What do you think?
Rate this book
The Deep End Of Life
Marley Jones is starting the 5th a new school; a new sport; a new home. She wanted to do dance, but instead her parents got divorced, and she ended up in after-school swimming because some quack-job counselor told her dad it was a good way to blow off steam.
And Marley hates swimming. Every practice is a gift of chlorine-scented hair, ear water, and creepy, can’t-get-out-of-your-head shark facts that the popular girls keep telling her to make her squirm. The only good part about swim team is Omar, whose award-winning belly-flop could make a goat laugh.
But even Omar’s belly-flop won’t be enough to keep Marley sane if she can’t fix things with popular girls, escape counseling, and stop her best friend from moving to Alaska.
“ The Deep End of Life is as charming in its shallows as it is poignant in its depths. Marley’s story and voice leap with charm, while the struggle with her parents’ divorce and her experience with therapy give the story weight and soul. A refreshing book for young readers and parents alike. ” -ALLISON K. HYMAS, AUTHOR OF THE EXPLORER’S CODE
And Marley hates swimming. Every practice is a gift of chlorine-scented hair, ear water, and creepy, can’t-get-out-of-your-head shark facts that the popular girls keep telling her to make her squirm. The only good part about swim team is Omar, whose award-winning belly-flop could make a goat laugh.
But even Omar’s belly-flop won’t be enough to keep Marley sane if she can’t fix things with popular girls, escape counseling, and stop her best friend from moving to Alaska.
“ The Deep End of Life is as charming in its shallows as it is poignant in its depths. Marley’s story and voice leap with charm, while the struggle with her parents’ divorce and her experience with therapy give the story weight and soul. A refreshing book for young readers and parents alike. ” -ALLISON K. HYMAS, AUTHOR OF THE EXPLORER’S CODE
- GenresMiddle Grade
202 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2021
7 people are currently reading
1361 people want to read
About the author
Benjamin K. Hewett
8 books46 followersBenjamin K. Hewett lives in Houston and translates English into English for NASA. He also speaks French, mumbles German, and is slowly learning Arabic and Chinese. He is a Vera Hinckley Mayhew Award recipient and winner of the 2019 Marburg Award in Germany. In addition to reading and writing, Ben enjoys spending time with his three kids, playing jazz piano, and juggling fire.
He has a Bachelor of Arts in French, a Master of Public Administration, and was once a fourth grade teacher.
He has a Bachelor of Arts in French, a Master of Public Administration, and was once a fourth grade teacher.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 16, 2021
Wow, what an emotional, heartwarming, amazing story! Loved this! Marley Jones is starting the 5th grade: a new school; a new sport; a new home. She wanted to do dance, but instead her parents got divorced, & she ended up in after-school swimming because some quack-job counselor told her dad it was a good way to blow off steam. & Marley hates swimming. Every practice is a gift of chlorine-scented hair, ear water, & creepy, can’t-get-out-of-your-head shark facts that the popular girls keep telling her to make her squirm. The only good part about swim team is Omar, whose award-winning belly-flop could make a goat laugh. But even Omar’s belly-flop won’t be enough to keep Marley sane if she can’t fix things with popular girls, escape counseling, & stop her best friend from moving to Alaska.
So many great messages in here, & very relatable themes-bullying, best friend no in away, dealing with parents divorcing, needing a friend, & getting the best therapy available are some of the main ones. I think any kid being bullied or going through divorce, or both, would see themselves in Marley & it could help them know they’re not alone. Marley shows how some actions are NOT the best way to handle things, which is important too. However, when she does a certain action after a swim cap incident I was all for it, because I was so mad myself-so probably a good thing I don’t have kids!😆 I also LOVED seeing a kid who lives with the dad, & sees the moms on weekends instead. You hardly ever see that, & for personal reasons I appreciated that small thing.
Marley also has a fear that seems unrealistic, but she has become almost obsessed with it..& I think it actually represents all of her fears, & is a symbol of everything she is going through & doesn’t want to face. This was brilliantly done. Omar is hilarious, & I loved watching their friendship grow. I love also how the importance of therapy can be is in here, & also getting the RIGHT therapy. The ending was wonderful. Highly recommend! Beautiful cover by Diana Hall too!💜
So many great messages in here, & very relatable themes-bullying, best friend no in away, dealing with parents divorcing, needing a friend, & getting the best therapy available are some of the main ones. I think any kid being bullied or going through divorce, or both, would see themselves in Marley & it could help them know they’re not alone. Marley shows how some actions are NOT the best way to handle things, which is important too. However, when she does a certain action after a swim cap incident I was all for it, because I was so mad myself-so probably a good thing I don’t have kids!😆 I also LOVED seeing a kid who lives with the dad, & sees the moms on weekends instead. You hardly ever see that, & for personal reasons I appreciated that small thing.
