Floating in the Neversink

"Floating in the Neversink" by Andrea Simon is an emotional, dramatic, captivating and coming of age story. The Genres are Fiction and Women's Fiction. The time-line is around 1955 and takes place in both Brooklyn and in the Catskills, where there are Bungalows and Hotels. The author writes different chapters with the same characters, possibly the same or different situations and problems. The author describes her dramatic adult characters as complex, complicated, and dysfunctional. The younger characters are coming of age, and are discovering loyalty, betrayal, and self -worth.

Amanda Gerber and her friend Francine enjoy their time together in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Amanda is sad to leave her friend behind to go with her family to the country. Amanda is close with her cousin Laura and they have some great times. Amanda and Laura go exploring and find a special place that they call theirs and write their names on a rock. Both are young girls but promise that this will be their hidden place. Do promises last forever?

The adults seem to have secrets and are always whispering. Amanda's father seems to be a bullying sort of man and is verbally abusive to  Amanda's mother and Amanda. There is one incident with Amanda and her father by The Neversink, where people go swimming and fishing, which is both frightening and devastating.

Amanda dreads when one of her Uncles comes to visit. Amanda learns that she has to keep her own secrets.  I appreciate that the author discusses such problems as mental illness, emotional and physical abuse, loyalty and betrayals, the importance of family, love, and hope. I would recommend this novel for readers who enjoy thought-provoking novels.

Delicious description of growing up in the 1950's. For example, "I was petrified to even touch it, sure that my sweaty fingerprints would be pressed into the shiny brown wood the wasy a comic book came off on my Silly Putty."

I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting from this novel; whilst it's a nice read, it didn't set my world on fire.

This is a collection of tales narrated by nine-year-old Amanda Gerber, mostly about her families annual trip to the Catskill Mountains where they meet up at her Grandma's house along with a lot of other friends and relatives. I have great sympathy with Mandy; my own parents cloaked their lives in secrecy and she finds out more from listening when she shouldn't than she ever gets told willingly!

I liked these stories, but I'm not sure I loved them. For me, they were a bit directionless. Whilst some of Mandy's exploits with her cousin and friends seemed familiar (or as near as it gets between Scotland and the states), there is only a feint structure and I much prefer a book with a good solid ending. It is an uncomfortable read in places, but I raced through it quite quickly and consider it fair to settle on 3.5 stars.

I am always drawn to coming of age books and was intrigued when I read that Floating in the Neversink was a novel told through a collection of “coming of age” stories. The narrator is a pre-teen living in the mid-1950s. Nine-year-old Mandy travels to the Catskills with her family and is mourning the loss of her best friend Francine and life back at home in Brooklyn.

While I have never been to the Catskills, author Andrea Simon’s detailed writing helped me imagine what daily life looked like during this time. The 1950s Borscht Belt was detailed so beautifully that I felt transported there myself. Simon’s writing also brought back memories of my own summer adventures at a child.

While many of the stories include light-hearted moments and observations, there are heavier topics interspersed that give this book a level of depth and introspection. I especially loved how mental health and abuse were covered in a thoughtful yet powerful manner. The stories weaved together childhood friendship, loyalty, secrets, betrayal and finding your true self and voice.

I found that the “story format” worked well with Mandy narrating a snapshot of her life. These stories included many things that a preteen would be focusing on while also incorporating the darker parts of her daily life. In a time when many more complicated issues were often “swept under the rug” and not discussed, this was a fascinating way of sharing this story.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy and Rachel from Over The River PR for inviting me to be a part of this blog book tour.

I truly recommend this book. I found the character relatable and endearing. There are some dark themes here with abuse, and she is determined to come out on top. 
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher.

A  wonderful read.A young girl the 195os .Going between Brooklyn and the Catskills ,the characters come alive.A book of a variety of emotions and some dark moments.A book I will be recommending.#netgalley#blackrosewriting.

i really enjoyed reading this book the story itself was great and I really loved Amanda and all the other characters. I look forward to more from the author.

Floating in the Neversink is set in the summer of 1955 when Amanda Gerber is nine years old, and has to leave her best friend Francine and her home in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Amanda and her family are headed to her grandmother’s home in the Catskills, and here she spends her summer with her cousin, Laura.

I love the authenticity of this novel. From the beautiful writing that made me feel as though I was transported back to the summer of 1955. Andrea Simon captured this wonderfully.

The theme of friendship is ever present in Floating in the Neversink. It was a bit nostalgic about childhood friendship. There are also dark themes of abuse and mental illness is addressed with respect. I was very impressed.

Floating in the Neversink isn’t necessarily a book I would grab for, but I’m glad I didn’t miss out on it! It’s a beautiful story with a lot of heart and wonderful writing. Definitely worth a read.