However, decades after this meeting, LeeLee became a successful attorney while Ginny was nowhere to be found. She grew increasingly erratic over the years until she dropped out of their friend circle, all but vanishing into thin air. Everyone else has simply had to go along with their lives without her.
But then Peace, their mutual old flame, appears again in LeeLee’s life, followed shortly by an email saying that Ginny is dead and Peace is to blame. This stirs up old ghosts and threatens the balance of everyone’s lives.
The story of Ginny’s downward spiral alternates with that of LeeLee’s attempts to uncover the truth, making for a fascinating tale that is part contemporary women’s fiction, part thriller, part magical realism. Alexander shows a deft touch in combining all these genres into one cohesive and tightly knitted narrative, making for a book that enchants and enthralls. The whole book is steeped in its small-town Southern setting until one can practically smell pluff mud and river water coming out of every page.
Alexander’s greatest strength is with character. Even the secondary characters feel as though they have life lurking behind them, and the protagonists truly shine. She does a wonderful job writing women who are complex and flawed and ultimately sympathetic, showing conflicts to which there is no easy answer, where any choice could be right or wrong.
Mean Low Water has all the best parts of its component genres, from rich characterization to an intriguing plot and a vibrant setting. From the first chapter, I was in love, and the book kept me hooked all the way through. I highly recommend this book for people who want something literary without pretension or grounded but with a fantastical touch. I loved it and am eager to see more of Stephanie Alexander’s writing.