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The Girl Who Stopped Swimming
by
Joshilyn Jackson (Goodreads Author)
Lauren Gray Hawthorne needs to make things pretty, whether she's helping her mother keep family skeletons in the closet or sewing her acclaimed art quilts. Her estranged sister, Thalia, is her opposite, an impoverished actress who prides herself on exposing the lurid truths lurking behind middle class niceties.
While Laurel's life seems neatly on track-- a passionate marr...more
While Laurel's life seems neatly on track-- a passionate marr...more
Paperback, 336 pages
Published
May 26th 2009
by Grand Central Publishing
(first published January 1st 2008)
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I happened to glance at the wildly diverse ratings/reviews on goodreads about this book, because I was kind of torn about a rating for it. I haven't read any of Jackson's other books, and I've never seen The Ghost Whisperer, but my feeling was that the story was a bit soap-y, and didn't fully realize itself as any one kind of book. Sometimes, that's ok.
Laurel Hawthorne lives in a gated community called Victorianna, raising a daughter, Shelby, with her husband David. One night, the ghost of a nei...more
Laurel Hawthorne lives in a gated community called Victorianna, raising a daughter, Shelby, with her husband David. One night, the ghost of a nei...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Loved the other two but reading this one was like watching a predictable Lifetime movie. I too thoughtit was too Ghost Whispery. If you are going to the trouble to put a ghost into a book then at least be original. Duh. Another thing that bugged me was the folksy language. I don't think people in the modern South really talk or act this way. This book was set in the Panhandle but Laurel, etc talked like characters from the other books that were set in Georgia. ZZZZZZZZZ. Forced myself to keep re...more
This was a waste of time. I think JJ must have been presured to write and book and this was all she came up with. I loved gods and between, but this one stunk. Only redeming quality was Thalia. I wish she just took that chatacther and went another direction.
I didn't think this was as good as her first two books. The plot was a little far-fecthed and I was tired of all the eccentric people in it.
I was very disappointed in this book. The plot was decent but moved way to slow.
I gave this author's first book a 5 and her second book a 4...see a pattern? I think she had a good idea with this book, but it just didn't come together in the right way for me. This is a ghost story/whodunit that begins when the main character, Laurel, awakens to find the ghost of a drowned girl standing by her bed. To me, it felt as though there was simply too much going on - a new mystery, an old mystery, marriage problems, sister problems, mother-daughter problems. Oh, and an offensively st...more
This would make a great Lifetime movie. As a book, it moved too slowly. It took a really long time to move from the initiating action (girl drowned in pool) to any subsequent action because the main character Laurel kept revisiting her past. Truly, she is haunted by her past, and it's not as if the plot and characters were without merit. But I skimmed over a lot of paragraphs in order to get the story moving and maintain my interest.
I love, love, love Southern writers, and J.J. is one of my favorites. I was a little dissappointed with this book, though. It was intriguing and I finished it quickly, but I felt like it was written really fast. I also thought that the real story was between Laurel and her mother, which wasn't explored. Also, the relationship between Lauren and Thalia could have just been what the entire book was about, without the ghosts and the Ouija board and the shady town in the background. J.J. usually dig...more
I would have liked to give this book 3.5 stars. I found it started out well and although the promise of the first few pages did not last until the end (the plot was slow after the initial rush and it finished on a schmaltzy note), I did find that I was eager to see how the story unfolded and I was left mulling over topics brought up in the book.
I was so excited for this book. SO excited.
I loved gods In Alabama (I've re-read it, which I don't usually do) and really, really liked Between, Georgia.
And then this book was really hard to get through.
Well, that's not totally true. The first 200 pages were too much information at once and yet not enough. I had to keep reminding myself that all these mish-mashes of plot would come together sooner or later, and the jumble of characters would make sense. (This knowledge would only be apparent to...more
I loved gods In Alabama (I've re-read it, which I don't usually do) and really, really liked Between, Georgia.
And then this book was really hard to get through.
Well, that's not totally true. The first 200 pages were too much information at once and yet not enough. I had to keep reminding myself that all these mish-mashes of plot would come together sooner or later, and the jumble of characters would make sense. (This knowledge would only be apparent to...more
This book's main character. Laurel, is introduced by a ghost. One of three who visit her life throughout the story. The book's a mystery; I only gave it three stars because it was somewhat predictable, although the writing was pretty good and it was interesting enough.
The writer kept referring to a "keeping room" inside the main character's house, set in Florida, and I'm wondering if this is what we call a family room in the midwest. I haven't had time to look it up online, but it threw me each...more
The writer kept referring to a "keeping room" inside the main character's house, set in Florida, and I'm wondering if this is what we call a family room in the midwest. I haven't had time to look it up online, but it threw me each...more
I was disappointed in this one by Jackson whose other two books (Between, Georgia and gods in Alabama) I really enjoyed. I agree with the review which said the first 200 pages were good. I got that far and was excited. I liked Laurel and her wild sister Thalia, plus character of David the husband was well drawn too. Then it fell apart.
Maybe I'm just reading too many other books right now on the issue of social class, but I felt like the subject wasn't handled well in here, despite Jackson's good...more
Maybe I'm just reading too many other books right now on the issue of social class, but I felt like the subject wasn't handled well in here, despite Jackson's good...more
This book was perfectly readable and I admit to staying up too late to finish it. But none of the characters really stood out the way that certain characters in gods in Alabama and Between, Georgia did. The characterizations of the children in the story were completely flat and ghosts were added to the story almost as an afterthought rather than an integral part of the plot. Why bother? I'd recommend this book only for die-hard Jackson fans. But if you haven't read her other two books, read one...more
This was enjoyable -- she's a great writer, in terms of ear for language -- but I found it far more complex than her first two novels, and consequently a little too ambitious. There was so much going on behind the scenes in terms of plot that I felt we lost some character development. Glad I read it, but it won't be a re-reader like Between, Georgia.
Just so-so. Roped me in and kept me going but ultimately was a bit unsatisfying and too pat of an ending. Didn't believe the finale. Too contrived.
This book reminds me too much of a Jodi Picoult novel--set in suburbia with dark mysteries residing within the homes' polished exteriors. Ugh.
Aug 15, 2008
Shannon
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Shannon by:
Misty Wright
Jackson does what she does best in this book - create slightly crazy, thoroughly believable, deeply Southern characters. This book centers around two sisters, Laurel & Thalia. As always, Jackson does a good job of creating an interesting plot to surround and propel her characters forward.
There were things I liked - and didn't like - about the main character. I'm not sure whether the characteristics that I liked about her remind me of myself or whether it's the ones I don't like. I know that...more
There were things I liked - and didn't like - about the main character. I'm not sure whether the characteristics that I liked about her remind me of myself or whether it's the ones I don't like. I know that...more
Wow this was a good book. It impressed me more than anything I've read in years. But now that I'm trying to pinpoint what made it so special, I'm stuck. Laurel, the main character, tries to distance herself from her family's white trash past by settling with her husband and daughter in a gated Florida community called Victorianna. But all hell brakes lose when her daughter's best friend Molly turns up dead in the middle of the night in Laurel's swimming pool. Molly appears to Laurel as a ghost a...more
Mar 23, 2008
Jen
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
southern-lit,
womens-fiction
Joshilyn Jackson continues to take my breath away. I read her second book, Between, Georgia, on a random whim, expecting fun Southern chick lit, and was SHOCKED to stumble into an amazingly human and interesting story that just happened to be grounded in the South. I shortly thereafter read her first novel and re-read Between, and became a devoted reader of the author's blog. The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, her latest, does not disappoint. The main character, Laurel, makes her living as an art qu...more
i hadn't heard of joshilyn jackson before this book. i'm very glad i have now. the woman has a voice that sings.
this book has some weird--or weirde-er--parts, but the story is told so well that they sort of fade or get swallowed up in the story. suspension of disbelief is easy, as with any well-written novel. jackson produces amazing reveals, always at the perfect time, and my interest never flagged. there was not a slow minute in the book.
kati, it isn't a book i would have chosen, either, based...more
this book has some weird--or weirde-er--parts, but the story is told so well that they sort of fade or get swallowed up in the story. suspension of disbelief is easy, as with any well-written novel. jackson produces amazing reveals, always at the perfect time, and my interest never flagged. there was not a slow minute in the book.
kati, it isn't a book i would have chosen, either, based...more
I really enjoyed Joshilyn Jackson's other books--especially Backseat Saints--so I was excited to give this a shot. But it was an incredible disappointment.
So what went wrong with this book? Nothing, for the first quarter of it. I was interested in the characters, the setting, the plot, everything. But then the characters became annoying. Laurel struck me as spoiled and grating. Her husband had zero personality, and for some reason, his wife seemed to know that and to speak fondly of it. Strange....more
So what went wrong with this book? Nothing, for the first quarter of it. I was interested in the characters, the setting, the plot, everything. But then the characters became annoying. Laurel struck me as spoiled and grating. Her husband had zero personality, and for some reason, his wife seemed to know that and to speak fondly of it. Strange....more
Audio book read by the author
Laurel sees dead people; so when a transparent young girl, apparently soaking wet, appears at the foot of her bed, she lets the ghost lead her to the window. She’s been sleepwalking again, but when she awakens, Laurel sees that there is a girl floating in her backyard pool.
This is a modern-day Southern Gothic novel. Jackson is a talented writer and fills her novels with wonderfully eccentric characters, as well as family secrets, dark undercurrents of poverty, alcoh...more
Laurel sees dead people; so when a transparent young girl, apparently soaking wet, appears at the foot of her bed, she lets the ghost lead her to the window. She’s been sleepwalking again, but when she awakens, Laurel sees that there is a girl floating in her backyard pool.
This is a modern-day Southern Gothic novel. Jackson is a talented writer and fills her novels with wonderfully eccentric characters, as well as family secrets, dark undercurrents of poverty, alcoh...more
I kept thinking I'd posted on this one before, but then I realized it was "I couldn't Love You More" that I was getting confused with it! Similar themes in some ways, but in general, I liked this one more. Jackson has a tough outlook on life, but she still comes down of the side of the light and one the strength of love--a particular belief of mine, so my book choices tend to be strengthened by such underlying philosophy. Reminds me of Woody Guthrie's quotation about songs, that they're supposed...more
I was surprised to see so many low ratings for this book! I checked this out from the library two days ago, have hardly put it down, and after finishing it tonight I was very satisfied. The prose is beautiful, it immersed me into the lives of some wonderfully genuine and distinct characters, and quite frankly, I loved it. This definitely made me an overnight Joshilyn Jackson fan, and I look forward to reading more from her.
I did give this book four stars because I found the conclusion to be a ta...more
I did give this book four stars because I found the conclusion to be a ta...more
This is one of my favorite Joshilyn Jackson books so far. I really recommend the audio books that she records herself. She has theater training, and her voice is particularly well suited for her narrators.
This book, like much contemporary women's fiction, is about a woman who is finding herself and learning to recognize her talents and her strengths in spite of a difficult background and the lack of encouragement of those who should be most supportive of her. Throw in a family full of colorful c...more
This book, like much contemporary women's fiction, is about a woman who is finding herself and learning to recognize her talents and her strengths in spite of a difficult background and the lack of encouragement of those who should be most supportive of her. Throw in a family full of colorful c...more
There are many things I liked about the book – the mystery, the ghosts, and the dynamics between the two sisters. The author brings out the good and terrible things that make up a family – it is both funny and filled with irony. Family fights but they always make up and always have each other’s backs. I enjoyed the flow for the most part. The ending was both predictable yet surprising. I knew what happened before I was halfway through the book but I was a little off on the motive.
The thing I did...more
The thing I did...more
I love the smell of campfire. It clings to everything and evokes such strong, vivid images for me. One whiff of campfire and I picture little, tousled heads climbing out a tent, marshmallows crammed between crackers and chocolate, and chipmunks scurrying through pine trees.
“The Girl Who Stopped Swimming” is a novel that’s stuck with me like campfire. The images and characters created by the author, Joshilyn Jackson, refuse to leave my senses.
While “The Girl Who Stopped Swimming” is not a fantas...more
“The Girl Who Stopped Swimming” is a novel that’s stuck with me like campfire. The images and characters created by the author, Joshilyn Jackson, refuse to leave my senses.
While “The Girl Who Stopped Swimming” is not a fantas...more
Jul 19, 2011
Ellyn Bache
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
women-s-fiction,
southern
I was deeply impressed by Joshilyn Jackson's first two novels, "gods in Alabama" and "Between, Georgia," and "The Girl Who Stopped Swimming" didn't disappoint. Laurel is a woman who sleepwalks and sees ghosts, so when she's awakened by the ghost of her daughter's friend, Molly, she doesn't hesitate to follow the girl outside, where she finds her dead body in the swimming pool. So begins a tale that is part whodunnit, part friendship novel, part social commentary, and part mood piece, beautifully...more
The story follows Laurel Gray Hawthorne as she deals with a family crisis. One night she wakes to find a body floating in her pool. At first she thinks it's her daughter and finds it's her daughter's best friend. Over the next few days, Laurel struggles with the death and the possibility it wasn't an accident. She worries about her daughter's involvement and her daughter's house guest, Bet, who is a 3rd cousin. Bet comes from DeLop which is a very impoverished town that houses a good portion of...more
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SHORT VERSION:
Jackson's latest novel, SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY, pubs on November 19, 2013!
New York Times Bestselling novelist Joshilyn Jackson is the author of six novels: gods in Alabama, Between, Georgia, The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, Backseat Saints, A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty, and most recently, SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages, won SIBA’s nove...more
More about Joshilyn Jackson...
Jackson's latest novel, SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY, pubs on November 19, 2013!
New York Times Bestselling novelist Joshilyn Jackson is the author of six novels: gods in Alabama, Between, Georgia, The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, Backseat Saints, A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty, and most recently, SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages, won SIBA’s nove...more
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Nov 23, 2009 01:54pm