The Weight of Water

Mar 22, 2013 Emily May rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ya-na, poetry, 2013

I need to finally brush off my prejudice against books that are written in verse. Every single time I raise a sceptical eyebrow in their direction - completely unable to believe that this is anything more than just lazy storytelling - and every single time I find myself impressed. The Weight of Water was no exception. This is a delightful, if somewhat heartbreaking, little story that took me just over an hour to read.

I've noticed some people shelving this as "middle grade" and I understand why...more

I need to finally brush off my prejudice against books that are written in verse. Every single time I raise a sceptical eyebrow in their direction - completely unable to believe that this is anything more than just lazy storytelling - and every single time I find myself impressed. The Weight of Water was no exception. This is a delightful, if somewhat heartbreaking, little story that took me just over an hour to read.

I've noticed some people shelving this as "middle grade" and I understand why because the protagonist is young and it is an easy enough read for a younger audience to enjoy also. However, I feel the need to say something about this because I am usually put off by the "middle grade" label and sometimes assume it will lack depth or just be written in a style that is too young for me. Basically, I don't feel that is the case with The Weight of Water. I find myself comparing it to books like Wonder - one which I did feel was a touch too young for me - and I think an older audience will appreciate the brutal honesty of this story. Nothing is sugar-coated, the story doesn't evolve through an ideal cycle of peace-problem-happyending. The issues are handled in a much more mature and realistic way.

The story is about Kasienka and her mother, two Polish migrants that have arrived in England searching for the father that left them. Kasienka's mother is obsessed with the idea that she can bring her husband back home to Poland if she can only talk things through with him. Kasienka, being the one with better English language skills, is made to walk down the streets of London, knocking on doors and asking whether people have seen her father. With every failed attempt to find her father, her mother's heart breaks a little bit more. But that is not the only problem Kasienka faces. She must deal with the other students at her school every day; students who hate her for being different, for wearing the wrong thing, for saying the wrong thing, or just because they can.

Swimming is just about the only thing Kasienka can do right; in the water, she is too much of a winner to be a loser. It's the one place she is untouchable. And while the idea of young teens turning to their passion to escape from reality has been explored to death, Kasienka's story still feels fresh. I think it is all the other things that make this story stand out from the crowd - Kasienka's relationship with her mother, the difficult choices she has to make at such a young age, and the exploration of the alienation that many immigrants face. For such a short book, I was blown away by how powerful and moving it was.

I only hope the author writes more novels in verse because I shall certainly be picking them up.(less)

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Mar 22, 2013 Arielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, written-this-century, poetry, real-life

I'm not usually a fan of novels written in poetic form, but this was an exception. Much like the water which is a recurring motive, this is far deeper than it first appears, with a beautifully written protagonist. The sparse words were infinitely more evocative than dense prose would have been. I found that the characters moved fluidly and realistically throughout Kasienka's life, and the result was a beautifully moving piece of literature.
Simply lovely.

Excerpt from book:

We weren't on a ship.
I...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: carnegie-2013, childrens, young-adult, social-realism, poetry

I didn't think I was going to like this. It was short, written in free verse and I was a little annoyed at the situation the characters put themselves in. I mean what was the mother thinking? Why would you up yourself in that situation as though life was some kind of fairy tale? And why should another country automatically greet you with open arms when you deliberately compound a problem? Now I am aware that this may come across as racially hostile but I really isn't. My parents are Polish. My n...more I didn't think I was going to like this. It was short, written in free verse and I was a little annoyed at the situation the characters put themselves in. I mean what was the mother thinking? Why would you up yourself in that situation as though life was some kind of fairy tale? And why should another country automatically greet you with open arms when you deliberately compound a problem? Now I am aware that this may come across as racially hostile but I really isn't. My parents are Polish. My nephew came over to England with his mum when he was 10. I teach Polish immigrant teenagers (among others) and am acutely aware how difficult some find it to adjust. So no, I couldn't empathise with the mother's thinking.

However, as Kasienka's point of view and misery develops I began to warm to her. The book is not just about moving countries, imigration, searching for a recalcitrant parent, social exclusion or bullying although it deals with all of that very well. It is a novel about self discovery, growth, relationships and emotional strength. Crossan tackles Kasienka's isolation, anger and conflicting emotions with great sensitivity. She avoids oversimplifying problems and although the ending is ultimately positive she makes her character work to discover it rather than allow others to find easy solutions. It reminded me of the ending of a Phillip Larkin poem where he wishes his godchild a 'skilled, vigilent, flexible... catching of happiness', similarly to the way Kanoro advises Kasienka to deal with Clair by discovering happiness. Crossan skilfully captures a teenager's desire to be ordinary, to fit in, though it is Kasienka's difference, her skill in the pool, her experience of rejection and inability to fit in that gives her the strength to ultimately succeed. The free verse form makes this a quick read but at the same time the condensed style creates an intensity of language without making the verse intrusive. All in all, a little gem which packs in a lot into a tiny book, well deserving of its place on the 2013 Carnegie short list.
My one complaint - boiled ham on Christmas Eve? I couldn't decide if that was poor research or deliberate.

