some haunting past memories. Her friendship with, Anastasia and her first love Dylan.
A story of friendship, love, adolescent desires, the book moves from the past to the present and written beautifully between the two times; blending perfectly. It's poetic and very hypnotic to read. A brilliant story that really draws you in.
A sublime read and a solid 4*
I was fascinated by this book. It's quite a distance from my usual genre, but it certainly has an eerie psychological feeling to it. Helena returns to Orkney from her job in London to help look after her father after he suffers a heart attack. On her return, Helena also has to face some haunting past memories. Her friendship with, Anastasia and her first love Dylan.
A story of friendship, love, adolescent desires, the book moves from the past to the present and written beautifully between the two times; blending perfectly. It's poetic and very hypnotic to read. A brilliant story that really draws you in.
A sublime read and a solid 4*
August 17, 2016
Dark Water is a debut. I feel I need to state that, because at no point during the course of my reading this book did it feel like a debut!!!Sara Bailey writes like an accomplished novelist, so I was quite taken aback to see that this is her first novel!
When I started reading Dark Water, I didn’t know what to expect. Once I got into the story though, I was completely caught up in it. It is a very intriguing novel, in that there appears to be more than one specific genre in it. It flicks between psychological thriller, young adult, a touch of a ghost story and most definitely mystery. This mix doesn’t hinder Dark Water in any way, if anything it enhances the prose at the right times.
Told in alternating time frames, we get a glimpse of the main characters as they were when they were teenagers, and as they are now. The conflicting feelings that come with adolescence are captured really well, and even as adults the author shows how these insecurities can follow into adulthood.
The surrounding landscape of Orkney and the sea provides an excellent backdrop for Dark Water too. More than once, I found myself doing a google search for the dive tours in the area and the photos are haunting as there are ships purposely wrecked in the sea and they look very eerie.
As you know by now, I am not one for full on plot discussion. What I will say though, is that Dark Water is a haunting debut. Full of atmosphere, wrought with tension and decidedly chilling, Sarah Bailey has written an exceptional first novel. I would definitely recommend it!
When I started reading Dark Water, I didn’t know what to expect. Once I got into the story though, I was completely caught up in it. It is a very intriguing novel, in that there appears to be more than one specific genre in it. It flicks between psychological thriller, young adult, a touch of a ghost story and most definitely mystery. This mix doesn’t hinder Dark Water in any way, if anything it enhances the prose at the right times.
Told in alternating time frames, we get a glimpse of the main characters as they were when they were teenagers, and as they are now. The conflicting feelings that come with adolescence are captured really well, and even as adults the author shows how these insecurities can follow into adulthood.
The surrounding landscape of Orkney and the sea provides an excellent backdrop for Dark Water too. More than once, I found myself doing a google search for the dive tours in the area and the photos are haunting as there are ships purposely wrecked in the sea and they look very eerie.
As you know by now, I am not one for full on plot discussion. What I will say though, is that Dark Water is a haunting debut. Full of atmosphere, wrought with tension and decidedly chilling, Sarah Bailey has written an exceptional first novel. I would definitely recommend it!
September 28, 2016
Full review on www.novelgossip.com
Let me start by saying that I’m delighted to be a stop on the blog tour for Dark Water today! From the moment I read the blurb and saw this strikingly beautiful cover, I just knew that I had to read this book. Though its categorized as women’s fiction, it is much more than that. There is bits of different genres as well, including suspense, psychological thriller and even a tiny bit of romance. Though it is dark at times, I could even see this as being appropriate for mature YA readers.
This is such a hauntingly eerie atmospheric novel. Set in Orkney, Bailey writes of a place full of rugged and bold beauty. From the first page, she managed to make me feel like I was heading to Orkney right alongside Helena. Her descriptions are absolutely breathtaking and I was reminded of Tracy Buchanan who I love. She has a similar writing style, especially her use of stunning imagery and elegant prose that makes the reader totally transfixed.
Helena begrudgingly heads back home when her father falls ill. She adores her dad, but she knows the minute she steps foot back home she will be overwhelmed by memories of her best friend, Anastasia. She was lost at sea after a swimming incident and Helena has been tormented by the loss ever since it happened. Throughout the book, there are a series of flashbacks that take you back to when Helena and Anastasia were teenagers. These scenes are full of teenage angst, mostly surrounding boys. Bailey did a phenomenal job at capturing the feelings and emotions that teenagers have, especially as their town is small and tight knit, so naturally everyone is involved in each other’s business. To teenagers, this is the absolute worst and with people like Gloria living near them, they don’t stand a a chance at keeping real secrets. I rather liked Gloria, she was such a lovable busybody.
This isn’t my usual preferred lightening quick suspenseful and action packed sort of read. Rather it is far slower, but don’t let that put you off. Bailey diligently plotted this book and the wait was well worth it for the ending. She had me totally enraptured up to the final page. It was a simply perfect and well executed ending.
Let me start by saying that I’m delighted to be a stop on the blog tour for Dark Water today! From the moment I read the blurb and saw this strikingly beautiful cover, I just knew that I had to read this book. Though its categorized as women’s fiction, it is much more than that. There is bits of different genres as well, including suspense, psychological thriller and even a tiny bit of romance. Though it is dark at times, I could even see this as being appropriate for mature YA readers.
This is such a hauntingly eerie atmospheric novel. Set in Orkney, Bailey writes of a place full of rugged and bold beauty. From the first page, she managed to make me feel like I was heading to Orkney right alongside Helena. Her descriptions are absolutely breathtaking and I was reminded of Tracy Buchanan who I love. She has a similar writing style, especially her use of stunning imagery and elegant prose that makes the reader totally transfixed.
Helena begrudgingly heads back home when her father falls ill. She adores her dad, but she knows the minute she steps foot back home she will be overwhelmed by memories of her best friend, Anastasia. She was lost at sea after a swimming incident and Helena has been tormented by the loss ever since it happened. Throughout the book, there are a series of flashbacks that take you back to when Helena and Anastasia were teenagers. These scenes are full of teenage angst, mostly surrounding boys. Bailey did a phenomenal job at capturing the feelings and emotions that teenagers have, especially as their town is small and tight knit, so naturally everyone is involved in each other’s business. To teenagers, this is the absolute worst and with people like Gloria living near them, they don’t stand a a chance at keeping real secrets. I rather liked Gloria, she was such a lovable busybody.
This isn’t my usual preferred lightening quick suspenseful and action packed sort of read. Rather it is far slower, but don’t let that put you off. Bailey diligently plotted this book and the wait was well worth it for the ending. She had me totally enraptured up to the final page. It was a simply perfect and well executed ending.
October 14, 2016
Arriving back in Orkney to help her step mother Kate look after her sick father, Helena is soon drawn back into Island life and rediscovers some of the friendships and places that she knew in her youth. She soon discovers, however, that the Island is haunted by the memories of one friendship in particular- Anastasia who she was best friends with at school. The two of them shared everything together and where constantly together getting into all sorts of innocent teenage fun. As they grew older, their growing interest in boys started to get in the way of their friendship and feelings of jealously and possessiveness started to develop. Then an incident towards the end of the summer changed Helen's life forever.
