What do you think?
Rate this book
Night Swimming
Imagine being the only two seventeen-year-olds in a small town. That’s life for Kirby Arrow—named after the most dissenting judge in Australia’s history—and her best friend Clancy Lee, would-be musical star.
Clancy wants nothing more than to leave town and head for the big smoke, but Kirby is worried: her family has a history of leaving. She hasn’t heard from her father since he left when she was a baby. Shouldn’t she stay to help her mother with the goat’s-milk soap-making business, look after her grandfather who suffers from dementia, be an apprentice carpenter to old Mr Pool? And how could she leave her pet goat, Stanley, her dog Maude, and her cat Marianne?
But two things happen that change everything for Kirby. She finds an article in the newspaper about her father, and Iris arrives in town. Iris is beautiful, wears crazy clothes, plays the mandolin, and seems perfect, really, thinks Kirby. Clancy has his heart set on winning over Iris. Trouble is Kirby is also falling in love with Iris…
Clancy wants nothing more than to leave town and head for the big smoke, but Kirby is worried: her family has a history of leaving. She hasn’t heard from her father since he left when she was a baby. Shouldn’t she stay to help her mother with the goat’s-milk soap-making business, look after her grandfather who suffers from dementia, be an apprentice carpenter to old Mr Pool? And how could she leave her pet goat, Stanley, her dog Maude, and her cat Marianne?
But two things happen that change everything for Kirby. She finds an article in the newspaper about her father, and Iris arrives in town. Iris is beautiful, wears crazy clothes, plays the mandolin, and seems perfect, really, thinks Kirby. Clancy has his heart set on winning over Iris. Trouble is Kirby is also falling in love with Iris…
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 3, 2017
4 people are currently reading
1341 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
April 10, 2017
Seventeen year old Kirby Arrow is one of two adolescents in the small country town of Alberton and has no inclination of departing. In their small ramshackle house, Kirby cares for her grandfather while her mother runs a small business from home. Kirby is a kind and compassionate young woman and devoted to caring for her grandfather who has been diagnosed with dementia, portrayed wonderfully with tenderness. Her mother is a stern woman who is insistent that Kirby experience the world beyond Alberton and her novice carpentry apprenticeship.
I cherished Kirby's relationship with the absurdly fabulous Clancy. Clancy is Chinese Australian in a predominately Caucasian town and an only child to parents who own a local family restaurant. Clancy is flamboyant with Broadway aspirations, waiting until he finishes his schooling to travel the well worn path to Sydney. Leaving Kirby behind. Although both Kirby and Clancy were raised in Alberton, Clancy yearns to connect with other adolescents who share a similar heritage. I appreciated Clancy initiating the conversation of inclusiveness, as it allowed Kirby to understand his perspective.
The new restaurateurs daughter is an exquisite and free spirited young woman, relocating to Alberton from New Zealand. Clancy is enamoured by Iris and devises an elaborate scheme to earn her affections. An amateur youth theatre group. I loved the tentative romance between Kirby and Iris, although Kirby attempts to resist the attraction and places her in quite the predicament. An impeccable example of fluid sexuality as orientation is never discussed.
The diversity of characters were wonderfully portrayed. Clancy is Chinese Australian and Iris is a biracial. Indian decent and formerly living in New Zealand. The narrative touches on socioeconomic, sexuality, mental illness and a neurological impairment as Kirby's grandfather is diagnosed with Dementia.
Night Swimming is absolutely glorious! A charismatic, delightful and amusing narrative of a small country town, falling in love and immense dreams. Categorically enchanting and captivating until the final page.
I cherished Kirby's relationship with the absurdly fabulous Clancy. Clancy is Chinese Australian in a predominately Caucasian town and an only child to parents who own a local family restaurant. Clancy is flamboyant with Broadway aspirations, waiting until he finishes his schooling to travel the well worn path to Sydney. Leaving Kirby behind. Although both Kirby and Clancy were raised in Alberton, Clancy yearns to connect with other adolescents who share a similar heritage. I appreciated Clancy initiating the conversation of inclusiveness, as it allowed Kirby to understand his perspective.
The new restaurateurs daughter is an exquisite and free spirited young woman, relocating to Alberton from New Zealand. Clancy is enamoured by Iris and devises an elaborate scheme to earn her affections. An amateur youth theatre group. I loved the tentative romance between Kirby and Iris, although Kirby attempts to resist the attraction and places her in quite the predicament. An impeccable example of fluid sexuality as orientation is never discussed.
The diversity of characters were wonderfully portrayed. Clancy is Chinese Australian and Iris is a biracial. Indian decent and formerly living in New Zealand. The narrative touches on socioeconomic, sexuality, mental illness and a neurological impairment as Kirby's grandfather is diagnosed with Dementia.
Night Swimming is absolutely glorious! A charismatic, delightful and amusing narrative of a small country town, falling in love and immense dreams. Categorically enchanting and captivating until the final page.
January 15, 2018
‘A fun, quirky read with oodles of romance and capers.’
Readings
‘She has an ease of style that makes you feel you are eavesdropping on a real conversation, not reading cleverly crafted lines of dialogue.’
ABC Radio Central West
‘A funny, diverse, authentic story of family, love, musicals, crop-circles and goats.’
Lili Wilkinson
‘Night Swimming is at once sweet and serious; a love-letter to outsiders, the kooky and complex—it’s an ode to first times and best friends…but above all else, it’s a reminder of how lucky we are to have a writer like Steph Bowe in our midst.’
Danielle Binks, Alpha Reader
‘Steph Bowe’s latest novel is the utterly charming story of two best friends, the small town they live in and the girl they both fall for. It is a tender and humorous tale of family ties, friendship and first love.’
Erin Gough
‘This bittersweet comedy of romantic misunderstanding, life management and family relations is poised at the emotional intersection between forgiveness and self-acceptance. Despite its whimsical tone, Night Swimming tackles serious themes of mental health, family upheaval and sexual coming-out with commendable delicacy and humanity.’