Marley also has a fear that seems unrealistic, but she has become almost obsessed with it..& I think it actually represents all of her fears, & is a symbol of everything she is going through & doesn’t want to face. This was brilliantly done. Omar is hilarious, & I loved watching their friendship grow. I love also how the importance of therapy can be is in here, & also getting the RIGHT therapy. The ending was wonderful. Highly recommend! Beautiful cover by Diana Hall too!💜
June 2, 2021
This is a delightful story about a girl who is learning to face her fears and discover the kind of person she wants to be.
Realistically told, this story artfully combines therapy and mental health, the difficulties of forming new friendships, and heartfelt humor about growing up.
Realistically told, this story artfully combines therapy and mental health, the difficulties of forming new friendships, and heartfelt humor about growing up.
June 12, 2021
Heartfelt and funny story about finding the courage to confront our fears
Marley is just starting fifth grade and she doesn’t have it easy. Her parents are divorced and she hasn’t dealt with the emotions this has caused her. When her dad jumps back into the dating pool, she acts up big time and gets punished for it.
Her behavior lands her on the after school swim team – the last place she wants to be (especially since she cannot be sure that the murky water of the local pool is not hiding a blood-hungry shark). And as if that wasn’t enough, she also has to deal with mean-girl bullying and the threat of her best (and only) friend moving far away.
Luckily, there is Omar, a fellow challenged swimmer with a rather peculiar attachment to scissors and his own sense of humor, who seems just as out of place as Marley feels.
Hewett tells a wonderful, heartfelt story that lets us know that it’s okay to be struggling sometimes and that it’s also okay to ask for help. He effortlessly weaves in Marley’s therapy sessions, for example, which provide some laugh-out-loud moments.
The Deep End of Life is also about finding the courage to pull through and conquer our fears (justified or otherwise) and trusting that we’ll come out better on the other side, if we confront them.
This is the author’s first middle grade book. I picked it up because I really enjoyed his fantasy series The Paladin’s Thief for the strong voice, relatable characters and witty humor. And I was not disappointed. This book is every bit as funny and the characters every bit as strong.
This is a great read for both girls and boys 9 and up, who need some help believing in themselves or who just want to read a great story.
Marley is just starting fifth grade and she doesn’t have it easy. Her parents are divorced and she hasn’t dealt with the emotions this has caused her. When her dad jumps back into the dating pool, she acts up big time and gets punished for it.
Her behavior lands her on the after school swim team – the last place she wants to be (especially since she cannot be sure that the murky water of the local pool is not hiding a blood-hungry shark). And as if that wasn’t enough, she also has to deal with mean-girl bullying and the threat of her best (and only) friend moving far away.
Luckily, there is Omar, a fellow challenged swimmer with a rather peculiar attachment to scissors and his own sense of humor, who seems just as out of place as Marley feels.
Hewett tells a wonderful, heartfelt story that lets us know that it’s okay to be struggling sometimes and that it’s also okay to ask for help. He effortlessly weaves in Marley’s therapy sessions, for example, which provide some laugh-out-loud moments.
The Deep End of Life is also about finding the courage to pull through and conquer our fears (justified or otherwise) and trusting that we’ll come out better on the other side, if we confront them.
This is the author’s first middle grade book. I picked it up because I really enjoyed his fantasy series The Paladin’s Thief for the strong voice, relatable characters and witty humor. And I was not disappointed. This book is every bit as funny and the characters every bit as strong.
This is a great read for both girls and boys 9 and up, who need some help believing in themselves or who just want to read a great story.
February 17, 2025
The Deep End of Life was a fun little read, if somewhat inconsequential. Given how much time it spends in the head of a 5th grade girl, I was surprised that this had a male author. But Benjamin Hewett does a good job of getting into that headspace and telling a relatable tale.
The story follows Marley, a girl struggling with her parents' recent divorce and who winds up doing after-school swimming despite not liking it. Many of the book's scenes are at the swimming pool, and in fact, despite taking place over the fall semester, there are essentially no scenes in traditional school settings. It all takes place at home, at the pool, or in therapy offices. Hewett uses those scenes to paint a picture of her life and struggles effectively and I liked that it eschewed those more typical school scenes.
But as I stated, The Deep End of Life doesn't have much more going beyond Marley dealing with her family struggles, bullying at the pool from former friends, making a new friend in the form of swim class clown Omar, and sabotaging her Dad's dates. Not to say the book needs to have anything more than that. This is realistic middle grade fiction and aims to provide a window into a realistic kid's struggles, instead of fantasy or some other more extraordinary occurrences. That it does so well is a testament to the writer's skills.
