Swimming

December 20, 2000
Memory and desire--these two words sum up this immersive novel. Memory of a summer night, a lake, an accident. Desire of Aaron for Suzanne, of Suzanne for Jack. Lila's memories of her brothers and her desire to make sense of the past. Hershon wraps you in her spell, intimately creating fine details--the prickliness of wet skin drying in the dark, the sound of a pale green porcelain teacup breaking, the smell of a dingy hotel room. Like Jane Hamilton or Sue Miller, she has an eye for place, an ear for dialog, and true feeling for character. While the details serve to propel the plot forward, the dialog brings to life characters so real that they breathe behind you. Marred only by two coincidences used to advance the story, this is a work of real feeling, talent, and great beauty. Buy a copy and dive in.--Yvette Olson, City Univ. Lib., Renton, WA

Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2000
When Aaron Wheeler brings his beautiful, flirtatious girlfriend, Suzanne, home to meet his family, he's nervous but not unnaturally so. But then Suzanne meets his younger brother, Jack, and an attraction sparks between them. After a wild party, Suzanne and Jack end up alone together at a pond on the Wheelers' property. When Aaron finds the pair in a compromising position, his fury leads to a tragic accident. From this point the story jumps ahead 10 years, to when Aaron and Jack's younger sister, Lila, enters college. Still haunted by her memories and the aftermath of that fatal night, Lila sets out to find the truth, certain that something has been kept from her. Her dogged quest becomes her sole purpose, but as she searches for the truth she finds out as much about herself as she does about the night that changed her life. Hershon's first novel is an engrossing tale of love, redemption, and second chances.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)