Book review: ‘Girl Underwater’ tells story of hope in the face of tragedy
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"GIRL UNDERWATER," by Claire Kells, Dutton, $26.95, 291 pages (f)
Avery Delacorte’s life couldn't be better. She has a handsome Hawaiian boyfriend named Lee and a spot on a nationally ranked university swim team. Her life as she has constructed it is nearly perfect.
As she boards a red-eye flight home to Boston for the holidays, she thinks nothing of disaster. But complications ensue, and when the plane crashes in the middle of an icy lake in the Rocky Mountains, Avery is one of just five survivors.
With help from Colin, a young man Avery has avoided since the first day of freshman year, she rescues the three little boys who are the only other survivors. The five of them form an unconventional little family bent on surviving the unruly Rocky Mountain weather.
Avery is sure being rescued from the mountain will guarantee a return to normal life, but it is far from what she expected. She feels suffocated by the media begging her to tell them what happened on the mountain, and also by her family, who encourages her to seek help and return to normalcy. But that’s what she’s afraid of — that she will never be OK again.
A little over a month after being rescued, Avery goes back to school ready to take up the fabricated life she has made in California. She is sure that returning to swim practice will fix everything, but instead of feeling natural and at home in the water, she almost drowns.
With her newfound fear of something she’s always loved, her fragile life starts falling apart. As she battles post-traumatic stress disorder, feelings for Colin — despite her seemingly perfect relationship with Lee — and coming to terms with what happened on the mountain, Avery realizes she must let go of the life she’s fabricated and embrace her true self if she is going to survive.
A romantic thriller full of raw and conflicting emotions, “Girl Underwater” is a roller coaster full of frustrating, exciting, heartwarming and heart-wrenching moments that leave surprises at every turn.
“Girl Underwater” is author Claire Kells’ first novel. Kells received her English degree from Princeton University and her medical degree from the University of California. She is currently working on her residency in the Bay Area.
“Girl Underwater” has minor swearing scattered throughout. Although it contains no violent scenes, some of the content is a bit graphic. There are minor sexual references, but nothing is described.
Email: mswensen@deseretnews.com
