Description
Finn the Swimmer. Finn the Winner. Finn who works hard and pushes through and never gives up.
Or just Finn. And whatever Finn could be.
Life is pretty simple for fifteen-year-old Finn: just keep following the black line in the pool. But in a moment it all changes: distracted by a familiar face in the crowd, he falters on the blocks and loses not just the race, but the single-minded focus that has driven him this far.
Did he really see what he thinks he saw? It doesn’t seem possible—not after what happened—but now Finn can’t stop wondering, and everything is starting to unravel. For the first time, he’s got no idea what he’s supposed to do or who he’s supposed to listen to. His bossy older sister, Connie, who wants to know the truth? The whip-smart and unforgiving Aaliyah? Or the unflappable Loki, who gets Finn like no one else ever has?
It turns out that in life there’s no such thing as a simple choice. And sometimes there’s no choice at all.
Review
What starts out as a teenage coming-of-age novel builds momentum until it is so much more.
Finn is a 15-year-old champion swimmer, who is going about his regular life of training and school. He is dedicated to his swimming training, and he doesn’t have much time for friends.
Finn’s Dad has not been around for the last three years - he just disappeared. His Dad was a national level swimmer and outwardly a great guy, but as the story unfolds it reveals his abusive behaviour towards his wife.
Despite this, Finn still wants to believe that his Dad was a good guy - but memories keep appearing that show that this just was not true. As more of Finn’s memories come to the surface, his family’s hidden past explodes around him. I did not see the twist coming, and this is certainly a book well worth reading.
Containing themes of family abuse, repressed memories, and understanding your own sexuality, it will be best suited to readers 14 and older.
Reviewed by Rob
