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347th out of 1,427 books
—
3,847 voters
Learning to Swim (Troy Chance #1)
by
Sara J. Henry (Goodreads Author)
“If I’d blinked, I would have missed it. But I didn’t, and I saw something fall from the rear deck of the opposite ferry: a small, wide-eyed human face, in one tiny frozen moment, as it plummeted toward the water.”
When she sees what looks like a child tumbling from a ferry into frigid Lake Champlain, Troy Chance dives in without thinking. When she gets the child to shore s...more
When she sees what looks like a child tumbling from a ferry into frigid Lake Champlain, Troy Chance dives in without thinking. When she gets the child to shore s...more
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published
February 22nd 2011
by Crown
(first published 2011)
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Rating: 4* of five
The Publisher Says: “If I’d blinked, I would have missed it. But I didn’t, and I saw something fall from the rear deck of the opposite ferry: a small, wide-eyed human face, in one tiny frozen moment, as it plummeted toward the water.”
When she sees what looks like a child tumbling from a ferry into frigid Lake Champlain, Troy Chance dives in without thinking. When she gets the child to shore she discovers that his name is Paul, he speaks only French—and no one seems to be looki...more
The Publisher Says: “If I’d blinked, I would have missed it. But I didn’t, and I saw something fall from the rear deck of the opposite ferry: a small, wide-eyed human face, in one tiny frozen moment, as it plummeted toward the water.”
When she sees what looks like a child tumbling from a ferry into frigid Lake Champlain, Troy Chance dives in without thinking. When she gets the child to shore she discovers that his name is Paul, he speaks only French—and no one seems to be looki...more
My dad, a voracious reader, recommended this book to me. He happened to come across Learning to Swim at the library, and the title intrigued him because I was a competitive swimmer for many years and he was always a supportive Swim Dad. The novel actually has very little to do with competitive swimming, but I'm glad Ms. Henry titled it what she did because I probably would've missed this gem otherwise.
What would you do if you were on a ferry crossing cold Lake Champlain and thought you saw a you...more
What would you do if you were on a ferry crossing cold Lake Champlain and thought you saw a you...more
To be fair, I think that I do not like the genre. The story itself was a good one but the amount of unnecessary details drove me crazy. Did we need to know about Troy fixing her bike? Her computer skills? Shopping the discount racks? The small talk she made with the basement apartment managers? I also got the feeling that the author was writing about herself. I dislike that.
Edit :: 04/24/13
I have rounded up to 3 stars after an original 2 star rating because I realized I had forgotten about this...more
Edit :: 04/24/13
I have rounded up to 3 stars after an original 2 star rating because I realized I had forgotten about this...more
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. That said, I whizzed through it in a couple of days, so something must have kept my attention and it wasn't a total bomb. Sometimes it's great to read a book about where you're from, you see all the familiar places on the page. But in this case, some of the things in this book I don't think could plausibly happen.
*Warning ahead. Read at your own risk, I don't think I give too much away, but if you are thinking of reading this, some info may be...more
*Warning ahead. Read at your own risk, I don't think I give too much away, but if you are thinking of reading this, some info may be...more
It's common with series fiction that the initial entries are not the strongest. But being a fan of series fiction, I'm willing to look beyond the aspects that don't work for me to the elements that do. So to start, I'll just say the plotting of this novel seemed a little thin for a mystery. Now I'll move on to what I liked.
I found the protagonist, Troy Chance, to be an extremely likable, complex, and well drawn character. She's affable and makes friends easily, but keeps a distance from people...more
I found the protagonist, Troy Chance, to be an extremely likable, complex, and well drawn character. She's affable and makes friends easily, but keeps a distance from people...more
This is the free book I received from Good Reads giveaway. Perhaps because of that I had a preconceived notion that the book would be amateurish. And in a way it was, but it was also a somewhat compelling mystery. The opening of the story seems largely implausible. The narrator (who, by the way, I didn't know if Troy was a man or woman until several pages into the book) dives into Lake Champlain to rescue a small child and then swims with the child back to shore. I have never been to Upstate New...more
"If I'd blinked, I would have missed it." The opening sentence of the book in some ways summarizes one of the central themes of this book perfectly -- how, in the blink of an eye, your life can completely change. In this debut novel from Sara Henry, Troy Chance is a free spirit living unencumbered in Lake Placid, New York. On the ferry on her way to Burlington, VT she sees what looks like a child falling from the ferry crossing in the opposite direction. Acting on instinct, she dives into the wa...more
LEARNING TO SWIM won both the Anthony and Agatha awards for first novel, and I can certainly see why after finishing the book myself. It’s a well-written novel, executed flawlessly, and the writing sings louder than Nickelback in the middle of Central Park. But could I say I really liked it? If I’m to be perfectly honest with myself, I’d say no. I liked it, sure enough, and I could check that box just as easily as I could fill in Cs all the way down the columns of a multiple choice math test.