Its hard to believe that this is a debut novel as it is such a good book. The writing instantly draws you into the story and makes you interested in Helena's life. The author's ability to go from serious to funny in a few line shows, in my opinion, great skillás it seems so natural. The pace of the book is very good with the author injecting just enough intrigue into the story to keep the reader interested. The descriptions of Helena's teenage years is very realistic with the events and/or problems described being ones that i remember dealing with in my own teenage years.
The characters are really realistic and varied, just the sort i would imagine living in a small community. I liked the fact that everyone seemed friendly with each other and how everyone accepts Helena back. I thought the character development was well done too, particularly how the characters had grown up and changed when Helena came back.
Sara Bailey is obviously quite proud to live in Orkney . The description of the beauty of the Island is very vivid and is described in a way that really helps you to visualise the setting in your minds eye. The inclusion of a bit of information and history about the Island was very interesting. I like to learn new things and i had never heard of Orkney's midnight sun or about the wrecks that Churchill strategically sunk off the coast.
I will definetly be recommending Dark Water to others as i really enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more by Sara Bailey. If you are a fan of 'A gathering light' by Jennifer Donnelly i think you will enjoy this book as Dark Water reminded me of it.
Huge thanks to Nightengale Publisher and the author for giving me an advanced copy of this book
Its hard to believe that this is a debut novel as it is such a good book. The writing instantly draws you into the story and makes you interested in Helena's life. The author's ability to go from serious to funny in a few line shows, in my opinion, great skillás it seems so natural. The pace of the book is very good with the author injecting just enough intrigue into the story to keep the reader interested. The descriptions of Helena's teenage years is very realistic with the events and/or problems described being ones that i remember dealing with in my own teenage years.
The characters are really realistic and varied, just the sort i would imagine living in a small community. I liked the fact that everyone seemed friendly with each other and how everyone accepts Helena back. I thought the character development was well done too, particularly how the characters had grown up and changed when Helena came back.
Sara Bailey is obviously quite proud to live in Orkney . The description of the beauty of the Island is very vivid and is described in a way that really helps you to visualise the setting in your minds eye. The inclusion of a bit of information and history about the Island was very interesting. I like to learn new things and i had never heard of Orkney's midnight sun or about the wrecks that Churchill strategically sunk off the coast.
I will definetly be recommending Dark Water to others as i really enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more by Sara Bailey. If you are a fan of 'A gathering light' by Jennifer Donnelly i think you will enjoy this book as Dark Water reminded me of it.
Huge thanks to Nightengale Publisher and the author for giving me an advanced copy of this book
August 2, 2016
I read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
‘…I was a million pieces waiting to be pulled together by your tide.’
What a privilege it was to receive an advanced copy of Sara Bailey's Dark Water. Like a selkie through the cold North Sea, Bailey’s tale of a woman and her troubled past ploughs inexorably towards its dark conclusion. In Bailey’s lyrical prose, every line is shadowed by the ghostly presence of heroine Helena’s enigmatic best friend, Anastasia. This is a story of obsession, of growing up, of letting go. It is a story of family, of old values versus new, of re-evaluation. I don’t want to give any plot spoilers but suffice to say, when Helena is called away from her London life back to Orkney to visit her dying father, her appearance in her homeland causes a storm among the locals – old friends and ex-lovers alike. With the island’s temperamental weather and rugged beauty as the most dynamic of backdrops, Bailey lures you in and keeps you spellbound, never letting you do until the very last word. A clear five star read.
‘…I was a million pieces waiting to be pulled together by your tide.’
What a privilege it was to receive an advanced copy of Sara Bailey's Dark Water. Like a selkie through the cold North Sea, Bailey’s tale of a woman and her troubled past ploughs inexorably towards its dark conclusion. In Bailey’s lyrical prose, every line is shadowed by the ghostly presence of heroine Helena’s enigmatic best friend, Anastasia. This is a story of obsession, of growing up, of letting go. It is a story of family, of old values versus new, of re-evaluation. I don’t want to give any plot spoilers but suffice to say, when Helena is called away from her London life back to Orkney to visit her dying father, her appearance in her homeland causes a storm among the locals – old friends and ex-lovers alike. With the island’s temperamental weather and rugged beauty as the most dynamic of backdrops, Bailey lures you in and keeps you spellbound, never letting you do until the very last word. A clear five star read.
December 1, 2017
Beautifully written with wonderfully vivid descriptions of Orkney, Sara Bailey has crafted a story with believable characters, keenly observed complicated relationships, obsessive friendships and a clever plot.
The story is compelling and the different timelines work perfectly to deliver an undercurrent of unease amidst the sometimes claustrophobic but beautiful backdrop where a terrible event in Helena's teens is brought back to the forefront of this tight knit community whens she returns to visit her seriously ill father.
It's hard to believe that this is a debut novel and I'm keen to read more from this author. Highly recommended.
4-4.5 stars
The story is compelling and the different timelines work perfectly to deliver an undercurrent of unease amidst the sometimes claustrophobic but beautiful backdrop where a terrible event in Helena's teens is brought back to the forefront of this tight knit community whens she returns to visit her seriously ill father.
It's hard to believe that this is a debut novel and I'm keen to read more from this author. Highly recommended.
4-4.5 stars
November 12, 2020
Off the northernmost coast of Scotland lie the Orkney Islands. It is here that Helena Chambers returns to visit her aging father who is awaiting heart surgery. She hasn’t returned for over a decade, using the excuse that her PR job, and her hectic life in London preclude visits home.
The truth of the matter is that painful memories have kept her away. Youthful romances, a stepmother with whom she has never really warmed, and… the drowning death of her best friend, Anastasia.
Helena is very successful in London, but she has few, if any, friends there. When she returns to Orkney once more, Helena is astounded by how easily she falls into the island life. How most of her former acquaintances accept her presence there as if she never left. Her former contemporaries still call her “Hell Cat”, her old nickname which alludes to her ‘misspent youth’. She laments on how her father has aged, and how her former friends now have all moved on with their lives without her. The insular, small community, once stifling, now seems welcoming. But… a school reunion, her father’s impending surgery, and former lovers , all serve to make Helena uneasy.
Being home again, Helena reflects back on her teenage years…
She and Anastasia thought they would live forever, “through sick and sin”, as their childish promise stated. Life… and death had other plans.
They got up to all sorts. The uncertainty and insecurity of adolescence is a scary time and the two girls braved it together, until that is, boys served to come between them. One boy in particular. Magnus was Anastasia’s boyfriend and her time was spent with him more and more – excluding Helena.
Kate has always been fond of Helena, but has found her role as stepmother difficult. Particularly as Helena SO resembles her mother… Also, she is uncomfortable with Helena’s relationship with Anastasia. She never liked the girl and thought that the manipulative Anastasia was a disturbing influence on her stepdaughter.
Unresolved issues from the past coupled with Helena’s feelings regarding her own mother’s death have permanently strained the relationship between stepmother and stepdaughter.
Anastasia drowned – but her death remains steeped in mystery.
Anastasia drowned whilst swimming at night with Helena around the dangerous waters of the Churchill barriers in Scapa Flow. This was a foolhardy endeavor in daylight, but the lack of visibility at night made their actions even more reckless.
Helena’s grief for Anastasia has colored her life ever since. Now, after many years have passed, she wonders if she will be able to recover the vital part of herself that died with Anastasia.
