I am still in search for words to describe this book.

It was beautiful. And sad. Like a dead butterfly.

The description of mental illness, the way nothing was " big deal" for the protagonist when for me I was in pain for her.

This will stay with me for a while.

*** “You are not looking for splashing, floundering or spastic movements of any kind. Drowning, shall I say, is far more _polite_ than this.” ***

There is quite some drowning in this debut coming-of-age novel, actual and almost drowning. Drowning adds drama and untold secrets to the story arc. But drowning must also be taken as a metaphor for the detachment that Joanna, the sixteen-year-old heroine, experiences in her life. She is not drowning. In fact, she is an exceptional swimmer. But with respect to most things in her life, she is a passive observer, almost as if she has let go of the world around her. As if she sees everything under water. Her family with the possibly adulterous and mentally instable mother, the helpless father, and the older sister and younger brother are quite distant, despite the outwardly tumultuous family life. She feels different without knowing why.

Things in Joanna’s world come into motion with the simultaneous appearance of Lucinda, a troubled foster child, and the drowning of an unknown girl at their beach (that she later understands she has witnessed without understanding what happened). What she loves about Lucinda, “isn’t the boots but how she fills them.” Triggered by this insight, she articulates her disconnection for the first time: “In comparison, I feel so utterly lacking – in detail, in personality; [...] I am filling in the space that isn’t them.”

At the end she will understand much more about herself, and she will start to take things into her own hands. This is all written in beautiful, poetic language, moving along a skillfully spanned story arc.

This 2024 edition is the unchanged paperback re-run of the original edition from 2023. I picked the book up then, but read it only now. All I can say is—I should not have waited more than a year. Absolutely beautiful and rewarding. Strongly recommended!

(based on an ARC from NetGalley)

" The Polite Act of Drowning" is one of those novels that slowly sink into your subconscious without an effort. You may not realise it as you're reading - how much this book is going to stay with you - but it will.
I have read this weeks ago, and I still think about its characters, its setting. Hurtubise's novel is one of those that belong to the genre of "quiet novels", if you enjoy Clare Chambers, Claire Lombardo, and Miranda Cowley Heller, this is another perfect read.

Joanne, the young woman at the centre of this novel, is desperately lonely in her small town on the coast of Kettle Lake. Generations upon generations of families surround her, looking at each other and knowing their every secret, but divulging nothing if not judgement. It's a humid summer, and Joanne realises she's the last one who saw the girl who drowned. It is this drowning that will shake the town, that will send ripple effects into her family, a family that is already keeping so many secrets from the outside world, and from each other.

This is a novel about untold trauma, how it seeps into your bones and lies there until it's unearthed. Leaving it buried might seem a good idea, or the only option, but it will eventually resurface and someone will have to pay the consequences. Joanne's own life is changing drastically in the course of a summer, where she learns new aspects of herself that she hadn't known before, and she realises where her humanity lies. Her desperate need for connection leads her down a harmful path, but regardless, it is still a path that allows her to explore and come to terms with who she is in relation to herself. Not to her mother, her father, her siblings or the community around her.

A coming-of-age story set in 80s rural Michigan, this novel takes on a lot of woes gracefully, framed around a drowning that dredges up old family secrets and traumas. Joanne is a gawky 15 year old who has no idea who she is. A drowning brings her mother's mental illness much closer to the forefront, her aunt keeps taking her younger brother, her parents can't stop fighting, and her new friend is probably more trouble than she's worth.
This book felt, in so many places, like coming home. I think I've heard my family members have similar conversations to these, especially the ones about outsiders drowning, only locals having proper respect for the great lakes. The messy families, the small town feel, the way the lake feels like it's at the heart of everything, it was so comfortingly familiar. It's well-written, atmospheric, beautiful.
I do wish that she would have grounded Kettle Lake's geography a little more. Hurtubise never names which great lake it is, and at one point, it's mentioned that they should tell the Canadian coast guard to look for the drowning victim (implying Lake Huron) but later they watch a green flash sunset on the lake (implying Lake Michigan). As a Michigan native, I'm just a stickler for that, but I really would have liked more geographical context beside The Great Lake and The City (which ones I am so nosey). Unfortunately, the final quarter isn't as good as the first three quarters. A lot happens really quickly, compared to the relatively slow, easy pacing of the first part. The resolution feels a little rushed. It's still good, though.

"The Polite Act of Drowning” introduces sixteen-year-old Joanne Kennedy, who brings a heavy narrative of watching her mother spiral through her bipolar disorder as she also figures out her own sexuality.

Overall Impact: This is the sort of story you read for the writing as well as the story itself. There were many moments where I would force myself to read slower, so I could savor the image being presented.

