Fish out of water by Kate Hendrick

Finn is a highly driven swimming champion, constantly running, challenging himself to the extreme. It’s not long before the reader realises that maybe there is something he is running from, a reason why he is constantly pushing himself, never slowing very long to stop, think, and recollect things from the past. The face that he sees in the crowd and leads to him losing a swimming competition, is not just a chance mistake. There is something seriously wrong that Finn just does not want to face.

There are three people who care about Finn and challenge him to delve into his motivations: his older sister Connie who remains loyal and committed to supporting him, the confronting feminist student Aaliyah with her probing questions, and his new friend Loki who seems like the perfect mate until he reveals that he is gay.

Hendrick’s novel is fast-paced and keeps the reader engaged. Gradually the pieces come together and we realise that there are serious issues being depicted here: domestic violence and coercive control, and the child’s problem of trying to reconcile two opposing images of the loved father and the violent abuser. And then there is the horror of realising that Finn himself is at risk of perpetuating the same abuse that his father enacted towards his mother.

All of this is explored within the framework of a mystery novel, with a revelation that is not quite unexpected at the end. It is a well crafted story that keeps the reader engaged, though some might seek a better resolution of some of the issues raised.

Teaching notes are available from Text Publishing

Themes: Trauma, Domestic violence, Abuse, Gender issues, LGBQTI.

Helen Eddy