Rated of 5
by Teresa C. (Pickerington, OH) The Swimming Pool
I did not really care for this book. The premise sounded good and when I sat down to read it I was hoping it would be a real page turner. Sadly, that was not the case. I really did not like any of the characters...felt they were all very flawed and didn't have a lot of redeeming qualities. I also felt that it was very slow moving and that what promised to be a dramatic ending was rather a let down.
Rated of 5
by Anita P. (Honeoye Falls, NY) This "Swimming Pool" is worth diving into
When I first started this book, I thought it was going to be ho-hum. The plot line just didn't seem very original. But I must confess that as the book progressed, it grabbed me with it's absolutely beautiful and evocative writing style. LeCraw's descriptive writing makes you feel every nuanced feeling that her characters are experiencing - - and her style is very fresh. I was just astounded with how she found new ways to describe things that have been described a million times over, in ways I had not read before. Her characters are very well drawn with interesting imperfections. If this book fell down anywhere, it was in the plot - - which didn't hold up to the beautiful language in terms of its originality. But by the end, I really didn't care because LeCrew's words drew me into the world she created, and I wanted to stay there.
Rated of 5
by Tracy T. (Wakefield, RI) The Swimming Pool
I am not a fan of the book. The characters were flat and one dimensional. I read much longer than I wanted to in hopes of finding a way to connect with them. Enough of the plot is revealed on the back of the novel to know that if I didn't care about these characters I didn't really want to read about what I knew was in store. The plot line wasn't gripping, the characters weren't engaging and therefore the subject matter was not one I cared enough about. Some may find this a good "summer read" but I think there are better.
Rated of 5
by Denice B. (Fort Bragg, CA) The Swimming Pool
This Pool is shallow. The story seemed contrived and implausible, the love affairs trite and also unlikely. The author doesn't much heed the writerly axiom "show, don't tell." Her language and style are pretty ordinary in the first half or so of the book, but she goes on to turn some pretty good phrases in the second half. Here too her characters have a few insightful things to say.
Rated of 5
by Beth T. (Savannah, GA) Ultimately Unsatisfying
While this book contains some lovely images and stirring language, in parts, I found it uneven and ultimately unsatisfying. The characters seemed to go around and around in circles - I kept waiting for at least partial resolution to all the angst, but it never came, and at the end I felt cheated. Unfortunately, this is not a book I'd highly recommend.
Rated of 5
by Susan B. (Rutledge, MO) good writing, but not my cup of tea
On the positive side, I think The Swimming Pool is a very well-written novel, and I found it interesting enough to keep reading to the end. On the less-positive side, I finished the book feeling I should have enjoyed it more. I didn’t care about most of the characters, and couldn’t identify with them or their choices. You might enjoy this book if you enjoy suspense, sexual tension, well-written “spicy bits” (though there aren’t all that many of them), and getting into the heads of characters who are obsessed with their sex-interests and secrets.
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of 5
by Teresa C. (Pickerington, OH) 
of 5
by Anita P. (Honeoye Falls, NY) 
of 5
by Tracy T. (Wakefield, RI) 
of 5
by Susan B. (Rutledge, MO) 
