DEAD IN THE WATER
(FOLKLORE/MYSTERY)
WRITTEN BY JENNIFER SOUCY
BLURB: Breaking a promise can have deadly consequences.Grandma Maureen escapes the nursing home and walks into the water. The McNamara curse strikes again as another member is taken by the sea.
Shaelyn, Cordelia, and Riley—triplet terrors who once dreamed of stardom and true love—return home to mourn the woman who raised them. Shaelyn lost the man of her dreams and had to raise their children alone while running the family business. Cordelia married her childhood sweetheart and became his princess, but he began punishing her after she failed to meet his expectations. Riley’s a famous musician, but a life of excess and regret has taken its toll.
Someone else lurks in Provincetown, eager for the sisters’ reunion—a mysterious man who’s watched them from afar for years. One of the sisters has a secret, a bargain struck which must be fulfilled or else disaster will follow. The McNamara Girls have no choice but to set aside their differences and unite against a predator whose vengeful obsession refuses to be denied.
WHAT THIS BOOK DOES WELL: I think of all the authors I have read multiple books from I am not sure there is one that creates more vivid, flawed, and unique characters than Jennifer Soucy. Even her villains are flushed out to the nth degree and given incredible texture and complexities. In fact, my favorite character in this is a "side" character in Penny. She is the daughter of Shae, one of the three McNamara sisters. I enjoyed the unique approach in how Soucy uses to introduce us to Shae, Cordy, and Riley too. It establishes them in a manner in which you know there is more to each of their stories and that they have many things to grip with, and not all of them know exactly what to expect when it comes to the family history either. That's not a spoiler, it's a promise that is made early on and kept throughout the book. As more layers and more complications arise you get the onion peeled nice and evenly in varying degrees too. It's a great device that challenges all the characters throughout this book and adds more to the reader's experience as well. This book has many nods to Celtic folklore but it also has general themes throughout that I think are what keep you hoping and guessing at the same time, and that's what really gets you to invest and keeps you gripping tight. That's strong writing and I have come to expect nothing less from Jennifer Soucy.
WHY CHAMPION THIS BOOK: They say write what you know, well I think what Jennifer has done is perfected the art of using what you love, be it found memories, fun folklore, and/or family dynamics. It is what she knows but it is also what she has invested in when it comes to her books. It's kind of laying out what are her favorite things and putting them into a fictional context. I think for any young writer out there, for any struggling to find story balance within their own writing Jennifer Soucy's books are a great one to study. I think if you are into Celtic mythology, a very niche sector of folklore and myth, you will want to pick this book up because there just isn't enough of it out there not only like there should be, but not ones that take the time to be true to it as well. Beyond it's Celtic roots "retellings" or folklore usages in general are always tricky but Jennifer has mastered that art and I think if you are a fan of that, this book is a must-have for your collection.
YOU CAN GET THIS BOOK HERE
Comments
Post a Comment