Geese Are Never Swans by Eva Clark

Geese Are Never Swans

by Eva Clark

“Packed full of emotion. . . . An influential read with a powerful message.”—Booklist


Whether goose or swan, I have wings. And I'll fly.

Gus's life is about one thing—swimming. And he knows that the only coach in town who can get him to the Olympics is Coach Marks. So it seems like a simple plan: convince Coach Marks to train him, and everything from there on in is just hard work. Gus has never been afraid of hard work.

But there are a few complications. For one thing, Coach Marks was Danny's coach. Danny, Gus's brother, committed suicide after failing to make the national swimming team—a big step on the way to the Olympics. And for another, Gus and Danny didn't exactly get along; Gus never liked living in Danny's shadow. A shadow that has grown even bigger since his death.

In this powerful novel about the punishing and the healing nature of sports, Gus's rage threatens to swallow him at every turn. He's angry at his brother, his mother, his coach . . . even himself. But as he works toward his goal and through his feelings, Gus does everything he can to channel this burning intensity into excelling at the sport that he and Danny both loved, and finds solace in the same place he must face his demons: in the water.

In addition to Gus's incredible narrative, there are four pieces of original art featured in Geese Are Never Swans. The art was curated by TaskForce, a creative agency that collaborates with the most influential nonprofits, brands, and people taking on the most pressing challenges facing our nation and our world. TaskForce builds capacity and community for those shaping a more empathetic society through public opinion and policy. The artists' interpretations of their work are included in the book.

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

4 of 5 stars

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Gus was pain personified. Not only was he reeling from his brother's death by suicide, he was also carrying around a lifetime of guilt related to his father's death. Struggling with all these emotions, he chose to be angry and to lash out at anyone who tried to get too close. Getting back into swimming was something that was both good and bad for him. He was spiraling out, eventually hit bottom, and it was surprising who was there to pick him back up and encourage his recovery. This book was very pro-therapy and pro-medication, which I appreciated, and shined a spotlight on some of the attitudes people have regarding mental health issues and how damaging those ideas are.

This was a tough read at times, but ultimately, it was hopeful.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 2 August, 2020: Finished reading
  • 2 August, 2020: Reviewed