Maybe 3.5 stars.

This book reads like a movie (not to be confused with a screenplay): strong imagery, visual symbolism, multiple tableaux. It’s different, not necessarily in a bad way, from most books, and does take some getting used to. The small-town interconnectedness — tangled personal histories, rumors and gossip and judgment oh my — really comes through, particularly with the switching POVs. I found the ending a little anticlimactic and sentimental, particularly the scene where

Spoiler

Jess sees the light as she drowns

, but overall it was a worthwhile read.