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Fish Out of Water
Finn the Swimmer. Finn the Winner. Finn who works hard and pushes through and never gives up.
Or just Finn. And whatever Finn could be.
Life is pretty simple for fifteen-year-old Finn: just keep following the black line in the pool. But in a moment it all changes: distracted by a familiar face in the crowd, he falters on the blocks and loses not just the race, but the single-minded focus that has driven him this far.
Did he really see what he thinks he saw? It doesn’t seem possible—not after what happened—but now Finn can’t stop wondering, and everything is starting to unravel. For the first time, he’s got no idea what he’s supposed to do or who he’s supposed to listen to. His bossy older sister, Connie, who wants to know the truth? The whip-smart and unforgiving Aaliyah? Or the unflappable Loki, who gets Finn like no one else ever has?
It turns out that in life there’s no such thing as a simple choice. And sometimes there’s no choice at all.
Or just Finn. And whatever Finn could be.
Life is pretty simple for fifteen-year-old Finn: just keep following the black line in the pool. But in a moment it all changes: distracted by a familiar face in the crowd, he falters on the blocks and loses not just the race, but the single-minded focus that has driven him this far.
Did he really see what he thinks he saw? It doesn’t seem possible—not after what happened—but now Finn can’t stop wondering, and everything is starting to unravel. For the first time, he’s got no idea what he’s supposed to do or who he’s supposed to listen to. His bossy older sister, Connie, who wants to know the truth? The whip-smart and unforgiving Aaliyah? Or the unflappable Loki, who gets Finn like no one else ever has?
It turns out that in life there’s no such thing as a simple choice. And sometimes there’s no choice at all.
288 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2022
106 people want to read
About the author
Kate Hendrick
3 books9 followersKate Hendrick is a high school teacher and creative jack-of-all trades, with interests in art, design, photography, writing and anything DIY, especially if it involved power tools. She lives in Sydney with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 20, 2022
Fish Out Of Water is the third novel by Australian author, Kate Hendrick. Fifteen-year-old Finn is smart, good-looking and a race-winning swimmer, like his father. He trains with an almost religious fervour, driven to the pool by his older sister Connie.
But then, one day something makes him falter, lose a race. Finn impulsively decides to quit. Misses two training sessions. Realises nothing else quite works to focus his energy: he feels like a fish out of water. He swims again. Connie pinpoints the problem: he’s thinking of his father, his coach, who disappeared without explanation three years ago.
During that short dry interval, two important things occur that have some impact: an interaction with the class swot, Aaliyah Osman and, when he returns to training, a new guy, Loki, who outswims him.
Aaliyah repeatedly engages him in intelligent and reasoned discussions: about his choices and the impact they have on others, about his attitude, about his academic abilities. When she criticises his mindset, pointing out his advantage by genetic lottery, he reacts poorly. She challenges his arrogance and calls him out for gaslighting her. Finn doesn’t even know what that is, but when he finds out, he vaguely recalls witnessing it at close quarters.
Loki ought to be a rival, but they connect so effortlessly, he becomes a friend instead, perhaps Finn’s first real friend. Everything they do together: training, working out, climbing, just hanging out, it’s all stress -free, so easy. Loki is a valued sounding board for whatever bothers him. And lately, things are bothering him, about his dad, his hero. About his mother and her lame boyfriend. About girlfriends. And about himself.
Hendrick’s ability to put the reader inside the head of a fifteen-year-old boy is nothing short of remarkable. While this is a coming-of-age story, it has a strong mystery element, some dark humour and a slow reveal to an excellent twist. Some aspects of the story are quite dark, as Hendrick focusses on the psychological damage to children who witness domestic abuse in the form of physical and mental cruelty and coercive control. A thought-provoking, insightful and powerful read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Text Publishing.
But then, one day something makes him falter, lose a race. Finn impulsively decides to quit. Misses two training sessions. Realises nothing else quite works to focus his energy: he feels like a fish out of water. He swims again. Connie pinpoints the problem: he’s thinking of his father, his coach, who disappeared without explanation three years ago.
During that short dry interval, two important things occur that have some impact: an interaction with the class swot, Aaliyah Osman and, when he returns to training, a new guy, Loki, who outswims him.
Aaliyah repeatedly engages him in intelligent and reasoned discussions: about his choices and the impact they have on others, about his attitude, about his academic abilities. When she criticises his mindset, pointing out his advantage by genetic lottery, he reacts poorly. She challenges his arrogance and calls him out for gaslighting her. Finn doesn’t even know what that is, but when he finds out, he vaguely recalls witnessing it at close quarters.
Loki ought to be a rival, but they connect so effortlessly, he becomes a friend instead, perhaps Finn’s first real friend. Everything they do together: training, working out, climbing, just hanging out, it’s all stress -free, so easy. Loki is a valued sounding board for whatever bothers him. And lately, things are bothering him, about his dad, his hero. About his mother and her lame boyfriend. About girlfriends. And about himself.
