The Lake’s Water is Never Sweet is an Italian translation of a coming of age story of a fiercely angry and self destructive young girl. She must navigate her way through her home life under the iron c
fist of her mother and through school as she tries to hide her poverty from her classmates.
The story opens in Rome showing the bleak existence of this family. Desperately poor they have no housing and Gaia’s father is paralyzed. They get by on the ingenuity and stubbornness of Antonia, the mother. Eventually they find public housing outside of Rome.
Gaia is a fiery girl whose trials in life have produced both hostility towards her classmates and desire for attention and acceptance by them. She builds close friendships with some of the girls in school but is torn apart when betrayed by a couple. She is unforgiving.
Caminito’s novel shows the importance of friendships and also the importance of nurturing them. Gaia’s self absorption caused her to lose sight of how her actions were affecting others. She never gained a mature outlook on relationships or life. Her dictionary was an example of how she thought she could change her life with words. She threw herself into her studies yet those words did not save her.
I found the end of the book disjointed and didn’t understand the point that was trying to be made. I enjoyed the first three quarters but after that the book lost me. I won’t give away any spoilers but I have questions as to the purpose of some of the storylines.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Spiegel and Grau Publishers for an advance copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

This book...I don't even know where to start. It took my breath away. It is at times hilarious, devastating, and hopeful. This is a true coming-of-age story, set against the backdrop of the sociopolitical context of early 2000s Italy.

The themes of femininity, humanity, girlhood, anger, hope, and grief are raw and moving, and the narrator's blunt and unreliable descriptions are strikingly accurate for her character at each point in time. Everything about the book feels incredibly substantive; reading it was an immersive experience. The characters and settings are so richly developed that I could feel myself standing in Italy.

This translation is also very skillful, and the translator made excellent decisions regarding which words to leave in the original Italian.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I do hope that more of Giulia Caminito's books get translated from Italian to English. This is her first.

This book hooked me in from the very first chapter. The writing is wonderful, and filled with vivid descriptions.

The story of this Italian family trying to lift themselves out of poverty. Mostly it is about teenaged Gaia and her coming of age. It is hard at times to feel sorry for her, but teenagers aren't easy to sympathize.

The ending had me wondering what happened, though I don't mind that.

Overall, I appreciated the writing and the flow of the text, especially the descriptions of the places.
The rest, which counts a lot in the judgment, unfortunately not: too many exaggerated and poorly explained events, constructed and artificial situations, an irritating and inconsistent protagonist even in his possible development, other characters left vague or who come and go acquiring more or less importance in the plot, images of the poor and the rich very set and not very truthful... It didn't convince me completely.

A coming-of-age tale of an Italian girl, making her way through her childhood of poverty in the slums of Rome, relocating to a neighboring suburb, and dealing with her overbearing mother and family problems. As she grows and matures into early adulthood, her insecurities multiply, in a complex tale.

I honestly did not love this book 💔 and I wanted to. I really did not care for the character of her mother, despite her good intentions, she was aggressive and not likely. But as the story progressed, I liked the heroine less and less, and questioned her mental stability multiple times. I did not feel like it had a satisfying ending.

That being said, I absolutely loved the author's writing style, prose and metaphors. I would definitely read another book from this author; this one just wasn't my jam.
I give this a 2/5.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A must read for 2025!! Really enjoyed this book, it was highly recommended to me by several friends! Love the setting, fully developed characters and of course the plot!

A heartbreaking novel about a family living in poverty near Rome. The mother fights fiercely to get what little they have; the father is crippled with a work injury and can do nothing; the brother is troubled and leaves home; the young twins are ineffectual. The family's hopes ride on Gaia, a clever girl who is expected to do well in school and have a glittering career. But Gaia has problems of her own, difficulties with her friendship and is confused by her own identity, unable to visualize a better future.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Three girls from Italy navigate their various family situations, school, romance, and other dramas.

The Lake's Water Is Never Sweet by Giulia Caminito is a stunning literary achievement. Evoking the raw intensity of Elena Ferrante's My Brilliant Friend, Caminito crafts sentences so vivid and visceral they leave a lasting impact.

Set in public housing in Italy, the story follows a young girl navigating the uncertainties, insecurities, and emotional turmoil of adolescence. Her namelessness until mid-narrative mirrors the complexity of identity and belonging at the heart of this powerful coming-of-age novel. The mother, Antonia Columbo, commands attention with her fierce presence, while the father’s story carries an unbearable weight that lingers long after reading.

Caminito’s writing is both lyrical and unflinching, making this one of the most memorable books I’ve encountered this year. A must-read for those who appreciate literary fiction that combines emotional depth with exquisite prose.

A stunning coming of age story set in and around the area surrounding Rome. Magnetic prose and a messy, pithy, loveable, believable protagonist. Caminito has captured some of the pure essence of girlhood — confusing, contradictory, scary, beautiful… I couldn’t put this one down.