Readings
‘Brilliant and adorable and diverse and funny…Steph Bowe is basically my idol.’
Loony Literate
‘Night Swimming is absolutely glorious! A charismatic, delightful and amusing narrative of a small country town, falling in love and immense dreams. Categorically enchanting and captivating until the final page. The diversity of characters were wonderfully portrayed.’
Diva Book Nerd
‘I loved reading this. I ate it faster than a goat with a tasty golden slipper! The writing style and banter is honestly what I live for and Clancy and Kirby’s friendship was so golden. Plus cute romance, delicious food, so much awesome awkward and all the coming-of-age fears and questions teens face which is just relatable.’
Paper Fury
‘This beautifully written coming-of-age story by Steph Bowe explores, with the gentlest of touches, big themes such as identity, friendship, loyalty and the power of love in its many guises, with intelligence and humour. A winner of a story that will keep you hooked to the very end.’
Reading Time
‘This is a story with a whole lot of heart and soul. A great representation of a multi-cultural community, LGBTI issues, first love and country spirit…A lovely Aussie YA read.’
Kids Book Review
‘Night Swimming is a quirky, adorable coming of age story featuring a lesbian main character. With complex family issues, an Indian love interest and a platonic male best friend, Night Swimming is a very real and relatable read that tackles diversity beautifully.’
Happy Indulgence
‘A gentle, heartfelt tale of first love, friendship and fear of change set in a small, inland country town south of Sydney…Bowe works quietly and perceptively through a range of believable situations.’
Magpies
‘Night Swimming is amusing, quirky, and all heart.’
Bookish Manicurist
‘Night Swimming explores the challenges of not fitting in and finding the people who actually get you…A charming coming-of-age story.’
Northerly Magazine
‘A tender, quirky love story full of charm, authenticity, and goats.’
Sydney Morning Herald, Brilliant Reads from 2017
Readings
‘She has an ease of style that makes you feel you are eavesdropping on a real conversation, not reading cleverly crafted lines of dialogue.’
ABC Radio Central West
‘A funny, diverse, authentic story of family, love, musicals, crop-circles and goats.’
Lili Wilkinson
‘Night Swimming is at once sweet and serious; a love-letter to outsiders, the kooky and complex—it’s an ode to first times and best friends…but above all else, it’s a reminder of how lucky we are to have a writer like Steph Bowe in our midst.’
Danielle Binks, Alpha Reader
‘Steph Bowe’s latest novel is the utterly charming story of two best friends, the small town they live in and the girl they both fall for. It is a tender and humorous tale of family ties, friendship and first love.’
Erin Gough
‘This bittersweet comedy of romantic misunderstanding, life management and family relations is poised at the emotional intersection between forgiveness and self-acceptance. Despite its whimsical tone, Night Swimming tackles serious themes of mental health, family upheaval and sexual coming-out with commendable delicacy and humanity.’
Readings
‘Brilliant and adorable and diverse and funny…Steph Bowe is basically my idol.’
Loony Literate
‘Night Swimming is absolutely glorious! A charismatic, delightful and amusing narrative of a small country town, falling in love and immense dreams. Categorically enchanting and captivating until the final page. The diversity of characters were wonderfully portrayed.’
Diva Book Nerd
‘I loved reading this. I ate it faster than a goat with a tasty golden slipper! The writing style and banter is honestly what I live for and Clancy and Kirby’s friendship was so golden. Plus cute romance, delicious food, so much awesome awkward and all the coming-of-age fears and questions teens face which is just relatable.’
Paper Fury
‘This beautifully written coming-of-age story by Steph Bowe explores, with the gentlest of touches, big themes such as identity, friendship, loyalty and the power of love in its many guises, with intelligence and humour. A winner of a story that will keep you hooked to the very end.’
Reading Time
‘This is a story with a whole lot of heart and soul. A great representation of a multi-cultural community, LGBTI issues, first love and country spirit…A lovely Aussie YA read.’
Kids Book Review
‘Night Swimming is a quirky, adorable coming of age story featuring a lesbian main character. With complex family issues, an Indian love interest and a platonic male best friend, Night Swimming is a very real and relatable read that tackles diversity beautifully.’
Happy Indulgence
‘A gentle, heartfelt tale of first love, friendship and fear of change set in a small, inland country town south of Sydney…Bowe works quietly and perceptively through a range of believable situations.’
Magpies
‘Night Swimming is amusing, quirky, and all heart.’
Bookish Manicurist
‘Night Swimming explores the challenges of not fitting in and finding the people who actually get you…A charming coming-of-age story.’
Northerly Magazine
‘A tender, quirky love story full of charm, authenticity, and goats.’
Sydney Morning Herald, Brilliant Reads from 2017
May 7, 2017
3.5 stars
What a cute and adorable coming of age read! With a pet goat called Stanley, lots of Indian take out and a best friend with big dreams, there’s a lot of random elements in Night Swimming, but it comes together beautifully. An adorable, quirky diverse read featuring a lesbian main character in a small Australian town. I really enjoyed this one and I loved how the relationship was approached.
Full review including an Author Q&A.
What a cute and adorable coming of age read! With a pet goat called Stanley, lots of Indian take out and a best friend with big dreams, there’s a lot of random elements in Night Swimming, but it comes together beautifully. An adorable, quirky diverse read featuring a lesbian main character in a small Australian town. I really enjoyed this one and I loved how the relationship was approached.
Full review including an Author Q&A.
November 20, 2017
Kirby's narrative voice is hilarious and snarky. I loved everything about this gentle romance and satisfying family story.
March 21, 2017
“In real life, there’s no such thing as happily ever after, there’s just life passing day by day. After you ride off into the sunset, then you’re just in the middle of nowhere on a horse at night, aren’t you?”