I l...more
I l...more
Troy Chance was on the late ferry on Lake Champlain to Vermont. There were very few people on the ferry and most of them were indoors. Out of the corner of Troy’s vision, she sees a movement. Someone fell into the water from the other ferry. Without a second thought, Troy jumps into the lake after the item. For all she could know, the item could end up to be someone’s trash that they did not want to recycle.
Troy swims to the last location where she saw the item being thrown in. To her surprise,...more
Troy swims to the last location where she saw the item being thrown in. To her surprise,...more
Mar 02, 2011
Glenda
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
first-reads-win,
books-read-in-2011
I won a copy of this book on Goodreads FirstReads.
On the ferry going to Burlington, VT, Troy Chance sees what looks like a child falling from the ferry crossing in the opposite direction. Acting on instinct, she dives into the water and rescues the child, a 6 year old named Paul. This kicks off a chain of bizarre events, when Troy realizes that Paul is a missing kidnapping victim from Montreal. Troy becomes intensely involved in Paul's life in the aftermath of his reunion with his father, inclu...more
On the ferry going to Burlington, VT, Troy Chance sees what looks like a child falling from the ferry crossing in the opposite direction. Acting on instinct, she dives into the water and rescues the child, a 6 year old named Paul. This kicks off a chain of bizarre events, when Troy realizes that Paul is a missing kidnapping victim from Montreal. Troy becomes intensely involved in Paul's life in the aftermath of his reunion with his father, inclu...more
Just found out I won this as a First Reads - can't wait to get it!
I would give this book 3.5 stars. It was a good story, but there were times when I was left wanting a little more - more information, more background, something. Troy (the heroine) is a woman who is thrust out of her comfort zone when she rescues a child thrown off a ferry. No one else sees anything, so she is left with the decision of what to do - what is right for this child, and for herself?
There is some mystery and action, som...more
I would give this book 3.5 stars. It was a good story, but there were times when I was left wanting a little more - more information, more background, something. Troy (the heroine) is a woman who is thrust out of her comfort zone when she rescues a child thrown off a ferry. No one else sees anything, so she is left with the decision of what to do - what is right for this child, and for herself?
There is some mystery and action, som...more
A great choice for reading after a long day. Easy to read, a nice storyline, and not overly complicated. My heart was touched by the little boy, caught in all the adult drama. I liked the way it ended it was an unexpected twist.
Well done debut novel!
Note: My copy was a paperback, uncorrected proof. This book was provided through the GoodReads First Read program with the expectation of an honest review. My opinions are my own.
Well done debut novel!
Note: My copy was a paperback, uncorrected proof. This book was provided through the GoodReads First Read program with the expectation of an honest review. My opinions are my own.
Won a copy of Learning to Swim, from First Reads. Not sure if she saw it or not a woman sees a child fall off a ferry and she jumps in to the freezing lake to save the child.......what happens next turns into quit a mystery, and a page turner of a book!
Great read and looking forward to book 2.
Great read and looking forward to book 2.
I'm kind of surprised this won an Agatha Award considering the number of plot holes and extraneous details and characters that were included. Henry could have gotten rid of about half of the supporting characters and a lot of the useless scenes in the middle part of the book and still had a decent mystery novel. The bigger problem, though, were the plot holes; without giving anything away about later parts of the book, the premise in general is flawed. How is it possible that a child could be th...more
I am a huge fan of mysteries. I read them. I watch them. I play out my own twisted scenarios in which I believe people of nefarious deeds and then go on stakeout missions which have me hiding in my rosebushes while watching the 'suspects' in order to catch them in the act.*
That said, I can usually tell who the killer/bad guy is within the first few pages. If not then, I definitely know the minute the "bad guy" shows his/her face the first time. This does not deter me from finishing or enjoying t...more
That said, I can usually tell who the killer/bad guy is within the first few pages. If not then, I definitely know the minute the "bad guy" shows his/her face the first time. This does not deter me from finishing or enjoying t...more
Part of the reason I read this book is because it took place in the area where I mostly grew up. It's kind of fun to read about places I know. I could easily imagine the situation.
