I thought the book was dull and written in a boring tone. It was difficult to tell the difference in the voices of each character. I would not recommend it. There are too many other wonderful books to waste your time reading this one.

I think the idea of the story was good and I was intrigued to find out just exactly what had happened. However, there are a lot of story lines that were poorly developed or just dropped completely. There are characters introduced which I was interested in but then they never reappeared (e.g. Clement Owen's wife and Joe).

I enjoyed the reading and the main story line but had many questions left and the ending was very unsatisfying.

I really wanted this book to be better than it was. The underlying plot could've been better developed for a more enjoyable read. Instead, it was sporadic and a bit confusing at times. There were some unresolved issues and the ending was too abrupt. My impression was that the book got away from the author in some ways and took over.

I came accross this book while searching for a book for my bookclub, I didn't think the members would enjoy it, but I wanted to read it myself....I can not determine exactly how I feel about this book. At first I thought it was somewhat boring and complicated, but I tried to continue reading. As I continued to read, it became more interesting. The fact that the author changes narrators and time frames kept me interested. I don't love it, but I don't hate it either. It was a fairly good read.

This novel was not exactly a fan favorite in our book club, but the discussion was lively. Everyone had different perspectives and opinions which always makes for an interesting night.

I am one of those people who hated the Lucille Ball television program. I always felt if she just told the truth, unplugged the machine, etc. her problem would be solved. Same in this book. The secrets kept were kept for stupid reasons. The characters ruined each others lives by keeping these secrets. I just didn't find all this secrecy necessary or believable.

After finishing this book, I felt very unsatisfied. I felt the characters tried to grow and change, but in the end just came full circle with where they started. With every page I read I was worried about what horrible thing would happen to the characters or what horrible secret would be revealed.

Drowning Ruth is a good effort for new author, Christina Schwarz. Her time and character shifts help keep the reader interested and distract from some storytelling shortcomings. I think it's a good book for a club because it's an easy read and provides fodder for discussion.

Secrets are the focal point of this book...everyone has secrets which ultimately affect the lives of everyone in the book and their destinies. Excellent writing that draws you in and really paints a picture of the setting and time period. Highly recommended!!

I feel like I've read this before, just another culture and another time. It's a classic sister rivalry, love/hate relationship story. Somewhat predictable but entertaining.

This is a great book for book clubs. It tells the story of the inter-relationships women have. It is energetic and keeps a good pace.

Living in Wisconsin, we all liked the local references. The plot was dark with a lot of dysfunction running through most of the characters. It was interesting but a little disturbing. Good discussion book.