Hendrick’s ability to put the reader inside the head of a fifteen-year-old boy is nothing short of remarkable. While this is a coming-of-age story, it has a strong mystery element, some dark humour and a slow reveal to an excellent twist. Some aspects of the story are quite dark, as Hendrick focusses on the psychological damage to children who witness domestic abuse in the form of physical and mental cruelty and coercive control. A thought-provoking, insightful and powerful read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Text Publishing.
February 2, 2022
Wow, I needed to sit for a while after reading this YA novel. This certainly wasn't the book I thought I was going to read when I picked it up. That's not to say it wasn't a good read, but it was a dark read, with dark subjects, subjects that aren't spoken about enough, familial domestic abuse, domestic violence, gaslighting, verbal abuse. There was a dark foreboding as I read that had me unable to put the book down even as Finn's life and what he thought he knew spiralled further out of control.
As he learns what gaslighting is and slowly starts to realise the way his father treated his mother and how he was copying that behaviour, I could feel the horror as he came to understand what had been going on in his family.
As the book goes on his life slowly starts to spiral out of control as things he'd forgotten purposely or subconsciously, come out into the light. It was like watching a car crash in slow motion, knowing that when everything stops, nothing is ever going to be the same again.
While dealing with this, Finn also has to deal with his feelings towards his new friend Loki, feelings that add to the stress he is already going through and which I felt were a big part of tipping his subconscious over the edge. While one of the tags for this book was LGBTQI, this was a very tiny part, it definitely played a role in his mental health, but wasn't the focus of the story.
Secrets, lies, misunderstandings, denial, a dysfunctional family, there was a lot in this YA novel and everything that happened built to a climactic /explosive outcome.
Thank you to NetGalley and Text Publishing for a digital copy in return for an honest review.
As he learns what gaslighting is and slowly starts to realise the way his father treated his mother and how he was copying that behaviour, I could feel the horror as he came to understand what had been going on in his family.
As the book goes on his life slowly starts to spiral out of control as things he'd forgotten purposely or subconsciously, come out into the light. It was like watching a car crash in slow motion, knowing that when everything stops, nothing is ever going to be the same again.
While dealing with this, Finn also has to deal with his feelings towards his new friend Loki, feelings that add to the stress he is already going through and which I felt were a big part of tipping his subconscious over the edge. While one of the tags for this book was LGBTQI, this was a very tiny part, it definitely played a role in his mental health, but wasn't the focus of the story.
Secrets, lies, misunderstandings, denial, a dysfunctional family, there was a lot in this YA novel and everything that happened built to a climactic /explosive outcome.
Thank you to NetGalley and Text Publishing for a digital copy in return for an honest review.
January 12, 2022
Extraordinarily powerful. Try to go in spoiler free.
January 29, 2022
I was provided a NetGalley ARC in exchange for honest review.
I really, REALLY wanted to like this book. I kept pushing through hoping for some kind of character breakthrough, needing to know how it ended even though I was sure I already knew, but in the end I was just disappointed.
It didn’t feel enough for Finn to acknowledge he didn’t want to be like his father after having to listen to his selfish, stupid, misogynistic internal monologue for the entire book, and it also felt odd for him to acknowledge Aaliyah was right because despite her being technically right, she was also rude and presumptuous without even knowing him.
And the ending. Wanting to know what happened to Finn’s dad was the only reason I kept reading even though I feel like I worked that out very early on. It was so obvious I was hoping I was wrong.
I dunno. It all felt flat to me. There was no emotion, no likable characters, only a half-captivating plot with a predictable ending.
Also, this was marketed to me as LGBT+ but that entire subplot was put on the back-burner and never developed.
I really, REALLY wanted to like this book. I kept pushing through hoping for some kind of character breakthrough, needing to know how it ended even though I was sure I already knew, but in the end I was just disappointed.
It didn’t feel enough for Finn to acknowledge he didn’t want to be like his father after having to listen to his selfish, stupid, misogynistic internal monologue for the entire book, and it also felt odd for him to acknowledge Aaliyah was right because despite her being technically right, she was also rude and presumptuous without even knowing him.
And the ending. Wanting to know what happened to Finn’s dad was the only reason I kept reading even though I feel like I worked that out very early on. It was so obvious I was hoping I was wrong.
I dunno. It all felt flat to me. There was no emotion, no likable characters, only a half-captivating plot with a predictable ending.
Also, this was marketed to me as LGBT+ but that entire subplot was put on the back-burner and never developed.