then
May you be ordinary;
Have...
An average of talents:
In fact, may you be dull—
If that is what a skilled,
Vigilant, flexible,
Unemphasised, enthralled
Catching of happiness is called.. Philip Larkin, Born Yesterday(less)

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May 04, 2013 LH Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-literature, tearjerker

The Weight of Water is a book written in blank verse and it is a very beautiful thing. When books are written like this, when the words are pared back, right back to the bare minimum of what they are and what they need to be, everything feels like it matters just that little bit more. The words. The punctuation. The space. When it's all so exposed, there's nowhere to hide.

In this story of an immigrant mother and daughter living a new and far too often awful life in England, we are exposed to th...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Sam Piper rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: carnegie-2013, other-cultures, fiction, young-adult

This is an odd little gem of a book.

It is a debut novel by Sarah Crossan written in verse - free verse - rather than prose; but deals with the realities of a very credible modern situation. As such, the disjunct between a contemporary situation and the language does parallel the disjunction and disconnection of a smart girl in a foreign culture.

Kasienka is a thirteen year-old Polish girl and has migrated to England. There is therefore the whole political, European Union element to it. Particu...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Big Book Little Book rated it 5 of 5 stars

Alison for www.bigbooklittlebook.com

This is a book that is stunning in its simplicity. The writing, especially coming from a debut author is just exquisite. I originally bought this book for my school library as it was about a polish girl coming over to England and I work at a school with a large polish population. I thought it may be good for girls who had come over from Poland to relate to but really this book is so much more. I really didn’t know what to expect from this book. I’d already rea...more Alison for www.bigbooklittlebook.com

This is a book that is stunning in its simplicity. The writing, especially coming from a debut author is just exquisite. I originally bought this book for my school library as it was about a polish girl coming over to England and I work at a school with a large polish population. I thought it may be good for girls who had come over from Poland to relate to but really this book is so much more. I really didn’t know what to expect from this book. I’d already read ‘Breathe’ Sarah’s other book but not really realized that both were by the same author as the books are so incredibly different, both in subject matter and writing style. I’d enjoyed ‘Breathe’ but it hadn’t quite lived up to the hype for me, in contrast ‘The Weight of Water’ very definitely does.

This is a book written as poetry rather than prose. I’m one of those people who just doesn’t ‘get’ poetry and I normally avoid books like this like the plague, in fact the only time that I do read them is when they appear on the Carnegie Shortlist but this book was really a pleasant surprise. Telling the story of Kasienka, all from her point of view it covers, very sensitively, all sorts of issues that teens all over the world face. Family breakdown, isolation, bullying, first love and the building of new lives are all covered within the book. I did find the original premise a little unbelievable, that a mother would uproot their child from all that they knew to follow a man that had left without word with just a postmark to go on. But I think that may have been me reading the book as an adult rather than a child. I wanted to find out more about Kasienka’s parents, but that was not something that Kasienka would know and this was her story not theirs, that would be what a teen girl would have been interested in and rightly so.

Kasienka is a strong central protagonist. Whilst we get a look into others lives this is her story not theirs. This works really well in adding to the feeling of alienation and isolation within the book, a very common feeling for many teens. That Kasienka comes from a different country and doesn’t speak the language means that she finds understanding her peers very hard. These misunderstandings come from both language and cultural barriers, but again although they may be more pronounced in this case they work very well at showing the confusion of teens as they start to try to understand the world around them and their place within it.
‘The Weight of Water’ is an incredibly quick read, it only took me about 40 minutes to read, although running to over 200 pages the way the book is written mean that pages aren’t filled. Yet what amazed me was the depth and range of feelings that the book provoked in me in that time, just because it is a quick read does make it shallow or superficial in any way. It is quite the opposite and I think that this is why the choice to write the book in poetry format really works.

Verdict: A beautifully written coming of age story, told in a very strong, very believable voice.
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Mar 31, 2013 Caren rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

This is the first time I have read a book told in verse, in this case, blank verse. I wasn't sure how that would go, but I found that I was pulled so thoroughly into the story, I ceased to be aware of how it was told. It is a sensitive look at a young Polish girl and her mother who have moved to England to look for the girl's father, who has deserted the family. It is at times heartbreaking, yet, in the end a model of human strength and perseverance. After having finished the book (which is a ve...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Zara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: carnegie-longlist-2013, carnegie-shortlist-2013

This is a beautiful story woven from poems about a girl who comes to England from Poland with her mother when her father disappears. It's about her trying to fit into her English school, trying to console her desperate mother and coming to terms with the fact her father has left them.

