The Swimmers
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Penguin Books Ltd
Published:13th Jul '23
Should be back in stock very soon
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£12.99(9780241543887)
This poignant novel explores themes of memory and loss through the lives of a woman and her daughter, highlighting the impact of a local pool on their relationship and personal identities.
The Swimmers is a poignant exploration of memory, loss, and the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, written by the acclaimed author of The Buddha in the Attic. The story centers around Alice, an elderly woman who finds solace and identity in her daily swims at the local pool. For Alice, the pool represents a refuge where she can escape the challenges of aging and the fading clarity of her memories. Despite her struggles to remember small details, the water offers her a sense of purpose and belonging.
However, the tranquility of Alice's routine is shattered when the pool is forced to close for repairs. This disruption thrusts her into a state of disarray, prompting the resurfacing of difficult memories and a growing sense of dislocation. As Alice grapples with her past, her daughter is left to navigate the evolving dynamics of their relationship, which becomes increasingly strained in the absence of the familiar structure that the pool provided.
Through a blend of dark humor and emotional depth, The Swimmers delves into the themes of grief and the stories that shape our lives. The narrative captures the delicate balance between love and loss, illustrating how the threads of memory can both bind and unravel us. This beautifully crafted novel invites readers to reflect on the connections we share with those we love and the impact of time on those relationships.
Her wisdom is staggeringly beautiful, implicating each of us * The Irish Times *
Here comes the new Julie Otsuka novel, so we can begin to live again * Colson Whitehead, author of Harlem Shuffle *
Heartbreaking and astoundingly good * Rebecca Makkai, author of The Great Believers *
I'm in awe of how this beautiful, graceful novel can hold so much grief and loss and love in its pages: a literary gem. * Nicci Gerard, author of Soham: A Story Of Our Times *
'If it wasn't tragedy it would be comedy, and it nimbly treads the very narrow line between' * The Tablet *
'One of the marvels of The Swimmers is its unshowy portrayal of the immense drama inherent in losing the mind before the body has expired. But perhaps even more impressive is its respect for the general confusion of living' * Financial Times *
Poignant and funny, I've never read such a brilliant account of this devastating illness, nor for that matter of the compulsive nature of swimming lengths in a pool. * Collagerie *
"The Swimmers" is an exquisite companion. Though it doesn't answer the unanswerable, the novel's quiet insistence resonates: that it is our perfectly ordinary proclivities that make us who we are. * New York Times *
An unforgettable novel about mothers and daughters by a spellbinding talent * Daily Mail *
Stylistically ambitious and deeply moving * Kirkus Reviews *
A goddamn heartbreaker * Emma Straub, author of The Vacationers *
A story of memory loss and its fallout for family, and of the power of pool friendship. Glittering and tender. * Sainsbury's Magazine *
As a regular and sedate swimmer, I loved this novel...A quiet and thoughtful story about the small, steady joys of life and how quickly and irrevocably they can become disrupted. * Red Magazine *
A story about mothers and daughters, love and loss, it will make you reconsider what's truly important in life * Kintsugi Magazine *
Haunting, ironic and poetic in its resonance, this slender volume is a must-read...Don't miss this beautifully written, heartfelt, wry and wistful exploration of loss. * Woman & Home *
With shrewd characterisation and original observations, Otsuka tells a tale of grief and memory that's quietly observed yet awash with dark humour and wit. * Spectator *
Amid an incantatory litany of totalising losses, there are snapshots of a unique life with all its complications. Superbly realised and incredibly moving * Daily Mail *
Haunting, ironic and poetic in its resonance, this slender volume is a must-read * Woman's Weekly *
What makes a good life? What is a good death? The answers to these questions shimmer elusively just below the surface of The Swimmers * Stylist *
Otsuka's slender, stylistically ambitious third novel is a marvel, capturing the hypnotic rhythm of lane-swimming and the devastating decline of memory and connection as dementia takes hold...Heartbreakingly powerful * Mail on Sunday, Best New Fiction *
ISBN: 9780241994283
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 12mm
Weight: 138g
192 pages