The Night Swim

The Night Swim is equal parts twisty mystery and high-stakes court drama, but it is NOT a thriller. I don’t think that this is Megan Goldin’s fault at all; it’s just that this book might not find the right audiences and it’s more of a disservice to her because the The Night Swim is a great read.

Goldin masterfully weaves two different stories, 25 years apart, into a compelling narrative about rape culture. The POV and timeline switches are seamless. The two stories come together in a climax that was a bit… unrealistic? but fun nonetheless. Goldin’s pacing is tight and important clues were drip-fed in a way that kept luring you forward. The overall conclusion of the trial feels realistic, albeit a little open-ended.

I did have a few issues with Rachel Krall and Hannah Stills, the two titular protagonists, though. They both felt flat and underdeveloped. Rachel’s ground-breaking podcast felt like her only character trait. The characters involved in the court drama were more fleshed out, but that may have been Goldin’s aim since Rachel was intended to be a neutral outsider merely presenting the facts of the case. Yet, I would have preferred to see more of Rachel’s decisive opinions. Hannah simply felt like a specter, probably due to the nature of her interactions with Rachel.

As an avid podcast listener who closely followed Serial, the podcast that inspired this book, the podcast chapters felt a bit off. The tone didn’t sound like it came from a podcast - too impersonal and scripted. They felt too short, but that’s more of a nitpicky thing considering the tight pacing of the novel.

Goldin treats rape/sexual assault with a sensitive hand and does it justice, but there is some imagery that may be hard for some readers. Goldin also nails the fraught discourse surrounding how sexual assault is treated in the courts. She brings up an important question: Is justice delayed, justice denied? All in all, The Night Swim is a solid mystery with a well-crafted court drama that I couldn’t put down.