To Swim Beneath the Earth
By Ginger Bensman
There are a lot of things to like about this book. The first is the obvious; the plotline is quite interesting. Megan Kimsey has been haunted by visions of the past that somehow tie into her present. But these aren’t visions from her childhood, Megan sees images of events that played out 400 years ago in an Incan Tribe seemingly unrelated to her. What are the visions and what do they say about Megan’s life up to this point?—not to mention what they may reveal about her future…?
The answers to these questions slowly unfold as we watch our protagonist struggle to understand what she’s been suffering through. Readers will be left speechless, angry, excited, thrilled, and mesmerized by this story. It’s certainly entertaining and full of surprises. I would call this piece an ‘active’ read as it definitely got me involved in the story. I was desperately trying to put the puzzle together right alongside Megan which only goes to show how edge-of-your-seat the book is.
Don’t get me wrong, its not a heart-pounding action novel but the mystery, the feeling of what will happen next? And the crafty writing will grip you from beginning to end.
Speaking of the writing…
Bensman is probably one of the most meticulous writers I’ve ever reviewed. Going through her novel, I could clearly see how much work and how much effort was put into this book. Her PhD in Human Development played a role in the development of Megan’s character and the way she responded to her visions. Psychological illnesses were even suggested throughout the book, while Bensman may not be a psychologist, her background definitely came through in her writing. She handled her characters well and took the audience into account while she laid out the plot. I understood everything that happened, I never felt confused, but most of all, I felt entertained.
Its hard to tie in two different eras in one book, especially when they’re 400 years apart. So much depth and so much heart was poured into this book, I’m very pleased to say I got the chance to read such an awesome novel. This is the type of writing I’d hope to see from many more authors.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery, a little suspense, and good old drama. The writing is spectacular yet easy to follow, I believe it will make a great read for young adults and up.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*