Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J Bick - Revision history

Sue at 15:31, 15 August 2020

2020-08-15T15:31:14Z

Jill at 09:29, 4 April 2018

2018-04-04T09:29:58Z

Sue at 09:54, 2 February 2017

2017-02-02T09:54:57Z

Sue at 14:00, 21 January 2015

2015-01-21T14:00:47Z

Sue at 12:51, 6 February 2013

2013-02-06T12:51:27Z

Sue: Created page with "{{infobox |title=Drowning Instinct |sort=Drowning Instinct |author=Ilsa J Bick |reviewer=Zoe Page |genre=Teens |rating=4.5 |buy=Yes |borrow=Yes |isbn=978-1780870434 |pages=368..."

2013-02-06T12:50:12Z

Created page with "{{infobox |title=Drowning Instinct |sort=Drowning Instinct |author=Ilsa J Bick |reviewer=Zoe Page |genre=Teens |rating=4.5 |buy=Yes |borrow=Yes |isbn=978-1780870434 |pages=368..."

New review

{{infobox
|title=Drowning Instinct
|sort=Drowning Instinct
|author=Ilsa J Bick
|reviewer=Zoe Page
|genre=Teens
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=978-1780870434
|pages=368
|publisher=Quercus
|date=February 2013
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1780870434</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>1780870434</amazonus>
|website=
|video=
|summary=A dark teen book about a forbidden relationship, this is a great, gripping read
}}
Jenna is 16 years old, and fresh out of a psychiatric hospital when her parents enrol her at a new high school in the wilds of Wisconsin. Being the new kid at school adds to an already iffy situation (parents who ignore her angst in favour of their own; a brother who enlisted to get away from them) and she’s not really looking forward to term starting. But then she meets someone, someone special who is kind to her, pays attention to her, looks out for her. Someone she can trust. Mr Anderson is a Chemistry teacher and athletics coach, but he’s more than that to Jenna. Against the rules, and against the odds, he becomes her ally, and so much more.

This is a brilliant, inventive, gripping young adult book that will delight teens while perhaps terrifying their parents. Every page simmers with suspense, and the knowledge that something big is coming, something bad bubbling under the surface, but we’re at Jenna’s mercy as she is the one telling the story, her train of thought maddeningly wandering away from the topic again and again. This is the story of the relationship between Jenna and Mr Anderson, told exclusively from her point of view. She’s not telling it to a friend though, or even writing it in her diary: she’s in hospital, speaking into a detective’s tape recorder. And boy, does she have a lot to say.

There are lots of books about teacher-student relationships, but this one is different. Because it’s all from Jenna’s point of view, the perspective is completely different. This is not about what’s right or wrong, it’s about a troubled girl who just wants to be happy. And if Mr Anderson makes her happy, is that such a bad thing?

This book isn’t as uncomfortable to read as you might expect. Jenna may have had a messy life up until now, but she is still very much in charge and knows what she is doing. The relationship, as she narrates it, seems neither exploitive nor disturbing. It’s not a story where everyone but the main character sees all the signs, the warning flags, the ‘turn back NOW’ moments. It's a story where you actually root for the budding relationship, will it to all work out. It’s also not a graphic book – you know what the couple are up to, but you don’t get the, erm, ins and outs, or, erm again, blow by blow account. This keeps it more appropriate for its target audience, while also adding to the delicious frustration for older readers who want more than dropped hints.

Jenna’s story captivated me. I felt the ending was more extreme than I was expecting, and the last few chapters really packed in the action, but I was definitely left wanting more, and would love to see a Jenna, or indeed Mr Anderson, follow up.

Thanks go to the publishers for supplying this book.

[[Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller]] and [[On The Island by Tracey Garvis Graves]] have a similar theme, and are equally well executed, perhaps aimed at more of an adult audience.

{{amazontext|amazon=1780870434}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=9436696}}
{{commenthead}}

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 There are lots of books about teacher-student relationships, but this one is different. Because it’s all from Jenna’s point of view, the perspective is completely different. This is not about what’s right or wrong, it’s about a troubled girl who just wants to be happy. And if Mr Anderson makes her happy, is that such a bad thing?
-This book isn’t as uncomfortable to read as you might expect. Jenna may have had a messy life up until now, but she is still very much in charge and knows what she is doing. The relationship, as she narrates it, seems neither exploitive nor disturbing. It’s not a story where everyone but the main character sees all the signs, the warning flags, the ‘turn back NOW’ moments. It's a story where you actually root for the budding relationship, will it to all work out. It’s also not a graphic book – you know what the couple are up to, but you don’t get the, erm, ins and outs, or, erm again, blow by blow account. This keeps it more appropriate for its target audience, while also adding to the delicious frustration for older readers who want more than dropped hints.
+This book isn’t as uncomfortable to read as you might expect. Jenna may have had a messy life up until now, but she is still very much in charge and knows what she is doing. The relationship, as she narrates it, seems neither exploitive nor disturbing. It’s not a story where everyone but the main character sees all the signs, the warning flags, the ‘turn back NOW’ moments. It's a story where you actually root for the budding relationship, will it to all work out. It’s also not a graphic book – you know what the couple is up to, but you don’t get the, erm, ins and outs, or, erm again, blow by blow account. This keeps it more appropriate for its target audience, while also adding to the delicious frustration for older readers who want more than dropped hints.
-Jenna’s story captivated me. I felt the ending was more extreme than I was expecting, and the last few chapters really packed in the action, but I was definitely left wanting more, and would love to see a Jenna, or indeed Mr Anderson, follow up.
+Jenna’s story captivated me. I felt the ending was more extreme than I was expecting, and the last few chapters really packed in the action, but I was definitely left wanting more and would love to see a Jenna or indeed Mr Anderson, follow up.
 Thanks go to the publishers for supplying this book.
-[[Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller]] and [[On The Island by Tracey Garvis Graves]] have a similar theme, and are equally well executed, perhaps aimed at more of an adult audience.
+[[Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller]] and [[On The Island by Tracey Garvis Graves]] have a similar theme and are equally well-executed, perhaps aimed at more of an adult audience.  You might also enjoy [[White Space by Ilsa J Bick]].
 {{amazontext|amazon=1780870434}}

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{infobox
+{{infobox2
 |title=Drowning Instinct
 |author=Ilsa J Bick
@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 |publisher=Quercus
 |date=February 2013
-|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1780870434</amazonuk>
+|aznuk=1780870434
 |website=
 |video=

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 |title=Drowning Instinct
 |author=Ilsa J Bick
-|reviewer=Zoe Page
+|reviewer=Zoe Morris
 |genre=Teens
 |rating=4.5
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 |date=February 2013
 |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1780870434</amazonuk>
 |website=
 |video=