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james1star's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Ummm… perfection. Like wow I was so hooked and invested, it was soo good. We follow our protagonist Ludwik who is writing a second person account to a summertime lover, Janusz set in 1980’s socialist Poland. I don’t want to explain any more but there’s obviously lots of stuff that happen and other characters and yhh - read it to know more. My only issue was in the middle there was maybe a little too much of a political storyline that I wasn’t expecting or in want of but it didn’t ruin it and the ending just gripped every part of me.
The plot I was here for but oh my the characters. I loved them, well Ludwik mainly but like ughh I needed good things to come his way. Also the writing and world building is exceptional, it’s so transportive, rich and vivid with detailed descriptions of places, people and scenes. For the first time I actually used a pencil to underline points that stood out to me and I have quotes and passages saved from nearly every page - it was soooo good. Let me share some:
‘And yet, it occurs to me now that we can never run with our lies indefinitely. Sooner or later we are forced to confront their darkness. We can choose the when, not the if. And the longer we wait, the more painful and uncertain it will be.‘
‘…we had no manual, no one to show us the way. Not one example of a happy couple made up of boys. How were we supposed to know what to do? Did we even believe that we deserve to get away with happiness?‘
‘Some things cannot be erased through silence. Some people have that power over you, whether you like it or not... Some people, some events, make you lose your head. They’re like guillotines, cutting your life in two, the dead and alive, the before and after.’
‘Shame, heavy and alive, had materialised, built from buried fears and desires.’
‘ I had always liked the act of leaving, the expanse between departure and arrival when you’re seemingly nowhere, defined by another kind of time.’
‘I had never seen you before - not consciously, anyway. Yet my mind felt strangely relieved, as if it had recognised someone.’
And I have so many more, exceptional wording with so much meaning in Jedrowski’s prose.
There was also so much realness to the story and characters. As a queer person, there will be so many things that speak to the heart of your psyche as Ludwik examines many things in his life like internalised homophobia, feeling othered from those around us even if nothing has happened yet, having thoughts and desires turn straight to shame, different timelines of experiences, this idea of ‘no manual’ or even if we are deserving of freedom, a life where we can just be. Not to get soppy or anything but it speaks to you and these connections are universal and timeless (for now anyway) - likeness can be drawn and it means so much.
I could talk about this book forever but Yhh please read it. It’s so good!!
The plot I was here for but oh my the characters. I loved them, well Ludwik mainly but like ughh I needed good things to come his way. Also the writing and world building is exceptional, it’s so transportive, rich and vivid with detailed descriptions of places, people and scenes. For the first time I actually used a pencil to underline points that stood out to me and I have quotes and passages saved from nearly every page - it was soooo good. Let me share some:
‘And yet, it occurs to me now that we can never run with our lies indefinitely. Sooner or later we are forced to confront their darkness. We can choose the when, not the if. And the longer we wait, the more painful and uncertain it will be.‘
‘…we had no manual, no one to show us the way. Not one example of a happy couple made up of boys. How were we supposed to know what to do? Did we even believe that we deserve to get away with happiness?‘
‘Some things cannot be erased through silence. Some people have that power over you, whether you like it or not... Some people, some events, make you lose your head. They’re like guillotines, cutting your life in two, the dead and alive, the before and after.’
‘Shame, heavy and alive, had materialised, built from buried fears and desires.’
‘ I had always liked the act of leaving, the expanse between departure and arrival when you’re seemingly nowhere, defined by another kind of time.’
‘I had never seen you before - not consciously, anyway. Yet my mind felt strangely relieved, as if it had recognised someone.’
And I have so many more, exceptional wording with so much meaning in Jedrowski’s prose.
There was also so much realness to the story and characters. As a queer person, there will be so many things that speak to the heart of your psyche as Ludwik examines many things in his life like internalised homophobia, feeling othered from those around us even if nothing has happened yet, having thoughts and desires turn straight to shame, different timelines of experiences, this idea of ‘no manual’ or even if we are deserving of freedom, a life where we can just be. Not to get soppy or anything but it speaks to you and these connections are universal and timeless (for now anyway) - likeness can be drawn and it means so much.
I could talk about this book forever but Yhh please read it. It’s so good!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Antisemitism, and Grief
thewordsdevourer's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
i went into this book knowing it would probably punch me in the gut, yet here i am, devastated and ever hateful of homophobia and repression after finishing it.
swimming in the dark shows life struggles in socialist poland, which are made doubly more complicated by being gay, as our main character(s) are. it has complex characters who dont pander to stereotypes or expectations. i also rly enjoy the depiction of life in poland at that time, esp ludwik's mounting frustration and fury built up from seemingly minute things to larger issues - that passport bureau scene is tense and excellent - showing the whole big picture of it all. his positionality and views on ways of survival that differ from janusz make for a nuanced exploration of both their relationship and country as well. hate making comparisons, but this is indeed reminiscent of cmbyn, albeit w/ much higher stakes.
i only wish the main couple's happier times were longer/shown more; we see their struggles but not enough of the good moments that bring them tgt in the first place and hold them through tougher times. the book's middle part - almost a montage of all the shitty aspects of life - somehow isnt as memorable; like i know what happened but am unable for the life of me rmb the order they happened in.
nonetheless, this is a beautifully written book full of ambivalence that's able to weave simple words w/ striking metaphor and imagery into literary art; i underlined at least a couple phrases and sentences on almost every pg. ludwik's loves in this book - for/ janusz, for his own country, and for freedom - are complex, emotional, and heartbreaking - the last couple pgs gut-wrenching - and made me cry. this is def a book to read for beautiful writing and if one wants to feel both sad and angry.