The poetry is blank verse. The way it's spaced, coupled with the fact that the beat to it is not obvious, can sometimes feel a little strange - forced, even, at times. However once you stop looking at the poetry and...more This is a beautiful story woven from poems about a girl who comes to England from Poland with her mother when her father disappears. It's about her trying to fit into her English school, trying to console her desperate mother and coming to terms with the fact her father has left them.

The poetry is blank verse. The way it's spaced, coupled with the fact that the beat to it is not obvious, can sometimes feel a little strange - forced, even, at times. However once you stop looking at the poetry and comparing it to Carol Ann Duffy or Shakespeare, it becomes the perfect medium to write the story in. I don't think I've ever read a book that expresses so much in so few words. It's a very quick read but you feel like you want to read it again. Some of the poems stand alone in describing any teenage girl's life when she's trying too hard to fit in. It is a deeply moving book that can take you to tears and back.

However I really didn't like some of the plot points. Kasienka likes a boy who she meets in the swimming pool. She's in Year 8 (about twelve) and he's over a year older. It's a sweet enough story until they start kissing - properly kissing. It seems totally unrealistic and brings you straight out of the story. I hate to say it but it seems very like an adult looking back on life for a child, and just doesn't ring true to me. It almost made me dislike the main character because suddenly she isn't the careful, thoughtful, stricken child you thought she was, and seems horribly like a stroppy, selfish girl who's much older than she was before. Maybe that's the idea, I don't know, but I didn't like it.

This is a powerful book. Some parts I adored, I thought I'd never read anything like it before. But then again I mainly remembered the bad bits and it left a bitter taste in my mouth. I had huge trouble rating the book, because most of it is four stars, some parts even five stars, but looking back on it I can't say that as a whole I "really liked it". It's a quick, emotional read.(less)

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Nov 18, 2012 Ruby rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anybody who wants to be swept off their feet by the poetic voice of a young Polish immigrant

Recommended to Ruby by: My friend Ruby

Shelves: breath-taking, should-read

This book was light and refreshing. It took me under an hour to read, and let me tell you now, not once did I close the covers during that hour. I was too absorbed in Kasienka's lyrical and oh-so poetic world of water to even go to the toilet..! I wish it had been a tiny bit longer though... Anyway, the book was written in verse, something I had never actually read before, but after reading this, I definitely want to read more of it! The writing was simplistic, but written in the beautiful and e...more

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Apr 12, 2012 Diejai rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: jugendbuch

GERMAN REVIEW

“The weight of water” erzählt die Geschichte von Kasienka. Gemeinsam mit ihrer Mutter ist sie von Polen nach England ausgewandert, um nach ihrem Vater zu suchen. Ausgestattet lediglich mit dem Nötigsten bewohnen sie ein kleines Zimmer und haben mit den Tücken des Lebens als Immigranten zu kämpfen. Vor allem Kasienka wird in der Schule gehänselt, weil sie andere Kleidung trägt und eine andere Frisur hat als die anderen Mädchen. Schnell wird sie zur Außenseiterin degradiert und fühlt...more GERMAN REVIEW

“The weight of water” erzählt die Geschichte von Kasienka. Gemeinsam mit ihrer Mutter ist sie von Polen nach England ausgewandert, um nach ihrem Vater zu suchen. Ausgestattet lediglich mit dem Nötigsten bewohnen sie ein kleines Zimmer und haben mit den Tücken des Lebens als Immigranten zu kämpfen. Vor allem Kasienka wird in der Schule gehänselt, weil sie andere Kleidung trägt und eine andere Frisur hat als die anderen Mädchen. Schnell wird sie zur Außenseiterin degradiert und fühlt sich einsam im fremden Land. Es gelingt ihr nicht, Anschluss zu finden und Kasienka ist hin und hergerissen zwischen dem Wunsch danach unsichtbar zu sein und bloß nicht aufzufallen und dem Wunsch nach Beachtung und Anerkennung. Im Schwimmbad lernt Kasienka einen Jungen kennen, und mit dieser Begegnung beginnen die Dinge sich für Kasienka zu ändern…

