Saturday, October 8, 2011

Weeping Underwater Looks a Lot Like Laughter

Michael J. White set off to tell us a story about love, loss, lust, love, and loss. In short, with his debut novel - Weeping Underwater Looks a Lot Like Laughter - he gives us a story about high school romance and infatuations. It's like no other than I have read in the past. It presses us to feel, see the through the eyes of the narrator, George Flynn, and his days with the Schell girls, Emily, his love interest, and Katie, the little sister. When tragedy strikes, George's life - social, familial, and romantic - is thrown into a tailspin. He cannot help put to grasp at the pieces, hoping that they one day fit into each other. 

Somewhere between YA and adult contemporary is where you'll find Weeping Underwater Looks a Lot Like Laughter. George Flynn is well into adulthood as he begins his narrative. The need to do so raises when he sees former high school sweetheart, Emily Schell, on television. And while the novel is interesting and emotional, there are several times that it just drags out. George acknowledges that he doesn't feel like giving us all the details in the days when his relationship with Emily grows sour, yet feels the need the give us details that add nothing to the story. There were several times in the story that I just felt the need to put it down and read something else, returning as if nothing happened in between. Truth be told, I started the book sometime during the summer and just finished it now. And that's because I had less than a hundred pages left. I can't help but feel that if ever there were a film adaptation, I'd enjoy it more than the novel itself. 

Weeping Underwater Looks a Lot Like Laughter is available on Amazon in bargain price hardback ($9.98), paperback ($11.70), and Kindle ($9.99). It's also available at Barnes & Noble in paperback and Nook edition. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

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