Reviewed by Cheryl

TITLE: The Drowners

AUTHOR: David A. Anderson

PUBLISHER: Whipsnade Publishing

LENGTH: 613 kb

RELEASE DATE:  March 18, 2025

BLURB:

For Aaron, this world is an unfathomable puzzle. Haunted by disturbing dreams, he drifts through empty days, shielding himself behind sarcasm and cynical wit. After being expelled, he sees an opportunity to rewrite his future at a new school. Connecting over a shared love for De Niro films with Robbie, an aspiring actor of Jamaican descent, he unexpectedly finds his companion piece, one person who truly understands him. Together, they navigate the chaotic waters of adolescence, from dramatic first dates to sociopathic bullies, iconic concerts, drugs, and a dead body.

With adulthood fast approaching, can their unique bond survive the crushing weight of societal pressures and devastating revelations? Confronted by the ghosts of his past, Aaron must choose whether to blaze bright or fade away.

A funny and poignant meditation on the forces that shape us, The Drowners transports us back to a time when our tolerance for hypocrisy was zero and life seemed infinite.

An early draft of this novel won a 2021 YA Watty award.

REVIEW:

To be fair, the author has really pinned down stream-of-consciousness writing inside the head of a teenager. It’s all there – the ennui, the bravado, the confusion, the false belief of knowing what’s going on when it’s blatantly obvious you don’t. My difficulty comes with the fact that having absolutely got to grips with what’s inside Aaron’s head, the author simply vomits it onto the page. Aaron’s thoughts switch directions with the speed of light and it’s sometimes hard to keep up. I think that a lot of the details, particularly at the start could simply have been cut and it would have made the book a lot better.

Another thing, I think the author did well was to set the story in its time and location, although again, it could have stopped trying much sooner.

One thing I particularly liked was where the author was telling two stories at once. One, there here and now, in minute detail, and the other, the then and there, in hints and mentions. When the two came together it was a pivotal moment for the story, the characters, and the writing.

I have to admit that at least the first third of the book was a struggle to read, because my brain kept yelling “so what” at such regular intervals, but I’m glad I pushed through, because even though I can’t say I enjoyed the style of writing, I did enjoy the story and the characters, especially when the story actually started and was allowed its head.

I think this truly is a young adult book that would be appreciated more by a younger audience and it’s well worth a read. It’s not an easy, “coffee time” book by any means, but it has some value for everyone, I think.

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

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