What do you think?
Rate this book
Geese Are Never Swans
Gus's life is about one thing-- swimming. He is determined to make it to the Olympics and he knows that the only coach in town who can get him there is Coach Marks. So it seems like a simple plan: convince Coach Marks to train him. Everything from there on in is just hard work and Gus has never been afraid of hard work.
But there are a few complications. For one thing, Coach Marks was Danny's coach. Danny, Gus's older brother, committed suicide after failing to make the national swimming team, a big step on the way to the Olympics. And for another thing, Gus and Danny didn't exactly get along when Danny was alive. Gus never liked living in Danny's shadow, and that shadow has grown even longer since Danny's death.
In this powerful novel about the punishing and the healing nature of sports, Gus's rage threatens to swallow him at every turn. He's angry at his brother, his mother, his coach . . . even himself. But as he works through his feelings and toward his goal, Gus does everything he can to channel his anger into excelling at the sport that he and Danny both loved, finding solace in the same place he must face his demons: the water.
But there are a few complications. For one thing, Coach Marks was Danny's coach. Danny, Gus's older brother, committed suicide after failing to make the national swimming team, a big step on the way to the Olympics. And for another thing, Gus and Danny didn't exactly get along when Danny was alive. Gus never liked living in Danny's shadow, and that shadow has grown even longer since Danny's death.
In this powerful novel about the punishing and the healing nature of sports, Gus's rage threatens to swallow him at every turn. He's angry at his brother, his mother, his coach . . . even himself. But as he works through his feelings and toward his goal, Gus does everything he can to channel his anger into excelling at the sport that he and Danny both loved, finding solace in the same place he must face his demons: the water.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published July 21, 2020
74 people are currently reading
1142 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 84 reviews
September 27, 2020
Geese Are Never Swans tells the story of Gus, a high school swimmer reeling from his brother’s suicide. Danny was an elite swimmer, well recognized and praised for his athletic achievements. Gus is tired of living in Danny’s shadow, resentful of his success and favoritism. He is determined to show the world he’s a better swimmer and can finish what Danny never accomplished: making the Olympic team. Gus approaches Danny’s swim coach to enlist his help in getting the job done.
I wanted to love this one — Kobe Bryant is one of the creators which is how I became aware of the book and why I had an interest in reading it. Geese Are Never Swans was good, but not a favorite. Major themes in the book include grief, anger, suicide, and mental health of athletes, in addition to the common teenage theme of peer pressure. It was darker than I expected it to be, yet a timely read that may be helpful for its YA audience, struggling with some of Gus’s same feelings. I did enjoy the occasional artwork throughout the book too.
I wanted to love this one — Kobe Bryant is one of the creators which is how I became aware of the book and why I had an interest in reading it. Geese Are Never Swans was good, but not a favorite. Major themes in the book include grief, anger, suicide, and mental health of athletes, in addition to the common teenage theme of peer pressure. It was darker than I expected it to be, yet a timely read that may be helpful for its YA audience, struggling with some of Gus’s same feelings. I did enjoy the occasional artwork throughout the book too.
August 25, 2020
Okay, so I’m a mess at finishing this book and truly at the halfway point I would not have expected that at all. I went into this book blind, knowing nothing about it other than it involved swimming, but this book is about so much more than that.
Whilst reading this book I ironically appreciated the mess, the anger, the sadness and the outrage of the characters, particularly Gus, and recognising that you cannot exist in a vortex. That you can be all those things and still have hope, have dreams and want to be your own self.
There is much to take away from this book, but the thing that stands out most right now, is that healing and grief is a process.
And perhaps this review is a bit more philosophical that I would normally write, but underneath the wonderful writing and plot that keeps you entranced from cover to cover, what will truly stay with me is the very real depiction of mental illness. As someone who spent most of their teenage years battling suicidal depression, I also really appreciated that it was not a topic explored with stigma attached, but through the lens of what it’s actually like to deal with both the illness yourself and the ramifications of others experiences with it as well. Like many books this one does end with a happy ending, but it also foretells that Gus and those around him are on a journey that doesn’t just end on the final page. It encapsulates in words so much more about depression and suicide than this review does it justice, but simply put, I did not expect for it to affect me this much or to be so glad to have found and read this one.
