Praise for Floating in the Neversink

Floating In The Neversink is a complex and tightly woven “novel in stories” told from the perspective of young Amanda (Mandy) Gerber. A pre-teen when the book opens in 1955, it follows Mandy through her adolescence and high school years, recounting her summers with her extended family in the Catskills and the other seasons back in Brooklyn. Simon’s remarkably detailed descriptions of these settings are an immersive treat for her readers, being gritty enough to overcome any over-enthusiastic nostalgia. And as the book includes subject matter related to the sexual assault of children, mental illness, racism, and suicide, readers should be prepared with trigger warnings.

Yet even as Simon’s writing exposes the sharper edges of the Catskills for Mandy and her family, it also celebrates the best of these memories. Her deep relationships with her grandmothers and seeing how Mandy, and her sister and cousins are shaped by their shared experiences, is a joyful tribute to family that shines out from the underlying dark conflicts. Over the course of the stories, Simon deftly unfolds the nuances of her characters, all of whom are humanly imperfect, yet all of whom remain somewhat shadowy around the edges. This is the essential challenge of the book as a collection of short stories. It succeeds because of the strong continuity and its detailed character development. It succeeds when understood as a series of memories, but readers will be left without the whole of Mandy’s story.

Will readers be satisfied with this sense of incompleteness? Floating In The Neversink demands that its protagonist accept that there are things that can’t or won’t be discussed. That there are secrets and things that are unknowable in every family. And Simon doesn’t give her readers any more insight than she allows to Mandy. The result, is a thought-provoking and beautifully written book that will challenge how its readers think about how an individual weaves the tapestry of her family’s collective memory. —Rabbi Deborah Miller, Books and Blintzes

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“Her keen observations are those of a Jewish teen coming of age, dating anniversaries to the dates of getting braces, remembering the outfits of the Catholic-school girls in her Brooklyn neighborhood and relishing outdoor, secret adventures in the Catskill woods as well as 'tutti-fruiti' ice cream. This novel too has its dark edges, as Simon explores complexities of friendship and family.” —Sandee Brawarsky, The New York Jewish Week

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Interview with Lilith Magazine

https://www.lilith.org/blog/2020/01/otherness-and-family-secrets-stories-from-the-borscht-belt/

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Review Rating: 5 Stars 

Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers’ Favorite

“Floating in the Neversink by Andrea Simon is an extraordinary novel. In the summer of 1955, nine-year-old Amanda Gerber has to say goodbye to her best friend, Francine. She travels from Brooklyn to deep within the Catskill Mountains, where Grandma Sarah lives. Although she is sad to be apart from Francine and worries that her absence will end their friendship, Amanda soon meets her cousin Laura who joins her on an exciting and sometimes dangerous adventure. Amanda also meets some eccentric and colorful members of her extended family. With each summer break spent with Grandma Sarah, Amanda learns that becoming a teenager brings new challenges and responsibilities. She also discovers that sometimes not everyone has good intentions or values. As her family faces tragedy, relationship breakdowns, and dark secrets from the past, Amanda learns the importance of treasuring the relationships with those you love.

Floating in the Neversink by Andrea Simon is a descriptive narrative that will transport you back to the innocence of your childhood. I resonated immediately with the eclectic mix of characters. Each of their backstories was well-detailed, which made their personalities so realistic and vivid. Their reactions to each situation were believable. I feel the sharp and authentic dialogue was the strength of this novel. It powerfully encapsulated the emotions of the characters. I thought the conversation between Amanda and her father around mental illness was particularly poignant. Although I adored Amanda, I also loved Laura and her strong character and sharp sense of humor. Her personality particularly shone through when discussing the origins of snow with Grandma Sarah; her reply was hysterical. The plot explores vital issues that every teenager will face in their lives, such as relationships with the opposite sex, family tensions, peer pressure, and grief. There were also subtle but powerful life lessons entwined throughout the plot, like her father not becoming a doctor. This line from Amanda around qualifying as a doctor was superb: “I guess they didn’t need to know that stuff in the sweater factory.” Many scenes highlight the importance of accepting differences in others, the willingness to step out of your comfort zone, and attempting new challenges. It is a highly engaging coming-of-age novel.”

