Drowning Ruth

A Novel

By: Christina Schwarz

Narrated by: Blair Brown

Deftly written and emotionally powerful, Drowning Ruth is a stunning portrait of the ties that bind sisters together and the forces that tear them apart, of the dangers of keeping secrets and the explosive repercussions when they are exposed. A mesmerizing and achingly beautiful debut.

Winter, 1919. Amanda Starkey spends her days nursing soldiers wounded in the Great War. Finding herself suddenly overwhelmed, she flees Milwaukee and retreats to her family's farm on Nagawaukee Lake, seeking comfort with her younger sister, Mathilda, and three-year-old niece, Ruth. But very soon, Amanda comes to see that her old home is no refuge--she has carried her troubles with her. On one terrible night almost a year later, Amanda loses nearly everything that is dearest to her when her sister mysteriously disappears and is later found drowned beneath the ice that covers the lake. When Mathilda's husband comes home from the war, wounded and troubled himself, he finds that Amanda has taken charge of Ruth and the farm, assuming her responsibility with a frightening intensity. Wry and guarded, Amanda tells the story of her family in careful doses, as anxious to hide from herself as from us the secrets of her own past and of that night.

Ruth, haunted by her own memory of that fateful night, grows up under the watchful eye of her prickly and possessive aunt and gradually becomes aware of the odd events of her childhood. As she tells her own story with increasing clarity, she reveals the mounting toll that her aunt's secrets exact from her family and everyone around her, until the heartrending truth is uncovered.
Guiding us through the lives of the Starkey women, Christina Schwarz's first novel shows her compassion and a unique understanding of the American landscape and the people who live on it.Executive Producer: Sherry Huber
Original Jacket Photograph: William A. Bake/Tib Swanstock
Original Jacket Design: Timothy Hsu
Author Photo © Jerry Bauer
©2000 Christina Schwarz
(P)2000 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A strong sense of portent and unusually vivid characters distinguish this mesmerizing first novel about horrifying family secrets and nearly annihilating guilt. Drowning Ruth is a complex and rewarding debut."
--Anita Shreve, author of Fortune's Rocks and The Pilot's Wife

A well-written historical novel

Slow to begin but excellent character development and the narration is exceptionally elegant and distinctive. Ideal for this style of book. A very well written historical novel

Couldn't stop listening!

This book kept me intriqued all the way through. At first I thought it was slow, but then found myself thinking about the characters after I turned it off. It is a little bit of a mystery but more than that it is a story about real people - people you could touch and feel and understand. I highly recommend it. Parts dragged a little, but I found later that even those parts added to the overall story and made the book complete.

Still Waters Run Deep

Set in Wisconsin, at the end of WWI, this novel explores a family?s loyalty, love and secrets.

If Ruth is still alive, why does she remember drowning? Through flashbacks, Christina Schwarz feeds us pieces of the truth, making you want to keep listening. The plot, though not totally original, is creative and a bit offbeat.

Note: This book is not a psychological thriller. It is about how life was long ago, about secrets people keep and why.

Also, other listeners have commented on Christina Schwarz?s writing style. The speakers and time periods change without notice. You will get used to the way this novel flows, so don?t let this be a reason to let this one pass you by.

Pronunciation

Would you try another book from Christina Schwarz and/or Blair Brown?

Probably not. I prefer longer books. That said, I enjoyed the book for the most part

Would you listen to another book narrated by Blair Brown?

Part of the reason that I bought the book was that it's set in Wisconsin, where I've lived all my life. I cringed every time she tried to say Waukesha or Fond du Lac or any of the other Wisconsin cities she mispronounced. I would think a narrator would make sure she knows how to pronounce the words she's reading.

An Excellent Read

I found this book to be captivating, heart wrenching, warming, and compelling. I did not want it to end. The surprise ending is an excellent and spellbinding end! The author is a fantastic writer. I await her next novel.