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March 10, 2023The following reviews have been shared by Text Publishing - publisher of Fish Out of Water
‘Hendrick captures Finn’s inner voice perfectly as he struggles to reconcile his growing self-awareness with his need to maintain his star-athlete identity…Hendrick’s powerful honesty and uncompromising interrogation of Finn’s mental processes culminate in a thoroughly satisfying conclusion that, fittingly, offers no neat solutions.’
Ben Chandler, Australian Book Review
‘Fish Out of Water is a harrowing but deeply absorbing novel that casts light on the very dark place of domestic violence.’
Magpies
'The characterisation in the book is strong and there is a gradual build-up of intrigue and suspense…[Kate Hendrick] raises questions of friendship, relationships, sexuality, loyalty, and ambition.’
CBCA Reading Time
‘Well written…Pertinent issues to include in a YA text.’
SAETA
‘Hendrick captures Finn’s inner voice perfectly as he struggles to reconcile his growing self-awareness with his need to maintain his star-athlete identity…Hendrick’s powerful honesty and uncompromising interrogation of Finn’s mental processes culminate in a thoroughly satisfying conclusion that, fittingly, offers no neat solutions.’
Ben Chandler, Australian Book Review
‘Fish Out of Water is a harrowing but deeply absorbing novel that casts light on the very dark place of domestic violence.’
Magpies
'The characterisation in the book is strong and there is a gradual build-up of intrigue and suspense…[Kate Hendrick] raises questions of friendship, relationships, sexuality, loyalty, and ambition.’
CBCA Reading Time
‘Well written…Pertinent issues to include in a YA text.’
SAETA
February 12, 2022
I thought Fish Out of Water by Kate Hendrick (Text Publishing, 2022) was going to be a book about a teen losing his mojo for swimming, but it turned out be something so much darker and deeper than that making it a thought provoking read for me.
Fish Out of Water is a story about perspective, identity and choices; about what we choose to see, believe, and remember about ourselves and others.
Finn is 15. He’s a serious swimmer. And often for the reader, an unreliable narrator.
The story moves through the lies that Finn tells about himself to his family and friends, to a slow unveiling of the truth. Fish Out of Water is written by real-life high school teacher, Kate Hendrick, and so the minutiae of what life is like for today’s teens is laid bare in all its raw realness. But it’s much more that a look into the lives of today’s teens because ultimately, Fish Out of Water is a book about lies – about the lies we tell ourselves to survive, and how sometimes, lies have the power to destroy or redeem us.
Sexuality, domestic and family abuse, violence, and relationships are all covered in this book. Highly recommended for readers who enjoyed Sarah Epstein’s Small Spaces and Vikki Wakefield’s This is How We Change the Ending.
Many thanks to Text Publishing for sending me a copy to review.
Fish Out of Water is a story about perspective, identity and choices; about what we choose to see, believe, and remember about ourselves and others.
Finn is 15. He’s a serious swimmer. And often for the reader, an unreliable narrator.
The story moves through the lies that Finn tells about himself to his family and friends, to a slow unveiling of the truth. Fish Out of Water is written by real-life high school teacher, Kate Hendrick, and so the minutiae of what life is like for today’s teens is laid bare in all its raw realness. But it’s much more that a look into the lives of today’s teens because ultimately, Fish Out of Water is a book about lies – about the lies we tell ourselves to survive, and how sometimes, lies have the power to destroy or redeem us.
Sexuality, domestic and family abuse, violence, and relationships are all covered in this book. Highly recommended for readers who enjoyed Sarah Epstein’s Small Spaces and Vikki Wakefield’s This is How We Change the Ending.
Many thanks to Text Publishing for sending me a copy to review.
February 16, 2022
∙ 3.5 stars
∙ this book was interesting but was all over the place. there was too much going on. I feel like the author tried to add too hard to add diversity
∙ finn did not act like he was 15
∙ the arson subplot seemed useless
∙ the main plot twist was brushed over and no one seemed to care
∙ this book was interesting but was all over the place. there was too much going on. I feel like the author tried to add too hard to add diversity
∙ finn did not act like he was 15
∙ the arson subplot seemed useless
∙ the main plot twist was brushed over and no one seemed to care
June 3, 2022
Fish out of water was an unexpected read. I thought it was going to be a fairly simple story of a teenage boy, with his life revolving around swimming, school and negotiating relationships. It was much more than that, and had some dark themes.
Finn, a talented swimmer, loses a race, and from there his life starts crashing down around him. His dad is not around, his mum is always too busy and has a new boyfriend, his older sister Connie is supportive, but a harsh critic. A girl at school, Aaliyah, seems to see though his good looking, sporty school persona and calls out his attitude, but is also ready to listen. And he is drawn to his new friend, fellow swimmer, Loki, even though he feels confused by these feelings.
This all seems pretty standard stuff, but gradually we learn that Finn’s dad, his hero, was not such a good man, and was a violent, controlling husband.
