Silver Water

The first thing that drew me in was just the fact that the narrator was reflecting/remembering the way things used to be in regards to her sister. It was clear that something had happened since the good times of the past and I found myself wanting to know what. I wasn't surprised at the end, as Bloom paced out the rising action of the story very well, so it was relatively easy to figure out what ended up happening to Rose. I think there was a very relaxed/calm tone throughout the piece - there was never a point where I was anxious or worried about what would happen. Everything felt slightly numb, which to me, felt like it was intentional on Bloom's part. Despite the fact that I didn't feel anxious or worried about what would happen, there was absolutely tension throughout. There was tension between the family and the various family therapists and between the family and Rose. It showed the difficulties of living with and loving a mentally unstable person. I think she just did a very good job of telling this story, and I had to continue to remind myself that it was fiction as I read it. The complexities of the characters and their reactions and responses to Rose and her actions made it feel so real and believable, as did the use of first person narrative. It made me feel like Violet was talking to me and telling me this story personally.