Like Water - Rebecca Podos

Title: Like Water
Author: Rebecca Podos
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 2 Stars

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A gorgeously written and deeply felt literary young adult novel of identity, millennial anxiety, and first love, from the widely acclaimed author of The Mystery of Hollow Places

In Savannah Espinoza’s small New Mexico hometown, kids either flee after graduation or they’re trapped there forever. Vanni never planned to get stuck—but that was before her father was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, leaving her and her mother to care for him. Now, she doesn’t have much of a plan at all: living at home, working as a performing mermaid at a second-rate water park, distracting herself with one boy after another.

That changes the day she meets Leigh. Disillusioned with small-town life and looking for something greater, Leigh is not a “nice girl.” She is unlike anyone Vanni has met, and a friend when Vanni desperately needs one. Soon enough, Leigh is much more than a friend. But caring about another person stirs up the moat Vanni has carefully constructed around herself, and threatens to bring to the surface the questions she’s held under for so long.

With her signature stunning writing, Rebecca Podos, author of The Mystery of Hollow Places, has crafted a story of first love and of the complex ways in which the deepest parts of us are hidden, even from ourselves.

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Like Water had an intriguing premise, but it fell short for me. 

The only thing I liked:

This book talked about what it's like for a kid to have a parent with a chronic degenerative illness.  A lot of book don't talk about degenerative illnesses. 

What Was Medium: 

Vanni - the main character wasn't super, but she wasn't terrible either.  She was just medium.  She struggled with her sexuality.  She struggled with being "trapped" in her hometown because she felt she had to be there to help care for her dad, since he has Huntington's Disease. 

The secondary characters - most of the secondary characters were what made this book worth reading. 

What I Didn't Like:

Leigh - she was terrible and mean throughout the entire novel.  I understand that she is struggling with something big and trying to come to terms with being genderqueer.  Does that give her an excuse to be so selfish and treat eeeeeeveryone around her like shit?  No - I don't think it does.

There was, from my observation, no actual chemistry between Leigh and Vanni.  It felt like a relationship of convenience, instead of a relationship where they actually liked each other.  Not only was there zero romantic chemistry between Leigh and Vanni, they also had nothing in common.  But hey, why not form a romantic relationship, right?!??!?!??!?

The story didn't really feel that fleshed out, and the writing was just mediocre.  I didn't really care one way or another what happened in the story or to the characters. 

There were to many events in the book that felt forced.  This book did not flow smoothly. 

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Overall, this was a low read for me - I wouldn't recommend it unless you want to be bored.