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Into the Water by Paula Hawkins, author of best seller The Girl on the Train, follows the case of what appears to be a string of suicide cases with similar details. This take place in a fictional town called Beckford in North East England. Jules, the protagonist and sister of a suicide victim, and her niece Lena both have a hunch that Nel, the suicide victim, did not fall of the cliff, but was pushed. For the majority of the novel, the police department as well as eyewitnesses and family relatives are all trying to piece together this recent event using the connection with previous suicide attempts, finding links between the victims. This town’s reputation of suicides amongst their historic tales of witchcraft make for a gripping novel with themes of womanhood and their place in society. Interestingly, the novel presents a gender conflict and the way men and women face obstacles in society with a very subtle method.
After endlessly hearing about The Girl on the Train (and not having read it yet), my friend Ritika and I decided to buddy read this book, hoping we would escape the hype and expectations of the first novel. Jules, the main narrator, is unreliable and scatty, intensifying the story because you’re constantly questioning her motives, her knowledge and why she acts in a certain way. Instantly, the characters complexity, presented with the possibility of a storyline involving witchcraft, kept my interest at a peak. Additionally, the different perspectives in each chapter really added to the intensity of the novel because it felt like I had a catalogue of emotions to feel and different people to attribute them too. To add to this, I never found the character perspectives confusing as I have done in other novels, for example, My Sisters Keeper, but if this technique style confuses you, it might be easier to make a character map as I saw some reviews on Goodreads suggest.
The only weaknesses I encountered in this book were that virtually the entirety of the book’s storyline was pinned onto this one experience between Jules and Nel when they were much younger, growing up in the town. It is only at the end of the book that the reader acknowledges the importance of the scene which previously they might have ignored, making a small event in the book overly important. The slight misinterpretation of a line said to Jules by Nel is essentially the entire reason for their separation and lack of contact throughout the years. This also leads to misdirection among the reader because at first that event points to witchcraft activity, but it is not until 40% into the book that you realise that is no longer the case. Once the reader realises the intensity of the event from the sister’s childhood and the importance of it, the witchcraft aspect takes a step back in the novel.
Despite that, the book is full of complex female protagonists who are not only empowered in their approach to life and acknowledge that they need to trust their gut and value themselves, but they are also beautifully flawed and imperfect and wrong and hurt. The rise in ‘strong female characters’ that seemed to be able to overcome everything that was thrown against them and appeared better than the best never quite stuck well with me, as I grew up with strong but pained women. This presentation of women is so raw and real and feels homely, knowing that I can be both intelligent and complex and strong-willed whilst also feeling disconnected with femininity, or lack maternal instinct or feel hurt and emotional. Additionally, this depiction never feels forced or invented, instead as if Hawkins has based these women of her own experiences, perhaps even herself. Women breakdown, women can be promiscuous and loyal and feisty and cunning. From Nel to Lena to Katie to Erin, these women are all flawed, misused, mistreated, and broken but they persist, often without even realising. I felt lucky to be able to read about women like them.
Additionally, Hawkins is talented in creating scenes that leave the reader in suspense and yet also craving to be left in that suspense. Her vivid descriptions and detailed writing of experiences engulfs the reader wholeheartedly in the story, becoming the character from that chapter’s perspective.
The ending of this book, one that left me feeling unsettled and disturbed, was welcomed. The twist at the end really does take the reader by surprise and leaves them wondering what people will do to protect their loved ones. To discuss this any further would be revealing too much, so I can only prescribe you with a healthy dose of reading this book to find out more.
I don’t think I could praise this book anymore, which is why I passive aggressively recommend this book to anyone who reads this review. The mix of strong, complex female characters, an interesting and interwoven storyline following several events and a shocking ending makes for the perfect murder mystery novel.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