This novel is told mostly through the eyes of Helena, both before she left Orkney, and in the present day. We also get a glimpse into the feelings of Kate, her stepmother, who was a character that I quite enjoyed – perhaps more than Helena. Probably because I can identify with her more. (She is a putterer and a bit anal about things).
This is a novel of memory, guilt, loss, betrayal, and regret. A novel that explores the close, sometimes overlapping, emotions of love and hate. Set in spectacular scenery, it is slow-paced like the island life it depicts. Some will consider it a crime novel, while others perhaps will not. The reader must decide.
I really enjoyed reading this debut novel and look forward to future works by Sara Bailey.
My thanks to Nightingale Editions who provided me with a digital copy of this novel and invited me to take part in the official blog tour. This review can be found in its entirety on my blog: Fictionophile.
The truth of the matter is that painful memories have kept her away. Youthful romances, a stepmother with whom she has never really warmed, and… the drowning death of her best friend, Anastasia.
Helena is very successful in London, but she has few, if any, friends there. When she returns to Orkney once more, Helena is astounded by how easily she falls into the island life. How most of her former acquaintances accept her presence there as if she never left. Her former contemporaries still call her “Hell Cat”, her old nickname which alludes to her ‘misspent youth’. She laments on how her father has aged, and how her former friends now have all moved on with their lives without her. The insular, small community, once stifling, now seems welcoming. But… a school reunion, her father’s impending surgery, and former lovers , all serve to make Helena uneasy.
Being home again, Helena reflects back on her teenage years…
She and Anastasia thought they would live forever, “through sick and sin”, as their childish promise stated. Life… and death had other plans.
They got up to all sorts. The uncertainty and insecurity of adolescence is a scary time and the two girls braved it together, until that is, boys served to come between them. One boy in particular. Magnus was Anastasia’s boyfriend and her time was spent with him more and more – excluding Helena.
Kate has always been fond of Helena, but has found her role as stepmother difficult. Particularly as Helena SO resembles her mother… Also, she is uncomfortable with Helena’s relationship with Anastasia. She never liked the girl and thought that the manipulative Anastasia was a disturbing influence on her stepdaughter.
Unresolved issues from the past coupled with Helena’s feelings regarding her own mother’s death have permanently strained the relationship between stepmother and stepdaughter.
Anastasia drowned – but her death remains steeped in mystery.
Anastasia drowned whilst swimming at night with Helena around the dangerous waters of the Churchill barriers in Scapa Flow. This was a foolhardy endeavor in daylight, but the lack of visibility at night made their actions even more reckless.
Helena’s grief for Anastasia has colored her life ever since. Now, after many years have passed, she wonders if she will be able to recover the vital part of herself that died with Anastasia.
This novel is told mostly through the eyes of Helena, both before she left Orkney, and in the present day. We also get a glimpse into the feelings of Kate, her stepmother, who was a character that I quite enjoyed – perhaps more than Helena. Probably because I can identify with her more. (She is a putterer and a bit anal about things).
This is a novel of memory, guilt, loss, betrayal, and regret. A novel that explores the close, sometimes overlapping, emotions of love and hate. Set in spectacular scenery, it is slow-paced like the island life it depicts. Some will consider it a crime novel, while others perhaps will not. The reader must decide.
I really enjoyed reading this debut novel and look forward to future works by Sara Bailey.
My thanks to Nightingale Editions who provided me with a digital copy of this novel and invited me to take part in the official blog tour. This review can be found in its entirety on my blog: Fictionophile.
July 28, 2020
Dark Water
Although this book is a far cry from the genre I usually read, I really did enjoy it.
It was a sweet story of friendship, family, love and truth.
Facing up to your childhood demons.
Anastasia and Helena were inseparable friends, until one fateful day when things went very wrong.
Although this book is a far cry from the genre I usually read, I really did enjoy it.
It was a sweet story of friendship, family, love and truth.
Facing up to your childhood demons.
Anastasia and Helena were inseparable friends, until one fateful day when things went very wrong.
December 1, 2016
This is an amazing debut novel, Helena grew up on Orkney but left and made a life in London and she has never been back but knew she really had to when her father has a heart attack, it is as though she never left though when she does return and the story keeps returning to her teenage years when she was there before. There is an underlying question that something is not being said though and everyone seems to be avoiding the subject of her old friend Anastasia. I loved the way the characters were introduced and voice their own parts and they were were so easy to engage with. It was told from two different timelines as it goes back to Helena's earlier years but the transitions are so smooth that you feel very comfortable with them.
I loved this book and I really hope that Sara Bailey writes another book soon.
I loved this book and I really hope that Sara Bailey writes another book soon.
November 29, 2016
For all my reviews, check out Clues and Reviews
https://cluesandreviews.wordpress.com/
Helena returns to her childhood home to help care for her ailing father. Once she arrives, she is forced to reconnect with people and face memories that she has spent a lifetime forgetting. After a tragic accident, ending with the loss of her best friend (Anastasia), Helena has spent her entire life dealing with the repercussions. No one really knows what happened that night at sea…. the only thing that was for sure, was that Helena was never the same.
Dark Water, the debut novel by Sara Bailey, has got to be one of the most unique “thrillers” that I have read all year. The genre of this book is very hard to place. This one was surely not a fast paced thriller or a complicated “whodunit” mystery but, instead, read as an intense and psychological portrait, a coming of age tale that was laced with tragedy. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.
The story is told in alternating time periods; some from the present as Helena struggles to fit back into her old life and keep her childhood demons at bay, while other points in the novel are back to when Helena was a teenager and the events leading up to the tragedy. I loved Helena's teenage perspective. I especially enjoyed piecing together the events that lead up to Anastasia’s death and seeing how everything would fit together in the end. There also a few moments where Helena's step-mother, Kate, has a point of view and things are told in her perspective; these ones are tense moments to read as Kate tries to tip toe around and find her place within the family dynamic.
It is no secret that I am a fan of heart pounding, fast paced, on the edge of your seat thrillers. This book was not that. Not by a long shot. But, I didn’t mind at all. Bailey is able to write such an intense portrayal, that I was entranced as I read. I could not put this book down.
My favourite part of the book was the relationship between the characters; all equally complex and addicting. I loved the complexity between Anastasia and Helena. I also loved the side story with the love triangle. I will not go into any more details so I don’t give away any spoilers but, please note, it was extremely well written.
This book has a little bit of everything for everyone. I highly recommend this read and cannot wait for more from Sara Bailey!
Many thanks to Jacqui Lofthouse, Nightingale Editions, and the author, Sara Bailey for providing a digital copy of this book; it was my pleasure to provide an honest review.
https://cluesandreviews.wordpress.com/
Helena returns to her childhood home to help care for her ailing father. Once she arrives, she is forced to reconnect with people and face memories that she has spent a lifetime forgetting. After a tragic accident, ending with the loss of her best friend (Anastasia), Helena has spent her entire life dealing with the repercussions. No one really knows what happened that night at sea…. the only thing that was for sure, was that Helena was never the same.
Dark Water, the debut novel by Sara Bailey, has got to be one of the most unique “thrillers” that I have read all year. The genre of this book is very hard to place. This one was surely not a fast paced thriller or a complicated “whodunit” mystery but, instead, read as an intense and psychological portrait, a coming of age tale that was laced with tragedy. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.