Sarah Crossan erzählt die Geschichte in Versform. Im ersten Moment hat mich dies überrascht, denn ich war mir dessen vorher nicht bewusst. Ich konnte mich dann jedoch recht schnell mit den Versen anfreunden. Die Verse selbst haben mir jedoch nur bedingt gefallen. Stellenweise fand ich sie sehr gefühlvoll und hatte das Gefühl, dass Menschen und Situationen sehr gut dargestellt werden. Und dann wieder hatte ich das Gefühl, dass der kompletten Geschichte die Lebendigkeit und die Farbe fehlen. Vieles ist für mich sehr blass geblieben und die Liebesgeschichte, welche auf dem Klappentext angepriesen wird, war für mich kaum vorhanden, da mir hier absolut die Gefühle gefehlt haben. Auch die Handlung selbst hat mir nur bedingt gefallen. Manche Handlungsstränge und Situationen waren für mich auf Grund der fehlenden emotionalen Tiefe nicht richtig nachvollziehbar und sie wirkten somit ein wenig undurchdacht. Die komplette Lektüre habe ich als sehr schwermütig und bedrückend empfunden, was gut zur Thematik passt. Auch wenn meine Meinung nun eher negativ klingt, habe ich das Buch nicht als völlig negativ empfunden, denn es hat durchaus auch seine positiven Seiten und viele der Zeilen und Verse habe ich wirklich mit Genuss gelesen.(less)

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Jan 11, 2012 Belle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-the-feelings, swoon-alert, love-you-long-time, so-poetic

This review originally appeared at http://bellesbookshelf.blogspot.com/

If I see a book is written in verse, I usually pass it over. I've only read one verse novel in the past - The Monkey's Mask by Dorothy Porter, when I was at uni - and I really didn't enjoy it. I thought it was because it was written in verse, but now I realise I probably shouldn't have blamed my dislike on the style - after all, one bad prose book doesn't put me off them all! Coz after reading one page of Sarah Crossan's The...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Dani (Pen to Paper) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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When I received this book to review from Bloomsbury, I knew it would be entirely different from anything I've read before - poetry and prose alike. In the press release that I received with the book, one of the first things it says about the book is: "The line between poetry and fiction blurs in this startlingly original book. Crossan deftly tackles subjects of immigration and bullying through her narrator Kasienka". When I read th...more Like this review? I have more! Come and follow me at Pen to Paper

When I received this book to review from Bloomsbury, I knew it would be entirely different from anything I've read before - poetry and prose alike. In the press release that I received with the book, one of the first things it says about the book is: "The line between poetry and fiction blurs in this startlingly original book. Crossan deftly tackles subjects of immigration and bullying through her narrator Kasienka". When I read this, I'll admit that I may have been a little skeptical, as you may be, now knowing that the book is a collection of poems - but this skepticism was unnecessary; I absolutely loved it, and I implore you to try it!

This book definitely has a lot to say, not just about the issues it deals with, but also about popular literary forms. I always feel as though poetry has certain labels attached to it, particularly with teenagers - I find that a lot of teens associate it with school and academic study, but not as something that they would read for pleasure. Crossan shows though, that poetry can not only be understandable and non-threatening, but also fun to read and as poignant as any novel.
The poems flowed really well from one into another, so the story didn't feel broken or disjointed at any stage, but it was still easy to dip in and out of the book as I needed to.

Kasienka was a wonderful narrator - she made the poetry feel less like verse and more like a series of diary entries or a stream of consciousness. Through the intimacy of the poetic form, the reader is allowed further into Kasienka's thoughts, and given a deeper understanding of her feelings, than I think could have been communicated through prose. It was wonderful being able to watch her life evolve, moving from poem to poem, and being able to experience this with her. The poetry evokes such power emotions, that by the end of the collection, it's easy to believe in her story of pain, struggle and unshaken optimism and courage.
As someone who has grown up in and lived in Britain all my life, it gave me an opportunity to see life in this country from a different perspective, and begin to understand what it must be like for a young person moving into Britain and being forced to try to adapt.
Kasienka shows such courage and strength of character, despite her awful situation, that she becomes a great figure of inspiration by the end of the collection.

Although for me this is not a particularly important aspect of a book, I feel it must be mentioned; the book's cover art is, in my opinion, really attractive. Having worked in a bookshop for two years now, I have learned to recognise the styles of some of the major children's illustrators, so I was excited to receive a book like this, illustrated by the wonderful Oliver Jeffers, whose book Lost and Found is one of the prettiest picture books I've seen in a long time.
As I said, I don't feel that the cover art is usually an important part of the book, but I feel Oliver Jeffers is one worth mentioning.

Overall, I was surprised, after my initial expectations, by just how much I enjoyed reading this. It was beautiful, poignant, compelling and potent, and I think it will stay in my mind for quite some time yet. If you don't believe that a collection of poems could be this powerful, then definitely get yourself a copy and read it for yourself. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.(less)

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Apr 08, 2012 Sam rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, england, fiction, kindle, owned, poetry, ya

The Weight of Water is my first experience of a novel written entirely in verse. It's about a twelve year old Polish girl called Kasienka who migrates to the UK with her Mum when her Father runs away with an English woman. Life isn't as rosy as Kasienka imagined it would be; stuck in a one-room studio flat in Coventry and subject to prejudice and bullying at school, Kasienka has to grow up fast.