swimming in the dark shows life struggles in socialist poland, which are made doubly more complicated by being gay, as our main character(s) are. it has complex characters who dont pander to stereotypes or expectations. i also rly enjoy the depiction of life in poland at that time, esp ludwik's mounting frustration and fury built up from seemingly minute things to larger issues - that passport bureau scene is tense and excellent - showing the whole big picture of it all. his positionality and views on ways of survival that differ from janusz make for a nuanced exploration of both their relationship and country as well. hate making comparisons, but this is indeed reminiscent of cmbyn, albeit w/ much higher stakes.
i only wish the main couple's happier times were longer/shown more; we see their struggles but not enough of the good moments that bring them tgt in the first place and hold them through tougher times. the book's middle part - almost a montage of all the shitty aspects of life - somehow isnt as memorable; like i know what happened but am unable for the life of me rmb the order they happened in.
nonetheless, this is a beautifully written book full of ambivalence that's able to weave simple words w/ striking metaphor and imagery into literary art; i underlined at least a couple phrases and sentences on almost every pg. ludwik's loves in this book - for/ janusz, for his own country, and for freedom - are complex, emotional, and heartbreaking - the last couple pgs gut-wrenching - and made me cry. this is def a book to read for beautiful writing and if one wants to feel both sad and angry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, and Police brutality
Minor: Death, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Abandonment
my_plant_library's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Grief
Minor: Police brutality
paperbackwaffles's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
5.0
I love, love, loved this book and haven't been able to get it out of my head or even stop recommending it since I finished it. (It's now July.)
I don't typically read historical fiction but this is incredible. The writing itself is so beautifully written (also mad props to the translator because it's truly impeccable.)
It's a gorgeous read, a heart wrenching story, and I will never stop recommending it.
I don't typically read historical fiction but this is incredible. The writing itself is so beautifully written (also mad props to the translator because it's truly impeccable.)
It's a gorgeous read, a heart wrenching story, and I will never stop recommending it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Police brutality
kayleyhyde's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
writtenontheflyleaves's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
-
I read this for my gals book club and I never post my reviews for book club books until after we’ve met to discuss them, so it’s been a few weeks since I finished this but lemme tell ya: it’s magnificent.
-
🌊 The setting is Poland, 1980. Ludwik is about to graduate university when he is sent, along with his peers, to an agricultural camp, where he meets Janusz. They spend a dreamlike summer swimming in lakes and falling in love - but when they get back to Warsaw, they are exposed once again to the harsh realities of life under the Party. They must each decide how to survive, and whether their society will tear them apart.
-
I think it’s fair to say that this book definitely gives off Call Me By Your Name vibes. They’re both gay romances set in Europe in the 1980s; they both deal with intoxicating first love, romantic summers, and ultimately regret: both protagonists narrate their stories from a remove of some sort, and agonise over events that now seem fated and tragic. However, everything that the novel CMBYN does, imo Swimming in the Dark does better.
-
This is a novel about love and bravery within a system that makes so many of your decisions for you. Ludwik and Janusz are pulled in opposite directions by their solutions to the obstacles that face them within this system, and one of the key questions that the novel asks is what freedom looks like in any one life. It’s not just a love story, it’s a story about a love that reveals the characters and the country they live in with astonishing clarity. Guys, it’s a REALLY good book!!
-
🍃 Read it if you liked Call Me By Your Name, but have reservations about Aciman, or if you like love stories set against a political backdrop.
-
🚫 Avoid it if you’re feeling in the mood for something more meaty or fast paced (this novel is very gentle and nuanced and beautiful) or if you want something gritty - there are dark elements here but I wouldn’t necessarily call them gritty!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
-
I read this for my gals book club and I never post my reviews for book club books until after we’ve met to discuss them, so it’s been a few weeks since I finished this but lemme tell ya: it’s magnificent.
-
🌊 The setting is Poland, 1980. Ludwik is about to graduate university when he is sent, along with his peers, to an agricultural camp, where he meets Janusz. They spend a dreamlike summer swimming in lakes and falling in love - but when they get back to Warsaw, they are exposed once again to the harsh realities of life under the Party. They must each decide how to survive, and whether their society will tear them apart.
-
I think it’s fair to say that this book definitely gives off Call Me By Your Name vibes. They’re both gay romances set in Europe in the 1980s; they both deal with intoxicating first love, romantic summers, and ultimately regret: both protagonists narrate their stories from a remove of some sort, and agonise over events that now seem fated and tragic. However, everything that the novel CMBYN does, imo Swimming in the Dark does better.
-
This is a novel about love and bravery within a system that makes so many of your decisions for you. Ludwik and Janusz are pulled in opposite directions by their solutions to the obstacles that face them within this system, and one of the key questions that the novel asks is what freedom looks like in any one life. It’s not just a love story, it’s a story about a love that reveals the characters and the country they live in with astonishing clarity. Guys, it’s a REALLY good book!!
-
🍃 Read it if you liked Call Me By Your Name, but have reservations about Aciman, or if you like love stories set against a political backdrop.
-
🚫 Avoid it if you’re feeling in the mood for something more meaty or fast paced (this novel is very gentle and nuanced and beautiful) or if you want something gritty - there are dark elements here but I wouldn’t necessarily call them gritty!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Infidelity
Minor: Death, Police brutality, and Grief