Review by Cat Croteau
Girl Underwater, by Claire Kells
Girl Underwater is mesmerizing. It draws you in. Admittedly (and guiltily), I didn’t offer to read the book because it sounded earth shatteringly wonderful but I offered because I didn’t have any other books left to review. I said “yes” and I’ve had zero regrets! No regrets since the very first sentence on the very first page sucked me in.
The book follows the days a young woman spends trapped in the wild after a plane crash, as well as the chaos that ensues within her after she’s rescued. First time novelist, Kells flawlessly adds an undercurrent of love into the book that isn’t heavy-handed so it’s completely believable. She writes characters that are complex but human. As the readers, we come to observe them grow from characters in to full-fledged people.
As I was reading, I completely forget the outside world existed. I became so entangled in the story that I didn’t even realize someone was trying to talk to me or that my phone was ringing. I was hooked! High emotion, suspense, intensity, adventure, anticipation, love: If you want it, Girl Underwater has it.
Thanks to Kells having a medical degree and an English degree, Girl Underwater is realistic and written with attention to accuracy and detail. I bought the description of the plane crash lock, stock, and barrel. The extent to which Kells goes to refer to real plane parts to survival techniques is what makes Girl Underwater read real. The book read more like a memoir rather than the captivating piece of fiction it is. I truly enjoyed reading Girl Underwater.
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Cat Croteau is an avid hiker, yogi, and mom to 4. Currently residing in South Dakota with her soul mate, Cat loves exploring the Black Hills with a baby on her hip and her family by her side.
Cat is a key member of the Women’s Adventure book club on Facebook. Join her and almost 900 women from around the world as we read and discuss an adventure book each month here.