Reading a novel in verse was a strange experience at first, but after a while I forgot that I was read...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Stephanie (Stepping out of the Page) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-or-review, books-i-own, young-adult, read-in-2012, realistic-fiction, really-good, cultural, contemporary

The Weight of Water is Sarah Crossan's debut novel and it was definitely a story that didn't disappoint! In this story, Crossan tells the story of a Polish girl, Kasienka, her mother (Ola/Mama) and their move to England in order to search for Tata, her father. This book deals with so many issues, including poverty, racism, immigration, family, growing-up and school life. It is a coming of age book and the title of it is quite apt - the reference to water is an interesting one - it's a good compa...more The Weight of Water is Sarah Crossan's debut novel and it was definitely a story that didn't disappoint! In this story, Crossan tells the story of a Polish girl, Kasienka, her mother (Ola/Mama) and their move to England in order to search for Tata, her father. This book deals with so many issues, including poverty, racism, immigration, family, growing-up and school life. It is a coming of age book and the title of it is quite apt - the reference to water is an interesting one - it's a good comparison to Kasienka's ever changing life and also reflects the fact that she 'finds herself' through swimming for her school.

Despite her sometimes quite fragile persona, Kasienka has an extremely strong voice from the very first verse. This story is written completely in verse, as a series of connected poems, and this method proves to be extremely effective. Every word seems important and well thought out, the language is simple yet descriptive. There were a few Polish words used at the beginning which I was unsure of, but they felt natural, it was easy to guess what they meant and it added a real sense of authenticity to Kasienka's voice. I managed to connect with her from the very beginning. She is very open and vulnerable but also has a strong personality and doesn't give up easily.

Our protagonist feels a lot of uncertainty, not only at her age (as she is only 12 years old) but also at her environment. There is a big contrast in cultures and it is interesting to see how Kasienka adjusts to some English customs and attitudes. Her family is also quite poor, which also causes some difficulties for her. Because of her differences, it is difficult for her to find friends in England, especially when others are being directly hostile towards her. She has no choice about a lot of things in her life and it's interesting to see how she copes with this.

Kasienka lives with her mother and their relationship sometimes causes inner conflict, especially when her father gets re-involved with their life. Their relationship was very realistic and tense at times. They were very loyal to each other and although they had troubles, they stuck together. Mama was clearly a strong and outwardly confident woman and would go to great lengths for love. However, I actually found Kasienka's relationship with an older, also foreign, man in her building - Kanoro - to be the most touching. Although there wasn't much of their dialogue discussed, it was easy to tell that they were both at ease when they were together and that they had a natural connection. I was glad to see that the (very slight) romance and her romantic interest, William, wasn't overwritten - he simply seemed to be a likeable boy who took notice her. The similarities and blossoming friendship between the newest pupil after Kasienka joined the school was also intriguing.

Overall, this was an amazing book that really surprised me - it was so much better than expected. It reminded me a lot of Faiza Guene's Kiffe Kiffe Demain, but I enjoyed it more thanks to a more likeable protagonist. The fact that it dealt with such a wide variety of important issues as well as being written in a very poetic way was incredible. I would not hesitate to recommend this book or to pick up more of Crossan's books in the future.(less)

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Apr 09, 2012 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

‘Armed with a suitcase and an old laundry bag filled with clothes, Kasienka and her mother head for England. Life is lonely for Kasienka. At home her mother’s heart is breaking and at school friends are scarce. But when someone special swims into her life, Kasienka learns that there might be more than one way for her to stay afloat.

The Weight of Water is startlingly original piece of fiction; most simply a brilliant coming of age story, it also tackles the alienation experienced by many young im...more ‘Armed with a suitcase and an old laundry bag filled with clothes, Kasienka and her mother head for England. Life is lonely for Kasienka. At home her mother’s heart is breaking and at school friends are scarce. But when someone special swims into her life, Kasienka learns that there might be more than one way for her to stay afloat.

The Weight of Water is startlingly original piece of fiction; most simply a brilliant coming of age story, it also tackles the alienation experienced by many young immigrants. Moving, unsentimental and utterly page-turning, we meet and share the experiences of a remarkable girl who shows us how quiet courage prevails.’

The whole setup of the book is different to anything I’ve ever read before. It is set in three parts and within each of the three parts there are lots of chapters. Well, they are more like headings really. Pretty much every page turn there was a new heading. The structure was all over the place too. I suppose it is done that way to show the thoughts of ‘Kasienka’. The story is very much her own, we see the World through her eyes, a young Polish girl. It is almost as if the book is her own little place to set out her views and thoughts and everything else. The structure represents this and it was something different, which I liked.

