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A review by takecoverbooks
The Cure for Drowning by Loghan Paylor
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.5
A WWII story that focuses on the small human tragedies of living during the 1930s and 40s. It also addresses the hardships of queer people of the period, but in a way that feels universal, never romanticizing suffering or viewing relationships as the reward at the end of a trial.
Importantly, The Cure for Drowning doesn’t position WWII as the crucible in which the characters (and by extension, Canada) come of age. Instead, the war is simply an ordeal the characters survive. They aren’t benefited or matured by it, the characters that survive get to live. In that way, it’s a very interesting way to spin a narrative about the most overdiscussed and misunderstood war in English letters.
This is a beautifully written story about people often left on the margins of history: the poor, queer, racialized, and ostracized people who fought for a country that didn’t recognize their humanity. Definitely read it.
Importantly, The Cure for Drowning doesn’t position WWII as the crucible in which the characters (and by extension, Canada) come of age. Instead, the war is simply an ordeal the characters survive. They aren’t benefited or matured by it, the characters that survive get to live. In that way, it’s a very interesting way to spin a narrative about the most overdiscussed and misunderstood war in English letters.
This is a beautifully written story about people often left on the margins of history: the poor, queer, racialized, and ostracized people who fought for a country that didn’t recognize their humanity. Definitely read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Sexual content, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Transphobia, and War
Minor: Alcoholism and Violence