Into the water …10months on

10 months after, I posted my posts about Into the water they continue to be viewed almost daily. Is that because some of you have only just read it?

I still think it was not as good, as Girl on the train. What do other’s think?

Do you agree or disagree with the points in my discussion?

The water

 

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins Discussion points: contains SPOILERS

Warning topics covered include rape and suicide. I appreciate that these are complex emotive subjects and I have made simplistic comments as prompts for discussion.

•  As mentioned the book has lots of narratives. Also I think Hawkins does not make the family relationships particularly distinct. With Katie’s family, Katie was not introduced straight away, making it difficult to see how the family fitted in. At one point when,  it was unclear who Katie was I may have got Shaun and Josh, confused because both young boys. I got particularly confused about Patrick’s family. Lauren was not named much; she was often just referred to naturally by Shaun as his Mum. Then I think at some point I was thinking of Helen as Patrick’s wife because she lived with him.
• If you have been eager to read this book, then the temptation is to tear through this book but perhaps, it needs to be read slower, to get familiar with the characters; I still think a character list would help; hence me providing one in my review. Unlike with Girl on the train where it is about the end destination perhaps this one is more about the journey; and time should of be taken to appreciate all the characters and sub plots.

A reviews of Into the Water by Paula Hawkins (Author of Girl on the Train). For those reading it or thinking of reading it onwards. Including a character list (without spoilers) which I think would have been handy at the front of the book.

• I think more could have been made about the rape of Jules. It is certainly statuary rape, because she was below age of consent. The book did not go into enough detail about the actual event for the reader to really engage. It could have been made dynamic; perhaps she partly did it as revenge against her sister for not standing up for her or at least allowed him to kiss her to get back at her sister / feel better about herself; but he then kept going further. That would have made the story more interesting.
• I also felt that the relationship between Mark and Katie; could have been explored in more detail. Was it love? Was she taken advantage of?  More could have been made if the juxtaposition between Jules and Katie. Was Jules more innocent then Katie? Did Katie seduce Mark albeit she was too naive too anticipate full emotional impact. As men are less mature the age gap between a young man and mature teenage can seem smaller than it is. Yes of course he, should have had more sense but these things happen and exploring it more would have been fascinating.
• So hard to understand why Katie thought things, were so bad she had to kill herself. Not sure how well researched that was; but perhaps such deaths can often seem illogical, so it is realistic. Perhaps the history of place but suicide in mind. This week I was thinking about how when places get a reputation as a suicide spot; it can be a self fulfilling prophecy.

Mental Health Awareness: Suicide Reporting Guidelines

Also did Jules went to kill herself; perhaps that juxtaposition could have been explored too.

• I do not think it was ever revealed why Nell had been so keen to talk to Jules. Had she suspected Patrick was a murderer? Or was it one of her routine calls to Jules?

A review of Into the Water by Paula Hawkins (Author of Girl on the Train). For those reading it or thinking of reading. Including a character list (without spoilers) which I think would have been handy at the front of the book.

It’s a unique book rather than being a copy of Girl on the train. It is not centered around a unreliable narrator. In fact, it has several narrators. Different narrators are in different time zones and some narrators speak from different time zones. I could not remember Lauren’s name at the end; because I just thought if her as ‘Shaun’s Mum’. The chapters just had people’s first names, not surnames so it was difficult to remember who was related.  I felt I could have done with a character list at the front of the book to flick back to therefore I have provided one below.

I do feel that the book could have been more streamlined with less narrators; for example do not think needed narratives from Nicky or Erin. I think chopping and changing between characters, prevented suspense building, whereas of course Girl on the train built a lot of suspense. I also think the book incorporates some interesting topics. However I would have liked some of those topics to be touched upon deeper; I will write another post with those thoughts, so as to not present spoilers here. It is unfair to judge any book against Girl on the train because that was exceptional. It was an interesting, enjoyable read, but I think it has not reached it’s potential; in that although author writes in an engaging way and it flows nicely, it lacks impact. Although  I have read reviews from those who were were underwhelmed by Girl on the train. To be fair I think I had got Girl on the train sussed by the end, yet the suspense was still there; dramatic last pages and you were not sure whether there was gone to be a last twist. Whereas this book is more about story telling; the last part tails off in an attempt to tie up lose ends. That being said; Both books are good holiday books for the summer!

Reference character list

Libby  Seeton suspected witch drowned in the pool 1679.

Anne Ward died in the Water 1920.

Prior to 1983 the book mentions the following had also died in the pond but does not give details of when although possibly they were between Libby and Anne: Mary Marsh, Ginny Thomas, Lauren Slater.

Lauren Townsend found dead in the pool 1983.

Patrick Townsend. Lauren’s husband. Policeman before retirement.
Shaun Townsend Lauren’s son a child at the time of death. By 2015 a policeman.

Katie found in the pool June 2015
Louise Katie’s Mum.

Josh Katie’s brother

Nell Abbott found in pond August 2015. She has been researching the other deaths in pond. She had a daughter (Father unknown) and a sister.

Jules Abbott Nell’s sister.

Lena Abbott: Nell’s daughter

Mark: Katie and Lena’s teacher.

Nickie Sage Local tarot card reader, seance host.

Jeanie Sarge: Nickie’s daughter I think (correct me if I’m wrong). She is a police lady.

Erin police lady

book review: Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

Finished into the Water last night… review coming later. Unlike in review below I probably liked Girl on the train more. But now read below, do remember I had worked out what had happened in Girl on the train, well before the end.

pace, amore, libri

INTO THE WATER by Paula Hawkins
★★★★
US pub date: May 2, 2017
Publisher: Riverhead Books
My review on Goodreads

As someone who liked but didn’t love The Girl on the Train, my expectations for Into the Water weren’t particularly high. If anything, I was expecting another entertaining but fairly run of the mill thriller with a predictable outcome. (Honestly, I only added Into the Water to this month’s BOTM box because I loved the cover so much.) But I loved this, and if I was secretly expecting Paula Hawkins to rest on her laurels a little bit with her sophomore novel, I was proved very, very wrong. Into the Water outdoes The Girl on the Train in just about every conceivable way.

Into the Water begins when Jules Abbot gets a call that her sister Nel is dead, drowned. This brings Jules back to the small town of…

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Coming up…

This weekend: review of  The film Snatched starring Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn.

Monday: mental health awareness and review of Beautiful thing.

Next Weekend book Scavenger: what I could not find on my shelf.

Currently reading Paula Hawkins new book; Into the Water, so will post a review when finished.

Today (20th May) it is 800 years since the Battle of Lincoln which regained English throne from French King William. To mark this, today  Lincoln launches a trial of Lincoln knights. I will not get there this, weekend but hopefully soon. Like doing trails like Sheffield elephants and Hull moths.

Sheffield Elephants vs Hull moths