The story is told in alternating time periods; some from the present as Helena struggles to fit back into her old life and keep her childhood demons at bay, while other points in the novel are back to when Helena was a teenager and the events leading up to the tragedy. I loved Helena's teenage perspective. I especially enjoyed piecing together the events that lead up to Anastasia’s death and seeing how everything would fit together in the end. There also a few moments where Helena's step-mother, Kate, has a point of view and things are told in her perspective; these ones are tense moments to read as Kate tries to tip toe around and find her place within the family dynamic.
It is no secret that I am a fan of heart pounding, fast paced, on the edge of your seat thrillers. This book was not that. Not by a long shot. But, I didn’t mind at all. Bailey is able to write such an intense portrayal, that I was entranced as I read. I could not put this book down.
My favourite part of the book was the relationship between the characters; all equally complex and addicting. I loved the complexity between Anastasia and Helena. I also loved the side story with the love triangle. I will not go into any more details so I don’t give away any spoilers but, please note, it was extremely well written.
This book has a little bit of everything for everyone. I highly recommend this read and cannot wait for more from Sara Bailey!
Many thanks to Jacqui Lofthouse, Nightingale Editions, and the author, Sara Bailey for providing a digital copy of this book; it was my pleasure to provide an honest review.
November 27, 2016
This first novel by Sara Bailey is well wrought, beautifully sited and peopled with a cast of believable characters, most of whom I would have liked to have gotvto know in a pub by a crackling fire.
Helena returns to the remote Orkney Islands to visit her father who is seriously ill. On her return she interfaces with the past and lives again her intense relationship with the aptly named Anastasia.
The atmosphere of this book is seductive, and dangerous likevthe Dark Water of the title. I couldn't put it down. Lots of lovely Scots food in it as well including clapshot!!!!
Helena returns to the remote Orkney Islands to visit her father who is seriously ill. On her return she interfaces with the past and lives again her intense relationship with the aptly named Anastasia.
The atmosphere of this book is seductive, and dangerous likevthe Dark Water of the title. I couldn't put it down. Lots of lovely Scots food in it as well including clapshot!!!!
December 27, 2016
Symbols and Hidden Meanings in “Dark Water: A psychologically intense portrait of adolescent yearning and obsession” by Sara Bailey
‘You’ll never learn will you? Way out of your league, always was,’ said Dylan (a childhood boyfriend of Helena) to Phil (a former schoolmate to whom Helena begrudgingly lost her virginity). A reader is reminded six times that Helena, the protagonist of “Dark Water” by Sara Bailey, is way out of everyone’s league in Orkney, one of the islands in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of Great Britain, where she spent her childhood. Since her best friend Anastasia’s disappearance in the dark water of the battleship wrecks, she left abruptly, without even attending her friend’s funeral, to live in London. Helena is forced to return home due to her father’s heart attack. The people of this island may see Helena as an intelligent, sophisticated, and elegant woman who towers over them; however, this could mean they have not caught on to what she had done before she left the island. The clues are scattered in symbols and hidden meanings through out the book.
“Dark Water” opens up with Helena lamenting about how she did not want to return to Orkney, a place rich with history and scenery, where she spent her adolescent years with her best friend Anastasia through “sick and sin.” Seen as rebels and troublemakers, the two young women bonded and became “spit sisters.” They were inseparable until Magnus, a charming and good looking young man, came between them. Helena saw him as a parasite and blamed him for what had happened to Anastasia. “He had been the snake in the grass that slithered into our paradise and ruined everything. He had pretended to be friends with us both at the start but I knew he was waiting to make his move. He had taken over Anastasia like a parasite, eating away at our friendship until it was a thin, pale vulnerable thing. If it hadn’t been for him, none of it would have happened. It was his fault.”
If it weren’t for her father’s heart attack Helena wouldn’t have returned to Orkney at all. Why wouldn’t she? Was the death or disappearance of her best friend too much for her to bear or was she trying to forget something else much darker and more sinister: herself?
Helena is not your typical protagonist. Ironically, her stepmother Kate blames the charismatic Anastasia for being a bad influence on her. “It had been difficult after Anastasia’s disappearance. For a while Kate felt that everyone was looking at them, at her; blaming her in some way for what happened. Was she to blame? Should she have seen it coming? Sometimes it felt as if their whole life revolved around that bloody girl! She caught the idea and looked round nervously, worried her thoughts might bring bad luck. But she had been a bloody bad influence. Look at what she did to Helena! Nearly destroyed the child. Made her a puppet, a plaything, a manipulative bitch! Kate caught her breath. She must stop thinking like this. It wasn’t like her to think or speak ill of the dead. She was a good person, kind. She sat on the edge of the bed and tried to calm her breathing.”
Helena herself saw her best friend as “a bitch sometimes. I wished I’d never told her about Phil. Now she knew, she would use the knowledge like a weapon. She would lash out with it because she was hurt and upset about Magnus. I gritted my teeth and refused to let myself be upset.” Yet, there was something about Anastasia that drew her in to the point of obsession. She became upset whenever Anastasia spent her time with Magnus, as if she was insanely jealous, even though she had her own boyfriend. The reader is left to decipher what type of obsession she had with her best friend.
“Dark Water” is told from two points of view: Helena’s and third person. Unfortunately, Helena is an unreliable narrator because she is cryptic or it could be, psychologically, she does not see anything wrong with her or her actions. Even at the end, she doesn’t even acknowledge her fault. She still blames others. Whether the author intended it or not but there is something about her that is unsettling. Granted there are snippets of her deep thoughts and reflections at the end of each chapter, but something is still missing. Maybe this is what makes her character chilling and haunting, her lack of moral compunction and regrets.
“Dark Water” contains ironies, symbols and double meanings. A reader should look out for them. The title itself, for example, doesn’t only suggest that it is dangerous to swim in the wreckage part of the water at night, but something took place there that only one person knows. Both Helena and Anastasia themselves are a wreck. Moreover, did two other people know what happened to Anastasia but they were just being protective of everyone in town? Unfortunately, this is subject to interpretation, as the author did not really flesh out the demeanors, attitudes, and words expressed by Phil and Dylan. Their body language and their words were just as cryptic as Helena’s.
Ms. Sara Bailey’s writing style is flawless, lyrical, and it pulls me in until the final scene. I had to read Helena’s private thoughts two to three times to understand what truly happened to Anastasia. She is so cold and blasé about what happened to her best friend that it’s unsettling.
‘You’ll never learn will you? Way out of your league, always was,’ said Dylan (a childhood boyfriend of Helena) to Phil (a former schoolmate to whom Helena begrudgingly lost her virginity). A reader is reminded six times that Helena, the protagonist of “Dark Water” by Sara Bailey, is way out of everyone’s league in Orkney, one of the islands in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of Great Britain, where she spent her childhood. Since her best friend Anastasia’s disappearance in the dark water of the battleship wrecks, she left abruptly, without even attending her friend’s funeral, to live in London. Helena is forced to return home due to her father’s heart attack. The people of this island may see Helena as an intelligent, sophisticated, and elegant woman who towers over them; however, this could mean they have not caught on to what she had done before she left the island. The clues are scattered in symbols and hidden meanings through out the book.