Whilst reading this book I ironically appreciated the mess, the anger, the sadness and the outrage of the characters, particularly Gus, and recognising that you cannot exist in a vortex. That you can be all those things and still have hope, have dreams and want to be your own self.
There is much to take away from this book, but the thing that stands out most right now, is that healing and grief is a process.
And perhaps this review is a bit more philosophical that I would normally write, but underneath the wonderful writing and plot that keeps you entranced from cover to cover, what will truly stay with me is the very real depiction of mental illness. As someone who spent most of their teenage years battling suicidal depression, I also really appreciated that it was not a topic explored with stigma attached, but through the lens of what it’s actually like to deal with both the illness yourself and the ramifications of others experiences with it as well. Like many books this one does end with a happy ending, but it also foretells that Gus and those around him are on a journey that doesn’t just end on the final page. It encapsulates in words so much more about depression and suicide than this review does it justice, but simply put, I did not expect for it to affect me this much or to be so glad to have found and read this one.
July 21, 2020
***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of GEESE ARE NEVER SWANS by Eva Clark in exchange for my honest review.***
After Gus’s brother commits suicide, he puts his energy into making the Olympic trials in swimming, a goal Danny pursued. Filled with anger, Gus pushes away his coach and those who try to help him as he spirals into depression.
GEESE ARE NEVER SWANS takes readers in places books rarely do. Rather than making Danny a benevolent victim of depression, Eva Clark wrote Gus’s brother as a bully. Though traumatized by finding the body, Gus is filled with hate for his brother, who took all their mother’s love an attention. The mom is a piece of work, doting on Danny, emotionally absent and abusive to Gus. Clark didn’t answer many of my questions about Danny’s suicide letters, his childhood issues, the sister’s drug use or the mom’s problems. One short conversation didn’t do it for me.
GEESE ARE NEVER SWANS is an important book on the strength in seeking support and asking for help, particularly for male athletes and how therapy and medication can improve life.
After Gus’s brother commits suicide, he puts his energy into making the Olympic trials in swimming, a goal Danny pursued. Filled with anger, Gus pushes away his coach and those who try to help him as he spirals into depression.
GEESE ARE NEVER SWANS takes readers in places books rarely do. Rather than making Danny a benevolent victim of depression, Eva Clark wrote Gus’s brother as a bully. Though traumatized by finding the body, Gus is filled with hate for his brother, who took all their mother’s love an attention. The mom is a piece of work, doting on Danny, emotionally absent and abusive to Gus. Clark didn’t answer many of my questions about Danny’s suicide letters, his childhood issues, the sister’s drug use or the mom’s problems. One short conversation didn’t do it for me.
GEESE ARE NEVER SWANS is an important book on the strength in seeking support and asking for help, particularly for male athletes and how therapy and medication can improve life.
July 8, 2021
First book of 2021!!
If you don’t mind swearing and some dark subject matter I think this book is an incredible read. The short chapters made it easy to read quickly and the book kept me entertained. Character growth in this looking at Gus in the beginning to the end is amazing. The book shows how it takes time to learn and heal and I really appreciate that.
If you don’t mind swearing and some dark subject matter I think this book is an incredible read. The short chapters made it easy to read quickly and the book kept me entertained. Character growth in this looking at Gus in the beginning to the end is amazing. The book shows how it takes time to learn and heal and I really appreciate that.
August 2, 2020
Gus was pain personified. Not only was he reeling from his brother's death by suicide, he was also carrying around a lifetime of guilt related to his father's death. Struggling with all these emotions, he chose to be angry and to lash out at anyone who tried to get too close. Getting back into swimming was something that was both good and bad for him. He was spiraling out, eventually hit bottom, and it was surprising who was there to pick him back up and encourage his recovery. This book was very pro-therapy and pro-medication, which I appreciated, and shined a spotlight on some of the attitudes people have regarding mental health issues and how damaging those ideas are.
