Drowning Ruth
Book Review

Review by Queenie D

Drowning Ruth BOOK SYNOPSIS

Matilda drowns in 1919 and is found beneath the ice of a rural Wisconsin Lake. She is survived by her sister Amanda and her young daughter Ruth. Amanda takes on the responsibility of raising Ruth while struggling with her own sordid past.

QUEENIE D SAYS

I liked this book. I didn't love it but I thought it was a unique story about female relationships. I'm close to upping my book rating to a 4 but I can't quite do it because it is a little bit too slow of a read for me.

The relationships showcased are sister-sister, mother-daughter, and aunt-niece. But due to the circumstances these are all intermixed so that you're not sure where one begins and the other leaves off.

When you read this book you either love or hate Amanda. I loved her. I felt like she was a victim of circumstance and she loved Ruth with all her heart. By the end, which is a little twisty, I felt so sorry for her that it was easy for me to forgive her bouts of insanity and depression and her coldness towards Carl at times. Being a woman at this time was hard and though she did things that may not have seemed proper, she did them because she followed her heart.

Drowning Ruth is a book definitely all about the characters.

THE QUEENS COLLIDE: A DEBATE ON DROWNING RUTH

Queenie B: Who's Ruth?

Queenie D: You know! Ruth is the daughter of Matilda who died. She is raised by Amanda.

QB: Amanda? Wait, who's that?

QD: Do you remember reading this book at all? Amanda is the Aunt who raises Ruth!

QB: Oooooohhhhh yeah, there's good and bad in everybody!

QD: So what you're really saying is that this book is all about it's characters. The setting and story are just secondary.

QB: I was intrigued by all of the characters - they were the thing that kept me reading.

QD: I'm always character driven, you've heard me say that before. I have to say I'm partial to Amanda. I know she seems stern, dare I say cold and unloving, but I really felt like she was a victim of circumstance. How about you?

QB: I see what you're saying, not sure I agree. My favorite character was definitely Carl.

QD: Weird! Why?

QB: I felt a true sorrow for his inability to relate to his daughter. Maybe it was partly because of the time period and men not having much of a role in raising the children, but he had to try because his wife died so suddenly.

QD: Good point. And Amanda was in the loony bin half the time which left Carl really floundering around trying to figure it out.

QB: God love him...

Drowning Ruth DISCUSSION QUESTIONS