‘We’ve always been a secret, Ludwik. It’s just that until now there was no one to hide from.’

OK, let’s get the ‘for fans of…’ bit over with. Yes, there are echoes of Hollinghurst, of Aciman, of Philippe Besson. But the book that is at the heart of this new debut novel from Tomasz Jedrowski is James Baldwin’s ‘Giovanni’s Room’ – both in terms of its social politics and because the central characters both read the book during the course of the novel.

Set in early 1980s Poland, the story of twenty-two-year-old Ludwik and the enigmatic Janusz is replayed by the older Ludwik as he writes perhaps a letter, perhaps just his memories, looking back at their brief relationship from his new home in New York. Sent to educational camp, they take off once it is over and spend an idyllic few weeks camping by a remote lake, falling in love and escaping from the real world. This moment of Edenic existence soon comes to an end as they have to re-enter the real world, and very soon the social and political upheaval of 1980’s Warsaw comes to define their relationship. As Ludwik becomes more and more involved in the resistance to martial law and social injustice, Janusz gets a job in the Office of Press Control and sees how he must ‘fit in’ with the political situation. This theme of the book gives it its strength, and as Ludwik tries to start a doctorate on the theme of racism in the (other) novels of James Baldwin – ‘Giovanni’s Room’ not being published in Poland – the parallels between the two works create a deeper structure to Jedrowski’s work.

As the relationship gets strained, and Ludwik finds himself caught up in a group of friends with power and influence, he and Janusz must come to terms with their sexuality, and make tough choices. When Ludwik makes the decision to apply for a passport in order to leave the country, past events come to haunt him and he has to fight for his freedom. The final resolution is as heart-breaking as it is inevitable.

Jedrowski is an interesting writer, and chose to write this in English rather than Polish. At times, perhaps as a result of a debut novel, the prose is a little overwrought, the metaphors a little too heavy-handed. But get past this and some of the writing is superb, handling the sensitive love affair with lyricism and real understanding. And, always, the spectre of Communist Poland lurks in the background, giving this an intellectual depth and a wider political context. This background gives a setting for a book that explores identity, sexuality and finding a space for being yourself. Touching, intelligent and well-written, this is a definite recommend. 4 stars, and I look forward to much more from this promising writer.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

This is a story about homosexual love in Poland when it was still under communist control in the 1960s. The central character, Ludwik Glowacki, has a first teenage relationship with Beniek - who turns out to be Jewish - but his family, faced with anti-Semitism in Poland, go to Israel. Ludwik then has a couple of other rather more unsavoury encounters and, finally, meets Janusz with whom he falls in love.

There is an interesting tension in their relationship from the start. Ludwik is almost careless in expressing forbidden affections but Janusz seems to have a better understanding of how the world works. However, they still manage to have a camping holiday together and develop a proper relationship. Meanwhile, Ludwik explores the possibility of a further degree at his old university.

As the book develops the difference in their outlooks begins to drive them apart. Janusz now has a girlfriend and a job in the government and knows that he has to maintain much more of a front. Ludwik doesn't cope well with this and it causes problems. Hania, the girlfriend turns out to have a father who has close links to the leadership of the country so she throws good parties and lives well.

Everything comes to a head when Ludwik's application for a doctorate is rejected and it turns out that the police have files on him identifying him as a sexual deviant. He was betrayed by one of his earlier encounters. The only way for him to get a passport and visa for the United States is through Hania and the price he has to pay is to admit his homosexuality to her, admit his corrupt desire for Janusz and claim that Janusz has no knowledge of this and thinks they are simply friends. She has an incentive to see the back of him, pull strings to get a passport and visa for him and then marries Janusz.

It's a sad ending and nostalgic for Ludwik settled in the United States and telling the story from there. It's a story in which love fails to conquer all but it is sweetly told and has a neat sting in its tail. It's worth a read!

This is a lyrical story of love and loss. Written from a first-person perspective, it is largely a reflection on experiences in the past that is a coming of age set in a turbulent period in history. As such, it is, to a certain extent, similar to The Riddle of the Sphinx by Alexandre Montagu. Such stories provide a social documentary from a personal perspective, which counterbalances the evolution of the personal relationship described.

There is limited tension and given that it is reflective, it is clear that the central character survives. Consequently, the writing style and pace is not hurried. That said, there are jumps in time that seem to reflect the memories related rather than being inherently central to the plot.

The romance between the central characters does relate moments of passion, but these are not described in detail, rather emphasise the emotions involved.

The story concludes without resolution, as it is presented as a snapshot of the past rather than a story with a plotline.

