Chloe Lane’s The Swimmers dives into the murky depths of euthanasia with dark humour

The Swimmers by Chloe Lane

Justine Carbery

July 03 2022 02:30 AM

The Swimmers Chloe Lane Gallic Books, €18.15

Chloe Lane’s debut novel, The Swimmers, started life as a short story, but developed into a novel. It follows 26 year-old aspiring artist Erin Moore over the course of a long weekend in Northland, New Zealand.

She’s on her way to a family gathering in their country homestead. Her aunt, who’s driving Erin home, lets slip that Erin’s mother Helen, who is suffering from Motor Neurone Disease, has planned her own suicide. Very soon. In fact, she plans to put herself out of her misery the following Tuesday.

Erin is understandably thrown by this revelation, especially as her mum confided in her sister, Aunty Wynn, with whom she has a testy relationship, instead of talking to Erin.

Her mother’s condition has deteriorated rapidly and she now has to be tube-fed and is unable to speak. The only way she can communicate is through a thumbs up (or middle finger), or iPad messages, “woodpecking out each letter”.

Erin, already a bit of a mess after a recent break-up with her married boyfriend, is cast adrift by this shocking news, though she quickly accepts her mother’s decision, determined to help her fulfil her final wishes.

But Erin also makes dodgy personal choices, which could potentially land her in trouble, and the ensuing chaos highlights the strain a terminal illness can have on a family.

All the Moore women are swimmers and you gradually see the parallels between the rigours of their chosen sport and the isolation and determination required to face a terrible illness.

The characters in this deceptively simple tale are well-drawn, and family relationships are explored through recollections of the past and reactions to the present crisis. Erin is a bit of a loose cannon; reckless, selfish and not always likeable.

But this makes the novel all the more realistic. Instead of rising to the occasion, Erin goes into meltdown before finding the courage to accept the inevitable.

The Swimmers prompts the question: what would any of us do in a similar situation? Despite its serious theme, there are funny moments – witty conversations between the two sisters, quirky mother and daughter exchanges and some local scandal.

Entertaining interludes in a novel with a profound dilemma at its heart.