When Magdalena learns that her younger sister has disappeared, she does not immediately panic. A free-spirit, Jadranka has always been prone to mysterious absences and she has never seen a future on Rosmarina, the isolated Croatian island where their family has lived for generations. But when weeks pass with no word, Magdalena leaves behind her Adriatic home and sets off to New York to find her sister. Magdalena's search begins to unspool the dark history of their family: from the brother and sister who fought as partisans during WWII, at a terrible price; to their children, forced to make devastating choices under the pall of the Soviet era; to their children, the sisters at the center of the novel, who carry the family's secrets in their blood. A haunting and sure-footed debut, THE FIRST RULE OF SWIMMING explores the legacy of betrayal and persecution in a place where beauty is fused inextricably with hardship, where nonconformity - especially by women - is stifled by cultural taboo, and where the lure of leaving is countered by the summons of family and home.
The First Rule of Swimming is a labyrinth of a read, providing vignettes of stories from various members of this family. It's a fascinating, lyrical and engrossing read that must be experienced because really, even my blog review couldn't quite capture what the story is all about. This novel may not be for everyone as it can move rather slowly for some but I highly recommend it if you’re looking for something new to read or are into reading novels featuring family drama.
My complete review of the novel was originally posted at eclectictales.com: http://www.eclectictales.com/blog/2013/05/14/review-the-first-rule-of-swimming/