The Lake's Water is Never Sweet was tough reading for me. Some of it was purely formatting - this ARC is unpolished and leaves a lot to be desired. But more importantly, the story felt all over the place. It felt like big gaps in time jumped forward with no warning. The main event, at which the story is supposed to take a turning point, was glossed over and, then again, the timeline moved seemingly backward in a way that made me wonder if the event had happened. This type of read makes me wonder: is this a badly edited ARC or will the final print be just as all discombobulated?

I wanted to like this story. Gaia is an interesting character. Her family is interesting. The story is interesting. But the telling lost me.

While I appreciate the ARC in exchange for an honest review, I cannot recommend The Lake's Water is Never Sweet.

This is an award winning Italian novel newly translated into English. It is probably one of the best portraits of a woman coming of age I’ve ever read. Gaia, the protagonist, is introduced as a child and we see her experiences through adolescence.

The book opens with a heartbreaking scene. Gaia’s mother has tried to take on the persona of a professional woman with an appointment to demand the housing she has been promised. It is with this opening, we are taken on a ride through a family teetering on the edge, holding on to the little they have, optimistic for a better future.

Antonia is a powerful maternal figure. Her life has been a series of disappointments. She is determined that her daughter, Gaia, will break free of this cycle of poverty. But she rules with an iron hand, giving her daughter little breathing room.

The family is comprised of an older son, Mariano, who has a father out of the picture, Gaia and younger twin sons. Her husband was injured in a work accident that left him immobilized with no compensation. Unable to find housing in Rome, they are sent to a small town on Rome’s outskirts to live in a social housing project built on an ancient lake. Everything about it is dreary and inhospitable.

Gaia grows up here. In her mind, things will never get better. Antonia harshly regulates her life because she still believes education is the way out. Gaia is a fascinating character and I was struck by her visceral rage. She has the experiences of a teen —love, friendship, loss, adventure—but never feels part of things. She is the embodiment of unrealistic expectations, jealousy of the ease of others’ lives, and deeply felt loneliness. Her angst grows along with the bleakness of her life.

The backdrop is just right. The lake defines the dreary setting. Supposedly there is a nativity scene that can be seen rising from beneath it. It is murky and there is a danger to it that the author uses to its full potential. Her writing style also drew me in. The quick moving around of story from chapter to chapter as well as the breathiness in her long lists of things Gaia was either thinking or experiencing, heightened the mood.

Gaia is a memorable character. As her despair grows, she loses control and her growing violence and the sadness that accompanies it, rings true. She is a victim of society’s promises and what happens to people who are depending on a sense of fairness that never comes. Her mother forces herself to remain hopeful. She never gives up. What can Gaia take from that?

What strikes hard is the realization that maybe the cycle of poverty can't be broken..

Highly recommend.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Spiel & Grau for the opportunity to read this advanced reading copy and provide and honest review.

Giulia Caminito’s The Lake’s Water is Never Sweet is a compelling, introspective coming-of-age novel that explores themes of identity, family dysfunction, and the complexity of friendships against the backdrop of a rapidly changing Italy in the 1990s. Through the eyes of Gaia, a young woman caught between the poverty of her past and the disappointments of her present, the novel offers a striking portrayal of the challenges faced by a generation yearning for a better life yet confronted with personal and societal obstacles at every turn.

Gaia’s family’s move to a picturesque lakeside town is supposed to represent a fresh start, a new beginning away from the harsh realities of their impoverished existence in Rome. However, the idyllic setting only serves as a fragile mask over the deep fractures within the family. Her mother’s unrelenting determination to build a better future clashes with her father’s quiet despair after a tragic accident, while her anarchist brother’s rebellion and the silent suffering of her younger brothers highlight the emotional toll of their situation. Gaia’s family becomes a microcosm of larger societal disillusionment, with each member struggling to survive within the constraints of their circumstances.

The friendship between Gaia and two local girls, Agata and Carlotta, is poignant yet fraught with insecurity and jealousy, perfectly capturing the turbulence of adolescence. Their bond is tested by the callousness of boys and the unfeeling attitudes of teachers, both of which reinforce Gaia’s belief that she will never truly fit in. This sense of alienation is deepened by her mother’s constant pressure for excellence, which drives Gaia inward, causing her to retreat into herself.

As the story unfolds, Gaia’s evolving relationships and the tragedy that strikes her friend group propel her towards a more isolated, hardened self. The novel’s exploration of Gaia’s emotional journey is both raw and nuanced, capturing the tension between her desire for connection and her self-preserving anger. Caminito’s writing, marked by psychological depth and vivid imagery, perfectly conveys the internal chaos Gaia experiences as she grapples with her own sense of worth and her place in the world.

The Lake’s Water is Never Sweet is a deeply moving portrayal of a young woman’s struggle to find meaning and identity in a world that constantly challenges her. The novel paints a powerful picture of how bitterness and vulnerability coexist within the human soul, often masked by the external personas we project. Caminito’s exploration of generational trauma, social expectations, and the complexities of friendships makes this novel a poignant reflection on the pressures of growing up and finding one’s voice in a fractured world.

For readers who appreciate emotionally complex narratives and literary prose, The Lake’s Water is Never Sweet offers a gripping, contemplative experience. It is a novel that lingers long after the final page, inviting reflection on the nature of family, self-worth, and the quest for belonging.