Night Swimming is the third YA novel by Australian author, Steph Bowe. Everybody leaves Alberton. Seventeen-year-old Kirby Arrow can understand why kids leave: they have to go further afield for Years 11 and 12, and never seem to come back; her Grandma left (but returns intermittently); her dad left when she was still in nappies; her best friend Clancy Lee is still here, but only because he’s doing Year 12 by correspondence and helping his parents out in the Purple Emperor. And he’s dying to leave too, to pursue a career in musical theatre.
Kirby is still here because she doesn’t want to leave her mum, Jess to run the family goats milk soap business with just cousin Nathan’s help. And there’s Grandpa (Cyril to most everyone), not getting any younger, who’s maybe heading into dementia. And her pet goat, Stanley. So, without her mother’s blessing, she’s “subverting gender norms” and apprenticed herself to Mr Pool in his furniture-making enterprise.
Alberton’s a small, inland town surrounded by farms: pub, Chinese restaurant, hairdresser, newsagency, IGA, vet, bakery. Everybody knows everybody (and all their business), so when an Indian restaurant, the Saffron Gate opens opposite the Purple Emperor, the whole town is talking. Clancy Lee is talking about “the Restauranteur’s Daughter”. When Kirby meets Iris, she’s immediately smitten. Ditto, Clancy, who endeavours to impress by inviting Iris to participate in the pub musical they are (suddenly) staging.
Meeting Iris isn’t the only thing affecting Kirby’s equilibrium: Jess is talking about putting Cyril into care (no way!!); Kirby spots an article about her dad in the newspaper (after 17 years she finally knows where he is!!); someone is making crop circles on surrounding farms (aliens? Everyone suspects Clancy Lee); Jess is apparently having a relationship with the IGA manager (how come Kirby’s the last to know?); cousin Nathan’s pregnant fiancée, Claire is sounding her out about being a bridesmaid (cool!); and a certain distraction causes her to cut off the top of her finger with the circular saw (ouch!).
Bowe’s sweet coming of age tale is filled with characters that will be familiar to anyone who has lived in a small town, where quirkiness is, to some extent, de riguer; their individuality may be what endears them to the reader. Clancy Lee is a little reminiscent of Charlie Bucktin’s friend, Jeffrey Lu, in Jasper Jones. Bowe easily conveys the attitudes to be found in small towns, as well as problems faced by isolated teens.
The pace is gentle: there’s a bit of drama and quite a lot of humour. And there’s a cat called Marianne!! This is a story that looks at the importance of love and loyalty and friendship, of ambition and acceptance, and of being demonstrative with those you care about. Excellent YA fiction that is certain to have wider appeal, from a talented young author.
Night Swimming is the third YA novel by Australian author, Steph Bowe. Everybody leaves Alberton. Seventeen-year-old Kirby Arrow can understand why kids leave: they have to go further afield for Years 11 and 12, and never seem to come back; her Grandma left (but returns intermittently); her dad left when she was still in nappies; her best friend Clancy Lee is still here, but only because he’s doing Year 12 by correspondence and helping his parents out in the Purple Emperor. And he’s dying to leave too, to pursue a career in musical theatre.
Kirby is still here because she doesn’t want to leave her mum, Jess to run the family goats milk soap business with just cousin Nathan’s help. And there’s Grandpa (Cyril to most everyone), not getting any younger, who’s maybe heading into dementia. And her pet goat, Stanley. So, without her mother’s blessing, she’s “subverting gender norms” and apprenticed herself to Mr Pool in his furniture-making enterprise.
Alberton’s a small, inland town surrounded by farms: pub, Chinese restaurant, hairdresser, newsagency, IGA, vet, bakery. Everybody knows everybody (and all their business), so when an Indian restaurant, the Saffron Gate opens opposite the Purple Emperor, the whole town is talking. Clancy Lee is talking about “the Restauranteur’s Daughter”. When Kirby meets Iris, she’s immediately smitten. Ditto, Clancy, who endeavours to impress by inviting Iris to participate in the pub musical they are (suddenly) staging.
Meeting Iris isn’t the only thing affecting Kirby’s equilibrium: Jess is talking about putting Cyril into care (no way!!); Kirby spots an article about her dad in the newspaper (after 17 years she finally knows where he is!!); someone is making crop circles on surrounding farms (aliens? Everyone suspects Clancy Lee); Jess is apparently having a relationship with the IGA manager (how come Kirby’s the last to know?); cousin Nathan’s pregnant fiancée, Claire is sounding her out about being a bridesmaid (cool!); and a certain distraction causes her to cut off the top of her finger with the circular saw (ouch!).
Bowe’s sweet coming of age tale is filled with characters that will be familiar to anyone who has lived in a small town, where quirkiness is, to some extent, de riguer; their individuality may be what endears them to the reader. Clancy Lee is a little reminiscent of Charlie Bucktin’s friend, Jeffrey Lu, in Jasper Jones. Bowe easily conveys the attitudes to be found in small towns, as well as problems faced by isolated teens.
The pace is gentle: there’s a bit of drama and quite a lot of humour. And there’s a cat called Marianne!! This is a story that looks at the importance of love and loyalty and friendship, of ambition and acceptance, and of being demonstrative with those you care about. Excellent YA fiction that is certain to have wider appeal, from a talented young author.
August 6, 2017
~*Full review here on The Bent Bookworm!*~
Feels : Just...awwwww. Lots and lots of awwww moments. Between the besties Kirby and Clancy to the awkward anxiety of a new crush, there was just so many times I got a case of the warm fuzzies. Also, Kirby's grandfather. My heart hurt for him, and for Kirby and her family. I remember my great-grandmother as dementia set in for her, and it was absolutely heart breaking. It's difficult sometimes as a teenager or young adult to see our loved ones growing older when we feel like we're just starting out in life.