“Dark Water” opens up with Helena lamenting about how she did not want to return to Orkney, a place rich with history and scenery, where she spent her adolescent years with her best friend Anastasia through “sick and sin.” Seen as rebels and troublemakers, the two young women bonded and became “spit sisters.” They were inseparable until Magnus, a charming and good looking young man, came between them. Helena saw him as a parasite and blamed him for what had happened to Anastasia. “He had been the snake in the grass that slithered into our paradise and ruined everything. He had pretended to be friends with us both at the start but I knew he was waiting to make his move. He had taken over Anastasia like a parasite, eating away at our friendship until it was a thin, pale vulnerable thing. If it hadn’t been for him, none of it would have happened. It was his fault.”
If it weren’t for her father’s heart attack Helena wouldn’t have returned to Orkney at all. Why wouldn’t she? Was the death or disappearance of her best friend too much for her to bear or was she trying to forget something else much darker and more sinister: herself?
Helena is not your typical protagonist. Ironically, her stepmother Kate blames the charismatic Anastasia for being a bad influence on her. “It had been difficult after Anastasia’s disappearance. For a while Kate felt that everyone was looking at them, at her; blaming her in some way for what happened. Was she to blame? Should she have seen it coming? Sometimes it felt as if their whole life revolved around that bloody girl! She caught the idea and looked round nervously, worried her thoughts might bring bad luck. But she had been a bloody bad influence. Look at what she did to Helena! Nearly destroyed the child. Made her a puppet, a plaything, a manipulative bitch! Kate caught her breath. She must stop thinking like this. It wasn’t like her to think or speak ill of the dead. She was a good person, kind. She sat on the edge of the bed and tried to calm her breathing.”
Helena herself saw her best friend as “a bitch sometimes. I wished I’d never told her about Phil. Now she knew, she would use the knowledge like a weapon. She would lash out with it because she was hurt and upset about Magnus. I gritted my teeth and refused to let myself be upset.” Yet, there was something about Anastasia that drew her in to the point of obsession. She became upset whenever Anastasia spent her time with Magnus, as if she was insanely jealous, even though she had her own boyfriend. The reader is left to decipher what type of obsession she had with her best friend.
“Dark Water” is told from two points of view: Helena’s and third person. Unfortunately, Helena is an unreliable narrator because she is cryptic or it could be, psychologically, she does not see anything wrong with her or her actions. Even at the end, she doesn’t even acknowledge her fault. She still blames others. Whether the author intended it or not but there is something about her that is unsettling. Granted there are snippets of her deep thoughts and reflections at the end of each chapter, but something is still missing. Maybe this is what makes her character chilling and haunting, her lack of moral compunction and regrets.
“Dark Water” contains ironies, symbols and double meanings. A reader should look out for them. The title itself, for example, doesn’t only suggest that it is dangerous to swim in the wreckage part of the water at night, but something took place there that only one person knows. Both Helena and Anastasia themselves are a wreck. Moreover, did two other people know what happened to Anastasia but they were just being protective of everyone in town? Unfortunately, this is subject to interpretation, as the author did not really flesh out the demeanors, attitudes, and words expressed by Phil and Dylan. Their body language and their words were just as cryptic as Helena’s.
Ms. Sara Bailey’s writing style is flawless, lyrical, and it pulls me in until the final scene. I had to read Helena’s private thoughts two to three times to understand what truly happened to Anastasia. She is so cold and blasé about what happened to her best friend that it’s unsettling.
September 29, 2016
Friendship doesn't die, it waits...
A haunting and lyrical novel, Dark Water is a psychologically intense portrait of adolescent yearning and obsession.
When Helena returns to her childhood home in Orkney, she is forced to face memories that she has spent half a lifetime running from. Her best friend, the charismatic Anastasia, disappeared after a swimming incident. But what really happened that night by the wrecks?
Rating: 4.5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: that ending changed literally everything!; unreliable 1st person narrator; interesting flip flop/use of 1st, 2nd, AND 3rd POV narrations; love the "Now and Then" feel this has; dark and atmospheric prose; realistic, flawed characters
First: HUGE thanks to Sara Bailey and Nightingale Editions Publishers for granting me early access to this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.
I should have hated Anastasia on sight. She was everything I wasn't: small, blonde, cute and friendly--oozing personality like jam from a doughnut.
Now, I'm going to do something just a little weird and work my way backwards in this review. Why? Because mystery, intrigue, all things chaotic! No, no, I kid. BUT THAT ENDING! The ending of this book literally changed everything. Don't get all worked up--I promise to keep things spoiler-free, as always! I will, however, warn you: the first person POV? 100% unreliable. There are hints dropped early on that you won't realize were even hints until you hit the last few paragraphs. Helena, our main character, will make you question her, will make you doubt her...and then will somehow, someway, sneak her way beneath your skin and force you to trust her at her word. The pieces come together, but they do so in a way you won't be expecting.
That being said, this book is both weird and awesome in its use of perspective. 1st, 2nd, AND 3rd person POV are all used brilliantly. Seriously, I bow down to this author for putting it off and making it gorgeous at the same time--that is SUCH a challenging feat, and Sara Bailey made it seamless. The first few chapters were a bit confusing--it takes a moment to get used to the formatting and the perspective shifts. I also wasn't entirely sure who the third person POV was until the very end, though this, of course, was the entire POINT of this POV. It all comes down to perspective, and the puzzle pieces dropped in these sections were meant to be jagged, to not all fit together, to throw readers off the trail.
The plot is, overall, a bit slower than I was expecting. There's a sense of "Now and Then" (this is a movie, for those who don't know it--it's one of my favorites, go look it up!) in the way the plot jumps from present to past. It is in no way a linear progression, so if you aren't a fan of cyclical or nonlinear prose, keep this in mind when considering picking this book up--it jumps around. A lot. For this particular book, it worked REALLY well for me personally--it always came back to that one defining moment. It always came back to the instant that changed everything for these characters.
With Dylan I felt safe, he was at ease in his skin. I was always shedding mine, shifting to be a different me, as if I were trying on different versions of myself to see which one would fit best.
I am super happy to have been approached with the opportunity to read and review this title! Helena is the PERFECT example of an unreliable narrator, though she manages to fool even the readers through most of this journey. The shifts in perspective are both gorgeously done and, in some instances, unsettling in an enthralling, exciting way. I definitely recommend this to lovers of darkly atmospheric prose, characters with defining secrets, and mysteries that are a little slow in plot but hugely satisfying in answers. I will be keeping my eye out for Sara Bailey in the future. If this is a debut novel from her, I can't wait to see what she does next!
October 4, 2016
When you read as much as I do, you develop a bit of an instinct for books you just know are going to be something rather special. I was excited about Dark Water by Sara Bailey from the moment I first read about it – who could resist “a psychologically intense portrait of adolescent yearning and obsession”? A new and exciting publisher in Nightingale Books and – although I’m not really at all a cover girl – the cover of this book with its colours, wild sea and shadowy figure in the foreground would make anyone pick it up from the shelf.
