The Sound of Drowning - Review

The Sound of Drowning

By: Katherine Fleet

Publication: March 12th 2019 by Page Street Kids

384 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--Meredith Hall has a secret. Every night she takes the ferry to meet Ben, her best friend and first love. Though their relationship must remain a secret, they’ve been given a second chance, and Mer's determined to make it work. She lost Ben once before and discovered the awful reality: she doesn't know how to be happy without him…

Until Wyatt washes ashore―a brash new guy with a Texas twang and a personality bigger than his home state. He makes her feel reckless, excited, and alive in ways that cut through her perpetual gloom. The deeper they delve into each other’s pasts, the more Wyatt’s charms become impossible to ignore.

But a storm is brewing in the Outer Banks. When it hits, Mer finds her heart tearing in half and her carefully constructed reality slipping back into the surf. As she discovers that even the most deeply buried secrets have a way of surfacing, she’ll have to learn that nothing is forever―especially second chances.

You guys my expectations for this book were so low. I've read some good books this year (2018 when writing this review), but overall I haven't read too many that knocked my socks off. More than anything most of the books I've read have just been okay. I've been in a bit of a slump since like August. Not a full slump, but enough of a slump to lower my expectations on just about every book I pick up. I've not read Katherine Fleet before. And I almost passed on this book due to the description. I'm so glad that I picked this up. The Sound of Drowning was probably the most surprising (in a good way) book that I've read in 2018--in large part because my expectations were so low.

It did take me about 10% to get into the story, but I was interested by that point, hooked by 30%, devouring by 50%, and unfortunately, I had to put it down at 90% which totally ruined my momentum as far as the emotion that I was feeling. The last 10% was still good for me, but I wish I'd been in a position to finish it while I was on a role. Real life folks.

I mentioned that I almost passed on The Sound of Drowning because of the description. That's because I have a fine line of preferences between enjoying books that are about characters moving from an unhealthy or immature relationship to a better fitting, healthier, more mature relationship and also hating cheating books. And sometimes it's hard to tell from a description which was which. I won't specifically mention which of these The Sound of Drowning was but I assume you can guess based upon my enjoyment of the book.

The Sound of Drowning is told in the present but also sections of flashbacks or memories Meredith has--usually revolving around Ben and their history together. Early in the story, Meredith alludes to lying to Ben that caused some damage to their relationship. The two have moved forward, but you can tell that the lie has caused damage between them. Figuring out what the lie was about was the biggest driving force for the first 50% of the book. I had the fleeting thought that we'd been given the information too soon in the story because it felt like this piece of information must have been linked to the biggest story conflict--and it was. Just not at all in the way I expected it to be. So my expectations of the major conflict and how it would be resolved changed. And then (I don't know what % because I began devouring so quickly that I didn't have a chance to look at my progress) a big old stinking plot twist happened that I didn't see coming at all. And you know what, even that plot twist wasn't the last of the twists to come. I think there were at least two more after that one. I'm trying to be vague but also show that The Sound of Drowning certainly kept me on my toes and ended up being completely different than I expected.

At the 55% mark my heart broke. But this wasn't so much for Meredith exactly. My heart broke for Meredith's mother. See Meredith and her mother don't have the closest relationship. Usually, I'd see this from the daughter's perspective, but since becoming a mother, I can't help but view things from that perspective as well--often times my primary perspective. My heart broke knowing that Meredith's mother likely wanted a better relationship with her daughter but didn't know how to achieve it. Meredith always had a great relationship with her father. And I know my daughter is only three but this is currently how things are with us. My daughter all but worships her father. And I don't begrudge them that relationship, but it wouldn't break my heart if she and I had a better relationship as well. All of that to say that I felt like I could relate to Meredith's mother. And then Meredith drops this bomb on her and I couldn't help but think how I would feel if my daughter were Meredith and she came to me about a similar situation. Oh, I got teary during this section. And this wasn't the last time that I felt for her mother just as much if not more than Meredith.

Aside from putting myself in Meredith's mother's shoes, Meredith herself has a heartbreaking situation and her decision would spark much debate. Oh, the things I want to say but can't because of spoilers. And then Meredith's sweet little sister, Rachel, too. Hugs to her also.

Favorite quotes:

-"I know it because I see how strong and amazing you are. And even if you get too tired to keep trying, I won't let you go under."

-"...before I talk to you, I go over every conversation a million times in my mind I evaluate different approaches, come up with contingencies, and you still surprise me. Every time, you leave me feeling unprepared and unequipped. I feel like I fail more times than I succeed."

I also want to say that there was one part that I was shocked with one of the twists and thinking that it meant my hopes for the ending might not be possible. But then when they still were possible it almost felt too cheesy. I couldn't decide if I was fully happy that I still got the ending I was rooting for or if I was disappointed. In the end, I decided not to overthink it.

The Sound of Drowning ended up being such an unexpected and pleasant surprise. It was emotional. It was fun. It was gripping. I related to multiple characters. I want to say more, but I really think you should just check it out for yourselves. The Sound of Drowning gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read The Sound of Drowning? What did you think? Let me know!