Lynn Steger Strong’s fourth novel opens much like her previous one, with maladjusted siblings gathering during a family crisis. This one, The Float Test, brings the Kenner family together in a wealthy area of southern Florida after the unexpected death of their mother.
The third-oldest sibling, Jude, is our omniscient narrator — a fact that gives this novel an innovative approach, but one that ends up being confusing and a little weird. For one thing, Jude freely admits she’s lost touch with her siblings over the years, but can somehow recount the most intimate details of their lives and relationships.The oldest sibling, Jen, is a tradwife-style mom to several children; Fred, short for Winnifred, is the writer of the family; and baby brother George is estranged from his wife, floundering in his career and harboring a secret crush on one of his sister’s friends. If this all sounds unwieldy, it’s because it is. The novel weaves in so many side characters and moving parts that it’s sometimes challenging to keep the story straight.
That said, Steger Strong’s writing is superb. She has a flair for dialogue and creates memorable scenes that reflect the complexity of sibling bonds. She also sets her novel in the thick, humid atmosphere of south Florida, and the book’s title ends up being an apt metaphor for life: While many a novice swimmer can manage to stay afloat while paddling, it’s harder to lie back and just let the water carry you.
The Float Test is a slow-burn family drama that offers great writing and interesting characters, and even a relevant environmental message. But the overwrought storyline left me feeling adrift and looking for a life jacket.
