Summerwater by Sarah Moss - Book Reviews

Book club rating - 3/5

Rating 4/5

Inspired by Sir William Watson’s ‘The Ballad of Semmerwater’ -itself influenced by a legend of the same, ‘Summerwater’ focuses upon a single summer’s day in the life of a log-cabin community adjacent to Loch Lomond. The legend and poem recount the tale of a pilgrim arriving in Semmerwater who was spurned by all residents apart from a lowly cottager; departing from the village, the pilgrim cursed it with a flood resulting in the deaths of all except the kind peasant. ‘Summerwater’ appears to mirror the drowning village as a persistent, dreary, and chilling rain threatens to flood both wildlife habitats and this small colony of individuals, each with their own narrative to relate. The personification of the rain as a relentless predator enhances the underlying sinister ethereal breath of doom, a foreboding which creeps like a descending morning mist over the Loch. A sense of pervading isolation enshrouds nature itself as well as entrapping the residents within wooden cells. Each family group -whilst united physically within their substitute homes, appears mentally and emotionally marooned within their individual psyche realms; the gradual disentanglement of their inner conflicts provides further laminations of suspense. Everyone’s unspoken thoughts mirror the monotony and desolation of the menacing, unyielding rain. It isn't until the tragic finale that we witness the union of these separate and isolated entities as a cohesive group. Whilst the pace and style does indeed reflect the tedious and mournful drumming rain, reminiscent of a funeral dirge, tension gradually gains momentum in the shadows, luring the reader still deeper into this web of intrigue. The suspense is tangible, the characters incredibly authentic, and the mixture of overt and disguised themes of loss of identity, fear, and isolation intertwine to create an intriguing and complex thought provoking read. The ending is abrupt but intensely powerful with its horrific and macabre crescendo of poignancy. Lola has remained a mystery throughout, an ethereal spectre invoking a creeping doubt and disquietude; her character meanders like an eerie shadow of the night, a silent and yet potent shadow perhaps intent upon destruction. Throughout this suspense filled exploration of human nature, with each occupant being placed under the microscope like some unfamiliar, complex virus awaiting discovery, reader engagement remains a constant. Reaching the end of a novel with numerous unanswered questions can at times be disappointing but not so in this case. Further reflection prompts still more threads of inquiry, and thus the narrative lives on. Are the forest creatures fearful of the lack of food caused by the torrential rain or something far more sinister? They fear death by predator -physical such as wolves and starvation or metaphorical; comparably, the humans appear to fear an inner death resulting from emotional starvation. The reference, “…there will be deaths” in relation to the natural world, epitomises the shrouded, creeping threat of uncertainty and doom for humans and creatures alike.