Rio, 1963, a privileged family, trying to deal with the father's worsening mood swings, their declining fortune, a move to Canada, where there is hope for better and cheaper treatment, is brought to their knees by the disappearance of their eldest daughter. Luiza, a strong swimmer, is at the beach with her two younger sisters, when she decides to go for a swim, a swim from which she does not return.
Narrowly focused, we see the detrimental effects of not only mental illness on the family, but the unaccepted loss of a family member. In back stories we learn where the relationships between family members began, the chaos of living with a man with horrible highs and lows. How dangerous at times, how conflicted the feelings were for each other. How they are each coping, or not with the loss of Luiza. This book does a good job with this, it is very well written, but very slowly paced and introspective, often repetitive. Frustrating at times, because of this narrow focus, and the slow moving unveiling of the plot. Hence, it was good but could have been better.
I received this book in a goodreads giveaway. I found this book difficult to follow. Each chapter told in a different persons point of view. The mental illness aspect of the story was very confusing but I do understand that mental illness is confusing so I am sure that was true to life. I just had a hard time getting into the story. The setting of Rio was very interesting I did enjoy the descriptions of the city and beach, the beauty of the country of Brazil
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Narrowly focused, we see the detrimental effects of not only mental illness on the family, but the unaccepted loss of a family member. In back stories we learn where the relationships between family members began, the chaos of living with a man with horrible highs and lows. How dangerous at times, how conflicted the feelings were for each other. How they are each coping, or not with the loss of Luiza. This book does a good job with this, it is very well written, but very slowly paced and introspective, often repetitive. Frustrating at times, because of this narrow focus, and the slow moving unveiling of the plot. Hence, it was good but could have been better.
ARC from Netgalley.… (mer)