Characters : I love Kirby. She is unapologetically (though sometimes embarrassed) nerdy and unfashionable, and I wish I had her self confidence. Her quirky family, complete with unaffectionate mother and absentee father, is endearing even while they exasperate Kirby. Clancy is just hilarious and unpredictable (except to Kirby, who knows him better than he knows himself, it seems) and I loved how he repeatedly scandalized their small town with his antics.
There is a lot of minority representation in this book. That was probably my favorite part, besides the general Australian-ness (is that a word?) of it, which had me chuckling over slang I didn't quite understand. Kirby is gay, while Clancy and Iris are both minorities. I was a little sad that the book glossed over Iris's mental health issues, but I guess you can only do so much in a relatively short book.
Plot : So, this is where I felt the story was a bit weak. The plot line just sort of dragged while it skipped around somewhat and left me a little bit confused about what was going on in places (though maybe if I had paid a little more attention to the dates at the top of some of the chapters, that would have helped). There are a couple of side plots that were interesting but then turned out to not be so interesting or they were just finished off so quickly it felt a bit disjointed. Then at the end it felt like the author realized something exciting needed to happen and threw that little disaster in the works to shake everything up. Which it did, but it didn't have enough time to resolve, in my opinion.
Oh! How could I forget.
STANLEY! You should definitely read the book just for Stanley. Because everyone, apparently, needs a pet goat.
Overal, 3.5 stars. 1 flame because there are a couple slightly sexy scenes but nothing over the top or that I felt would be inappropriate for a young teen reader.
Feels : Just...awwwww. Lots and lots of awwww moments. Between the besties Kirby and Clancy to the awkward anxiety of a new crush, there was just so many times I got a case of the warm fuzzies. Also, Kirby's grandfather. My heart hurt for him, and for Kirby and her family. I remember my great-grandmother as dementia set in for her, and it was absolutely heart breaking. It's difficult sometimes as a teenager or young adult to see our loved ones growing older when we feel like we're just starting out in life.
Characters : I love Kirby. She is unapologetically (though sometimes embarrassed) nerdy and unfashionable, and I wish I had her self confidence. Her quirky family, complete with unaffectionate mother and absentee father, is endearing even while they exasperate Kirby. Clancy is just hilarious and unpredictable (except to Kirby, who knows him better than he knows himself, it seems) and I loved how he repeatedly scandalized their small town with his antics.
There is a lot of minority representation in this book. That was probably my favorite part, besides the general Australian-ness (is that a word?) of it, which had me chuckling over slang I didn't quite understand. Kirby is gay, while Clancy and Iris are both minorities. I was a little sad that the book glossed over Iris's mental health issues, but I guess you can only do so much in a relatively short book.
Plot : So, this is where I felt the story was a bit weak. The plot line just sort of dragged while it skipped around somewhat and left me a little bit confused about what was going on in places (though maybe if I had paid a little more attention to the dates at the top of some of the chapters, that would have helped). There are a couple of side plots that were interesting but then turned out to not be so interesting or they were just finished off so quickly it felt a bit disjointed. Then at the end it felt like the author realized something exciting needed to happen and threw that little disaster in the works to shake everything up. Which it did, but it didn't have enough time to resolve, in my opinion.
Oh! How could I forget.
STANLEY! You should definitely read the book just for Stanley. Because everyone, apparently, needs a pet goat.
Overal, 3.5 stars. 1 flame because there are a couple slightly sexy scenes but nothing over the top or that I felt would be inappropriate for a young teen reader.
March 12, 2017
A pet goat called Stanley, crop circles, and life in a small outback town. Night Swimming is a salute to living real, following your dreams and coming to terms with being a quirky teenager embarking upon adulthood.
Night Swimming is an example of all that is best of YA Fiction. It celebrates diversity in an authentic way, and explores complex issues such as sexuality, mental health, family dynamics, friendship, and rural life.
Seventeen-year-old, Kirby Arrow lives in the small outback town of Alberton with her pet goat, Stanley and her emotionally vacant mum. Kirby is training to be a carpenter, her best friend Clancy is seriously into musical theatre, and Kirby’s beloved Grandad is showing signs of confusion and dementia. Throw a perfect human being into this one-pub town and Kirby is thrown into a tailspin. Not to mention, Kirby is still wondering who her father really is.
Night Swimming is the third book from Australia’s talented Steph Bowe. It’s truly a delightful, and easy read and guaranteed to leave you with a contented smile. I’m even in love with the cover and I’m thoughtfully using my goat soap and wondering about Stanley and the little goat farm in Alberton.
Available from Text Publishing from April 2017. My copy of Night Swimming was courtesy of Text Publishing.
Night Swimming is an example of all that is best of YA Fiction. It celebrates diversity in an authentic way, and explores complex issues such as sexuality, mental health, family dynamics, friendship, and rural life.
Seventeen-year-old, Kirby Arrow lives in the small outback town of Alberton with her pet goat, Stanley and her emotionally vacant mum. Kirby is training to be a carpenter, her best friend Clancy is seriously into musical theatre, and Kirby’s beloved Grandad is showing signs of confusion and dementia. Throw a perfect human being into this one-pub town and Kirby is thrown into a tailspin. Not to mention, Kirby is still wondering who her father really is.
Night Swimming is the third book from Australia’s talented Steph Bowe. It’s truly a delightful, and easy read and guaranteed to leave you with a contented smile. I’m even in love with the cover and I’m thoughtfully using my goat soap and wondering about Stanley and the little goat farm in Alberton.
Available from Text Publishing from April 2017. My copy of Night Swimming was courtesy of Text Publishing.