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“The interconnected stories of Floating in the Neversink at first glance seem to portray the innocence of an idyllic past, but soon frays at the edges with its deep secrets, Amanda's unreciprocated love for her father and desire for his approval, even the darkness of sexual violation. In this novel, Andrea Simon captures the loveliness and loneliness of Amanda’s youth, and how she comes to terms with the contradictions of her childhood.” —Michelle Cameron, author of The Fruit of Her Hands and Beyond the Ghetto Gates

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“The narrator of this humorous and poignant collection of linked short stories is Amanda Gerber, a lively and inquisitive Jewish girl, growing up in the 1950s. Mandy divides her time between a predominantly Catholic neighborhood in Brooklyn, and a Jewish summer community in New York’s Catskill Mountains where she’s surrounded by her large, multi-generational family…. In her beautiful, descriptive prose, Andrea Simon captures not only the experiences of a childhood but paints a portrait of an entire culture. Here is a broad human seriocomedy flavored with cheese blintzes and vanilla egg creams.”—Katherine Kirkpatrick, author of The Snow Baby and Mysterious Bones

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“I laughed and cried at these vivid stories of a girl’s Catskills summers and Brooklyn school days as she ages from 9 to 15, from 1955-1961. Adventurous, dauntless Mandy, with her shyer cousin at her side, navigates the inexplicable world of her family with canny observations and a sense of survival. The adults are mired in fading jobs, their real gifts lost in the grind of living and their unspoken secrets: uncles died young, a neighbor’s perversity, job loss, infidelity, near drowning, and mental instability. Through all of this, curious Mandy shapes her own world in the woods, in grandmothers’ card games, and shut-away rooms.  Floating in the Neversink is a joy to read.”—Stephanie Cowell, author Claude and Camille and Marrying Mozart. American Book Award winner.

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“An engrossing, vivid coming-of-age novel.” —BookBub, New Releases

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 Question and Answer with Deborah Kalb

https://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/2019/09/q-with-andrea-simon.html?fbclid=IwAR1C59S5mHcV00alLyJzzPj2MT_i4lPeBxOleQTJuQXiMV12NKwLKamcvh0

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 “Floating in the Neversink” by Andrea Simon is an emotional, dramatic, captivating and coming of age story…. I appreciate that the author discusses such problems as mental illness, emotional and physical abuse, loyalty and betrayals, the importance of family, love, and hope. I would recommend this novel for readers who enjoy thought-provoking novels.” —Linda Zagon, Linda’s Book Obsession

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“Loved the rambunctious cast of characters like the three grandmothers playing gin while the girls help out. Great details like one asking for coffee with a little something sweet, so she is served with half a piece of marble cake. The Yiddish thrown in, always with questions to translate, is charming…. Great setting of place and scene … lovely touches of language…. A tour de force…. A nostalgic piece about an epoch that those who lived it remember, like jacks, TV shows, m&m’s, names of streets and schools. All the details strike true. Also a growing up novel about relationships between friends: their passionate love like blood sisters and special rock, excitement at reunions, betrayals and disappointments. But above all a look deep into the soul of a young person in all her sweetness, longing, and vulnerability.” —Helen Schary Motro, author of Maneuvering Between the Headlines: An American Lives Through the Intifada

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Too Jewish radio interview with Rabbi Sam Cohon:
#podcast https://podbean.com/eau/pb-sb6a9-c4375a… on #Podbean

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“Floating in the Neversink is, at its heart, a story of friendship. It made me nostalgic for childhood friendships and immediately grabbed me with the authenticity in how that special bond was depicted. It’s also Amanda’s story, and she’s a survivor. I found her relatable and endearing…. Overall, Floating in the Neversink impressed me with its truth and heart.” —Jennifer, Tar Heel Reader

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Probing Interview with author Jeanie Roberts

www.thebookdelight.com/2020/07/author-interview-andrea-simon

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“Andrea Simon has written a beautiful coming of age story. The book perfectly captures the innocence, hope and heartbreak of youth. 1955 Brooklyn, Mandy loves her life in Brooklyn and her summers in the Catskills. The story is entirely told in Mandy’s voice, each chapter is a short story a little snapshot of Mandy’s life. You will meet her colorful family, or loyal friend, you will feel her hope, and fear her pain. The story is poignant and raw and touches on some tough subjects such as abuse and grief. The book is also nostalgic and charming and reminds you of all the hope and innocence of youth. My only complaint is it ended too quickly.”—Berit, Audio Killed the Bookmark

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“This book has some truly amazing portions … that definitely could spark conversations between teens and the adults in their lives…. The author definitely knows and understands the area and time period that is covered within this book.”—Ruth Hill, My Devotional Thoughts

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“While I have never been to the Catskills, author Andrea Simon’s detailed writing helped me imagine what daily life looked like during this time. The 1950s Borscht Belt was detailed so beautifully that I felt transported there myself. Simon’s writing also brought back memories of my own summer adventures at a child. While many of the stories include light-hearted moments and observations, there are heavier topics interspersed that give this book a level of depth and introspection. I especially loved how mental health and abuse were covered in a thoughtful yet powerful manner. The stories weaved together childhood friendship, loyalty, secrets, betrayal and finding your true self and voice. I found that the “story format” worked well with Mandy narrating a snapshot of her life. These stories included many things that a preteen would be focusing on while also incorporating the darker parts of her daily life. In a time when many more complicated issues were often “swept under the rug” and not discussed, this was a fascinating way of sharing this story.” —Genevieve Trono, Gen the Bookworm

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“This book is told in an interesting way; each chapter is its own story. I found this to be a fun take on the telling of a story.
The book also flips between Mandy's time spent in Brooklyn and her time spent in the Catskills. The way that Simon writes allows for you as the reader to feel Mandy's emotions. Which, is something I find not all authors can do. The book tells the pivotal stories of Mandy's life and with each story, you can get a sense of what she's feeling. Not only was Simon able to make you feel such strong emotions, but she was also able to paint intense imagery. Reading each story made you feel like you were there, next to Mandy as everything unfolded. Simon doesn't shy away from much when she's telling Mandy's story either. As the reader, you get to see the struggles that Mandy faces with her friendships and at home. (Mandy's character went through some uncomfortable scenarios going up.) I really enjoyed Floating in the Neversink. If you're looking for a good book to cozy up with, I would definitely recommend this one.” —Jillian Bielen, For the Love of Dewey

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“I love the authenticity of this novel. From the beautiful writing that made me feel as though I was transported back to the summer of 1955. Andrea Simon captured this wonderfully. The theme of friendship is ever present in Floating in the Neversink. It was a bit nostalgic about childhood friendship. There are also dark themes of abuse and mental illness is addressed with respect. I was very impressed. Floating in the Neversink isn’t necessarily a book I would grab for, but I’m glad I didn’t miss out on it! It’s a beautiful story with a lot of heart and wonderful writing. Definitely worth a read.” — Jessica Belmont, writer and blogger

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“Amanda is a sweet, appealing character. Her devotion to her friends shines out, even when they no longer return her affection. It’s sad to see how her father treats the women in the family, as if they have no brains or sense. Amanda longs for his interest, but he never sees his daughter as a person. Readers discover more about him by reading between the lines, especially when Amanda and Laura uncover a family secret. ‘Floating in the Neversink’ is definitely a novel in stories…. But that doesn’t affect the pleasure of reading them.” —Rabbi Rachel Esserman, The Reporter, Jewish Federation of Broome County

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“This beautifully written book is told with a series of short stories about the narrator's summers at her grandmother's country home. It is left to the reader to fill in what happens during the rest of the year as Mandy grows up. In the beginning, Mandy is reluctant to leave her best friend in the city at the beginning of the summer, and reluctant to leave her cousin at the end of the summer. The stories center on childhood adventures like visiting a special rock in the woods. Gradually, the story expands to include family love and loyalty set against issues of religion, mental illness, betrayal, and abuse. Over the six years of Mandy's life portrayed in this book, we are treated to episodes of poignant pre-adolescence, with all the loneliness and longing that entails. Wonderful book that will awaken your own vibrant nostalgia.” —Linda Ulleseit, Paper Lantern Writers

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Review and Interview with Heidi Slonowski

“In Floating in the Neversink, author Andrea Simon transports her readers to 1950s Brooklyn where we meet 9-year-old Amanda Gerber. Mandy, as she’s known to her friends and family, is faced with a summer away from her best friend, Francine as her family heads to her grandmother’s summer home in the Catskills. Mandy finds solace in being able to spend her time with her favorite cousin, Laura.

Simon creates a coming of age story while exploring the Jewish experience in the mid-1950s to early 60s. The story weaves together a colorful and tumultuous cast of characters in the Gerber extended family. With the story being told from the viewpoint of a child, she’s often shielded from her family history, which means so is the reader, creating an element of mystery to the story. This is a story is a balance of love, friendship, and self-discovery with some darker moments physical abuse and mental illness.

This is a beautifully written, well-paced read.” Five Stars

2020/08/18/an-interview-with-andrea-simon

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Interview with Ashley Hasty of Hasty Book List

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Review by Award-Winning Author, Kathleen Rodgers

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Interview with Jen Stewart, The Borscht Belt Tattler

https://www.instagram.com/p/CgbxH3-A99R/603/11020113-andrea-simon