THIS WEEEK WE’RE READING... 7/10

The Lake

Louise Sharland’s new novel The Lake is a thrilling, addictive page turner that is full of twists. Protagonist Kate is still reeling from the death of her 15-year-old son Michael, who drowned in a lake six years ago, and she is struggling to adjust to life without him.

Despite the efforts of her husband and sister who try to convince her otherwise, Kate simply cannot let go of the idea that there was something more to Michael’s tragic death.

When her mother suffers a stroke, Kate moves back home to take care of her house and uncovers a hidden diary that belonged to her son, which raises more questions, and begins to shed light on what really happened that night at the lake.

However, due to her struggles with mental health in the past, those closest to Kate find it difficult to get on board with her new discoveries or her determination to uncover the truth of her son’s fate.

This often heartbreaking novel touches on a multitude of difficult and emotive subjects, from marital abuse to mental illness to religious sects. The characterisation of Kate was expertly done – she is a complex woman who has surpassed the expectations of others to fight for justice for her son when everyone has already written her off as “crazy”.

Sharland cleverly utilises Kate’s trauma and experiences to highlight how vulnerable people are so often unwittingly exposed to abuse at the hands of those who are supposed to protect them.

I was drawn in by the premise of the readers will feel every emotion as we through Kate’s experiences first-hand.

Admittedly, a large part of the second half of the book is occupied by Kate’s visit to a writing retreat on her search for answers, which runs the risk of feeling like a separate story; however the two halves are drawn neatly together as all the lessons Kate learns in the first chapters of the book are put into practice in this section, and it serves as an important stage of character development as we see Kate finally find some true allies.

The ending was somewhat abrupt but manages to tie together all the lose ends and provides readers with a sense of closure.

Overall, Louise Sharland has written an absorbing, fast-paced and addictive novel that gives a powerful portrayal of grief and loss, and how a mother’s love knows no bounds. novel and are taken