I read Into the Water, the second novel from Paula
Hawkins, while on holiday in Cornwall this summer and honestly enjoyed it
far more than I thought I would.
The story centres around the Drowning
Pool, a part of the river where many woman have drowned as far back as the
1600's. The book opens with another body being found - Nel Abbotts, who just so
happened to be writing a book about the Drowning Pool and its victims, much to
the anger of the locals. Their objection to the book means everyone is a
suspect, including Nel's sister Jules who has come to identify the body... With
video evidence suggesting suicide, people’s relief that the book will never be
published and Jules conviction that Nel wouldn’t have jumped, will the secrets
of the Drowning Pool, and the truth behind Nel’s death, ever be discovered?
The story is told from the
point of view of ten characters who share one thing in common; they all knew
Nel Abbot... At first this style of writing felt distorted and had me wondering
why all these characters were so important, especially as it featured flashbacks
or tangents and at time I was wondering where Hawkins was going with it,
surely it had to be going somewhere otherwise it wouldn't have been written
like that! And I think I was about half way through when it finally clicked,
and from then on in I couldn't put it down! Each character POV is a tributary,
flowing along separately but all heading in the same direction and joining
together at the end and it's brilliant!
Working in a bookshop I have spoken
to many different people about 'Into the Water' and although the style of
writing and multiple POVs wasn't everyone's cup of tea, for me it was perfect.
What I admired the most is that Hawkins didn't play it safe and try recreate
'Girl on the Train'. She branched out and tried a new style of writing. A brave
move after the success she had with GotT but one that I feel has only helped
establish her as an author.
If you are hoping for another ‘Girl on the Train’ then you are
going to be very disappointed. ‘Into the Water’ is a completely different novel
and supports itself but still has that element of surprise and unpredictability
that we all loved from GotT.
No comments:
Post a Comment