April 22, 2017
what an amazing read!
this was my very first steph bowe novel and it was such an enjoyable ride! the setting of this book was so cool! i mean, rural australia? yes please!
other than the amazing setting, the characters AHA the characters. Kirby was such an enjoyable protagonist to read from the point of view of! she loved to read, was kind, cared about her family and clancy and was just such a sweet adorable person. on that note, clancy is such an adorable cinnammon roll too! he was so sweet and funny and his antics had me laughing out loud! iris was such a lovely person and i related with her SO MUCH!
she was half indian and had experienced the same things i had being from another country and her experiences in school we similar to what i often experience so i related with her 100%. and on that note, also, THE DIVERSITY! it had people of colour and those on the LGBTQI+ spectrum and i loved it because bowe didn't stick to the usual 'outback australia is filled with white straight people' storyline and went on her own, realistic tangent.
i loved loved loved this story so much and GAH i cannot deal <333
for more, read my no spoiler book review: https://sprinkledpages.blogspot.com.a...
this was my very first steph bowe novel and it was such an enjoyable ride! the setting of this book was so cool! i mean, rural australia? yes please!
other than the amazing setting, the characters AHA the characters. Kirby was such an enjoyable protagonist to read from the point of view of! she loved to read, was kind, cared about her family and clancy and was just such a sweet adorable person. on that note, clancy is such an adorable cinnammon roll too! he was so sweet and funny and his antics had me laughing out loud! iris was such a lovely person and i related with her SO MUCH!
she was half indian and had experienced the same things i had being from another country and her experiences in school we similar to what i often experience so i related with her 100%. and on that note, also, THE DIVERSITY! it had people of colour and those on the LGBTQI+ spectrum and i loved it because bowe didn't stick to the usual 'outback australia is filled with white straight people' storyline and went on her own, realistic tangent.
i loved loved loved this story so much and GAH i cannot deal <333
for more, read my no spoiler book review: https://sprinkledpages.blogspot.com.a...
June 25, 2017
3.5 stars
Night Swimming was adorable. I absolutely and utterly adored our protagonist, Kirby. She had such a clear and distinctive voice, and her personality was so infectious. She was the perfect blend of genuine, awkward, sweet and funny. In fact, the humour in this story was all kinds of perfect. It was ridiculously Australian and just… being able to read a book without having to Google American words and brands was so nice. It made me feel so at home. Kirby and Clancy’s banter in particular just made this book. They had such a dorky sense of humour - filled with so many bad puns it made my heart melt - but I loved that it never made too many allusions to particular TV shows/movies/books. I hate feeling left out when I don’t get pop culture references!
I do not know what I expected going into this story but the interracial f/f romance blew all my expectations. It was just so adorable. Kirby’s crush on Iris was so realistic and sweet; everything from taking four hours to draft a text that says ‘sure’ to accidently parroting her in conversation because she didn’t know what to say. It all rang so true. I liked that Kirby did come out as a lesbian throughout the story but that it did not take attention away from the more central themes of the story. Her family was so lovely, and it was nice to see a small-town community be so supportive.
In fact, the diversity in this story was pretty incredible as a whole. We did not just have a diverse cast in the sense of different ethnicities, sexuaities and religions (although we did). No, Bowe also smashed every perceivable gender role and I loved it so much. Our main male character (Clancy, Kirby’s best friend) loved musicals, doing other people's makeup, wore dresses and was undeniably flamboyant and dramatic in personality… and he was completely heterosexual. As silly as it sounds, it literally made me tear up to read that. I do not think I have ever read a book where a character with such interests and personality traits was not homosexual. On top of that, we also had a female protagonist who wore comfy clothes, hated wearing dresses and did not know how to apply eyeliner but never shamed other people (particularly other girls) for wearing makeup or being interested in fashion/cosmetics. I can honestly count the amount of times I have read that on one hand. Almost every story I read where the (female) protagonist is uninterested in perceived ‘feminine’ activities, like cosmetics and fashion, they are only written that way to seem better than the other female characters that do and, therefore, more attractive to the love interest. It makes me sick seeing such tropes perpetuated, and I loved that Bowe stepped away from that nonsense. Kirby is also doing a carpentry apprenticeship. I am so here for that.
My biggest complaint about this book was Iris. I did not think she was particularly well-written and it made it hard to get fully invested into the romance. She just felt a little… distant? I know that she was keeping her depression a secret from the town and did not want to talk about herself too much, but this meant we did not get to know her particularly well. All of her conversations with Kirby were focused on Kirby. We knew some tidbits about her family life but it was not enough. I did not understand her motivations for certain actions (if you’ve read this then you probably know what I am referring to). I never really connected with her on any level and it bothered me. I was also not a massive fan of how her depression was brought up towards the end of the story, only very fleetingly. Iris displayed no real symptoms prior to this and I know that (1) she was technically in recovery and (2) that some people are adept at hiding their struggles, but… I don’t know. I was just not satisfied with the MI rep. Personally, I think that removing that element of the story and focusing on Iris as a third culture kid - and how that affected her move and her relationship with Kirby - would have been a better use of time. It would have let her character have that three-dimensional feel without rushing - and poorly representing, in my opinion - her mental illness.
The other secondary characters were pretty well-done in my opinion. Nathan was literally my favourite character in the whole book. Maybe just because I also have a cousin called Nathan with the exact sense of humour and similar personality? Regardless, he was such a well-written, fleshed out secondary character and I loved how much he was involved in Kirby’s life. He really was the cool cousin. Cyril was a fantastic addition to the story. I love having grandparents being a important part of YA protagonist’s lives. I will say that I was not a fan of Kirby’s mother myself but I do really appreciate showing a different kind of parent in YA. We still utilise the Absent Parent/s trope way too often so it was nice to see how her and Kirby’s relationship developed throughout the story. The entire subplot surrounding Kirby’s absentee father, however, was unnecessary. I did not think it was developed quite as well as it should have been so, again, I think it would have been better to remove that extra subplot entirely.
Also, Stanley. I never knew I needed him in my life... but I did.
Overall?
