Both seventeen. Both afraid. But both saying yes.
It sounded like the perfect first date: canoeing across a chain of lakes, sandwiches and beer in the cooler. But teenagers Amelia and James discover something below the water’s surface that changes their lives forever.
It’s got two stories.
It’s got a garden.
And the front door is open.
It’s a house at the bottom of a lake.
For the teens, there is only one rule: no questions. And yet, how could a place so spectacular come with no price tag? While the duo plays house beneath the waves, one reality remains:
Just because a house is empty, doesn’t mean nobody’s home.
When I requested this from NetGalley, I didn’t realize it was originally released in 2016. Reading reviews from that time, it looks like this novella was categorized as horror – which is absolutely isn’t. On Amazon, it’s now listed as coming of age and magical realism, which are much more appropriate descriptions.
Can I just say how cool this cover is? The eerie colors and perspective of the boat above the house just draw you in, and it helped me visualize the house as James and Amelia explored it underwater.
I’ve read three other books by this author and enjoyed them all, especially Bird Box. While I liked both of these teen characters and was riveted by their growing obsession with the house and their discoveries, I had to shove my disbelief out of the way several times to continue on with the story. Their first exploration of the house is done by holding their breath, but they quickly realize that’s not possible if they want to get through all of it. Then they bring an old diving suit which requires an air compressor. With only one suit, each of them takes a turn and also helps the other change in and out of it. Keep in mind all of this happens in a canoe – which is apparently large enough to hold hundreds of feet of hose and a heavy air compressor and is miraculously stable enough to never capsize. James and Amelia then decide to become certified divers, something I’ve never done, but I’d think requires more than a handful of days.
Once I pushed all that aside, I enjoyed this tale, which at times is eerie, claustrophobic, and even heartwarming, but it’s not my favorite by Malerman. For me, the ending is a thing of beauty and not what I’d expected.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Books and Such 
I love the cover art 😍
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That cover is fabulous. It caught my attention before the author name.
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I’ve seen this book around the blogosphere and was intrigued by it. I love magical realism, but after reading your review I’m not sure I’d enjoy this one. The things you mentioned amount to a LOT to overlook!
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It’s gotten very mixed reviews, Mae. When it was originally released, many reviewers were disappointed that it wasn’t actually a horror story. I think the new category better represents it, but there’s a lot to overlook. We lived on a lake for nearly fifteen years, so I had to suspend the disbelief quite a bit.
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That is certainly an eye-catching cover. Thanks for the review, Teri!
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Isn’t it? Covers seem to be getting better and better. Thanks for visiting, Jill!
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The cover is striking. I think I’d like it more if it was horror, though. Thanks for the review.
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There was a lot of potential for horror, but it never really crossed into that territory in my opinion. Hope you’ve having a great week, Staci!
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Fair, thanks, considering it’s the first week back to work. Hope yours is going well.
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Sounds like the canoe resembles Mary Poppins’ bag 😉. This book sounds very interesting and I love the cover! Great review ❤️
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Thanks, Tessa! Mary Poppins’ bag or even Hermione’s, lol.
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Good review. I tried to read this one. The story idea (and yes, the cover) attracted me. But I kept having to re-read passages because I didn’t click with the writing style. I totally understand why others would love the book though.
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The reviews seem to be polar opposites with this one. Parts of it worked for me, but others left me scratching my head. Still, it wouldn’t prevent me from reading anything else he writes.
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You are absolutely right about the cover, Teri! It is captivating. What a premise for a story, almost like going into another dimension. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and I would agree about it being unrealistic to change in and out of a wetsuit in a canoe. 🙂
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Going into another dimension is a perfect description, Jan. It was like another world below the surface.
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So many things in canoe definitely sounds unconvincing but still story sounds heart warming and lovely. Great review!
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That part was just too difficult to believe, Yesha, but the characters were wonderful. Thanks for visiting!
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That last line of the blurb gave me chills! Interesting concept, but not really my cup of tea 🙂
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Isn’t that a good one? All kinds of things you could take from that.
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This is a very intriguing review, Teri. I agree completely about that beautiful cover. The concept of the story is engaging — so I appreciate your mindful comments about the several things that were, well, off. Depending on my mood, that might be a minor annoyance, or get under my skin so much that it kept me from enjoying the story. Knowing this in advance makes me more likely to enjoy it Hugs on the wing.
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It didn’t prevent me from enjoying the story, but I got hung up on it for a bit. It was the ending that threw many reviewers, but I thought it was perfect. Different views from different readers, lol. Hugs,Teagan!
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That’s a hell of a canoe Teri! LOL Great review.
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Thanks, Sophie! Maybe they had a different canoe from the picture? Benefit of the doubt.
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Interesting. Not my kind of thing, but it was interesting to learn the title isn’t a metaphor, but the actual context of the book. And yes, that cover is gorgeous!
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When I saw the title, I balked – but then looked at the cover and was hooked. A couple lakes we lived by in SC actually contain the remains of towns. How could I not want to read it, lol?
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Really? I’ve never heard of that before; houses, towns etc buried beneath a lake. Very cool premise, I have to admit.
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I think it’s when they released a dam to create a manmade lake? It’s been a while since I read about it.
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Oh, that makes sense. Darnit. Now I want to use that in a book!
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The cover is dramatic. Thanks for your review, Teri.
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It’s perfect for the book – sure got my attention!
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Hi Teri, sounds a bit like you had to stretch the ‘suspension of disbelief’ a bit with this one. At least you found it entertaining when you put that aside. It reminds me of a place near here, where they flooded the Saint Lawrence River to build a Dam, back in the 1950’s. Most of the homes where moved prior, but their foundations are still there.
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Yes! Like I was telling Jessica above – where we previously lived, manmade lakes covered abandoned towns. From what I read, it’s a pretty popular place for divers. How weird would that be to seen underwater?
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What did you think about the ending?
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I know it wasn’t popular with a lot of readers, but I liked it. It seemed appropriate for the characters.
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