| Things We Found When the Water Went Down | |
| Author: | Tegan Nia Swanson |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Genre: | Literary fiction |
| Published: | 2022 (Catapult) |
| Pages: | 256 (paperback) |
| Isbn: | 9781646221707 |
| Pub Date: | December 6, 2022 |
| Cover Artist: | Dana Li |
Things We Found When the Water Went Down is a literary fiction novel by Tegan Nia Swanson. Published on December 6, 2022, it is Swanson's first novel.
Marietta Abernathy is an environmental activist and recluse living in the fictional town of Beau Caelais. When Hugo Mitchum, a coal miner, is found murdered, Abernathy is named the number one suspect by the authorities. Abernathy herself quickly disappears, however, and her daughter Lena starts researching her mother's life and activism to try and find her.[1]
Swanson is a transformative justice activist and works with victims of abuse. Things We Found When the Water Went Down was developed out of her experience, exploring themes of grief, abuse, and trauma. Describing the novel's genesis, Swanson said that:[2]
Things We Found When the Water Went Down was published on December 6, 2022, by Catapult.[3]
Things We Found When the Water Went Down received positive reviews from book critics.[4] Foreword Reviews praised Swanson's prose and the unique format of the book, which combined journal entries, police interview transcripts, and artwork.[5] Dana Dunham, writing in The Chicago Review of Books, said that Swanson was able to combine realistic writing with "a profound metaphorical exploration of trauma."[6] Publishers Weekly praised the novel for containing compelling characters and noted the undertones of horror throughout the book.[7] Kirkus Reviews praised Swanson's handling of the form shifts throughout the book and positively compared Swanson's writing to the visual art of Joseph Cornell. Booklist