It was a hard read – not because the writing wasn’t good (quite the opposite, really), but because the topics brought up were gritty and resonated hard. We haven’t all had been a child with PTSD, but we’ve all been a child who’s been abandoned in some way, and it’s impossible not to remember those times as this book progresses. It took me over a month, because I needed to read a few chapters, then set it down and process them before I went back.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

“The Polite Act of Drowning” by Charleen Hurtubise is a luminous debut novel that intricately weaves together themes of family, mental health, and the tumultuous journey of adolescence. Set in the small, fictional town of Kettle Lake, Michigan, in 1985, this novel captures the essence of a community grappling with the aftermath of a tragic drowning and the secrets it unearths.

The story centers around sixteen-year-old Joanne Kennedy, whose life is irrevocably changed when a teenage girl drowns in Kettle Lake. Joanne, one of the last people to see the girl alive, becomes obsessed with the tragedy, which dredges up long-buried family secrets and exacerbates her mother’s fragile mental state. As the summer heat intensifies, Joanne forms a bond with Lucinda, a troubled newcomer, and together they navigate complexities of family, identity, and sexuality.

Hurtubise excels in creating deeply human and relatable characters. Joanne is a compelling protagonist, her journey from isolation to self-discovery is both poignant and powerful. Her relationship with her mother, who is drifting further from reality, adds a layer of emotional depth to the narrative. Lucinda, with her own set of troubles, serves as both a catalyst and a mirror for Joanne’s transformation. The supporting characters, including Joanne’s family and the townspeople, are vividly portrayed, each contributing to the rich tapestry of the story.

Hurtubise’s writing is lyrical and evocative, capturing the oppressive heat of a Michigan summer and the claustrophobic atmosphere of small-town life. Her prose is both beautiful and haunting, drawing readers into Joanne’s world with a delicate yet powerful touch. The narrative is well-paced, balancing moments of introspection with the unfolding mystery, keeping readers engaged throughout.

“The Polite Act of Drowning” explores profound themes, including the impact of trauma on mental health, the complexities of family dynamics, and the search for identity during adolescence. The novel also delves into the darker aspects of small-town life, where secrets are often hidden beneath a veneer of politeness.

Hurtubise handles these themes with sensitivity and insight, making the novel both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant.

Note: Some readers may find the pacing slow in parts. The heavy themes may be intense for some.

Ultimately, “The Polite Act of Drowning” is a captivating and emotionally charged debut that will linger in readers’ minds long after the final page. Charleen Hurtubise has crafted a story that is both intimate and universal, exploring the depths of human emotion and the resilience of the human spirit.

This novel is a must-read for fans of literary fiction and coming-of-age stories, offering a poignant and beautifully written exploration of family, identity, and the secrets that bind us.

This book was okay to me. I think it was hard to get through, it had lots and lots of slow parts with barely any plot. It just kept referencing dark deep waters and drowning and the feeling of it. It was a mixture of coming of age for the teenage character but also for her mother too which was an interesting take. Overall it was too dull for me

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and especially the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review of the book!!

Honestly there was nothing wrong with this book! It is very well written, however I just didn't want to pick it back up. In fact, I avoided it for about a week before I finally allowed myself to DNF. I will definitely be keeping an eye on this author's future publications.

This is a strange book, falling loosely into the coming of age category, both for the teenage protagonist, Joanne, and her mother, Rosemary. It is quite dark, with the constant theme of actual and metaphorical drowning resonating on every page. There is really no plot, perhaps purposefully. It’s more of a meditation on the dark waters we all find ourselves swimming in, sometimes drowning, and sometimes trying unsuccessfully to drown when the darkness that lies within seems just too much to bear.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

This book was captivating right from the beginning. A 16 year old drowns in Michigan, 1985. In a small town where our main character Joanne witnesses the death and feels intense guilt about.

The death sparks a series of secrets being revealed, shocking the town.

Joanne is dealing with her own personal relationships and growing into an adult. Her mother struggles with mental health and Joanne takes the brunt of pain in that relationship. You deeply get to know the characters as well as the town as a whole. Very vivid and immersive writing.

I really enjoyed the portrayal of mental health, although sad it was very real and is very real for many people. There were many deep topics addressed in the book beyond that like marriage, family, and trauma.

This book was great. Hurtubise's writing is captivating and I loved the descriptions of the characters and the way the narrative is told. Hurtubise's writing is full of beautiful imagery and does not stray away from the complex nature of the characters and the story. I really liked how the story slowly evolves and layers are add to keep the reader engaged. I loved following these complex characters and reading the poetic writing.

This novel is a coming of age story written for adults. The Polite Act of Drowning was captivating and beautifully written. It dealt with family issues, mental health, and growing up. It is a beautifully written novel.