melissakate96's review against another edition
3.0
This book took me abit to get into. I constantly read a page or so and would put it down and wouldn’t pick it back up for days, but once I got past that, the story actually got interesting & turned out alright. 3/5⭐️
terri's review against another edition
3.0
Another YA mystery novel, but this time a convincing one. The characters were real and the plot almost believable. I didn’t pick the villain before the big reveal at the end.
bplucind's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Suicide
Moderate: Blood, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy
helenfarch's review against another edition
4.0
What do you do if you find a dead body floating in the lake, but no-one believes you?
Why does everyone think that you are just making it up because of what happened to your dad?
This is what happens to Shaun in The Man In The Water by David Burton He lives in a remote mining town, where everyday life is a struggle and the survival of the town relies on the big mining companies.
This book makes you feel what is like to live in a town that is struggling just to survive. You feel the heat and the dust and the remoteness.
There is mystery surrounding the missing body - who is it?
And once that mystery is solved, why did the body disappear before Shaun could return with the police?
As Shaun and his best friend Will set about solving these mysteries, you get caught up in the twists and turns, false leads and the dead ends along with them.
But underneath the thrill of solving the mystery, the author also allows us to further our understanding of the struggles the families face, the despair of their uncertainty for the future, their courage and resilience in the face of that uncertainty, and opens our eyes to how real this struggle is for so many in rural Australia.
Why does everyone think that you are just making it up because of what happened to your dad?
This is what happens to Shaun in The Man In The Water by David Burton He lives in a remote mining town, where everyday life is a struggle and the survival of the town relies on the big mining companies.
This book makes you feel what is like to live in a town that is struggling just to survive. You feel the heat and the dust and the remoteness.
There is mystery surrounding the missing body - who is it?
And once that mystery is solved, why did the body disappear before Shaun could return with the police?
As Shaun and his best friend Will set about solving these mysteries, you get caught up in the twists and turns, false leads and the dead ends along with them.
But underneath the thrill of solving the mystery, the author also allows us to further our understanding of the struggles the families face, the despair of their uncertainty for the future, their courage and resilience in the face of that uncertainty, and opens our eyes to how real this struggle is for so many in rural Australia.
melbsreads's review against another edition
4.0
Trigger warnings: death, grief, mental health, death of a parent (in the past), .
I am 100% here for more novels set in small town Australia, especially when they're not straight up contemporaries. I also thoroughly enjoyed that this had a 14 year old protagonist rather than the typical 17 year old protagonists that YA is riddled with of late.
Anyway. I really really liked this. I liked the characters. I liked the setting. I liked the writing and the pacing. I liked the very low-key romance, which is super age appropriate given how old the protagonist is. And I liked the mystery side of things. This isn't a particularly long book but it packed a solid punch and I'd strongly recommend it.
Spoiler
suicide, murder, cheatingI am 100% here for more novels set in small town Australia, especially when they're not straight up contemporaries. I also thoroughly enjoyed that this had a 14 year old protagonist rather than the typical 17 year old protagonists that YA is riddled with of late.
Anyway. I really really liked this. I liked the characters. I liked the setting. I liked the writing and the pacing. I liked the very low-key romance, which is super age appropriate given how old the protagonist is. And I liked the mystery side of things. This isn't a particularly long book but it packed a solid punch and I'd strongly recommend it.
simplyallytea's review against another edition
4.0
"Fun little murder mystery that keeps you guessing."
This book was sent to me as part of The Man In The Water blog tour in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This novel follows the story of Shaun, an Australian high schooler who finds a body in a lake on a hot afternoon. After running to the police to tell them of what he found, the body goes missing and no one believes he saw a body in the first place. So Shaun decides to investigate to see if he can figure out the mystery behind the disappearance of the man in the water.
From the first sentence, the reader is thrown into the murder mystery as it slowly consumes Shaun’s every thought. Shaun’s character is fleshed out and felt very real. He truly was a teenager dealing with personal problems, school, wanting the girl he fancied to notice him while trying to prove his small town in the Aussie outback that he wasn’t lying. It reminded me of the days when I was a teen and adults refused to believe me just because I was a kid who didn’t know any better. Shaun was human, desperately seeking approval, attention and making mistakes. But unlike other YA protagonist, Shaun understands his mistakes and tries very hard to make amends rather than brushing them off. We need YA protagonists like this!
The plot overall was enjoyable. David Burton kept me second-guessing on who the “murderer” was and I was pleased that it is revealed in the end. The story also gave us a look into the life of coal workers in the outback which is a point of view I have never encountered since most stories happen in big cities or towns. It touched on topics on how the industry and mining companies affect a community and its families.
The Man in the Water was overall a pleasant read and would recommend to anyone wanting to read a quick YA thriller with an uncommon setting.
