Review: Something In The Water

Something In The Water by Catherine Steadman
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Occasionally, I read a book and find, about halfway through, that I’m struggling to stay focused. Something in the Water is a prime example of just that kind of read. The writing is extremely mediocre, the characters are flat and poorly developed, and the plot exists just this side of “you’ve got to be kidding.”

Firstly, I appreciate a book full of complicated and varied grammatical constructs and diverse vocabulary—neither of which is present in this novel. Every single page is instead littered with short, clipped sentences. For example:

“I fumble to turn it off. I do what I’m told. It’s the worst possible idea in this situation, but there is no other option. I could call out to the guards, but this isn’t like that. It’s not that sort of situation. Something else is going on here.”

I suppose it could be called a stylistic choice, but for me it just comes off as amateurish and bland, a flat approach that made reading that much more difficult.

The characters themselves are another point of contention for me. Erin is a film maker, focusing on documentaries and making a decent living. Her husband Mark is in banking, though early in the novel finds himself out of work. Neither is particularly likable, and in fact both border on just this side of ridiculously inept. They stumble along, professing their love for one another whilst wallowing in lies and deceit. Their self-centered actions paint a couple without empathy, understanding, compassion or morality. I honestly couldn’t have cared less what happened to either of them.

Finally, the plot is absurdly inane. Without spoilers, suffice it to say that I didn’t for one moment believe the story enough to become even marginally invested. Based on the background provided, the disconnect between the characters and their actions is far and wide, a chasm that deepens with every chapter.

All in all, my advice is to walk away from this one. With so many more options in the genre, your time could be better spent.

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