Katie's family is troubled. Her dad, a successful psychiatrist, is always gone. Her mother drinks too much. Her brother Will is schizophrenic. Katie and Will were very close as children, but after Will attempts suicide in a very public way, Katie's parents decide to send her to a boarding school. Katie finds that boarding school is not so bad and is accepted by the group of friends. However, part of their acceptance is based on the misunderstanding that Katie's brother died, and Katie does nothing to correct this misconception. Since she is an excellent swimmer, Katie is soon chosen as team captain, and when the captain of the boys swim team takes an interest in her, Katie should feel content. But things soon begin to spiral out of control.
This is a realistic depiction of a family in trouble, and the scenes at the boarding school ring true. It is fiction, but the novel is based on the author's experiences. A compelling read.