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This was absolutely beautiful. The writing was gorgeous and the story was told in such a unique and enthralling manner. This took me a minute to get into but when I did I was HOOKED it was so so beautiful I can’t say that enough I was constantly in awe of Caminitos prose. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc of this book, set to release July 8th 2025.

This is a story of a family that has had hard luck, a father that had an accident at work and is lame and a mother who works mostly as a house cleaner all while taking care of her four children. The story is not only about the family and their desire for a home, but how they navigate life as they are always on the margins of society and how it shapes their brilliant daughter Gaia.

As they move to a seaside town to begin anew, Gaia is allowed to go to a more privileged school among a richer crowd of kids. She wears her bitterness on her selves and pushes away her family, even drives her friends crazy. Academically she shines and manages to do very well in school to get herself into university. The problem is that she is smart but doesn’t have a dream for her life. She struggles to navigate the bulling and her family circumstances to build her own life away from the confines of her poverty and pressures from her mother. Her other brother also has issues with the world, and then there are the twins, young and tied to the mother’s apron strings.

The book is insightful and he writes clearly of the bitterness of what it is like to live in Italy and not have money. The family doesn’t have a safety net and the bureaucracy drives the mother into desperate acts.

The book is thoughtful with a clear and precise story but no happy ending. Even being smart you need a dream and opportunities to move forward. The author captures the minds and movements of young people with great clarity and makes us wonder how to best be prepared for the world.

The Lake's Water Is Never Sweet by Giulia Caminito is BRILLIANT! Reminiscent of Elena Ferrante's My Brilliant Friend, I reveled in every beautifully crafted sentence, so descriptive and raw that I felt the gut punch in my stomach! This woman is an incredible writer, I lingered on every word.
This story also takes place in Italy, in public housing where this young girl, whose name one doesn't find out till midstory, grows up with all the accoutrements that young girls have, all the uncertainties, all the unsureness of life, all the hangups and all the unworthiness! This is certainly a coming of age book, but one that is even better. The mother, Antonia Columbo, is one of the stars of this book, and the dad, well, that is simply too painful for my words. You must read this book.
For me, it is one of the top 5 books I have read this year!

Thank you, Ms. Caminito, for the brilliance of your written word!

It's very rare these days to find a book where the plot is not the main focus, but the characters and the writing are, and I found that in this novel. It is fast paced, sharp, and witty in all the best ways.
The Lake's Water is Never Sweet by Giuia Caminito follows the early life, relationships, and inner turmoil of an Italian girl in the early 2000s whose name is not revealed until 90% through. Through her eyes, the author takes the reader on a riveting, beautifully written, and at times heartbreaking exploration of class, girlhood, femininity, friendship, and rage.
This book made me cry more than a book has in months. I was highlighting like crazy. Caminito portrayed female friendships and feminine rage masterfully. This book made me feel seen, even though I couldn't always relate to the characters.
The main character is angry, bitter, strong, and all together not a good person. That didn't stop me from loving her and her fiery personality. In fact, I found her one of the most interesting female characters I have read in a while.
The term female rage has always confused me on some level, but I think I understand it now. This novel IS female rage in its purest form. The women in this book and their complex relationships are built with intimate love and care that could only come from experience.
The novel is complex and intricately handled, but entirely readable. The writing is stunning, even translated from Italian, and I'm glad to see the translator did not attempt to change the prose to more English writing conventions.
I would 100% percent recommend this book to those who are unafraid to tackle hard subjects and like complex characters. Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me this ARC. I hope this book gets the love and praise it deserves when it gets its US release this summer. The Lake's Water Is Never Sweet places in my top three books of the year.

**Content warnings: graphic suicide, mentions of rape, alcohol, chronic illness, guns, violence, brief mention of an eating disorder

For fans of Elena Ferrante. A story about first friendships and first loves. Lots of depth, but at times it felt so fast paced. Culturally, I think there’s a few things I misunderstood. Thanks to the publisher, Spiegel & Grau, the author, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. The book will be published in the States in July 2025.

I really did try to read this book, but it felt unnecessary inflammatory for me personally. Some readers may like the book, but I think a Trigger Warning section needs to be created. Giving a standard 4 star review as I only read about half the book.

Packed full of emotions, I feel lucky to be one of the first to read the English translation of this powerhouse of a novel. Gaia is headstrong, stubborn and deeply flawed. Her emotions overweight her thoughts and she often makes decisions that aren’t right. But that’s what makes her brilliant as a character. She made me laugh and cry and her life was an endless loop of moments that made her. I loved reading about her dysfunctional and deeply angry family, her brother and mother share her stubbornness whereas her father is almost a “houseplant” as she describes him.

Everything in this book was teeming with life. It felt so incredibly real, the Italian sun shone through the pages as did the blood, sweat and tears of Gaia. Although the timeline was a little confusing at points, this works well overall to paint an unreliable narrative. A truly compelling story with so many beautiful moments and heartbreaking ones as well.