The Last Summer of the Water Strider

by Tim Lott

A captivating 1970s-set novel that is both a coming-of-age and an End-of-an-Age story: about love, the lure of idealism, innocence and decadence.

Adam is seventeen, the only son of straitlaced, cautious Ray and Evie. Life is slow, unbearably routine, in their low-rise council block in the London suburbs, until tragedy strikes, leaving Adam unhinged with grief. Rejecting any consolation at home, Adam is sent to spend the long hot 1970s summer with Ray's unlikely brother, the enigmatic Dr Henry Templeton, guru and spiritual teacher.

With few possessions and even fewer ambitions for his future, Adam arrives at his uncle's houseboat in the West Country. Henry is charismatic, unfamiliar, full of eccentric ideas and projects. As the summer unspools, Adam meets first Strawberry, an ethereal American girl living in a shack in the woods; and then Ashley, whose father, the local vicar, is locked in conflict with Henry and his circle's 'alternative' way of life. While Adam falls under the spell of pretty, knowing Ashley, Henry, set on pursuing his personal vision unbendingly, seals the shocking fate of Strawberry, Adam and ultimately himself.

Genres: Coming Of Age, Fiction

400 pages, Hardcover

First published May 5, 2015

About the author

Tim Lott is the author of seven novels and a memoir, The Scent of Dried Roses, which won the PEN/J.R. Ackerley Prize. White City Blue won the Whitbread First Novel Award and his young adult book Fearless was shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Book Award. Tim lives with his family in north-west London.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

novel based in a hot summer in the 1970's a coming of age saga where adam recovering from his mother's death ends up spending a summer at his uncle henry's boat and events lead to an interesting end but henry leaves an unconventional life

[Mariafrancesca Ierace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book both because of the story and the narration. The characters are interesting, complicated and well-built. The main theme of this book is redemption and how we all seek it in different way I hated the end, though. I think the way Harry acts in the end is not consistent with the character we came to know along the story.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bookclub pick.
A grieving 17 year old boy spends the summer on a river boat with his hippy uncle Henry in the 1970s.
Henry is based on Alan Watts, who popularised Buddhism and Eastern philosophy in the West. As a character he was simultaneously insufferable, attractive, misguided and wise.
Henry's group of unconventional friends are 1970s counter-culture stereotypes and I didn't believe in them or that they would hang out together (Troy is a gay man and doesn't have any gay friends?).
Most of the plot is rammed into the last few pages, like a long hot languid summer ending in a forest fire.

Content notes: death of a parent (on page); grief; eating disorder; child sexual abuse (in the past); racism (countered); homophobia; homophobic slurs; arson; on page sex

[Tony Lawrence]

I'd forgotten how good Tim Lott is! This is a hypnotically paced, cleverly plotted and rich novel of people and ideas, laced with his normal pathos and nostalgia (set in the 1970's). I'm going to miss [Uncle] Henry, swimming off into an unknown future, and young Adam and Strawberry seeking lives with meaning after rocky starts. Even the villains in the piece, the brilliant firebrand Welsh Toshack and daughter Ash, are rounded and fascinating characters adding to the ensemble.

And a couple of quotes (so much fine prose to pick from):

Adam returning his Dad's letter, 'I could not bring myself to fill the emptiness of the paper with still more emptiness.'

And in the last few pages, 'Go left or go right, but do not wobble.' Zen

[Alistair Candlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read. Adam, a seventeen year old boy growing up in a provincial town stays with his uncle Henry one summer, after his mother passes away. Henry lives an 'alternative' lifestyle - living on a boat - and has problems with the local community, particularly the vicar. Adam falls for the Vicar's daughter.

I liked it, but thought the ending was sort of tacked on. Henry had a propensity to lecture and philosophise in everyday interaction, which would be quite irritating in real life, but I suppose Lott gets away with it, because the character is an ex-priest and has a doctorate in divinity.

[Paul Snelling · Rating 2 out of 5]

Captivating? I don’t think so. Easy enough to read, and I’ve liked Tim Lott’s books, but I found these characters a bit cliched and the ending poor

[Louise Cleary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just couldn't get a feel for the story or the characters....didn't finish it at this first sitting...

[Ipswichblade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great Tim Lott book, I can't think of one I have not enjoyed

[Dileri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise - teenage boy who recently lost his mother goes to spend summer on his unconventional uncle's boat - which is why I picked it up solely on the strength of a Guardian recommendation. This would make a perfect beach read if you're not after anything too challenging or thought-provoking. Of course, the book fancies itself as challenging and thought-provoking, but falls well wide of the mark. Not badly written per se, though atrociously copy-edited, but most of the characters and plot felt hackneyed and trite throughout. I'm not mad at it though, so three stars it is.

[Steven Alexander · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really didn't enjoy this at all. The descriptions and sense of place are all very good, the crafting of the novel is excellent, but I didn't get the story. I couldn't make out whether the author wanted us to sympathise With Henry or to ridicule him. I don't know what the story was about, I didn't like any of the characters and I didn't get on with the poetical, philosophical side of the novel.

Very disappointing.

[Rosie Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really a 3.5 for me. I loved the coming of age story line, but was frustrated by the character of the Uncle, which was slightly overdone, I thought.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, but I found the characters too extreme, so much so that they became rather like caricatures of an type.