Of course, all this would count for nothing should the novel not live up to the promise – but, my word, it most certainly does. If I was excited before reading it, I’m even more excited now I have. Sara Bailey might be a debut novelist, but there is nothing about this book that would give you any idea that was the case. From the moment Helena steps off the plane taking her from her high- powered London life to her childhood home of Orkney – in her high heels, cinched waist jacket and unsuitable matching beret – I was enthralled. I’m sometimes not the greatest fan of coming-of-age stories – but this book is very much more than that. The story is told in dual time – the present day, as Helen visits both her seriously ill father and her memories, and a contemporary account of her teenage years of intense friendship and yearning. Both threads are totally compelling, the past and present blurring as each offers illumination of the other.
The Orkney setting is vividly and perfectly drawn – the landscape and seascape, but also the claustrophobic feeling of everyone knowing what you’ve done almost before you’ve done it. There are so many wonderful touches – like the casual acceptance of Helen’s return after so many years with an “aye aye”, and the problems of keeping anything at all private (however sensitive or personal) – capturing the realities of living in a community where everyone feels entitled to comment on everything you do and offer their advice (I was brought up in a small Welsh village – this community felt totally real to me). Every character is drawn in exquisite detail, even those on the periphery of the story – and the relationships between them vividly real and beautifully observed. The intensity of teenage female friendship is magnificently portrayed – with that need for exclusivity, to be the most important part in each others’ lives, but with that thin line between love and something other. There are many points in this book that will make you smile – but it also has a spine-chilling atmosphere and a sense of dread pervading the whole. The story itself is all-consuming as you read, with an intensity I’ve rarely encountered. The portrayal of grief and loss is deeply moving. The outcome wasn’t what I expected, but so much better than that – perfectly judged and executed.
I’m really pleased my instinct didn’t fail me. This was a unique and unforgettable book that I’d recommend to all.
Of course, all this would count for nothing should the novel not live up to the promise – but, my word, it most certainly does. If I was excited before reading it, I’m even more excited now I have. Sara Bailey might be a debut novelist, but there is nothing about this book that would give you any idea that was the case. From the moment Helena steps off the plane taking her from her high- powered London life to her childhood home of Orkney – in her high heels, cinched waist jacket and unsuitable matching beret – I was enthralled. I’m sometimes not the greatest fan of coming-of-age stories – but this book is very much more than that. The story is told in dual time – the present day, as Helen visits both her seriously ill father and her memories, and a contemporary account of her teenage years of intense friendship and yearning. Both threads are totally compelling, the past and present blurring as each offers illumination of the other.
The Orkney setting is vividly and perfectly drawn – the landscape and seascape, but also the claustrophobic feeling of everyone knowing what you’ve done almost before you’ve done it. There are so many wonderful touches – like the casual acceptance of Helen’s return after so many years with an “aye aye”, and the problems of keeping anything at all private (however sensitive or personal) – capturing the realities of living in a community where everyone feels entitled to comment on everything you do and offer their advice (I was brought up in a small Welsh village – this community felt totally real to me). Every character is drawn in exquisite detail, even those on the periphery of the story – and the relationships between them vividly real and beautifully observed. The intensity of teenage female friendship is magnificently portrayed – with that need for exclusivity, to be the most important part in each others’ lives, but with that thin line between love and something other. There are many points in this book that will make you smile – but it also has a spine-chilling atmosphere and a sense of dread pervading the whole. The story itself is all-consuming as you read, with an intensity I’ve rarely encountered. The portrayal of grief and loss is deeply moving. The outcome wasn’t what I expected, but so much better than that – perfectly judged and executed.
I’m really pleased my instinct didn’t fail me. This was a unique and unforgettable book that I’d recommend to all.
October 2, 2016
To start off with I just love the book cover for Dark Water, it’s peaceful yet disturbing. I know they always say never judge a book by it’s cover but I can’t help myself and if I walked into a shop and saw this I would automatically pick it up.
Dark Water is set in Orkney and I loved the descriptiveness throughout the book, the setting you get a real feel for and it really gives you a sense of Orkney living, a small community where everyone knows everyone. I could smell the sea air as I was reading and just fell totally into the story.
Helena has returned to Orkney after living in London for over 10 years and as Helena readjusts she is haunted by memories of her childhood and her best friend Anastasia. I loved how we were taken back in time through Helena’s memories, meeting Anastasia and seeing how things were for Helena in her teenage years and slowly finding out how she became so haunted by Anastasias disappearance.
This is not just a coming of age story, it’s a story about friendship, sadness, tragedy, love and family. The characters are all very believable and really draw you in so you feel connected to them and can relate to some of the teenage memories, like the feeling you had when your best friend had a boyfriend, the little bit of jealousy, that feeling that the boy was taking your friend away.
I didn’t actually see the full genre of this book until after I read it and just saw the coming of age description but as I was reading I felt a real angst, an anxiety that I just couldn’t put my finger on but then it hut me and I was totally blown away.
This really is a cracking atmospheric story that made me sad, happy and also gave me shivers. It’s so cleverly written and really pulled me into the story, making me feel haunted like Helena. I had goose bumps reading it.
This is Sara Baileys debut novel and it’s just marvellous. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I’m really looking forward to reading more from this fabulous author. This being a debut I’m really excited to see what Sara Bailey has up here sleeve next
My Rating 5/5
I’d like to say thanks to Nightingale Editions for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Dark Water is set in Orkney and I loved the descriptiveness throughout the book, the setting you get a real feel for and it really gives you a sense of Orkney living, a small community where everyone knows everyone. I could smell the sea air as I was reading and just fell totally into the story.
Helena has returned to Orkney after living in London for over 10 years and as Helena readjusts she is haunted by memories of her childhood and her best friend Anastasia. I loved how we were taken back in time through Helena’s memories, meeting Anastasia and seeing how things were for Helena in her teenage years and slowly finding out how she became so haunted by Anastasias disappearance.
This is not just a coming of age story, it’s a story about friendship, sadness, tragedy, love and family. The characters are all very believable and really draw you in so you feel connected to them and can relate to some of the teenage memories, like the feeling you had when your best friend had a boyfriend, the little bit of jealousy, that feeling that the boy was taking your friend away.
I didn’t actually see the full genre of this book until after I read it and just saw the coming of age description but as I was reading I felt a real angst, an anxiety that I just couldn’t put my finger on but then it hut me and I was totally blown away.
This really is a cracking atmospheric story that made me sad, happy and also gave me shivers. It’s so cleverly written and really pulled me into the story, making me feel haunted like Helena. I had goose bumps reading it.
This is Sara Baileys debut novel and it’s just marvellous. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I’m really looking forward to reading more from this fabulous author. This being a debut I’m really excited to see what Sara Bailey has up here sleeve next
My Rating 5/5
I’d like to say thanks to Nightingale Editions for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 6, 2016
This is a great read which I devoured in three sittings. Set in the magnificent setting of Orkney, Dark Water tells the story of a young woman who has come home to visit her sick father after an absence of many years. The moment Helena steps off the tiny plane we are told that news of her arrival will have zipped across the mainland. From then on, we are ourselves cast headlong into the small-scale life on Orkney, embroiled in the gossip and in the scrutiny Helena receives from neighbours and town folk. The portrayal of a community living in each other’s pockets was so brilliantly done, that for me, a London lass who loves her anonymity, it was deliciously claustrophobic. I was reminded throughout of Olive Kitteridge’s Maine – the harbour, the fishing boats, the harsh lives, the cramped front rooms. Bailey’s scenic portrayal of Orkney is also masterful – I was with Helena on the jagged cliffs as she walked her dogs, I could smell the sea salt, feel the wind slapping my face. So much so, that I yearned to go there. Having imagined Orkney as an isolated wild place of crofters and sheep I was also surprised to learn that it had a Woolworths!