The character of ‘Kasienka’ was the heart of the novel in my eyes. She’s left home and everything from her old life behind to help her ‘Mama’ search for her ‘Tata’ in Coventry. She is mature and at times I thought she was the head of the household when he ‘Mama’ couldn’t handle things. What really got to me was the way that ‘Kasienka’ was treated when she joined a local school. She is a bright girl, and although can’t read amazing in English, she still manages. It was the attitudes of the teachers at first. I won’t say what they actually do, but it got me annoyed that’s for sure. It’s the way that people can be so judgemental to something that’s a bit different to what they are normally accustomed to. Hell I’m probably like that myself at times. It was a wakeup call for me.

She then goes on to feel like an outcast amongst the students at the school. Now being a girl I know how vicious teenage girls can be. My God they are a scary bunch, and I think they are only getting worse to be honest. The way they go around in a pack and single someone out to make fun of them and make their life hell basically is just unreal. I guess ‘Kasienka’ didn’t stand a chance. What got to me even more was the way that she would describe things like her hair for example. It is quite short and she doesn’t know what is wrong with that, it’s the way it has been all of her life. ‘Claire’ and her bullying posse make fun of this and it’s ‘Kassienka’s’ innocence that makes the whole thing even worse. She’s easy pray and the girls know it. I’m just pleased they get what they deserve in the end. Justice is sweet, revenge even sweeter.

There were a couple of characters that did let ‘Kasienka’ in and treated her like a real person. She has a little love interest. (I’m going to let you find that one out for yourself though.) She also makes a genuine friend at school and her also foreign neighbour keeps her and her mother entertained night after night. She has quite a colourful life, but it is also shaded grey in parts. I guess they represent her good times and bad times. Her love of swimming helps her to connect not only with herself but her little love interest. It is also one of her tools for dealing with the hard things in her life.

What I also loved was how I assumed that ‘Tata’ was the name of her father and not the actual polish word for ‘father’. When I got to the end and there was a little glossary of the polish terms used. I was quite frankly amazed. I was laughing at myself for not realising and just assuming. I also liked finding out what the different words meant. I love learning things every now and again.

I think Crossan has done an amazing job of introducing so many characters to this short tale. You find out so much about them from little bursts of information, little thoughts from ‘Kasienka’s’ mind. There are themes of being foreign, and seeing the world that I know through the eyes of someone that doesn’t know it so well is startling. There are themes of love and protection and trust and hope. Above all else it is the themes of showing how foreigners and immigrants get unjustly treated more often than not that truly got my head spinning. I found myself changed from reading this and I don’t want to be another ignorant, white British person that judges a book by their cover.

This is a truly gripping book and it is short enough for you to read it all in one sitting, I recommend you give it a try.
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Mar 18, 2013 Kayla Walters rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-books

"The Weight of Water" by Sarah Crossan is a book I'm glad I stumbled upon. I requested to read an ARC of this book through Netgalley based on it's premise. A young girl moves to the UK with her mother in search of her father. As an immigrant, she is faced with the struggles of living in a one room home and trouble making friends at school (and the bullying she faces there). But in her search for her father and in face of certain adversities, she comes to learn a lot about herself, her mother and...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this book free of charge as an Advanced Readers Copy from the Texas Library Association 2013 conference.

I was hesitant to pick this book up when I noticed it was written in verse. However, when I read that it was narrative rather than poems, I put aside my bias and reservations and dove in. I'm so glad that I did.

Kasienka and her mother emigrate to England in search of her father. This book of verse chronicles Kasienka's struggles with a new school in a new country. She watches the d...more

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May 09, 2013 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars

This beautiful novel was quite unlike any I have ever come across before. The story is about Kasienka and her mother who leave their familiar comfort of Poland behind, to face rainy, gloomy England in the search for the father that walked out on them several years ago. As well as dealing with family relationship issues, a strong theme that runs throughout the novel is bullying, and trying to fit in. Away from her homeland, Kasienka has to cope on a day-to-day basis with people criticizing her fo...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Maya rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

I haven't read many verse novels before, but this has really made me want to read more of them! The Weight of Water is both poetry and fiction rolled into one beautiful and poignant book. Kasienka's touching story is one that will stay in my head for some time, and I will probably find myself re-reading it at some point.

When Kasienka's father leaves her and her mother and runs away to England to live with another woman, Kasienka and her mother pack their bags and follow him. Kasienka's new life...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Ms rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-term-4-challenge

Although not an award winning book, this verse novel is beautifully written. It's best read in its entirety but some of the sections could be enjoyed as poems in their own right.