This was a tough read at times, but ultimately, it was hopeful.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
This was a tough read at times, but ultimately, it was hopeful.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
May 22, 2024
wow *sobs*
->4.3 stars
->4.3 stars
August 17, 2021
This book is much more than I had bargained for. A precautionary tale of mental health buried in the depths of ones goals. Mental illness hidden by and, in some cases, framed by the desire to be great. Or is it the fact that it takes someone a little mentally unhealthy to push themselves to the brink of breaking, all for a shot at their goals? I'm not sure I have the answers yet, but this was a very well written book, that dives head first into the issues many families deal in our country. If you have a few hours to spare, and children involved in sports, I think it's a great read, just to see how the mind of a young athlete might work.
February 26, 2021
Review and discussion questions answered on my podcast ! Coming soon !
September 4, 2020
Just, WOW. Highly recommend.
October 25, 2020
For ¾ of the book, I thought Gus, our speaker, was an irredeemable jerk, though I understood where his anger and resentment originated. Gus starts the book like a modern-day athletic Holden Caulfield with the immediate profanity and attitude. While the early profanity may make the book a tough sell to parents, teachers and librarians, remember that Catcher is no different.
Gus is a teenager who has been wronged in life. His older sister abandoned her child with them, the father is deceased, mom is depressed, and older brother committed suicide knowing Gus would find him. Everyone loved Danny, but they did not see his mean streak quite like his sibling. Gus is rightfully angry. This is coupled with the fact that Danny, his brother, was a stellar swimmer on track to compete at the Olympic Trials. Gus is every bit as talented, but was never given the same respect or opportunity, and with Danny’s death, Gus wants to claim his own fame in the swimming world: “All those years and all those pools, and not once did anyone ever ask why I wasn’t in the water. No one cared if I had dreams of my own because caring about me meant taking something away from Danny” (29).
Gus is grappling with his own mental health struggles. He shows that it gets worse before it gets better, and that it may take several tries to find the therapies and techniques that will work. I appreciated that the book showed the multipronged approach needed to address mental health struggles, and I was relieved that he decided to share his story with the larger swimming community.
I am a teacher and librarian, but also the mother to a competitive swimmer who has faced his own struggles. The text accurately shows the expectations placed on some of these athletes by coaches and parents, the struggle between competing ideas of recovery/rest and active recovery, the unique relationship between coaches and athletes, and the massive gatekeeping measures athletes face in even qualifying for Olympic Trials. I didn’t like Gus at the beginning, but I understood him and wished him health and happiness at the conclusion of the story.
Not only will swimmers like an inside look at the world of another swimmer (“’Free is my best stroke’ says every swimmer.”), but kids interested in sports stories will like it too. I also feel it would be beneficial to parents of elite athletes (coupled with the nonfiction What Made Maddy Run). Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
Gus is a teenager who has been wronged in life. His older sister abandoned her child with them, the father is deceased, mom is depressed, and older brother committed suicide knowing Gus would find him. Everyone loved Danny, but they did not see his mean streak quite like his sibling. Gus is rightfully angry. This is coupled with the fact that Danny, his brother, was a stellar swimmer on track to compete at the Olympic Trials. Gus is every bit as talented, but was never given the same respect or opportunity, and with Danny’s death, Gus wants to claim his own fame in the swimming world: “All those years and all those pools, and not once did anyone ever ask why I wasn’t in the water. No one cared if I had dreams of my own because caring about me meant taking something away from Danny” (29).
Gus is grappling with his own mental health struggles. He shows that it gets worse before it gets better, and that it may take several tries to find the therapies and techniques that will work. I appreciated that the book showed the multipronged approach needed to address mental health struggles, and I was relieved that he decided to share his story with the larger swimming community.