The story is told compellingly. On arriving home, Helena is soon swept up on a meandering journey through her teenage memories. We are alongside her as she hangs out with best friend Anastasia, as she has her first kiss, as she embarks on her sexual awakening. This past life is nicely juxtaposed with the present as she revisits once familiar places and haunts, comes across old friends and foe. The ending is haunting. This is a novel that will stay with me.
The story is told compellingly. On arriving home, Helena is soon swept up on a meandering journey through her teenage memories. We are alongside her as she hangs out with best friend Anastasia, as she has her first kiss, as she embarks on her sexual awakening. This past life is nicely juxtaposed with the present as she revisits once familiar places and haunts, comes across old friends and foe. The ending is haunting. This is a novel that will stay with me.
October 3, 2016
Sara Bailey’s debut novel, Dark Water tells an exceptional and intriguing story set in beautiful, mysterious Orkney. I was drawn to the book as I have, myself, recently moved to Orkney and love reading fiction set in the islands. I did not know what to expect but was quickly drawn into the powerful story being told. The author describes the eerie ship-wrecks in such a way that you can visualize them – or maybe that’s just because I have seen them so many times. Beautiful as they sound I would not be willing to jump in and swim around them!
Dark Water focuses on Helena’s story, alternating between being a teenager and the adult she is today. Helena grew up in Orkney but left the island after her best friend, Anastasia was lost to the sea on a late night swim. Helena is returning now after her father is taken ill. Returning to the island is difficult for Helena, as much as she loves her dad, she has been running from the memories of her teenage years and losing her best friend, Anastasia. Helena knows as soon as she arrives she will be overwhelmed by memories of that night. The author excellently describes the conflicting feelings of the adolescent years and the insecurities we take with us into adulthood.
I loved this psychologically intense novel and highly recommend Dark Water as an excellent 5 star read. I would like to thank the author, Sara Bailey, and Jacqui Lofthouse of Nightingale Editions for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to its release date. This review is also published on my blog www.momobookdiary.com and amazon.co.uk
Dark Water focuses on Helena’s story, alternating between being a teenager and the adult she is today. Helena grew up in Orkney but left the island after her best friend, Anastasia was lost to the sea on a late night swim. Helena is returning now after her father is taken ill. Returning to the island is difficult for Helena, as much as she loves her dad, she has been running from the memories of her teenage years and losing her best friend, Anastasia. Helena knows as soon as she arrives she will be overwhelmed by memories of that night. The author excellently describes the conflicting feelings of the adolescent years and the insecurities we take with us into adulthood.
I loved this psychologically intense novel and highly recommend Dark Water as an excellent 5 star read. I would like to thank the author, Sara Bailey, and Jacqui Lofthouse of Nightingale Editions for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to its release date. This review is also published on my blog www.momobookdiary.com and amazon.co.uk
December 5, 2016
Can you ever go back? Helena returns to Orkney where she grew up. Her father has had a heart attack and that has made her return after many years. Her return also coincides with a school reunion- something she decides she does not want to attend.
Almost as soon as she arrives she is haunted by the sight of a young girl who seems to crop up wherever she goes and her thoughts constantly return to thought of Anastasia- her best friend through her teenage years. We are left guessing as to what exactly happened to Anastasia for almost the whole book. Helena's memories of growing up in a small community are vivid and realistic
I love the way Sara Bailey captures the 'feel' of Orkney, where everyone knows everyone else,where people know what you did almost before you did. Helena seems torn between being part of the place and rejecting it. I also appreciated the fact that I was never quite sure if I actually liked Helena or not!
This is a good debut novel and I would like to thank TBC for giving me the chance to red and review it.
Almost as soon as she arrives she is haunted by the sight of a young girl who seems to crop up wherever she goes and her thoughts constantly return to thought of Anastasia- her best friend through her teenage years. We are left guessing as to what exactly happened to Anastasia for almost the whole book. Helena's memories of growing up in a small community are vivid and realistic
I love the way Sara Bailey captures the 'feel' of Orkney, where everyone knows everyone else,where people know what you did almost before you did. Helena seems torn between being part of the place and rejecting it. I also appreciated the fact that I was never quite sure if I actually liked Helena or not!
This is a good debut novel and I would like to thank TBC for giving me the chance to red and review it.
December 8, 2016
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book via #TBConFB.
Whilst I appreciate that this book is the authors first, I felt somewhat underwhelmed by it. I just felt it was lacking something but I can't quite put my finger on it! I kept finding myself drifting and focusing my attention elsewhere rather than the book.
The book is set on the Orkney Islands and focuses around love, friendship and loss. What I liked about this book was how it all ended - like WOW! What an ending!
I award this book 4 stars and can recommend it to all fans of thriller, mystery and suspense stories.
Whilst I appreciate that this book is the authors first, I felt somewhat underwhelmed by it. I just felt it was lacking something but I can't quite put my finger on it! I kept finding myself drifting and focusing my attention elsewhere rather than the book.
The book is set on the Orkney Islands and focuses around love, friendship and loss. What I liked about this book was how it all ended - like WOW! What an ending!
I award this book 4 stars and can recommend it to all fans of thriller, mystery and suspense stories.
December 11, 2016
A hauntingly, eerie tale of an obsessive friendship set in the beautiful Orkney islands. Helena returns after many years to see her father who is ill and from the outset it is clear that she has unhappy memories that she is struggling to deal with. The story of Helena and her best friend, Anastasia, unfurls slowly in an extremely well-written, debut novel. Sara has a way with words and the description of Orkney makes you feel that you are actually there. I was gripped throughout.
My thanks to TBC on FB for this arc in return for an honest review.
My thanks to TBC on FB for this arc in return for an honest review.
November 25, 2016
Dark Water by Sara Bailey is a psychological read.
A haunting and lyrical novel, 'Dark Water' is a psychologically intense portrait of adolescent yearning and obsession, set in the beautiful Orkney Islands.
When Helena returns to her childhood home in Orkney to care for her father after a heart attack, she is forced to face memories that she has spent half a lifetime running from.
Very good read with good characters. This was one I couldn't put down. Helena was my favourite character. Recommended. 4*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from tbc on fb.
A haunting and lyrical novel, 'Dark Water' is a psychologically intense portrait of adolescent yearning and obsession, set in the beautiful Orkney Islands.
When Helena returns to her childhood home in Orkney to care for her father after a heart attack, she is forced to face memories that she has spent half a lifetime running from.
Very good read with good characters. This was one I couldn't put down. Helena was my favourite character. Recommended. 4*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from tbc on fb.
December 10, 2016
There's no denying this is a beautifully written book. Set on Orkney, the environment is beautifully explained, and this created such an intense atmosphere, I now want to whisk myself away to explore this place and its wrecks that lurk beneath the surface of the sea. The story, however, never quite gripped me in the way I'd hoped it would, and its pace was just too slow for my liking. Having said that, I did love Sara Bailey's style and I'm hoping there's more to come.
