Deep Waters

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Herman, formerly the editorial director of Ticknor and Fields and the author of two adult novels, enters the YA arena with an intermittently successful coming-of-age novel. His intimate, first-person narrative makes readers privy to 15-year-old Andy's thoughts and self-doubts as he ruminates over a drowning accident (or was it murder?) that occurred two years ago at summer camp. Exhaustively analyzing the circumstances of the incident, Andy reflects on the main players--Tony, the swimming counselor; his fiancee, Marsha; and her ex-boyfriend Johnny ("the coolest counselor at camp")--and on the role Andy's friend Julian takes in heating up the rivalry between Tony and Johnny. Herman's insights are canny and his descriptions vivid; unfortunately, the reader is always aware of the author's presence. The structure is artless, with chapters beginning, "I've told you I was the only camper during my swimming lessons, but that isn't true" or "I haven't told you yet about Carly, my girlfriend." There's a Holden Caulfield-manque cast to the phrasing ("Old Ralph! What a card!"; "She had a good sense of humor, old Carly"), not aided by the indeterminate setting, which may or may not be several decades ago. But enough intimations of a powerful climax will keep many readers going, and the payoff is a sound one. Ages 12-16. (Sept.)

VOYA - Judy Ehrenstein

Now sixteen, Andy Schlessinger looks back at the events of his summer at Camp Winasaukee just before he turned fourteen. For him, it was a pivotal experience: his first summer away; a first girlfriend; and the ending of childhood innocence, leaving him forever haunted and unable to forgive himself. Why? This is the question readers will ask, yet they know that something terrible and unspeakable has happened. As the story of a love triangle between three counselors unwinds and the campers find themselves taking sides and even egging things on, it is inevitable that something will happen. But for the teenagers of this story, for whom romances come and go as easily as their tastes in clothing and music, no one could ever imagine that someone would end up dead.

Andy has a keen and insightful eye, describing the personalities of his fellow campers, the counselors, and the camp owner as well as the camp's atmosphere as events heat up. In the end, the reader is left with Andy's examination of morality and what he can live with, or more correctly, what choice he could not live with. The world will never look the same to him again, and maybe not to the reader, either. The sinister cover art, short chapters, and engrossing story will attract, hold, and remain with readers.

VOYA Codes: 4Q 4P M J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Broad general YA appeal, Middle School-defined as grades 6 to 8, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).

Children's Literature - Catherine Petrini

Andy, the engaging young narrator of Deep Waters, has high hopes for his summer at camp. He dreams of swimming competitively, making new friends, and finding his first girlfriend. More than anything, he relishes the idea of being on his own, away from his parents. But growing up and tasting freedom come with responsibilities. At Camp Winasaukee, Andy learns that the choices he makes can have serious consequences. Andy's new friend Julian is a brilliant older boy with a chip on his shoulder and a penchant for manipulating people. When Andy innocently wonders about a romantic triangle among the camp counselors, Julian turns the younger boy's wide-eyed curiosity into a dangerous game that ends in tragedy. John Herman's novel is an honest portrayal of a boy who is forced to learn tough lessons about the world around him as he struggles with the contradictions of his own conscience. Readers, especially boys, will empathize with Andy as he realizes that things are usually not what they seem-and that he and the people he admires are capable of bad as well as good.

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up-Herman conjures an unsettling world of summer camp through which readers voyeuristically wander in an attempt to uncover the truth about the accidental drowning or murder of one of the counselors, which is still open-ended at the book's conclusion. Andy, now 15, is still awash in disturbing memories two years after the events he describes here. His Holden Caufield-like voice, deliberately punctuated with way too many exclamation points, introduces the diverse cast of characters: tent mates Dave, Tim, and Brad; Johnny, an Adonis-like counselor and Tony, serious and quiet in comparison; Marsha, the beauty for whom they compete; Julian, a manipulative friend; Carly, a girlfriend. The narrative is compelling, and marches inevitably forward as Andy's loss of innocence is manufactured largely by Julian's controlling behavior and the rivalry between the counselors intensifies. Camp politics are described as a microcosm of the larger, adult world that sometimes allows the worst to rise to the top because the best do nothing to prevent it. The physical layout of the camp is described in sufficient detail, but the setting is never specified. Language suggests that the time is contemporary. Excitement and dread are mixed equally and many passages resonate authentically with common, if somewhat disturbing, coming-of-age experiences. Definitive resolution is lacking as Andy's angst remains central in the murky mix of emotions, motives, and actions that propel the plot.-Joel Shoemaker, Southeast Jr. High School, Iowa City, IA

Kirkus Reviews

When Andy, 13, arrives at Camp Winasaukee, he loves everything about itþthe fresh canvas smell of the tents, the dew on the grass, and the sight of Johnny March practicing his dives. Tan and well-muscled, with an easy manner, Johnny is the camp's star counselor. Andy wonders what Marsha Peters, the prettiest girls' counselor, sees in Tony Snow, to whom she's engaged, especially since she was with Johnny the year before. Andy and Julian, a brilliant and worldly older boy, set in motion a competition between Johnny and Tony, with half the camp rooting for Johnny to win Marsha back. Andy becomes more and more uncomfortable with the situation, and his part in it, but it's too late to stop it. A clear, first-person narration allows readers to see the world through Andy's eyes as he loses his innocence and becomes aware of the complexities beneath surface appearancesþjealousy, competition, deceit, and betrayal, all mixed up with friendship and admiration. An ever-tightening thread of tension that accompanies Andy's growing discomfort will keep readers glued to the page. (Fiction. 12-16)