I am a teacher and librarian, but also the mother to a competitive swimmer who has faced his own struggles. The text accurately shows the expectations placed on some of these athletes by coaches and parents, the struggle between competing ideas of recovery/rest and active recovery, the unique relationship between coaches and athletes, and the massive gatekeeping measures athletes face in even qualifying for Olympic Trials. I didn’t like Gus at the beginning, but I understood him and wished him health and happiness at the conclusion of the story.
Not only will swimmers like an inside look at the world of another swimmer (“’Free is my best stroke’ says every swimmer.”), but kids interested in sports stories will like it too. I also feel it would be beneficial to parents of elite athletes (coupled with the nonfiction What Made Maddy Run). Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
August 3, 2020
Not what I thought this book would be at all... disappointed...lots of swearing and not uplifting
August 22, 2020
3.5 stars
September 21, 2020
“Whether goose or swan, I have wings. And I’ll fly.” Gus Bennett is so assured that he is going to be a better swimmer than his brother Danny that he plans to put his memory to shame. That’s right. Danny has recently committed suicide and rather than mourn his passing, Gus is determined to become a more celebrated athlete. Geese Are Never Swans tells the story of a grieving young man who fuels his anger at life, his mother and his past into becoming the best swimmer – even at his own expense.
Gus Bennett is an angry teenager. Scratch that. He’s more than angry. He’s pissed off. He’s father passed away when he was being born and his mother held it against Gus for most of his life and doted on his older brother, Danny – who ended up becoming a star swimmer. His sister Darien was an addict and has left her infant daughter Winter in the care of their mother. So, life isn’t going so well for Gus.
Gus and his lack of filter find their way to Danny’s former mentor, Coach Marks. Gus’ plan is that if he can convince Coach Marks to train him then he feels he is guaranteed to make it to the Olympic Trials. Coach Marks submits and the training begins. Not one for making friends seems to somehow work in Gus’ favor because while his teammates aren’t his pals, his blunt responses and determination do earn their respect. Plus, Gus is not half bad in the pool afterall.
Unfortunately, Gus’ home life remains in turmoil as the Bennett family’s loss has divided them even further than they had been. It isn’t until Coach Marks reaches out to Gus’ mom that he starts getting a bit of true motherly attention. In fact, Gus only seems invested in his family when it comes to niece Winter…but only to a point. He also has been in group therapy to work through the loss of his brother, but isn’t at all interested in bonding with his fellow teenagers united by grief. He really only seems to want to connect in his brother’s former girlfriend Lainey, as she took time to talk to get to know him when she dated Danny.
However, things come crashing down for Gus when he makes his way to a party where he does some drinking…and driving. His mother is seriously sick with the flu and tasks him with getting her flu medicine, but upon seeing Lainey at the drug store he ends up following her to the gathering. Upon drinking plenty of “truth serum,” he spills out his real feelings of guilt over being the cause for his father’s death and how his mother really only ever loved his older brother. Gus ends up at Coach Marks’ home where he is confronted by his mentor. It isn’t until Gus makes it home though that his world really completely crumbles.
I won’t give away the remaining plot, but mental health plays a major role in this book. It shines a light on the pressures that athletes in the limelight face and that grief can take many forms. Geese Are Never Swans is written by author Eva Clark, who is actually a psychologist whose work focuses mainly on mental health, social justice and sports. Therefore, she is quite qualified and gives a truthful insight into Gus’ pain. The book itself was created by basketball legend Kobe Bryant, one of the brightest sports stars there ever was. So, we surely see where the inspiration for Gus’ determination to succeed came from as well.
Geese Are Never Swans is a deep read that reminds its audience that no man is an island – we all need someone to lean on. Mental health is no longer a topic with a stigma, so this book does an excellent job of not just encouraging readers to seek assistance but also provides contact information for two leading mental health organizations within the athletic community – The Hidden Opponent and The Michael Phelps Foundation. And while geese may never be swans, perhaps the mantra from the titular character from Finding Dory of “just keep swimming” might have given this book a better metaphor.
Gus Bennett is an angry teenager. Scratch that. He’s more than angry. He’s pissed off. He’s father passed away when he was being born and his mother held it against Gus for most of his life and doted on his older brother, Danny – who ended up becoming a star swimmer. His sister Darien was an addict and has left her infant daughter Winter in the care of their mother. So, life isn’t going so well for Gus.
Gus and his lack of filter find their way to Danny’s former mentor, Coach Marks. Gus’ plan is that if he can convince Coach Marks to train him then he feels he is guaranteed to make it to the Olympic Trials. Coach Marks submits and the training begins. Not one for making friends seems to somehow work in Gus’ favor because while his teammates aren’t his pals, his blunt responses and determination do earn their respect. Plus, Gus is not half bad in the pool afterall.
Unfortunately, Gus’ home life remains in turmoil as the Bennett family’s loss has divided them even further than they had been. It isn’t until Coach Marks reaches out to Gus’ mom that he starts getting a bit of true motherly attention. In fact, Gus only seems invested in his family when it comes to niece Winter…but only to a point. He also has been in group therapy to work through the loss of his brother, but isn’t at all interested in bonding with his fellow teenagers united by grief. He really only seems to want to connect in his brother’s former girlfriend Lainey, as she took time to talk to get to know him when she dated Danny.
However, things come crashing down for Gus when he makes his way to a party where he does some drinking…and driving. His mother is seriously sick with the flu and tasks him with getting her flu medicine, but upon seeing Lainey at the drug store he ends up following her to the gathering. Upon drinking plenty of “truth serum,” he spills out his real feelings of guilt over being the cause for his father’s death and how his mother really only ever loved his older brother. Gus ends up at Coach Marks’ home where he is confronted by his mentor. It isn’t until Gus makes it home though that his world really completely crumbles.
I won’t give away the remaining plot, but mental health plays a major role in this book. It shines a light on the pressures that athletes in the limelight face and that grief can take many forms. Geese Are Never Swans is written by author Eva Clark, who is actually a psychologist whose work focuses mainly on mental health, social justice and sports. Therefore, she is quite qualified and gives a truthful insight into Gus’ pain. The book itself was created by basketball legend Kobe Bryant, one of the brightest sports stars there ever was. So, we surely see where the inspiration for Gus’ determination to succeed came from as well.
Geese Are Never Swans is a deep read that reminds its audience that no man is an island – we all need someone to lean on. Mental health is no longer a topic with a stigma, so this book does an excellent job of not just encouraging readers to seek assistance but also provides contact information for two leading mental health organizations within the athletic community – The Hidden Opponent and The Michael Phelps Foundation. And while geese may never be swans, perhaps the mantra from the titular character from Finding Dory of “just keep swimming” might have given this book a better metaphor.
July 7, 2021
A good young adult read that was also relevant to adulthood.
Sixteen year old Gus lives in the shadow of his older brother Danny. Danny was a swimmer on track for the Olympics. Halfway through his freshman year of college, Danny comes home and takes his own life. We learn this in the very first pages of the book. Now, as Gus tries to reach his swimming dreams, he seeks the help of the one coach he knows can make it happen. But it seems everywhere Gus turns, he is only looked on with pity rather than taken for his own merit. He sweet talks his way onto Coach Marks' team.
Throughout the story of Gus' swimming goals and achievements we learn how Gus' father died before he was born. We learn how Gus' mom has seemingly forgotten about him--not that she cared much about him before Danny died. We learn about his drug using sister who has abandoned her own infant daughter, leaving her with Gus and his mom, choosing instead her life of drugs and addiction.
There's so much meat in this book. If you have any teens in your life, I would highly recommend it. There is insight into the world of mental illness and grief. A warning though: if you have someone in your life who you suspect may be thinking about suicide, proceed with great caution.
Sixteen year old Gus lives in the shadow of his older brother Danny. Danny was a swimmer on track for the Olympics. Halfway through his freshman year of college, Danny comes home and takes his own life. We learn this in the very first pages of the book. Now, as Gus tries to reach his swimming dreams, he seeks the help of the one coach he knows can make it happen. But it seems everywhere Gus turns, he is only looked on with pity rather than taken for his own merit. He sweet talks his way onto Coach Marks' team.