Fish out of water deals with domestic violence and its effects on all members of a family, including how the children can be drawn into the mind games. Without giving away the ending, I found the conclusion quite surprising and shocking, and the resolution did not sit well with me. I would be interested to know how teen readers view the conclusion, as I think it would provoke a good discussion about right and wrong.
Finn, a talented swimmer, loses a race, and from there his life starts crashing down around him. His dad is not around, his mum is always too busy and has a new boyfriend, his older sister Connie is supportive, but a harsh critic. A girl at school, Aaliyah, seems to see though his good looking, sporty school persona and calls out his attitude, but is also ready to listen. And he is drawn to his new friend, fellow swimmer, Loki, even though he feels confused by these feelings.
This all seems pretty standard stuff, but gradually we learn that Finn’s dad, his hero, was not such a good man, and was a violent, controlling husband.
Fish out of water deals with domestic violence and its effects on all members of a family, including how the children can be drawn into the mind games. Without giving away the ending, I found the conclusion quite surprising and shocking, and the resolution did not sit well with me. I would be interested to know how teen readers view the conclusion, as I think it would provoke a good discussion about right and wrong.
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March 23, 2022There is a lot to unpack in this novel. Finn is a swimming champ and all-round high achiever who is used to working hard and succeeding. That is until one day on the blocks he spots a familiar face in the crowd and falters, losing the race. Now he can't seem to get his head back in the game. It seems that suddenly he is being challenged from all sides: his nosy sister Connie wants to find their Dad, his whip-smart peer Aaliyah keeps challenging his so-called arrogance and his emotionally-exhausted Mum wants him to welcome her boyfriend into their lives. No thanks. His new friend in the pool, Loki, seems to be the only one who really gets him. Will swimming continue to define him, or should he forge a different path? Should be figure out what happened to his Dad, or let sleeping dogs lie? He is quickly learning that there is no such thing as a simple choice.
This novel has quite a bit going on. At the heart of the story is the themes of identity, friendship, respect and trauma. Some serious issues of domestic violence and coercive control are central to the story. Ages 14 and up.
This novel has quite a bit going on. At the heart of the story is the themes of identity, friendship, respect and trauma. Some serious issues of domestic violence and coercive control are central to the story. Ages 14 and up.
April 12, 2022
I picked this book up thinking it might give me some insight into a sporty teenage boys mind, after starting as school librarian at a boys college. Boy, did I get more than I bargained for, but in the best way possible. It took me a while to get into the book because it opens and reads as quite sporty teenage boy, but as the suspense builds and the layers are peeled back this novel reveals itself as a masterpiece of nuance and damage and how survivors survive.
Truly fabulous and a valuable addition to any library or bookshelf.
Truly fabulous and a valuable addition to any library or bookshelf.
January 20, 2025
It was the first book I read and I didn't understand a lot. Maybe it was because I was 14 years old and didn't understand the depth of the story as much. I just picked out from my school library and 20 days later, I realise I didn't like as much. Maybe I'll give it a try again in the future and understand what I was missing.
The ending felt a bit confusing to me but I like it in someway.
The ending felt a bit confusing to me but I like it in someway.
February 7, 2022
Many parts to like (not going to spoil), and as a reader I was carried along. However, my only concern was ugh! I can’t say…but professional support rather than peers can be important. I’ve read this for a Book Club & will be very interested in the discussion it engenders.
March 17, 2022
Lots happening in this book. At one point I was very frustrated with the main character and the pace. Then things got a little wild. Easy to read. For older readers only because I think the style will turn younger readers away.
July 6, 2022
Local nsw author
Not a fan of the plot - deals with some heavy issues eg dom violence, mental health, burnt out, murder
I do believe it should of focused on his identity eg gay but the mystery of the dad took over - better plot but for a YA book missed the mark
Not a fan of the plot - deals with some heavy issues eg dom violence, mental health, burnt out, murder
I do believe it should of focused on his identity eg gay but the mystery of the dad took over - better plot but for a YA book missed the mark
February 5, 2022
Not sure how I feel about this novel. I was enjoying the story of Finn and his love of swimming and his insecurities about his absent father, but then the story took a weird turn.
February 5, 2022
This was a fantastic reading experience and I can’t really say more without spoiling it.
I just think you should read it really!
I just think you should read it really!
April 27, 2022
An excellent Australian YA read with some heavy themes of emotional abuse. Complex characters, a gritty storyline and a hint of mystery make this a very compelling read.
July 7, 2022
i found the ending rather traumatic
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September 21, 2025after reading only 25%, this is not my book. the main character is supposed to be 15, he doesn't feel like 15. the only thing right now that the book is about, is sports. not my thing.
February 1, 2024
masculine toxicity and toxic masculinity.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews