Swim Season

Aerin Keane is a champion swimmer and a possible Olympic contender. However, just when everything is going well with her swimming career, everything at home falls apart. After her father remarries and her mother’s addiction to pain pills lands her in prison, Aerin determines that it’s time to just be one of the girls and swim for fun; yet, Two Rivers High is currently embroiled in a competition to break a longtime school record with a $50,000 scholarship for the winner. With her desire to fit in colliding with her deep-set desire to win, Aerin finds herself torn as to what will really bring her happiness and what she’s willing to sacrifice to do it.

A realistic contemporary YA novel, “Swim Season” focuses on Aerin from a first person point of view covering the time from the beginning of her senior year to graduation. The plot covers a lot of teenage drama, and Aerin’s family conflicts, all which influence her toward or away from competitive swimming. The addition of a diverse cast of characters provides some different plot threads to keep the story moving; including a boy who brings a light element of romance. Although the story is long, with a very slow pace at times (that could be sped up by eliminating some of the repetitive parts), lovers of contemporary YA will find plenty of clean drama as Aerin undergoes a journey of self-discovery. Overall, an athletic story with a relatable lead.

Sarah E. Bradley