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Laurel knew there would be trouble when the ghost appeared. She hadn't seen a ghost in many years but she had to follow this one...right to the body of a young girl dead in the swimming pool. Laurel is horrified as the young girl is her daughter's best friend. Even worse, the police question her daughter and it is then she knows she needs her quirky sister, Thalia to help out. What dark family secrets will be uncovered? The Girl Who Stopped Swimming is an almost gothic tale that draws the reader into the heart of the dark parts of the South. Joshilyn Jackson creates a vivid picture of a world that has its own secrets, secrets that even Laurel doesn't really want to uncover. As a Southerner myself, I could easily envision DeLop and its wearied atmosphere. The real beauty of this story, however, is how Joshilyn Jackson infuses a sense of light even into the darkest crevices. Laurel's quilts are only a piece of that light as she finds beauty in the midst of pain, turmoil, and even death. The Girl Who Stopped Swimming is not a story that will appeal to all, but it is definitely a story well told. The measured pace of the story appears very deliberate. There were times I wanted to rush through the story just to see how things resolved. However, the ending isn’t necessarily the most important part. Rather, it is the journey that is the author’s point as the characters grow and change through the revelation of the secrets, both past and present. This is my first time reading anything by Joshilyn Jackson but it will not be the last.Reviewed by Debbie |
The
Girl Who Stopped Swimming Rating:
Posted May 2008 |
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