The simplistic nature does leave it feeling somewhat without stakes. Not that I needed some overly-dramatic catharsis or some new revelation to be found. And yet, just a few more events here or there or a greater sense of a rising and falling action might have upgraded the storytelling a bit and made it a little more dramatically hooking. I don't want to emerge from a book wondering why I invested time reading it, and this one was almost like that at times.
That does not take away from what the book does well and it was an overall decent for being middle-grade. Having fiction like this is an overall positive as it will likely help other middle schoolers feel not alone in the experiences they have. And if you happened to do swim, this might bring you warm glows of nostalgia.
My Casting
I didn't bother casting the kids since I frankly don't know enough child actors that young.
Josh Hartnett as Dad
Kate Mara as Mom
Alden Ehrenreich as Coach Aaron
Brie Larson as Coach Jessica
The story follows Marley, a girl struggling with her parents' recent divorce and who winds up doing after-school swimming despite not liking it. Many of the book's scenes are at the swimming pool, and in fact, despite taking place over the fall semester, there are essentially no scenes in traditional school settings. It all takes place at home, at the pool, or in therapy offices. Hewett uses those scenes to paint a picture of her life and struggles effectively and I liked that it eschewed those more typical school scenes.
But as I stated, The Deep End of Life doesn't have much more going beyond Marley dealing with her family struggles, bullying at the pool from former friends, making a new friend in the form of swim class clown Omar, and sabotaging her Dad's dates. Not to say the book needs to have anything more than that. This is realistic middle grade fiction and aims to provide a window into a realistic kid's struggles, instead of fantasy or some other more extraordinary occurrences. That it does so well is a testament to the writer's skills.
The simplistic nature does leave it feeling somewhat without stakes. Not that I needed some overly-dramatic catharsis or some new revelation to be found. And yet, just a few more events here or there or a greater sense of a rising and falling action might have upgraded the storytelling a bit and made it a little more dramatically hooking. I don't want to emerge from a book wondering why I invested time reading it, and this one was almost like that at times.
That does not take away from what the book does well and it was an overall decent for being middle-grade. Having fiction like this is an overall positive as it will likely help other middle schoolers feel not alone in the experiences they have. And if you happened to do swim, this might bring you warm glows of nostalgia.
My Casting
I didn't bother casting the kids since I frankly don't know enough child actors that young.
Josh Hartnett as Dad
Kate Mara as Mom
Alden Ehrenreich as Coach Aaron
Brie Larson as Coach Jessica
March 25, 2021
Ben dives deep in this middle grade novel, exploring the effect of divorce, the need for a friend, the struggles and impact of bullying, and how important a trained and empathetic listening ear can be.
September 20, 2021
Eleven-year-old Marley is a spunky, spirited girl who is struggling with the pain of her parents’ divorce two years earlier. In an attempt to channel her anxiety and anger, Marley’s parents enroll her in after-school swimming at the nearby Jefferson Street Pool. Marley’s older sister Violet was a star swimmer, but Marley is far from comfortable in the water. To make matters worse, Marley feels the pull of the deep end as though a shark is hiding in its depths, waiting to ambush her when she least expects it. As her world falls apart around her, Marley gets pulled beneath the surface of her life and she must make dramatic strides to be able to breathe again.
The writing in this story is well-crafted, pulling readers immediately into Marley’s unique and memorable personality. Despite Marley’s difficulty managing her situation, she often makes witty comments and statements that endear readers to her. She observes the world through the pain she feels, wondering if she will ever be good enough to earn the affection she craves so much. Through a balanced blend of emotion and humor, this story examines both the psychological challenges young people face and their resilience in moving through those challenges.
Marley’s experience as the youngest child of divorced parents is one that is common, especially as her parents did not detail the reasons behind their separation. In the absence of tangible information, Marley fills in the blanks, believing herself to be the primary catalyst. Her anger and fear become difficult to manage, causing her to lash out at others and behave in ways she otherwise would not. Therapy is a necessary avenue for Marley, and though she is initially skeptical, she discovers that with the right person, her sessions can be more beneficial than she expected.
The murky, deep end of the community pool is an apt and poignant metaphor for the myriad unknowns obscuring Marley’s life. It becomes another character in the story, one that lurks behind many of the behaviors of Marley and her companions. Young readers will empathize with many of Marley’s feelings, increasing their understanding and management of bullying, its causes, and its repercussions. Through quality writing and a concise plot, Marley’s story is one that will help middle grade readers grow both their own internal confidence and their empathy toward others.
I received a copy of this book from Reedsy and I chose to leave this review.
The writing in this story is well-crafted, pulling readers immediately into Marley’s unique and memorable personality. Despite Marley’s difficulty managing her situation, she often makes witty comments and statements that endear readers to her. She observes the world through the pain she feels, wondering if she will ever be good enough to earn the affection she craves so much. Through a balanced blend of emotion and humor, this story examines both the psychological challenges young people face and their resilience in moving through those challenges.
