Episode 14: Poolside
Summary: Grab your towel and flip flops, we’re hanging out poolside this week. Today, Holly and Devin discuss books featuring pools. They discover that Holly has always thought pools were creepy (thanks, “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”) and that sometimes a pool doesn't even have to have water in it to act as a plot device! Devin prefers pools to the ocean, and Holly doesn’t make fun of her for it at all. Overall, it’s another fun summer theme that carries polar opposite energies depending on the book genre.
Topics Discussed:
The Heart (2:46): Devin discussed The People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry, a book that elaborates upon the “will they, won’t they” friendship of Poppy Wright and Alex Nilson over a decade, culminating in a less-than-ideal vacation in Palm Springs. Poppy is vibrant, outgoing, and adventurous. Alex loves khakis and a quiet night with a book. They’ve been going on summer vacations for a decade, but nothing is that simple. Her key takeaways were:
The friends to lovers trope can feel so overdone and boring, but Henry goes above and beyond to refresh it in this book that centers around a Palm Springs cheap motel but really delves deeply into what makes friendship platonic, romantic, and enduring through time.
The pool in this novel is found empty after an unfortunate poop accident, and though there is no lounging and splashing, the pool acts as a catalyst for the tension to build and ultimately break between Poppy and Alex.
A delightful summer read, this novel harkens back to the Meg Ryan Rom-Com golden era; it brings the steam of modern romance with the nostalgia and energy of When Harry Met Sally.
The Dagger (16:54): Holly discussed The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon, a supernaturally creepy novel that follows social worker Jax as she navigates her relationship with a manic and unstable sister, Lexie. Things come to a head when Jax receives nine missed calls and frantic voicemails from her one night. The next day, Jackie finds out that Lexie is dead – drowned in the deep, dark spring-fed pool they grew up swimming in at their grandmother’s Vermont house, Sparrow Crest. Her key takeaways were:
McMahon balances a dual timeline narrative incredibly well; they directly relate to one another and the same core plot, even though they are told from different moments in history.
The setting of an old Vermont house with a spring-fed pool out back that was rumored to be bottomless is the perfect backdrop for a supernaturally spooky plot line and exploration into family drama.
McMahon delves into the concept of a wishing well, of water being sacred and gifts from gods, to give the book good historical grounding and a modern twist on a benign children’s story to fantastic effect.
Hot On the Shelf (31:15):
What’s Making Our Hearts Race (35:19):
Devin: Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+
Holly: New reading spaces (including outdoor) in California
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