Troy sees a boy thrown from the Lake Champlain Ferry and jumps in to save him. At first the little boy won't tell Troy his name, Paul. He speaks French. When Troy finally gets some information from him, she jumps into research mode and tracks down the father. Worried that the father had something to do with the boy's s...more
Troy sees a boy thrown from the Lake Champlain Ferry and jumps in to save him. At first the little boy won't tell Troy his name, Paul. He speaks French. When Troy finally gets some information from him, she jumps into research mode and tracks down the father. Worried that the father had something to do with the boy's s...more
In the opening pages independent freelance journalist Troy Chance dives off a ferry to rescue a child thrown from a passing ferry, swims to shore, then fails to report the child missing. There are a number of leaps of credibility initially - that they could swim that far, that diving from a ferry into a lake one could rescue a tiny bundle, that a child rescued thus would survive and thrive and and so instantly bond with rescuer, especially after having apparently been in the hands of kidnappers...more
While reading reviews I don't like to buy a new book in a series we don't own. It rarely happens so after reading the reviews for "A Cold and Lonely Place" the second in a relatively new series by Sara J. Henry, I was please to see that we had the first book "Learning to Swim".
Great opening line: "If I'd blinked I would have missed it." What Troy Chance almost missed was a six year old boy being thrown from the deck of a ferry crossing Lake Champlain. She manages to get to him, find him, and get...more
Great opening line: "If I'd blinked I would have missed it." What Troy Chance almost missed was a six year old boy being thrown from the deck of a ferry crossing Lake Champlain. She manages to get to him, find him, and get...more
Learning to Swim, by Sara J. Henry, b-plus, Narrated by Suzanne Torren, Produced by audible inc., downloaded from audible.com.
Troy Chance is taking the ferry for the day from New York to Vermont across Lake Champlain. She loves being up on deck, even when it’s cold and stormy so she’s the only one top deck when another ferry passes them going toward Vermont. She suddenly sees what appears to be a small body, a boy tossed over the ferry and into the water. Without even thinking about it, she jump...more
Troy Chance is taking the ferry for the day from New York to Vermont across Lake Champlain. She loves being up on deck, even when it’s cold and stormy so she’s the only one top deck when another ferry passes them going toward Vermont. She suddenly sees what appears to be a small body, a boy tossed over the ferry and into the water. Without even thinking about it, she jump...more
My colleague suggested this novel grabs the reader and is compelling to read. I agree. It is great fun to forget my own life and worry about Troy Chance's dive into the water because she MIGHT have seen a small boy being thrown off a ferry going the opposite way. Of course problems ensue.
I was glad to see other Goodread readers saw the parallel to Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. And, like many female heroines, Troy conveniently has a protective dog and her sleuthing ultimately puts her in danger i...more
I was glad to see other Goodread readers saw the parallel to Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. And, like many female heroines, Troy conveniently has a protective dog and her sleuthing ultimately puts her in danger i...more
In the acknowledgments for Learning to Swim, Sara J. Henry thanks Michael Robotham for encouraging her to change the title and SFC for the titling. Though I don't know the original title the advice to change it seems sound. Throughout this debut, the images and life lessons that "learning to swim" evoke, fit well.
The premise of Learning to Swim is a grabber. Picture yourself on the ferry on Lake Champlain, I've been there. You are the only person on the open air deck. As the ferry going in the...more
The premise of Learning to Swim is a grabber. Picture yourself on the ferry on Lake Champlain, I've been there. You are the only person on the open air deck. As the ferry going in the...more
I was so disappointed by this book. I really thought I would love it. I like mysteries enough that even the bad ones generally entertain me, and this one had Amazon reviewers gushing things like "best debut novel I've ever read." But, as I read it, I just couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. Here's why:
First, as a mystery, this book lets you down all over the place. Here's the premise: a woman jumps off a ferry to save a little boy she sees falling from another ferry—she doesn't know...more
First, as a mystery, this book lets you down all over the place. Here's the premise: a woman jumps off a ferry to save a little boy she sees falling from another ferry—she doesn't know...more
This was a terrific book from the first word to the last. And very real. In the opening chapter, Troy, an altogether ordinary woman, sees a child thrown off the back of a ferry in the middle of Lake Champlain. She instinctively dives in after him, swimming with him back to shore. I have to admit that my first reaction was, "No way. Not possible." But it works because Troy knows how utterly improbable her story sounds.