Marley’s experience as the youngest child of divorced parents is one that is common, especially as her parents did not detail the reasons behind their separation. In the absence of tangible information, Marley fills in the blanks, believing herself to be the primary catalyst. Her anger and fear become difficult to manage, causing her to lash out at others and behave in ways she otherwise would not. Therapy is a necessary avenue for Marley, and though she is initially skeptical, she discovers that with the right person, her sessions can be more beneficial than she expected.
The murky, deep end of the community pool is an apt and poignant metaphor for the myriad unknowns obscuring Marley’s life. It becomes another character in the story, one that lurks behind many of the behaviors of Marley and her companions. Young readers will empathize with many of Marley’s feelings, increasing their understanding and management of bullying, its causes, and its repercussions. Through quality writing and a concise plot, Marley’s story is one that will help middle grade readers grow both their own internal confidence and their empathy toward others.
I received a copy of this book from Reedsy and I chose to leave this review.
April 16, 2023
Good story
I had no idea if I would like this book when I started reading it. But soon I was deeply intrigued about how it would play out. Although I enjoyed the fast pace, I personally would have liked more description and narrative. But that's just me. I realize young readers are not really interested in that sort of detail. I liked the book and the tension of being a pre-teen and all the drama that comes with that age. I liked the resolutions that kids can understand and hopefully learn from. I think it was good that the adults in the story did not reveal all the adult thoughts, feelings, and opinions. That was unnecessary for this book. Mature middle school kids should enjoy reading this. I hope many will read it, especially if they are concerned or confused about how to respond to tense situations. This book will give them some good direction.
I had no idea if I would like this book when I started reading it. But soon I was deeply intrigued about how it would play out. Although I enjoyed the fast pace, I personally would have liked more description and narrative. But that's just me. I realize young readers are not really interested in that sort of detail. I liked the book and the tension of being a pre-teen and all the drama that comes with that age. I liked the resolutions that kids can understand and hopefully learn from. I think it was good that the adults in the story did not reveal all the adult thoughts, feelings, and opinions. That was unnecessary for this book. Mature middle school kids should enjoy reading this. I hope many will read it, especially if they are concerned or confused about how to respond to tense situations. This book will give them some good direction.
January 7, 2022
I don’t read a lot of middle grade books, in fact this is probably the first since I myself was that age. I won this book in a goodreads giveaway, but the opinions are my own.
I want to say I absolutely enjoyed this book. I thought it had fantastic messaging. The main character, Marley is struggling after her parent’s divorce, her best friend moving away and bullying. She finds a friend, Omar, on her swim team (that she was forced to join as a punishment for acting out).
I think my favorite part of this book is that it normalizes therapy. It shows that there is nothing wrong with therapy and that it’s even ok for you not to like your first one.
Thank you to the author and publisher for the chance to read and review this book.
I want to say I absolutely enjoyed this book. I thought it had fantastic messaging. The main character, Marley is struggling after her parent’s divorce, her best friend moving away and bullying. She finds a friend, Omar, on her swim team (that she was forced to join as a punishment for acting out).
I think my favorite part of this book is that it normalizes therapy. It shows that there is nothing wrong with therapy and that it’s even ok for you not to like your first one.
Thank you to the author and publisher for the chance to read and review this book.
November 14, 2021
I picked this up at AASL in October and I got to meet the author.
This is very relatable book for kids who have experienced divorce and are struggling to move on. 5th grader Marley is frustrated that she has to be on the swim team, that her best friend is moving away, that Judith the shark bullies her, and now her dad is starting to date. Also she is terrified of the deep end of the pool and sharks. She learns how to deal with her bullies in a positive way and and makes some new friends. This will be a nice addition to the SEL and the “Besties & Frenemies” collections at school
This is very relatable book for kids who have experienced divorce and are struggling to move on. 5th grader Marley is frustrated that she has to be on the swim team, that her best friend is moving away, that Judith the shark bullies her, and now her dad is starting to date. Also she is terrified of the deep end of the pool and sharks. She learns how to deal with her bullies in a positive way and and makes some new friends. This will be a nice addition to the SEL and the “Besties & Frenemies” collections at school
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2023
This book is a gem! I recently read it and decided it would be perfect for a family read-aloud or a middle grade book club. It is sometimes hard to find newer books that are uplifting and family friendly in the current market. Laugh out loud funny, this book is about a middle school girls who is overwhelmed by the pressures of her life. She is bullied and makes a poor choice. With the support of her friends, family and councilor she is able to take responsibility for her choice and change things for the better. I cannot recommend this book enough.
July 15, 2021
Great book!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews