A book that will stay in mind for years to come (The Drowning People - Richard Mason)

Member Name: SmithSJ01

Product:	The Drowning People - Richard Mason
Date:	24/05/07 (72 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Everytime you might lose slight interest something else startles you

Disadvantages: Timeline a little confusing in places

This was an amazing book to read. I often during reading reflect on the choice of front cover and on this occasion it added to the overall experience. I found the book very moving and one of the few over the years that I would contemplate reading again at some point. I was touched by how sad some of the characters' stories were and how they seemed to have a relevance to moments of my own life and others I know. Not to the extent where I know people who have been in this exact situation but that the emotions experienced echoed other incidents.

At times the prose became a challenge to follow and I lost the thread of the plot - but this did not happen often. I instantly warmed to the characters and found myself forgetting about Sarah, his wife mentioned in the prologue. It was a plot full of twists and turns, designed to fool the reader like a good thriller should. The characters are easy to relate to. I can't say I warmed to all of them but each was unique and brought something special to this tale.

During the novel there were moments where I wanted something pacey to happen (this was the times where I lost my thread) and Richard Mason would simply 'drop' something into the plot that made me sit up and think had I missed something? I hadn't but it was great for refocusing me on what was happening.

Towards the end it became clear who was responsible for what had happened but I still needed to know 'how'. I was captivated right to the very last full stop and I genuinely did not want my reading to end. I found it very difficult to put down and in fact read long into the night to finish it. A beautiful piece of writing with a poignant title reflecting on each of the characters. A moving front cover that even raises a sad smile as I type this.

It was interesting to read a 'whodunnit' knowing 'whodunnit' from the start; but as I've mentioned in the previous paragraph what you didn't know is who had done what, how, when and why. I hadn't realised it was set in the present, I had assumed wrongly that it was early last century, missing the hints and references throghout.

Apparently the author was only a teenager when he wrote this novel, it is an amazing achievement to have this moving a novel at that age.

Summary: Great plot and characters