The Night Pool by Lauren Lee Smith is a dark and brutal tale set in the Gold Rush West where three women live very similar, and yet wildly different lives, and each are forced to face horrific monsters.
Let’s dive in!
My Thoughts on The Night Pool by Lauren Lee Smith –
This tale begins with the arrival of a feisty daughter of a blacksmith, Clara, who has moved out west for her father to find work after tragedy had occurred at home. She has already met a monster on the trail to their new home, but tries to keep up appearances at the wish of her father. Things seem to be going well in that arena when Clara meets the town beauty, Clementine, who takes her under her wing.
But then one night, everything takes a turn when Clara is rescued from the water by Haloke, a native who couldn’t help but get too close to the Outsiders after the disease they had brought wreaked havoc on her village. That blip of light is the last bit of kindness seen before things turn very, very dark.
With each twist that comes, I was caught so off guard. So silly of me to keep hoping for things to turn around after the initial darkness. Boy, did this one keep getting more and more twisted!
I absolutely LOVED the mix of human and nonhuman monsters here. Per usual, the human monsters are the worst of the bunch. The times my blood boiled over things that occurred…
I had a BLAST reading this.
My Favorite Passages from The Night Pool –
Ruthless men are free to harm, and all the world is structured and waiting eagerly to keep them safe from the consequences of it.
The hills are a deep black that renders the night sky as blue as the mussels growing in spiky blankets outside Boston Bay.
I wonder idly how it must feel to walk into the night without fear, the way only men can.
“When you put your feet in my river, you are connected to the sea. The same sea that stretches all the way to your home across the ocean. They are one, without beginning or end. So, even here, you are home.”
“These are not men, they are animals!” Mei hisses the words, but I shake my head.
“No, animals are not cruel. Animals follow their nature. It is only man that kills because he enjoys it.”
“Come ‘ere, young lady.” Ellen’s voice is hoarse with weariness, tobacco, and too much talk.
The world is full of horrors; you do what you can. You try.
“Your sadness persists because your love does. So the dead will always be with you. Grief is precious, because it is your heart’s memory of love.”
My Final Thoughts on The Night Pool –
When I read the section of this book blurb that said it’s “perfect for fans of Alma Katsu’s The Hunger,” I was sold immediately. This is a killer comparison. Horror fans will have a great time with this read!
Thanks for reading!
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