Summary
When we first meet Philomena Ash, she is an agitated infant, trying to kick her way to what she wants, even if she isn’t sure what that really is. When her parents take her to her first aqua baby class, however, everything suddenly seems right in the world. Philomena miraculously finds her calling in the pool and eventually achieves swimming greatness in her late teenage years, winning 12 Olympic gold medals. Although she is an amazing athlete, Philomena (“Pip” as her teammates call her) cannot make sense of anything else around her – family members, friends, the Catholic nuns in her life – even her own self.
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Critique
A beautifully written first novel, full of introspective glances, wonderful metaphors, and fascinating insight into what it takes to compete in the world of top caliber athletes.
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