Night Swimming was a sweet Australian contemporary. I adored the main characters, particularly Clancy and Nathan. The writing was simple but engaging, and the sheer Aussie-ness of the dialogue made me so happy. However, the plot tried to intertwine a few too many subplot; some of which did not get the attention they deserved. It made the story seem a little too abrupt at points or just… off. I was not a fan of the use of the Absent Father trope or Iris’ depression. In fact, Iris as a whole was a bit of a mess for me. I did love that we had an unapologetically lesbian protagonist and an adorable f/f ship, I just wish Iris had been more fleshed out as a character.
Night Swimming was adorable. I absolutely and utterly adored our protagonist, Kirby. She had such a clear and distinctive voice, and her personality was so infectious. She was the perfect blend of genuine, awkward, sweet and funny. In fact, the humour in this story was all kinds of perfect. It was ridiculously Australian and just… being able to read a book without having to Google American words and brands was so nice. It made me feel so at home. Kirby and Clancy’s banter in particular just made this book. They had such a dorky sense of humour - filled with so many bad puns it made my heart melt - but I loved that it never made too many allusions to particular TV shows/movies/books. I hate feeling left out when I don’t get pop culture references!
I do not know what I expected going into this story but the interracial f/f romance blew all my expectations. It was just so adorable. Kirby’s crush on Iris was so realistic and sweet; everything from taking four hours to draft a text that says ‘sure’ to accidently parroting her in conversation because she didn’t know what to say. It all rang so true. I liked that Kirby did come out as a lesbian throughout the story but that it did not take attention away from the more central themes of the story. Her family was so lovely, and it was nice to see a small-town community be so supportive.
In fact, the diversity in this story was pretty incredible as a whole. We did not just have a diverse cast in the sense of different ethnicities, sexuaities and religions (although we did). No, Bowe also smashed every perceivable gender role and I loved it so much. Our main male character (Clancy, Kirby’s best friend) loved musicals, doing other people's makeup, wore dresses and was undeniably flamboyant and dramatic in personality… and he was completely heterosexual. As silly as it sounds, it literally made me tear up to read that. I do not think I have ever read a book where a character with such interests and personality traits was not homosexual. On top of that, we also had a female protagonist who wore comfy clothes, hated wearing dresses and did not know how to apply eyeliner but never shamed other people (particularly other girls) for wearing makeup or being interested in fashion/cosmetics. I can honestly count the amount of times I have read that on one hand. Almost every story I read where the (female) protagonist is uninterested in perceived ‘feminine’ activities, like cosmetics and fashion, they are only written that way to seem better than the other female characters that do and, therefore, more attractive to the love interest. It makes me sick seeing such tropes perpetuated, and I loved that Bowe stepped away from that nonsense. Kirby is also doing a carpentry apprenticeship. I am so here for that.
My biggest complaint about this book was Iris. I did not think she was particularly well-written and it made it hard to get fully invested into the romance. She just felt a little… distant? I know that she was keeping her depression a secret from the town and did not want to talk about herself too much, but this meant we did not get to know her particularly well. All of her conversations with Kirby were focused on Kirby. We knew some tidbits about her family life but it was not enough. I did not understand her motivations for certain actions (if you’ve read this then you probably know what I am referring to). I never really connected with her on any level and it bothered me. I was also not a massive fan of how her depression was brought up towards the end of the story, only very fleetingly. Iris displayed no real symptoms prior to this and I know that (1) she was technically in recovery and (2) that some people are adept at hiding their struggles, but… I don’t know. I was just not satisfied with the MI rep. Personally, I think that removing that element of the story and focusing on Iris as a third culture kid - and how that affected her move and her relationship with Kirby - would have been a better use of time. It would have let her character have that three-dimensional feel without rushing - and poorly representing, in my opinion - her mental illness.
The other secondary characters were pretty well-done in my opinion. Nathan was literally my favourite character in the whole book. Maybe just because I also have a cousin called Nathan with the exact sense of humour and similar personality? Regardless, he was such a well-written, fleshed out secondary character and I loved how much he was involved in Kirby’s life. He really was the cool cousin. Cyril was a fantastic addition to the story. I love having grandparents being a important part of YA protagonist’s lives. I will say that I was not a fan of Kirby’s mother myself but I do really appreciate showing a different kind of parent in YA. We still utilise the Absent Parent/s trope way too often so it was nice to see how her and Kirby’s relationship developed throughout the story. The entire subplot surrounding Kirby’s absentee father, however, was unnecessary. I did not think it was developed quite as well as it should have been so, again, I think it would have been better to remove that extra subplot entirely.
Also, Stanley. I never knew I needed him in my life... but I did.
Overall?
Night Swimming was a sweet Australian contemporary. I adored the main characters, particularly Clancy and Nathan. The writing was simple but engaging, and the sheer Aussie-ness of the dialogue made me so happy. However, the plot tried to intertwine a few too many subplot; some of which did not get the attention they deserved. It made the story seem a little too abrupt at points or just… off. I was not a fan of the use of the Absent Father trope or Iris’ depression. In fact, Iris as a whole was a bit of a mess for me. I did love that we had an unapologetically lesbian protagonist and an adorable f/f ship, I just wish Iris had been more fleshed out as a character.
April 9, 2017
ADORABLE! Proper review to come :)
March 25, 2020
I love the writing style, the characters, the town, Kirby's narrative voice...
This book is filled with compassion for the wonderful, fully human characters and their hopes and fears.
This book is filled with compassion for the wonderful, fully human characters and their hopes and fears.
June 10, 2018
Trigger warnings: grandparent with dementia, flood.
4.5 stars.
Oh, gosh. This was utterly delightful from start to finish. Let's start with the fact that there aren't enough books set in small Australian towns, then add in the fact that there aren't enough books with pet goats. And then finish up with the fact that there aren't enough F/F romances in #LoveOzYA.
