The Summer I Drowned

After nearly drowning five years ago, Olivia Cathcart has made the difficult decision to return to Caldwell Beach and face her fears once and for all. She is determined to reconnect with old friends, have a fun-filled summer, and – yes – get back to actually swimming in the ocean.
But Olivia is not as strong as she would like, and, as the summer moves along, she is confronted with a variety of frightening experiences. Her old friends do not provide as much support as she anticipated, and Olivia often feels she can rely only on herself. West, her new boyfriend, does his best to support and protect Olivia, but, if the peril is really just in her head, then even he cannot save Olivia from the looming dangers.

Olivia is an interesting main character who will certainly have an effect on readers. She is dealing with quite severe mental health issues, has been under the care of a psychologist since her accident and requires daily medication. There are times in the book when she is inconsiderate, even mean, to her old friends. Her reckless behavior, best illustrated by her unnecessary bravado five years earlier, still continues. And yet, her relentless push to overcome her trauma and conquer her fears makes her admirable as well. Hale has given her main character both positive and negative characteristics, and thus Olivia comes alive for readers as a very real person.

As the title of the 1940 Thomas Wolfe novel suggests, “You can’t go home again”, Olivia starts out with the certainty that her home town and her old friends are what she needs to help get her life together again. She soon realizes that some of this certainty is nothing more than nostalgia for a time, place and people who dwell only in her memory. And so readers meet characters like Keely, Miles, Faye, Dean and Shawn. This crowd has changed substantially since Olivia knew them, and, for the most part, they have not changed for the better. Partying, drinking, sex and bad decisions seem to be the norm for the group, and Olivia has a great deal of trouble understanding them, much less fitting in.

The adults in the story include Olivia’s parents who want the best for her and give her the freedom to return to Caldwell Beach despite their misgivings. In general, they are supportive and helpful, even finding money for her therapy when their budget is tight. Keely’s parents, on the other hand, seem oblivious to what is happening around them. Their daughter goes on drinking binges which are apparently unnoticed, and her father, the town cop, doesn’t seem too concerned about vandalism which rises to such a level that animal carcasses are found here and there around town.

Taylor Hale incorporates various genres in this excellent debut novel. The book includes mystery and suspense as well as being a psychological thriller with plenty of action. As well, there is the romance between Olivia and West which adds an extra dimension to the story.

The pacing of the plot will keep readers on edge as they, along with Olivia, struggle to separate reality from fantasy. As in any good mystery, readers begin to question the actions and motives of every single character, even Olivia herself, before the final solution is presented in the last pages of the book.

As in any coming-of-age young adult novel, readers see growth and developing maturity. Olivia changes from an inconsiderate and very reckless tween to someone who still may make unexpected decisions but who also has a great deal of resolve. She knows her own faults, realizes she often is the author of her own problems, and is willing to work at improving.

There are many difficult themes in the novel. In fact, there is an author’s note at the very beginning which states, in part, “…please note that this story deals with subject matter that may be sensitive and triggering to some readers, including, but not limited to: death, drowning, PTSD, suicidal ideation, paranoia, mental illness, emotionally and physically abusive relationships, and violence toward animals.” Hale weaves these various themes throughout the novel and helps raise awareness about many mental health issues while narrating a chilling suspense story at the same time.

The variety of characters, the quick-moving and interesting plot and the thoughtful presentation of difficult themes all contribute to making The Summer I Drowned an excellent novel, one that is hard to put down and that will stay with readers for a long time. Kudos to Taylor Hale for an excellent debut. May we soon see her name in print again!