Suitabook

The town that drowned

Riel Nason

Reading: Read in manageable sections, allowing time to discuss Ruby’s feelings and the town’s competing responses to change. The unhurried pace may suit readers who enjoy character development more than rapid plot movement.
Themes: Belonging and social judgement: Ruby becomes an outcast after falling through the ice and describing her underwater vision; she is also affected by how peers regard her brother. The story appears to take Ruby’s humiliation seriously while giving her a distinctive, credible voice; the exact resolution of her social position remains unclear.
Home, displacement and community change: A dam project will submerge most of Haverton, requiring residents to leave and confront the loss of familiar homes and communal life. The threatened destruction is presented as painful and disruptive, while the story also allows for change and renewal rather than reducing the community to one response.
Family difference and responsibility: Ruby’s younger brother Percy is portrayed as unusual, highly articulate and distressed when routines change, while Ruby is protective of him. The book leaves its stance open to more than one reading.
Worth knowing: Pay attention to the near-drowning, Ruby’s underwater vision, peer derision, family strain and the community’s impending loss of homes. The atmosphere includes dread and emotional pathos, though the writing is also described as gentle.