Kasienka is a thirteen year old Polish girl who arrives in Britain with her mother. They have come to Coventry in England to search for Kasienka's father who walked out on his daughter and his wife. Through the snippets of verse Kasienka tells her story.

Although it is only a short novel, Sarah Crossan is able to convey...more

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May 01, 2013 Georgia from Books and Writers JNR rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction

***3.5 stars***

Goodreads synopsis: Armed with a suitcase and an old laundry bag filled with clothes, Kasienka and her mother head for England. Life is lonely for Kasienka. At home her mother’s heart is breaking and at school friends are scarce. But when someone special swims into her life, Kasienka learns that there might be more than one way for her to stay afloat.”The Weight of Water” is a startlingly original piece of fiction; most simply a brilliant coming of age story, it also tackles the a...more ***3.5 stars***

Goodreads synopsis: Armed with a suitcase and an old laundry bag filled with clothes, Kasienka and her mother head for England. Life is lonely for Kasienka. At home her mother’s heart is breaking and at school friends are scarce. But when someone special swims into her life, Kasienka learns that there might be more than one way for her to stay afloat.”The Weight of Water” is a startlingly original piece of fiction; most simply a brilliant coming of age story, it also tackles the alienation experienced by many young immigrants. Moving, unsentimental and utterly page-turning, we meet and share the experiences of a remarkable girl who shows us how quiet courage prevails.

My review: When I picked this up for my school book club read, I was definitely not expecting the entire book to be in verse! I’ve never read a book quite like this before, with its unique format that makes it really stand out. I think that having the whole thing in poems instead of chapters gave a very different effect on me as opposed to other reads.Somehow, I seemed to understand the character of Kasienka more than I think I would’ve done if The Weight of Water had been written like other books. I could really understand her emotions and feelings towards her sudden new life, her parents, and the bully at her school, through the format. The poems were pretty emotional and thought-provoking- they really made me feel empathy for Kasienka, and other, real-life young immigrants.

Kasienka was, in my opinion, a really strong protagonist. She had just arrived in England and felt uncomfortable and like an outcast as her mother practially forced her to help search for her father; who ran away from their home in Poland two years before. I felt so sorry for her about her situation, and was rooting for her throughout, hoping she would be okay. The bullying towards Kasienka really shocked me, as did her mother’s sudden desicion to move to England! I didn’t like her relationship with William, though. I felt he was pretty careless about her, because he was hanging out with Kasienka’s bully.

Overall, The Weight of Water made for a pretty short read due to its poem format. It was emotional but with a happy ending, although I feel that the last parts of the book could’ve been a bit better. I think it had a really great plot, too. The storyline dealt with serious problems in the life of a young immigrant, and it was very interesting to see through the eyes of a person whfelt like the outcast of everything. I’d recommend it to fans of Refugee Boy, by Benjamin Zephaniah. The Weight of Water really reminded me of that book!
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Mar 31, 2013 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

An insightful look at the life of a talented immigrant girl and her struggle to shine despite her lack of the English language.

The story is written as an extended poem which I suppose is to heighten the reader's unfamiliarity with language thus helping us to empathise with Kasienka. Perhaps it is also to emphasise that language is acceptable in a variety of forms and that we should not always judge people negatively if they struggle to grasp language.

I liked that Kasienka was strong without bein...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jo by: Belle

Shelves: poetry-in-motion, for-review, 2012, ya, you-got-a-friend-in-me, soul-sister-heroine, heart-skipped-a-beat, gorgeous-prose

“When I am in the water
My body moves like a wave:
There is a violence to it
And a beauty.”

Initial Final Page Thoughts.
“And it
Never felt so good.”
YES.

High Points.
Kasienka. William. The writing. Friendship. Saying goodbye. Reunions. Butterfly stroke. Kisses like Haribo. Love is a large W. Mama. Resilience. Culture. Blueberry ice cream. Girly sleepovers. Tummy tumbles.

Low Points.
I would have loved to have had a few more poems set when Kasienka and her mum were in Poland. I think it would have added...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Luna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As with many of my books, I purchased The Weight of Water because it came so highly recommended. It is the first book I’ve read that is entirely in verse. Previously I’ve not enjoyed reading stories in this format but The Weight of Water completely changed my mind.

Kasienka is intelligent, her story telling observant and intense. There were quite a few moments that really touched me. Her mother bought Kasienka to the England so they could find her father (Tata). Unlike her mother, Kasienka isn’t...more

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May 09, 2013 Sarah (TotalTeenFiction) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, young-adult, library-books, on-the-blog

Full review also posted here on TotalTeenFiction.