This book was sent to me as part of The Man In The Water blog tour in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This novel follows the story of Shaun, an Australian high schooler who finds a body in a lake on a hot afternoon. After running to the police to tell them of what he found, the body goes missing and no one believes he saw a body in the first place. So Shaun decides to investigate to see if he can figure out the mystery behind the disappearance of the man in the water.
From the first sentence, the reader is thrown into the murder mystery as it slowly consumes Shaun’s every thought. Shaun’s character is fleshed out and felt very real. He truly was a teenager dealing with personal problems, school, wanting the girl he fancied to notice him while trying to prove his small town in the Aussie outback that he wasn’t lying. It reminded me of the days when I was a teen and adults refused to believe me just because I was a kid who didn’t know any better. Shaun was human, desperately seeking approval, attention and making mistakes. But unlike other YA protagonist, Shaun understands his mistakes and tries very hard to make amends rather than brushing them off. We need YA protagonists like this!
The plot overall was enjoyable. David Burton kept me second-guessing on who the “murderer” was and I was pleased that it is revealed in the end. The story also gave us a look into the life of coal workers in the outback which is a point of view I have never encountered since most stories happen in big cities or towns. It touched on topics on how the industry and mining companies affect a community and its families.
The Man in the Water was overall a pleasant read and would recommend to anyone wanting to read a quick YA thriller with an uncommon setting.
kieranmarks's review against another edition
5.0
Such a gripping mystery with an extremely satisfying ending. I will never get sick of reading books set in Australia, this book feels like home. I also greatly appreciate the list of mental health resources at the end of the book :)
missusb21's review against another edition
4.0
This is a mature crime thriller, entirely appropriate for senior boys. David Burton, author of his memoir, How to be Happy, has composed a realistic and familiar story, set in a Qld mining town. His main character Shaun solves the mystery without too many incidental or contrived situations. Shaun is invested because he discovers the body, is attracted to a family member, and has little else to do with his time in this small community. Plus, there’s the distraction it offers from the ongoing grief of losing his father.
His best mate, Will, an aboriginal boy is a contrast and counterpoint to the intensely determined Shaun. His large happy family and easy going manner provides support and acceptance when everyone else seems to regard Shaun with suspicion and concern. The tragic circumstances surrounding this particular mysterious death create a sadness reflecting Shaun’s mental state, and his mum’s insistence that he sees a counsellor is a welcome touch.
Ultimately, Burton is making a political comment, a message for both governments and corporations about a topic that young people are unfortunately too aware of: power and corruption often go hand in hand with injustice and disregard of individuals who try to eek out a living from an increasingly uncaring society.
This writing is strong and authentic.
His best mate, Will, an aboriginal boy is a contrast and counterpoint to the intensely determined Shaun. His large happy family and easy going manner provides support and acceptance when everyone else seems to regard Shaun with suspicion and concern. The tragic circumstances surrounding this particular mysterious death create a sadness reflecting Shaun’s mental state, and his mum’s insistence that he sees a counsellor is a welcome touch.
Ultimately, Burton is making a political comment, a message for both governments and corporations about a topic that young people are unfortunately too aware of: power and corruption often go hand in hand with injustice and disregard of individuals who try to eek out a living from an increasingly uncaring society.
This writing is strong and authentic.
helenfarch's review
4.0
What do you do if you find a dead body floating in the lake, but no-one believes you?
Why does everyone think that you are just making it up because of what happened to your dad?
This is what happens to Shaun in The Man In The Water by David Burton He lives in a remote mining town, where everyday life is a struggle and the survival of the town relies on the big mining companies.
This book makes you feel what is like to live in a town that is struggling just to survive. You feel the heat and the dust and the remoteness.
There is mystery surrounding the missing body - who is it?
And once that mystery is solved, why did the body disappear before Shaun could return with the police?
As Shaun and his best friend Will set about solving these mysteries, you get caught up in the twists and turns, false leads and the dead ends along with them.
But underneath the thrill of solving the mystery, the author also allows us to further our understanding of the struggles the families face, the despair of their uncertainty for the future, their courage and resilience in the face of that uncertainty, and opens our eyes to how real this struggle is for so many in rural Australia.
Why does everyone think that you are just making it up because of what happened to your dad?
This is what happens to Shaun in The Man In The Water by David Burton He lives in a remote mining town, where everyday life is a struggle and the survival of the town relies on the big mining companies.
This book makes you feel what is like to live in a town that is struggling just to survive. You feel the heat and the dust and the remoteness.
There is mystery surrounding the missing body - who is it?
And once that mystery is solved, why did the body disappear before Shaun could return with the police?
As Shaun and his best friend Will set about solving these mysteries, you get caught up in the twists and turns, false leads and the dead ends along with them.
But underneath the thrill of solving the mystery, the author also allows us to further our understanding of the struggles the families face, the despair of their uncertainty for the future, their courage and resilience in the face of that uncertainty, and opens our eyes to how real this struggle is for so many in rural Australia.