What I most like is that as she tries to navigate the bizarre twists and turns...more
What I most like is that as she tries to navigate the bizarre twists and turns...more
I'm not quite sure how many stars to give this novel. The story opens with Troy Chance on a ferry to Burlington, VT passing the ferry from VT going to NY. As she stares out at the water, she sees something fall from the deck of the NY bound ferry. In the time it takes for her to register what she sees, she's on the railing, diving in the cold waters of Lake Champlain - to rescue a little boy thrown from the ferry. It's a thrilling opening. The book continues along as a mystery - what happened to...more
This book was well reviewed by a woman's magazine, so I decided to pick it up at the library. It's a debut novel from Sara Henry, who's crafted a somewhat decent thriller but has written it for the MTV generation. Troy Chance, a freelance writer and editor, watches a small boy plunge from the deck of a ferry and she dives in to save him. He speaks little to no English and she takes him home and cares for him while searching for his parents. Troy does things that a sane, intelligent person wouldn...more
When a small child goes off the end of a ferry, Lake Placid resident Troy dives in and rescues him, only to find that no one's reported him missing. Unwilling to turn him over to the police for fear he'll be returned to the people that want him dead, she tracks down his grateful French Canadian father and tries to piece together who his captors were/are.
I loved the beginning, it absolutely took my breath away when Troy jumped into that water and rescued the boy. Very compelling. The setting, as...more
I loved the beginning, it absolutely took my breath away when Troy jumped into that water and rescued the boy. Very compelling. The setting, as...more
While walking along the aisle in the library the title caught my eye and as it has been a chilly February in upstate New York I felt I needed some Calgon moments. Although the storyline is not at all about swimming it is about trusting your instincts. Troy is a somewhat free spirit to her friends. She has a strong sense of independance yet when she spies a small object falling into Lake Champlain from a passing ferry she does not hesitate to plunge into the frigid water to save what she believes...more
A million thanks to Rachael Herron of yarnagogo.com for her recommendation of this book, which was an engrossing story about a woman who sees a young child fall off the back of a passing ferry boat and jumps off her own ferry to rescue him. In saving the 6-year-old boy’s life, Troy finds her own life enriched, enlivened and ultimately endangered. The final confrontation takes us back nearly full circle, as Troy struggles to save her own life. The reader is right there with Troy throughout, as th...more
Learning to Swim is the story of Troy Chance, a freelance writer living in Lake Placid, New York. Troy is riding on a ferry to Vermont when she sees what she thinks is a child fall from another ferry. She jumps into the water after him, and that's how the story starts.
One of things I loved about LTS was the first scene. It felt like a very natural beginning, yet it was unique and intriguing. The rest of the book kept me hooked and turning the pages without being gimmicky.
The novel was perfectly...more
One of things I loved about LTS was the first scene. It felt like a very natural beginning, yet it was unique and intriguing. The rest of the book kept me hooked and turning the pages without being gimmicky.
The novel was perfectly...more
So I read this book as part of Bookmovement.com's online bookclub -- this was the new release for February, and I thought the premise was interesting: Riding a ferry across a lake, a woman witnesses a small child going overboard another passing ferry; woman dives in and rescues child, who was actually thrown overboard in a murder attempt; woman feels affinity for child, and cares for him while she tries to find out who abducted him, why he was kidnapped, and whether his family is trustworthy eno...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What's The Name o...: Woman saves boy from drowning and returns him to his father (SOLVED) [s] | 3 | 33 | Jan 09, 2013 03:29pm |
You can read the first chapter of my novel LEARNING TO SWIM here. It's the winner of the Anthony and the Agatha Awards for best first novel and the Mary Higgins Clark Award. The sequel, A COLD AND LONELY PLACE, will be published Feb. 5, 2013.
More about Sara J. Henry...
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“Sometimes you know you've made the right decision, simply because of how hard it is.”
—
14 people liked it
“Don't think too much about it - we all have instincts to survive.”
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1 person liked it
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Mar 11, 2013 06:30am
Yuh-huh.
Mar 11, 2013 06:31am