The Weight of Water tells the story of Kasienka, a Polish girl who moves with her mother to England. I'd come across this book before and put off reading it because it's a novel written in verse. I'll admit I'm not the biggest poetry fan and I've never read any novels in verse before. I really enjoyed Sarah Crossan's other book Breathe and this book was available through my library's e-library, so one evening curiosity got the better of me and I d...more Full review also posted here on TotalTeenFiction.

The Weight of Water tells the story of Kasienka, a Polish girl who moves with her mother to England. I'd come across this book before and put off reading it because it's a novel written in verse. I'll admit I'm not the biggest poetry fan and I've never read any novels in verse before. I really enjoyed Sarah Crossan's other book Breathe and this book was available through my library's e-library, so one evening curiosity got the better of me and I downloaded it straight to my iPod!

Let me start out by saying that if, like me, you've been putting off reading this novel because of the verse thing, then I hope I can change your opinion! Because I ended up really enjoying this story. The writing style didn't once put me off and I became so wrapped up in Kasienka's life that I barely even noticed the fact it was in verse. I think it's just a beautifully written tale.

I really liked the themes tackled in this book and how you get to see them from Kasienka's perspective, who is a total innocent in the situation. She has to put up with being judged because of her background, being bullied at school and put into a lower year group because they assume she's stupid. At the same time she's struggling with the poor living conditions her and her mother are putting up with and how that affects her social life. Add in to that the hormonal trials of being a twelve/thirteen year old girl and she has to go through a lot.

I think, even though Kasienka's situation isn't something everyone will face, it still felt very relatable. There's those real life defining moments like your first love and wishing you fitted in. I thought it really beautifully and acurately captured the discoveries you go through during those school years.

I found Kasienka and her narration of the story to be really endearing. I loved the way she dealt with everything pretty head on. Her relationship with William, a guy who persuades her to take up swimming, was really sweet. I loved seeing the family dynamic between her and her mother as well.

I'm sure this is one of those novels, being written in verse, that you can read a lot more into if you go into it with that kind of analytical brain on. I could pick up a few of those deeper meanings myself but I wasn't really worrying about that, I was just enjoying getting swept up in the story. It's quite short and it was a quick read (I managed it in almost one sitting) so it's well worth giving a go.

I'll definitely continue to read books by this author and I'll certainly be open to reading verse novels in the future!

Find more books like this at TotalTeenFiction!
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Apr 21, 2013 Jongleuse rated it 4 of 5 stars

I must come clean and admit that novels in verse are not my favourite thing.

Too easy, I think
To take fragments of life
And arrange them as
Pretty shards of glass

I read this praised first novel on a Kindle which may have detracted from the poetic-ness of the whole but made it a fast, tube journey read. Some flaws are inherent to the form, slight plot, stereotyped characters (an African doctor who says things like ‘There is no hyena without a friend') but Cassie, the protagonist, is a vividly portra...more

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May 22, 2013 Ellie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: carnegie-2013, poetry, coming-of-age

When I first started this book, I was uncertain as I famously do not get on with poetry at all, and the entire novel was written in that style. I think that this really added to the uniqueness and emotion of the novel, which encouraged me into Kaseinka's shoes as she moved from Poland to Coventry in search of her father.
However, I do have to say that the raw emotion and feeling of the book, combined with the fact that it entailed no prose, was the only highlight of the book. In short, it was a s...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Helen Fairfield rated it 5 of 5 stars

Written in elegant and spare blank verse, The Weight of Water reminds me a bit of Malorie Blackman's Cloud Busting and tackles some of the same themes such as identity and bullying. Twelve-year-old Kasienka recounts her experience of being a Polish immigrant in Coventry. She is a wonderful heroine, strong, individual and honest. When you finish this book you feel a little bit wiser and a little bit kinder - I love it when a book does that and that's why I'm giving it five stars. I'm looking forw...more

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May 20, 2013 MrsF rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: carnegie2013

I was so excited to see a book-in-verse on the 2013 Carnegie Medal shortlist - they always get interesting responses from Shadowers. And this book is no exception: so far all, but one, of our readers are somewhat surprised at how powerful the story telling is with so few words! Already I'm being asked for more novels-in-verse,(good job I put a few more on my next library order!).

I liked the way the characters were developed in this story, it reminded me of Annie and Max's development in Sharon C...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Ela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: carnegie-shortlist-2013, poetry, ya-realistic-fiction

I know exactly what to say in this review, but I still have no idea how many stars to give it.

It was a bittersweet story, told through a series of poems, about a Polish girl who's mother drags her to England; trying to find her father who walked out on them.

When she reaches England she experiences a barrage of ignorance, rainy days and abuse, as she struggles to survive.

I don't usually like modern books written in verse but I was pleasantly surprised here. The poetry worked well in conveying the...more

1 like · like · see review

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