The Midnight Swim
After Dr Amelia Brooks is believed to have drowned during a deep-water dive at Spirit Lake her three daughters return to the Iowa lakeside home to settle up affairs. Somewhat estranged the young women convene to discuss plans for the property and are afforded some valuable time to reconnect with each other. The more introverted June often turns to a video camera to diarise her feelings and from these intimate testimonials a damaged portrait of loneliness emerges.
The intimate bonds of sisterhood also weigh heavy with the past. The memories are hard to let go. So too is the lake which has a bewitching influence over the atmosphere and seems to be having a particularly haunting effect on June. Sarah Adina Smith’s vivid debut is a confident and nuanced vision of the environments and people who shape our identities and the uncanny dominion we might command in return.
The Midnight Swim is available now.