It makes me sad to have to say this but nowadays, a book with a major character dealing with the aftermaths of a high school shooting is a very necessary read and Underwater is that exact book. I wish our society didn’t need this. Parents shouldn’t have to fear for their children every time they went to school but every day, they worry and it breaks my heart to think of how we have to live this way. I know the root cause hasn’t been addressed yet especially in the U.S and I’m not sure if it ever will be so until then, books like this are a simple way to comfort and console those of us who survived such tragic events.
The story centers around Morgan, a survivor of a mass high school shooting. Most of the story happens in her small apartment where she has spent the last five months of her life since the shooting. Afraid of everything, she doesn’t dare step foot out their apartment door until Evan, the too friendly neighbor comes along.
A lot of readers will probably complain why the catalyst for a girl’s change has to be a guy all the time but I really don’t mind in this particularly case because Evan is a great guy who is really right for Morgan. Of course it helps greatly that she has a cool therapist , an adorable little brother and a supportive mother who together form a small but strong network of people to help her get through a difficult phase of her life.
At first, I was bothered by the choppy writing but then slowly understood that this is Morgan speaking. The sadness is loud in her words and clipped sentences but as the story progresses, a significant change in her tone is obvious as she opens herself up to getting better, to getting help and helping herself. Overall, its’ a well written story, easy to read, relatable and genuine.
