THE FLOAT TEST tells the story of a group of siblings who return home, to Florida, in the wake of their mother's death. In this sense, it's a family story not so unlike Steger Strong's FLIGHT. And, like that novel, we get the richness of their relationships through flashbacks, whole tapestries to relationships compressed. This may be one of the novel's strong suits. The story is constantly in motion, it's thrilling to encounter. How did the siblings' relationships fracture, become what they are now? The answers come deliberately, and it's what keeps you reading. This mystery. Not to mention the gun; what purpose will it serve? Steger Strong's sentences sing and sing, but the characters are what kept me around.

Thanks to the publisher for the e-galley!

I loved the beauty of the cover, and the story made for a good weekend read. The book starts with a sibling looking back at her relationship with her brother. The relationship and the relationships between all of them seems to have devolved with time, but they all gather for a funeral. They all have secrets, misunderstandings about their past, and trouble dealing with their present. There are some plot points that are a mystery until you are nearing the end, but it's not a mystery per say. This is a novel of siblings and parents; the things we hand to the next generation, and how to heal the past.
Thank you to Mariner Books and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

A novel about a family coming together at a parents’ funeral is not a new concept, but Strong does a fine job with this theme. Four children gather in Florida, each with their own grievances and histories of misunderstandings. Each one of the adult children has an interesting story. Sisters, Fred and Jude, were no longer speaking. Yet, the author manages to pull it all together and embed the stories of the siblings.

I enjoyed the book and the characters. I did feel that the novel was too crowded. I tend to feel overwhelmed by the numbers.

I will recommend this to readers for the plot and the very fine writing. Thank you Netgalley for sending me this very lovely ARC.