All of the characters here are utterly delightful (with the exception of Kirby's father), and I loved the three main characters a lot. Like, a LOT a lot. The friendships are delightful, the relationship is delightful, the supporting cast is delightful. It's just a sweet, adorable, feel-good story and I loved it.
4.5 stars.
Oh, gosh. This was utterly delightful from start to finish. Let's start with the fact that there aren't enough books set in small Australian towns, then add in the fact that there aren't enough books with pet goats. And then finish up with the fact that there aren't enough F/F romances in #LoveOzYA.
All of the characters here are utterly delightful (with the exception of Kirby's father), and I loved the three main characters a lot. Like, a LOT a lot. The friendships are delightful, the relationship is delightful, the supporting cast is delightful. It's just a sweet, adorable, feel-good story and I loved it.
July 5, 2017
4/5
Lovely. ♡ It's a bit late so I'll write up a review tomorrow after work.
Goats. Clancy. Small town life. Dreams. F/F love. Night swimming. Crop circles. Family. Grandfather with dementia. Chinese restaurant. Beautifully written but I'm not even really sure that much happened? Like of course things happen, but it's not a plot - driven book I the slightest. I liked the main character Kirby (she's also a bookworm!) And the family sitch is pretty neat-o too. :) Def lots to love. A little bit quirky.
Lovely. ♡ It's a bit late so I'll write up a review tomorrow after work.
Goats. Clancy. Small town life. Dreams. F/F love. Night swimming. Crop circles. Family. Grandfather with dementia. Chinese restaurant. Beautifully written but I'm not even really sure that much happened? Like of course things happen, but it's not a plot - driven book I the slightest. I liked the main character Kirby (she's also a bookworm!) And the family sitch is pretty neat-o too. :) Def lots to love. A little bit quirky.
April 9, 2017
its not bad but idk i wasnt feeling it
August 4, 2018
"In real life, there's no such thing as happily ever after, there's just life passing day by day."
The good: I fell in love with Iris.
The bad: I'm so boooooooored. The only reason I didn't DNF was this would have been my second DNF for the Aus YA Bloggers Reading Challenge and I couldn't be bothered finding something to replace it.
I'm glad I finished, but I don't see much point to the story. Kirby spends the whole time loving her dead end town and never wanting to leave. Then for no apparent reason she wants to. That's not a spoiler - it's patently obvious that no sane teenager wouldn't leave. Any time something happened, it was never a situation, it was just over and onto the next thing. eg.
I'm sure this is just me, not you, Book. I hate musical theatre, after all. I loved Untidy Towns which has similar themes. I had no problem with the going nowhere at a creepingly slow pace in her small town. GR friend Trisha loved Night Swimming and found Untidy Towns so looooooong. If I had read them the other way around perhaps I would feel the same. Please note, I love goats and not even Stanley could save this for me.
March 12, 2017
From reading a lot of small-town Australian books, you'd get the idea that Aussie authors are incapable of including diversity in their books. Steph Bowe, thankfully, proves that this is not the case.
There's a really cute f/f romance - Iris's dad is Indian and her mum is from New Zealand (she's the love interest btw).
Kirby's best friend Clancy is Chinese-Australian.
There's also representation of depression that was only brief but really well done, and rep of dementia as well.
I LOVED IT, BASICALLY. Some of the pacing felt a big lagging, but for the most part it was excellent. I loved the banter. I LOVED Kirby's voice (she's so funny and it's very AUSTRALIAN humour, I think). I loved how much she cared for her granddad. I loved the goats.
And now I really feel like samosas and/or scones and/or a bag of mixed lollies.
But basically, if you want a diverse Aussie YA book - read this one. Funny and heart-warming and diverse and excellent.
There's a really cute f/f romance - Iris's dad is Indian and her mum is from New Zealand (she's the love interest btw).
Kirby's best friend Clancy is Chinese-Australian.
There's also representation of depression that was only brief but really well done, and rep of dementia as well.
I LOVED IT, BASICALLY. Some of the pacing felt a big lagging, but for the most part it was excellent. I loved the banter. I LOVED Kirby's voice (she's so funny and it's very AUSTRALIAN humour, I think). I loved how much she cared for her granddad. I loved the goats.
And now I really feel like samosas and/or scones and/or a bag of mixed lollies.
But basically, if you want a diverse Aussie YA book - read this one. Funny and heart-warming and diverse and excellent.
April 13, 2017
why kirby
January 2, 2019
WHO NEEDS A MAN WHEN YOU’VE GOT A MANDOLIN!!!!
April 9, 2017
Very cool premise, but I found the writing wasn't great, and there was far too much exposition, especially in the first 50 pages.
September 4, 2017
What an absolutely lovely book. Funny and tender and light enough without being silly, serious enough without being too upsetting, and very very conscious of how to do race representation right. I did think Iris came across a bit too much like the cliche of a manic pixie dream girl what with her dresses and her quirks. But I found myself forgiving that. The father-daughter relationship was perhaps the most surprising aspect, and I found myself really very touched by Kirby's deepening relationship with her mum. The ache of a country town insularity resonated quite unexpectedly, reminded me that actually yes, I did feel the same as Kirby for one nanosecond of my life a very long time ago. The depiction of dementia could have been so much more awful than it was so I'm a bit impressed that Steph Bowe held back enough to make it real without letting it destroy the tone of the novel. And hell yes, any novel that deliberately namechecks former Justice Michael Kirby is just that extra special awesome.
April 2, 2017
I received this book from Goodreads.I loved it. All about friendship, family, growing up and the complexities of being a confused teenager. Imaginative and quirky and the dialogue very real. Kirby confused by her sexuality and bound by a lifelong friendship with Clancy, wanting to find her father and a fear of the future.
March 31, 2023
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I really enjoyed reading this. The writing was some of the best that I have read in a while. I loved Kirby as a main character. This was a very character driven novel which is my favourite kind of book.
