Sierra Jo’s Comments (group member since Sep 15, 2021)

Sierra Jo’s comments from the What's the Name of That Book??? group.

Hi all! I really appreciate any help you can provide. I read this book around 2012-2016.

The novel takes place in a small town next to a reservoir. The reservoir was created when the government built a dam downriver and flooded a town. The people of this town were warned, and most evacuated, but some decided to die with their town.

The opening scene is two sisters, and the older sister A is trying to get the younger sister B to swim across the reservoir and back. B isn't the strongest swimmer but reluctantly agrees. A and B both swim across and begin their way back. A takes the lead. Halfway through the reservoir, B loses her pace and struggles to keep up. She says that there is a cold spot in the water, which is strange. B eventually returns to the shore, and both A and B celebrate.

The story continues, a regular coming-of-age story for B, the protagonist. She's spending this summer trying to get out of her shell and find her place in the world. B starts noticing strange things, though. A is starting to control B more, watching where she goes. In one scene, B is in the backseat of a car filled with her friends. They are headed to a neighboring town for a party. B starts to feel weird, though. As the car crosses the town line, she finds herself on the road, 20 yards behind the car.

SPOILERS HERE! Come to find out, at the beginning of the story, B had drowned in the middle of the lake. B's body sunk to the town underwater. The residents wanted to claim her as their own. A made a deal with the ghosts that if they revived B, she would never leave the town.