Throughout the story of Gus' swimming goals and achievements we learn how Gus' father died before he was born. We learn how Gus' mom has seemingly forgotten about him--not that she cared much about him before Danny died. We learn about his drug using sister who has abandoned her own infant daughter, leaving her with Gus and his mom, choosing instead her life of drugs and addiction.
There's so much meat in this book. If you have any teens in your life, I would highly recommend it. There is insight into the world of mental illness and grief. A warning though: if you have someone in your life who you suspect may be thinking about suicide, proceed with great caution.
December 30, 2020
This young adult novel about a swimmer in high school caught my attention because it was created by Kobe Bryant and I wondered if he gave the idea to Eva Clark. It's confusing because his bio says he's a writer, but maybe he died before he could write it.
There's a lot of cursing because the hero is very pissed off. His older brother killed himself about six weeks earlier and he's fed up with the condolences and tributes to a brother he had worshipped and who disappointed him. Now he hates his brother and just wants the chance to show the world that he's the better swimmer with his brother's former coach. He has problems with his devastated mother who can't even work or take care of herself. He hates his big sister who drops in sometimes to see her toddler.
I'm not a fan of sports stories, but it was written by a psychologist of kids like our swimmer. I think she's probably better at that job than writing novels, though. It started boring me about midway and I skimmed the rest. It was predictably full of teenage angst and confessions for screwing up and gratitude for the support he received to help him through his struggle.
You might really enjoy it if you're a teenage boy, but it wasn't my kind of book.
There's a lot of cursing because the hero is very pissed off. His older brother killed himself about six weeks earlier and he's fed up with the condolences and tributes to a brother he had worshipped and who disappointed him. Now he hates his brother and just wants the chance to show the world that he's the better swimmer with his brother's former coach. He has problems with his devastated mother who can't even work or take care of herself. He hates his big sister who drops in sometimes to see her toddler.
I'm not a fan of sports stories, but it was written by a psychologist of kids like our swimmer. I think she's probably better at that job than writing novels, though. It started boring me about midway and I skimmed the rest. It was predictably full of teenage angst and confessions for screwing up and gratitude for the support he received to help him through his struggle.
You might really enjoy it if you're a teenage boy, but it wasn't my kind of book.
Read
August 25, 2021Geese are Never Swans by Eva Clark and created by Kobe Bryant is a realistic fiction story that follows the main character, Gus, on his journey through grief, competitive swimming, and healing. After Gus’s older brother failed to to make the national swim team, he committed suicide, leaving Gus to sort out his life and relationship with his family and swimming. At first Gus denies that he is grieved by his brother’s loss and is even relieved that he no longer has to live in his older brother’s shadow. Throughout the book, he comes to terms with his feelings and begins his path to healing.
This book is heart-wrenching and any athlete that competes at any level can relate to some of the struggles that Gus faces. While not everyone who reads this has suffered such a trauma, they can understand the stress and also healing that training for a sport can provide. It is a story of hope and a story of perseverance in the most traumatic of circumstances. Geese are Never Swans is a book that reshapes your vision of grief and the ability to overcome adversities.
-Coralyn J.
This book is heart-wrenching and any athlete that competes at any level can relate to some of the struggles that Gus faces. While not everyone who reads this has suffered such a trauma, they can understand the stress and also healing that training for a sport can provide. It is a story of hope and a story of perseverance in the most traumatic of circumstances. Geese are Never Swans is a book that reshapes your vision of grief and the ability to overcome adversities.
-Coralyn J.
May 9, 2020
Geese Are Never Swans is a sports YA novel told in a strong male voice. An angry, younger brother is living in the shadow of his older brother's suicide; trying to come to terms with his life purpose while pursuing his dream of making the Olympic swim team --the exact dream that his brother just threw away. This is a tale of sibling rivalry and the different ways of love within a family; of loss and victory; mental health and perseverance.
The story is mostly made up of inner dialogue the main character struggles through, making the story a bit slow. If teen readers hang on, by the half-way mark the story picks up speed and readers will be rewarded for sticking it out.
Extra Note: I read the e-book, but when I saw the "Artist Biographies" listed at the end describing why they selected their work to go along with the story, I felt shortchanged since I had no images on my Kindle...
The story is mostly made up of inner dialogue the main character struggles through, making the story a bit slow. If teen readers hang on, by the half-way mark the story picks up speed and readers will be rewarded for sticking it out.
Extra Note: I read the e-book, but when I saw the "Artist Biographies" listed at the end describing why they selected their work to go along with the story, I felt shortchanged since I had no images on my Kindle...
February 14, 2023
Way different than I thought it was going to be. There was much more talk of death than actual swimming. It started off good but slowly started to deteriorate as the characters mental state deteriorated. I have so many questions: So why was he swimming?, Did he actually hate his brother?, What was the deal with Coach Marks?, Why was the dads death so haunting?, What was the deal with the girl, Lyanne(I think)? Just so many questions that weren’t answered. I felt more like a book I would write and less like a book I would read. I feel like that’s how most YA books feel to me now. I will give credit where credit is due though; the swimming accuracy was well done. Writing this review I feel like I should be three stars but it had pictures so that’s why I’m giving it four. It had pictures! To be honest I don’t know what the point of the pictures were or their meanings but still it was cool.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2020
I wanted to like this more than I did. I am intrigued by Kobe Bryant's multimedia company and was happy to get the opportunity to read one of the books for older teens. The problem with this book is the story is told from the point of view of a rage-filled teen, Gus. And even though we see why Gus acts the way he does (trauma, anxiety, depression), it's hard to sympathize with a main character who refuses to listen to anyone and is a total jerk for most of the book. I had to force myself to keep reading sometimes. There are good messages around what suicide does to loved ones and questioning the line between intense drive to succeed and compulsion.
Read my full review at Common Sense Media:
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book...
Read my full review at Common Sense Media:
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book...
September 22, 2020
Gus’s older brother, Danny, was a champion swimmer. He taught Gus how to swim. But, Danny got all the glory, even though Gus was a good swimmer. The boys’ mother heaped her praise on Danny, and spent years promoting his career, pretty much leaving Gus on his own.
After Danny commits suicide, Gus declares he isn’t sad that his brother is gone. All he wants to do is prove that he is a better swimmer than what his brother was or could ever have been. Can Gus get his mother to acknowledge his talents the way she did Danny’s?
An emotionally packed tale about sibling rivalry, suicide, mental illness and a host of other topics.
After Danny commits suicide, Gus declares he isn’t sad that his brother is gone. All he wants to do is prove that he is a better swimmer than what his brother was or could ever have been. Can Gus get his mother to acknowledge his talents the way she did Danny’s?
An emotionally packed tale about sibling rivalry, suicide, mental illness and a host of other topics.
December 23, 2020
Wow, what an intense book. Gus is an elite swimmer, and he wants to swim at the highest level. Gus is constantly compared to his brother who recently died by suicide. His sister is an addict, and his mother has been emotionally distant for his whole life. Gus is not coming from a good place, and his obsession with swimming and winning is not a healthy distraction. In fact, it gets him into more trouble. This is not an easy book to read. Clark is a psychologist, and she does not shy away from delving into the deepest dark of mental illness. This novel is riveting, painful, and has no clear resolution. Gr. 8+
January 20, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. I read the other sports books that Kobe co-authored last year and really enjoyed them, so when I saw another one, I knew I wanted to read it. I went into it thinking that it would be similar to the other stories, however I find the content much heavier and for an older audience than the other stories. Gus went through so much and it truly encapsulates the mind and thoughts of a competitive student athlete, someone who struggles with mental illness, and someone who has family struggles. It follows him through all the difficult parts of grief, competition, and healing. It is beautifully done and I never wanted to stop reading it.