RIP Steph Bowe - may your family know that your books are still being read and thoroughly enjoyed.
I really enjoyed reading this. The writing was some of the best that I have read in a while. I loved Kirby as a main character. This was a very character driven novel which is my favourite kind of book.
RIP Steph Bowe - may your family know that your books are still being read and thoroughly enjoyed.
April 21, 2017
Night Swimming is so adorable and heartwarming and funny. I'm a sucker for girl meets girl but Steph Bowe delivered so much more than that. The town, the people, the goats... all wonderfully vivid and alive
April 21, 2020
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 5! There is so much that is special about this book that it has to get 5 stars! Original, fresh and such a wonderful surprise. The only sad aspect is that we lost such an amazing author with such promise, so young.
July 24, 2018
3,5
I was very excited to read this and I'm glad I did even if it's a bit of a dispointment.
I wanted to read this book because it seemed quirky, fun and it had a... lgbtq+ love triangle? And it has all of that. Kirby is weird but attaching, she has a pet goat and contrary to most protagonist she does not want to live her small town behind. She's best friend with the only other teen in town : Clancy who's of chinese decent and love musical theater. Iris is the new girl in town and they both fall for her and hijinks ensue.
I want to start with what made me give this such a low rating then. First, I didn't like the writing style, which is not something I notice often so it's worth mentioning. There's a lot of repetition and very very short sentences and I found it annoying in parts. Then there's the extreme case of instalove. On Clancy's part it actually works because he is shown as very dramatic so you understand that this is probably just a crush and he is exagerating. But Kirby is head over heels for Iris from the first time she sees her and just nope. This book also tackles so many things at once that it stays pretty surface level with everything since it's so short.
Now about what's to love : this is pretty much drama free and I loved that. I loved the friendship of Kirby and Clancy. And the relationship that Kirby has with her family : her closeness with her cousin, her strange (but it works for them) relationship with her mom and how she hangs on to her grandpa who is starting to show signs of dementia. I also liked the lack of drama around the f/f ship. That was A+. I loved the goats and the animals in general and the small town vibe. Lots of representation : Clancy and Iris are pocs, Kirby is a bit oversized and some other spoilery bits.
So I think it was good. Just think it could have been better ^^
I was very excited to read this and I'm glad I did even if it's a bit of a dispointment.
I wanted to read this book because it seemed quirky, fun and it had a... lgbtq+ love triangle? And it has all of that. Kirby is weird but attaching, she has a pet goat and contrary to most protagonist she does not want to live her small town behind. She's best friend with the only other teen in town : Clancy who's of chinese decent and love musical theater. Iris is the new girl in town and they both fall for her and hijinks ensue.
I want to start with what made me give this such a low rating then. First, I didn't like the writing style, which is not something I notice often so it's worth mentioning. There's a lot of repetition and very very short sentences and I found it annoying in parts. Then there's the extreme case of instalove. On Clancy's part it actually works because he is shown as very dramatic so you understand that this is probably just a crush and he is exagerating. But Kirby is head over heels for Iris from the first time she sees her and just nope. This book also tackles so many things at once that it stays pretty surface level with everything since it's so short.
Now about what's to love : this is pretty much drama free and I loved that. I loved the friendship of Kirby and Clancy. And the relationship that Kirby has with her family : her closeness with her cousin, her strange (but it works for them) relationship with her mom and how she hangs on to her grandpa who is starting to show signs of dementia. I also liked the lack of drama around the f/f ship. That was A+. I loved the goats and the animals in general and the small town vibe. Lots of representation : Clancy and Iris are pocs, Kirby is a bit oversized and some other spoilery bits.
So I think it was good. Just think it could have been better ^^
June 1, 2022
I picked this book because of the cute cover and because it was the first book for a reading challenge category that I actually found on the shelf at the library. Unexpectedly, I genuinely loved it. This book was, to put it simply, beautiful.
I think that, if this book had been American or English, it could have been self indulgent and saccharine. However, it’s very Australianness is what doesn’t just save it, but elevates it. It’s not only a love story between people, it’s a love story about the Australian way of life. The country town in which this is set is every country town you’ve ever visited or that I lived in as a teen. It’s not cringey, it’s just… right.
Kirby is so awkward, but not pathetic - she’s just so likeable and relatable. Iris is the girl that *anyone* would fall in love with.
On a side note, this book covers some difficult topics, but does so with the greatest of respect. Family estrangement, racism in australia, dealing with dementia in a loved one, and mental illness. In fact, I think it includes the best and most accurate description of depression that I have ever heard, one that pretty much sums up my state of mind at the end of my marriage.
10/10.
I think that, if this book had been American or English, it could have been self indulgent and saccharine. However, it’s very Australianness is what doesn’t just save it, but elevates it. It’s not only a love story between people, it’s a love story about the Australian way of life. The country town in which this is set is every country town you’ve ever visited or that I lived in as a teen. It’s not cringey, it’s just… right.
Kirby is so awkward, but not pathetic - she’s just so likeable and relatable. Iris is the girl that *anyone* would fall in love with.
On a side note, this book covers some difficult topics, but does so with the greatest of respect. Family estrangement, racism in australia, dealing with dementia in a loved one, and mental illness. In fact, I think it includes the best and most accurate description of depression that I have ever heard, one that pretty much sums up my state of mind at the end of my marriage.
10/10.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2017
Cute and sweet, light romance in small Australian town. Perfect beach/holiday reading.
February 4, 2021
YA adult sweet book but open ended. so wonder if there will ever be more. 3.5 stars
May 7, 2022
This was a nice enough story but there was a complete lack of any sort of tension. Characters were nice though
May 26, 2019
It was nice. Had a happy ending and I liked Stanley xD now I get to pick it to pieces for an essay. Joy
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews