Review: The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan

    

Title: The Weight of Water
Author: Sarah Crossan

Series: Standalone
Pages: 230

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: January 5th 2012 (UK)
Source: For Review
Rating: 4 stars

Armed with a suitcase and an old laundry bag filled with clothes, Kasienka and her mother leave Poland and head for the UK to find her father. Life is lonely for Kasienka. At home her mother's heart is breaking and at school Kasienka finds it impossible to make new friends. While the search continues, Kasienka is kept afloat by William, a boy she meets at the local pool who understands what it means to lose someone and who swims with Kasienka towards her new life.

The Weight of Water is a beautifully written book about a girl moving to a new place and feeling like she doesn't fit in. It is my first verse novel and if I'm honest, I was a little scared of it. I had no need to be though as it flowed smoothly and was so easy to read.

Kasienka and her mother moved to England, attempting to find Kasienka's father who left them. Kasienka would rather be in Poland, where she has friends, her grandmother and a place she can truly call home. Being different makes Kasienka a target at school and she becomes the victim of bullies.

Kasienka was an incredibly strong girl. She has to hold her mother together as well as try and fit in to this strange place she has no desire to be in. I really empathised with her, feeling how she felt. It was painful to read at times.

If you haven't read a verse book, this is a great one to start with. It isn't complicated or confusing; the plot flows easily and you get immersed in the novel. I read it in a mere few hours and I enjoyed every moment of it.

The book is a fabulous portrayal of a girl moving to a strange place and unable to find where she belongs. It deals with bullying, family, romance and many other aspects. It also addresses ways to deal with bullying and how to try and overcome it. Ultimately, this book was wonderful. I'm very glad I tried it.