The writing is approachable and it is not a lengthy read, as such it provides and interesting and pleasant diversion.

It is so exciting to read great work from new novelists – enter this debut from Tomasz that centres its coming-of-age plot around a love affair in Communist Poland that is not only forbidden, but whose protagonists are on different sides of the country’s brutal political divide.

“It’s best to start with the beginning—or at least what feels like it. I realise now that we never much talked about our pasts. Maybe it would change something if we had, maybe we would have understood each other better and everything would have been different. Who can say?”

Ludwick is an introverted boy. A voracious reader and deep political thinker, his quiet world is suddenly flooded with complicated feelings of lust and love when he meets Janusz at an agricultural camp. Come Autumn, the two will go their separate ways to college and adult life so, before the bubble bursts, they spend one summer together; a summer of self-discovery and unbridled passion.

But the passion becomes hard to let go of and, as the boys become men, moving into Warsaw and following their paths, they are required to put their love away in order to fall into line with the political conformity. But, for Ludwick, this censorship and self-censorship becomes increasingly impossible to bear, risking the safety of both men.

“You were right when you said that people can't always give us what we want from them.”

I expect the word, ‘lyrical’ will be commonly found in reviews of this book as there is no doubt that its prose is delicate, emotional and heartfelt. Tomasz captures this dual source of punishing conformity – the communists and Catholic society – in a surprisingly light but powerful way. This is not an overbearing or worthy book that is a slog to read; rather, Ludwick’s anguish at his lover and his country is beautifully captured with a sense of wistfulness and regret.

I enjoyed this for the most part as it showed a coming of age story that wasn't focused on America. The main character, Ludwik, was well developed and it was interesting that this used both 1st and 2nd person at different moments in the novel. This was an impactful piece and my only gripe is i wish it would be nice to see how he is in America compared to Poland and if he finds what he is looking for. The writing was beautiful and this is definitely one i would recommend for those interested in non-western LGBT+ history.

This book is basically the reminiscence of Ludwik as he reflects on his life. It takes the form of a letter written to Janusz, a man he met when he was a student at a compulsory camp, and he starts by telling him about an encounter he had as a child, before they met. His childhood friend Beniek and what happened to him. He believes that explaining this incident would better explain some of the things that happened between the two of them when they met and got to know each other.
Growing up in the time and place Ludwik did, and with the feelings that he had, must have been a shockingly scary place and this comes across well in the book. I have enough knowledge of Poland's history, specifically under Soviet rule and the persecution of many minorities and those who didn't fit the desired norm, to be able to understand the conflicting feelings and angst that our MC had all the way through and how he strove for a better life.
It's the story of forbidden love, of sexual awakening, of coming to terms with who you are and how you can deal with that. It also gives a glimpse into life in Poland under Soviet rule for everyone and how much of a struggle it was for the majority. But it also highlites the divide between the haves and the have nots, irrespective of sexuality, and also how power can be abused.
I said it comes across as a letter but I think it's more an empty chair outpouring rather than anything else. To me it's like someone taking stock and putting the past into perspective. I mean, we know how it all ends right at the beginning, it's the journey in this case that's important...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

TOMASZ JEDROWSKI – SWIMMING IN THE DARK

I read this novel in advance of publication through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

What a fascinating and thought-provoking read this is. Though born in Germany, the author is of Polish descent and divides his time between Poland and England, where he studied at Cambridge. This debut novel is a towering achievement. Not only is it the story of a forbidden romance between two young men but it is set at a time, the eighties, when Poland was undergoing massive political upheaval.

For me it was this background, of which I knew little other than from newspaper headlines, which I found so engrossing. His writing is evocative, whether of the ugly Soviet bloc housing, the countryside where farmers still used horses and carts for transport, the daily queues for essential food, or a system where a bad word about the regime can lose you your home and job. A society where who you know, rather than what you know, will get you the medicine you so desperately need or admittance to a university.

The author uses the main protagonists’ opposite viewpoints to explore the party’s supposed utopia versus the increasing frustration with reality. At times it is difficult to remember that this is set in the eighties, and not at the turn of the last century.

As I say, I found this an absorbing and fascinating book, full of descriptive writing and emotional punch and realistic characters. I can more than understand the bidding war between publishers to obtain the rights to publication.

I thoroughly enjoyed Swimming In The Dark. It tells the story of Ludwik Glowacki, a young man falling in love and coming to terms with his sexuality against the backdrop of 1980s soviet era Poland. He meets Janusz at an agricultural camp and the pair enjoy an idyllic summer romance before having to face the harsh realities of life back in Warsaw.

