Swimming home by Deborah Levy

Out of all my New Year's resolutions, reading more is probably the only one that I have made progress on... Going to bed a little earlier to read before I go to sleep rather than watch pointless telly or surf the net, is proving to be much more fun!

A book I recently finished is Deborah Levy's Swimming home. When I go to the book shop, I am usually overwhelmed by the choice. How do you go about picking a book? Especially, if it's not been recommended or by an author you already know?

This book was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2012.* And the plot sounded interesting. So, it ended up on my amazon order. Interestingly, the amazon reviews (and I am pretty sure, it didn't have that many negative reviews, when I ordered it months ago!), are quite mixed - with the majority of readers awarding it just 1 to 3 stars (out of 5).

I'm a bit torn. On the one hand, it's very easy to read, in a pleasant way. On the other hand, I didn't find the story very convincing. In parts it's just very predictable, in others very unrealistic. Overall, the atmosphere is very depressing and bleak. And I think that is conveyed very well by the author. Each character, despite being part of this group, is really just alone.

I'm not sure I'd recommend it, but I didn't regret buying (and reading) it. That's probably not a very helpful review, is it?!

Here's the story:
Two couples stay in a  villa in the South of France for a holiday. One of the couples also have a teenage daughter, Nina, who is with them, too. Then a young woman appears, Kitty, and gets invited to stay with them. She clearly has some mental issues and actually spent some time in a mental hospital. She befriends Nina - as well as her Dad (well it's more than 'befriending' in their case), who is a famous poet. It also becomes clear that Nina's parents aren't getting on anymore, with Nina's mother, a journalist, being away for work most of the time with Nina being raised by her Dad. There isn't much action and the book simply follows the group over a few days during their holiday. With a dramatic ending.


* "The prize, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2008 after launching in 1969, aims to promote the finest in fiction by rewarding the best novel of the year written by a citizen of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland.To maintain the consistent excellence of the Man Booker Prize, judges are chosen from a wide range of disciplines, including critics, writers and academics, but also poets, politicians and actors, all with a passion for quality fiction.
The winner of the Man Booker Prize receives £50,000 and, like all the shortlisted authors, a cheque for £2,500 and a designer bound copy of their book. Fulfilling one of the objectives of the prize - to encourage the widest possible readership for the best in literary fiction - the winner and the shortlisted authors now enjoy a dramatic increase in book sales worldwide." (from http://www.themanbookerprize.com/background)