December 9, 2016
Beautifully and sensitively written book about the memories of one young girls teenage years steeped with dark secrets and regrets. Following the story of Hell who looses those closest too her set on a beautiful Scottish island. A must read for young and old.
September 21, 2016
Actual rating 4.5*
Right off I want to say that even though this story is shrouded by mystery, it is not a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller, so if you're after that sort of heart-pumping book, this is not for you. This is a rather atmospheric tale with tragedy at its centre.
After more than a decade, Helena returns to her childhood home in Orkney islands to see her father through an operation and help out her stepmother. She had been reluctant to return to this place which harbours so many unwanted memories.
"Anastasia was there, looming over them still all these years later..."
The story alternates between the present, when Helena meets again her old acquaintances and old flames and revisits old haunts, and the past, as she relives memories of her school and teenage years and her first experiences, always accompanied by her partner in crime, best friend Anastasia. Together, the two girls, were always up to some form of mischief.
We know that Anastasia disappeared when the girls were still teenagers. No one knows what happened to her and the mystery was never solved, but her presumed death had had a deep impact on Anastasia and the whole close-knit community of the islands. What happened to Anastasia? Where did she go? Did she really die?
Okay, this book is written brilliantly, the prose is alive, vivid and fluid making the reader literally fly through the pages. All characters are well-portrayed, interesting and realistically flawed.
I liked the way the author introduces us to Orkney Islands. Like Helena we have our first view down from the plane window as it comes down to land. Thanks to vivid descriptions, I really felt as if I too was visiting this beautiful place. Before reading this book, I wasn't even sure where the Orkney Islands were situated, I didn't know about the shipwrecks littering Orkney's seabeds, that there sometimes it's still not dark by 11pm or what a Broch is, so apart from reading a fab new intriguing book, I learned a lot of interesting things about these islands.
Anastasia's presence can be felt all the time in the present, following Helena's every step. Though the story alternates between past and present, it is never confusing. And though the plot is not fast-paced, it is never annoying. I wanted to know what had really happened to Anastasia so that kept me on my toes and interested till the unexpected ending, which I have to say shocked me!
The story focuses mostly on the girls' teenage angst, rebellion, partying, first love, experiences and disappointments and on present day Helena as she tries to come to terms with her past and reflect on her future. Maybe I would have liked just a teeny bit more action or twists within the plot. But having said that, I really enjoyed reading this fabulous debut novel (doesn't feel like a debut!) and I highly recommend it.
With thanks to Nightingale Editions for an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.
Right off I want to say that even though this story is shrouded by mystery, it is not a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller, so if you're after that sort of heart-pumping book, this is not for you. This is a rather atmospheric tale with tragedy at its centre.
After more than a decade, Helena returns to her childhood home in Orkney islands to see her father through an operation and help out her stepmother. She had been reluctant to return to this place which harbours so many unwanted memories.
"Anastasia was there, looming over them still all these years later..."
The story alternates between the present, when Helena meets again her old acquaintances and old flames and revisits old haunts, and the past, as she relives memories of her school and teenage years and her first experiences, always accompanied by her partner in crime, best friend Anastasia. Together, the two girls, were always up to some form of mischief.
We know that Anastasia disappeared when the girls were still teenagers. No one knows what happened to her and the mystery was never solved, but her presumed death had had a deep impact on Anastasia and the whole close-knit community of the islands. What happened to Anastasia? Where did she go? Did she really die?
Okay, this book is written brilliantly, the prose is alive, vivid and fluid making the reader literally fly through the pages. All characters are well-portrayed, interesting and realistically flawed.
I liked the way the author introduces us to Orkney Islands. Like Helena we have our first view down from the plane window as it comes down to land. Thanks to vivid descriptions, I really felt as if I too was visiting this beautiful place. Before reading this book, I wasn't even sure where the Orkney Islands were situated, I didn't know about the shipwrecks littering Orkney's seabeds, that there sometimes it's still not dark by 11pm or what a Broch is, so apart from reading a fab new intriguing book, I learned a lot of interesting things about these islands.
Anastasia's presence can be felt all the time in the present, following Helena's every step. Though the story alternates between past and present, it is never confusing. And though the plot is not fast-paced, it is never annoying. I wanted to know what had really happened to Anastasia so that kept me on my toes and interested till the unexpected ending, which I have to say shocked me!
The story focuses mostly on the girls' teenage angst, rebellion, partying, first love, experiences and disappointments and on present day Helena as she tries to come to terms with her past and reflect on her future. Maybe I would have liked just a teeny bit more action or twists within the plot. But having said that, I really enjoyed reading this fabulous debut novel (doesn't feel like a debut!) and I highly recommend it.
With thanks to Nightingale Editions for an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.
October 4, 2016
Firstly, I would like to thank Jacqui and the publishers for allowing me to be a part of this blog tour and for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Dark Waters is a debut novel by Sara Bailey BUT trust me you would not be able to tell it was her first novel! It is brilliantly written, easy to read and fast paced. I loved the setting of the story (Orkney), it seems perfect and I would love to go there myself from what was described of Orkney within the book. I really enjoyed this story, not too short and not too long either (224 pages). The ending is open to your personal view of what you think happened however, the story does guide you to one point of view but its like a cliffhanger with the ending YOU know…
I think Dark Water would make a great film, I liked all the characters within the story as they stood out individually in their own way and all had something to tackle in life whether that is the future, an illness, love, sex, a business or hidden secrets. This is a story about Helena (the main character) who returns home to Orkney but while she is home there is a school reunion party… Will Helen attend? Will Helen ever let the past go? Will she stay in Orkney or go back to London? If these are questions you’re asking yourself you NEED to buy this novel. I would highly recommend it to you all. The story does flicker from Helen’s childhood (PAST) to Helen now but the author has set that out clearly so there is no confusion and it switches in between quite smoothly and perfectly, making the story whole. A brilliant novel to get sunk into which is why I awarded five stars.
Dark Water is perfect for readers who enjoy a brilliant drama, thriller, mystery and suspense filled story which would also be perfect for those who enjoy a bit of young adult reading. Dark Water will be released on the 3rd of October 2016 and is currently 99p on the kindle store, so go pre-order or buy when released and read the story for yourself. See what you think. Secrets cannot be buried forever… Enjoy, I did.
I think Dark Water would make a great film, I liked all the characters within the story as they stood out individually in their own way and all had something to tackle in life whether that is the future, an illness, love, sex, a business or hidden secrets. This is a story about Helena (the main character) who returns home to Orkney but while she is home there is a school reunion party… Will Helen attend? Will Helen ever let the past go? Will she stay in Orkney or go back to London? If these are questions you’re asking yourself you NEED to buy this novel. I would highly recommend it to you all. The story does flicker from Helen’s childhood (PAST) to Helen now but the author has set that out clearly so there is no confusion and it switches in between quite smoothly and perfectly, making the story whole. A brilliant novel to get sunk into which is why I awarded five stars.
Dark Water is perfect for readers who enjoy a brilliant drama, thriller, mystery and suspense filled story which would also be perfect for those who enjoy a bit of young adult reading. Dark Water will be released on the 3rd of October 2016 and is currently 99p on the kindle store, so go pre-order or buy when released and read the story for yourself. See what you think. Secrets cannot be buried forever… Enjoy, I did.
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