The Lake's Water is Never Sweet by Giulia Caminito is a raw, intense exploration of poverty, class, and resilience, all wrapped in hauntingly vivid prose. The story follows Gaia, a young woman navigating life in a small Italian lakeside town after her family relocates from the outskirts of Rome. Her mother’s relentless ambition to escape poverty clashes with Gaia’s growing anger and disillusionment, creating a tense, deeply emotional narrative.

I found the book gripping but heavy, with its unflinching depiction of hardship and alienation—Gaia’s internal struggles really stuck with me. The lake, almost a character itself, adds an eerie and symbolic layer to the story. While it’s not a light read, it’s beautifully written and thought-provoking, perfect for anyone who loves literary fiction with strong emotional undercurrents. If you liked books that dive deep into class dynamics and fractured families, this is definitely worth checking out.

I really enjoyed reading this, it had that element that I was looking for from the description. The overall story worked and had characters that I was looking for. Giulia Caminito wrote this perfectly and I was engaged with the story being told. Everything was really well done and can’t wait for more.