4-STAR REVIEW: THE DROWNERS by David Anderson

Publication Date: March 18, 2025

For Aaron, this world is an unfathomable puzzle. Haunted by disturbing dreams, he drifts through empty days, shielding himself behind sarcasm and cynical wit. After being expelled, he sees an opportunity to rewrite his future at a new school. Connecting over a shared love for De Niro films with Robbie, an aspiring actor of Jamaican descent, he unexpectedly finds his companion piece, one person who truly understands him. Together, they navigate the chaotic waters of adolescence, from dramatic first dates to sociopathic bullies, iconic concerts, drugs, and a dead body.

With adulthood fast approaching, can their unique bond survive the crushing weight of societal pressures and devastating revelations? Confronted by the ghosts of his past, Aaron must choose whether to blaze bright or fade away.

A funny and poignant meditation on the forces that shape us, The Drowners transports us back to a time when our tolerance for hypocrisy was zero and life seemed infinite.

An early draft of this novel won a 2021 YA Watty award.

When I first started The Drowners by David A. Anderson, I wasn’t sure if this would be the kind of book I would like. I’m so glad I stuck with it and kept on reading.

The two main protagonists, Aaron and Robbie, were very likable characters. They were each other’s half, their mates, their person. They were in sync with each other since the first day they met.

The teen years are full of angst, drama, questions, and trying to understand yourself. Being young and understanding yourself and your place in the world is very difficult. This book did a wonderful job telling a story about being young and discovering yourself.

I loved the interaction with Aaron, his parents, and the rest of his family.  His family dynamics are so representative of most people’s family dynamics.

My favorite part of the book was when Aaron and Robbie were watching Edward Scissorhands. Aaron said he cried during the movie because he felt sorry for Edward when the townsfolk ostracized him.  I cry, too, when I watch that movie.

It’s not easy to write a good book with a good story and characters similar to people one knows in real life.  Mr. Anderson did a great job with this book.

Richly created characters and an accurate portrayal of teen life, The Drowners is an insightful and beautiful read.

 

Hailing from the cold, wet streets of Dublin, David Anderson is the author of The Drowners. Like a Hummingbird, after college, he migrated south to warmer climes. Namely, sunny Spain, where he teaches English to students who are confused by his Irish brogue. In his early thirties, he caught the writing bug. He has written several articles for the GMS website about his other obsession in life, football. In 2021, he won a YA Watty award for his novel The Art of Breathing Underwater.