June 29, 2023
OK, let's be honest and say it is hard to rate a book about how hard it is to be the younger sibling of a child that has died - a child that has always been favoured by the mother - when I have read just such a book at the beginning of the month. And the third this month involving the death of a child. Also I read this on vacation and didn't need the doom and gloom.
The main character is 16/17 but there is only one point in the book where his actions/thoughts seem typical for that age. Although portrayed as an angry child, as the book goes on you have more sympathy for him based on the actions of his mother, who is a piece of work.
The main character is 16/17 but there is only one point in the book where his actions/thoughts seem typical for that age. Although portrayed as an angry child, as the book goes on you have more sympathy for him based on the actions of his mother, who is a piece of work.
June 10, 2025
TW: Grief, suicide, self-harm
Super surprised I liked this. Gus is a really hard character to read through. He’s so angry and confused. Often anger is shown as a simply a stage of grief people go through. The anger in this book is ever-present and undying. However, there is progress. This book showed how family isn’t perfect and how grief transcends the boxes we often put it in.
Also wow. I loved the design of this book. There are these gorgeous stain glass sections of art in between the pages with really cool artist statements of the end. I love the cloth book cover.
Super surprised I liked this. Gus is a really hard character to read through. He’s so angry and confused. Often anger is shown as a simply a stage of grief people go through. The anger in this book is ever-present and undying. However, there is progress. This book showed how family isn’t perfect and how grief transcends the boxes we often put it in.
Also wow. I loved the design of this book. There are these gorgeous stain glass sections of art in between the pages with really cool artist statements of the end. I love the cloth book cover.
August 26, 2020
Got this book for my son who has read the other books by Kobe and loved them (Wizenard and Legacy of the Queen). There should have been a disclaimer on this book about explicit language - my son was so put off that the first sentence contained curse words and it continued in every paragraph. After 20 pages that was too much. We returned the book as he didn't want to read it anymore.
Parents beware! This is not like Kobe's other books. I saw other reviews stating that this talked about sex an other series themes which are not appropriate for younger readers.
Parents beware! This is not like Kobe's other books. I saw other reviews stating that this talked about sex an other series themes which are not appropriate for younger readers.
December 21, 2021
Anger and resentment seethes within Gus Bennet. I can’t imagine surviving after the loss of a loved-one, especially one that you hated as much as you loved. Sad, raw, yet hopeful, this book was painful to read but made me think about a lot of themes, such as sacrificing to be the best. Always needing more. The cycle of hating the world and being hated. The black swan theory - where what matters is not the unexpected event itself, but the lengths we go through to explain this in a way that makes sense for us. It’s a survival mechanism that we all do.
August 3, 2020
Geese Are Never Swans is an extremely powerful and well-written book. The tragedies that Gus and his family face throughout the book are such real experiences for so many, yet avoided extensively, especially in highly competitive sports. This story is fantastic and showing how being healthy, or working towards balance, in all aspects of a person's life can have a significant impact on their performance. A must read for athletes, coaches and mental health professionals working with athletes.
September 8, 2020
wow. i picked up this book on a whim only knowing it was about competitive swimming (aka my only other hobby other than swimming) but there is so much more to this book. it tackles the topic of sports and mental health and this book educated me on mental illnesses and how they can affect different people in so many different ways. i think that this is a very important read especially for those who dedicate a lot of their lives to a competitive sport as this was super eye opening
October 10, 2020
I truly thought this story was going to be about a swimmer reaching for his dreams- the Olympics. But I came out with the perspective that the author and Kobe truly care for the mental health of athletes and kids/teens. This is a story that is gripping and compelling. It was a quick read that hit home the importance of mental health of kids, teens and adults.
November 29, 2020
Mental health in athletes is a topic rarely talked about. This book cuts through the bs to the heart and soul of the reader. As an athlete about to play in college I relate to Gus in the way that I push myself and sometimes do more than I should. This book has made me step back and truly examine myself as an athlete and a person.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews