Stones smoothed by water: Many Stones

The writing in this book is so soft and encompassing, it is like floating in a pool of words. This is the first that I have read by Carolyn Coman, and I daresay I will be going back for more.

Berry, so called because she would be "brown as a berry" from swimming all summer long as a youngster, is a young girl, about 14 or so. She's a blatant escapist in the most wonderful ways. She has some heavy aggression toward her father.

Her sister, Laura, was killed in South Africa a year ago. Berry reluctantly travels with her father to the unveiling of the memorial made in her sister's honor. Well, since her dad has some business to do there anyway, they make an 11 day vacation of it. Since her dad is the kind of guy that does everything (except parenting) with gusto, it becomes a big production. Safaris, tours of vineyards, and he never consults Berry about anything.

Berry has issues with just about everything. Don't get me wrong, she is a very sympathetic character, but there is a lot going on in her head. Much of the book involves trudging through the muck in her life, trying to find some bits of joy in it all. She has a bushelful of hostility toward her father, partially because Laura was his "favorite" child, and partially because their attitudes are so different from each other. He's a schmoozer and a mover/shaker kind of guy. She's more thoughtful, introverted and intense. He's into achievement. She's depressed. It makes a rather sizzling combination.

So how do they come to terms with each other and with Laura's murder? The resolution is well timed and executed. The writing takes you right to it.

Some of the most intriguing parts of the novel deal with Berry's various forms of escapism. As the novels begins, Berry is making out with her vapid boyfriend. Just so she won't be in the house alone. Just to pass the time.

She also loves to lose herself in water. She loves the escape that floating in nothingness provides. What will happen when her dad prods her to take her swimming competitions seriously?

She collects rocks from important moments and places in her life. She keeps them in a pyramid beside her bed. When she becomes anxious, she transfers the pile of rocks to her chest, so she can feel them weighing her down.

Elemental escapism, perfected! In all seriousness, this book gives a really good feel for "dealing with" things. Avoidance, transferrence, and all that gunk that goes through a person's mind when he/she is dealing with a traumatical event in life.

This book takes a brief nudge toward dealing with loss, and racism, global politics of apartheid, divorced parents, absent parents, depression, and being with someone that you don't love. This isn't the weightiest read in the library, but it isn't really a beach novel, either.