Another book worth mentioning is, J. K. Rowling's, The Casual Vacancy, my book of the year back in 2015, and the reason I mention it: because of the familiarity I felt for that book when reading this one. Let me explain.
Both books are set in small town/village communities in the English countryside, there's death, lies and intrigue wherever you turn, but the main difference I suppose, is that, Into the Water, deals with suicide and/or possible murder, as opposed to a heart attack. Both books though, are full of excellent, believable characters, tragedy and regret.
With, Into the Water, Hawkins has her characters narrate their perspective on things individually, which makes for a little confusion at the beginning, but you soon work out who is who and start joining the dots about how they're all connected.
I found the setting, the characters and their emotions quite believable, and as the reader learns, not only how the various men, women and children's lives are intertwined, but about their feelings towards each other, their pasts' and the history of the river at the centre of the story, one finds the pages turning that little bit quicker.
This is not a long book and there is no big reveal at the end, no, oh-my-god-it-was-them! moment, but I didn't feel let down because of it, I rather liked how the pieces started to come together and move toward a coherent and believable ending.
That's not to say this book lacks intrigue, if doesn't, there are a good few twist and turns on the way, and where somethings are explained, (the dead woman and her estranged sister's relationship), some are left to our imagination, (the whereabouts of an ex-teacher at the local school).
So, well worth a read then, and whether you liked, The Girl on the Train, or not, it really doesn't matter, because this book is totally different, and as I said at the beginning, in my opinion better.
Four Stars.
I found the setting, the characters and their emotions quite believable, and as the reader learns, not only how the various men, women and children's lives are intertwined, but about their feelings towards each other, their pasts' and the history of the river at the centre of the story, one finds the pages turning that little bit quicker.
This is not a long book and there is no big reveal at the end, no, oh-my-god-it-was-them! moment, but I didn't feel let down because of it, I rather liked how the pieces started to come together and move toward a coherent and believable ending.
That's not to say this book lacks intrigue, if doesn't, there are a good few twist and turns on the way, and where somethings are explained, (the dead woman and her estranged sister's relationship), some are left to our imagination, (the whereabouts of an ex-teacher at the local school).
So, well worth a read then, and whether you liked, The Girl on the Train, or not, it really doesn't matter, because this book is totally different, and as I said at the beginning, in my opinion better.
Four Stars.
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