Tomasz Jedrowski's story surprised me in the best possible way by becoming not just an endearing gay coming of age story but also an insightful and informative account of the social and political climate in Warsaw during the era.

The contrast between Ludwik and Janusz's seemingly carefree existence at the beginning of the story and the pressures they subsequently face back in the city serves to truly emphasise the powerful and destructive nature of the soviet regime.

It is ultimately heartbreaking to read how the toxic political situation seeps into the cracks between Ludwik and Janusz, changing their behaviour and driving them apart.

Jedrowski's decision to write the book in the first person as Ludwik was incredibly effective in transporting me back in time and place in order to feel some sense of the situation he was in.

Swimming In The Dark is a story that will stay with me and has also driven me to learn more about the era and its impact on LGBT people. Highly recommend.

Love in a bleak climate.

Set in 1970s-80s Poland, student Ludwik meets beautiful Janusz at agricultural camp. Over an idyllic summer they swim and fall in love. When summer is over, they return to a Warsaw riven by social unrest, political repression and exorbitant food prices. Ludwik demonstrates against the regime while Janusz seeks security within the ruling elite. As the crisis builds, their opposing political allegiances pull them apart.

Jedrowski brings alive the animal fear of living in an intolerant, corrupt and violent regime. He draws stark disparity between the haves and the have-nots. He skilfully balances the general with the personal. Ludwik has emotional depth and self-awareness. We feel his passion, jealousy, and moral dilemmas.

At times, the imagery is a little conspicuous.

Compelling and heartrending.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the ARC.

An elegiac love story filled with melancholy and longing as the narrator struggles with sexual identity against the repressive background of Poland under Soviet rule. The writing flows easily but is spoilt at times through overwriting, especially in the figurative language and forced similes and metaphors. The details of everyday life in Poland are involving and I like that there's no miraculous ending. An intimate book with an emotive aura, simple but striking.

Swimming in the Dark is a beautifully written novel about trying to find love, and a place in society, as a closeted gay young man in Communist era Poland. Written effectively as a long form letter directly to an old lover back in Poland, you are immersed in the narrator’s journey, his secret desires, his frustrations and desire to escape. I’m a sucker for a novel that explores the discovery of sexual identity (see Call Me By Your Name or Lie With Me), and for stories set on the cusp of a failed soviet era state (The Last Hundred Days) and Swimming in the Dark combines these themes with devastating effect. James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room is a recurring theme, with comparisons to events there in the lives of the narrator and his lover. This worked for me having read the novel recently, but it strikes me that something would be lost if you weren’t familiar with the novel (in which case go and read it!).
This is Jedrowski’s first novel and arguably this shows in the somewhat florid similes, but i could feel the pent up desire in the narrator in their use, so on balance this is excusable (intentional?).. It’’s a wonderful debut - 4 1/2 stars more than 5 perhaps - there’s potential for a stunning second novel.

This book exceeded all of my expectations. A story of forbidden love, Jedrowski describes the life of a gay man living in Poland in the 70s-80s who falls in love with another man he meets at a summer camp. We follow the journey of a man who struggles to come to terms with his sexuality and who uses James Baldwin's "Giovanni's Room" as an aid. The author does an excellent job of describing the struggles during the communist era in Poland. The harsh realities of the political landscape are illustrated by Ludwik's yearning for freedom from both communism as well as sexual liberation. The character development was excellent and there were moments of suspense that kept me glued to the book. As a Pole, I thought the attention to detail when describing various aspects of Warsaw and Polish culture was really good.

At times I felt that there was slightly too much descriptive language which made it slightly hard to read. Some of the metaphors used were unnecessary and perhaps slightly excessive. I also found the ending to be slightly disappointing and lazy given how quickly the storyline moved throughout the book - it would have been nice to end on a high.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Swimming in the Dark, Tomasz Jedrowski

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Literary Fiction, General Fiction (Adult)

I was kind of expecting romance from some of the early reviews and comments, although of course its not classed as romance under the genre headings.
Its not though, there is romance in it but its not a romance per se. Its written as a sort of autobiography style, and I guess for me a clue that it perhaps wouldn't be the style of writing I enjoy is the Literary Fiction tag. Sometimes I find I enjoy this type of story telling, more often it seems to be more erudite, as if its aiming at style rather than substance and for me its more the story that's important, not so much the way its told.

This is beautifully written, almost poetic at times and I felt the sheer drudgery of life in Poland in the 80s, the daily grind to just survive that was the lot of most of the population. I can remember well the timing of Solidarność and Lech Wałęsa. I was in my early twenties, had a ringside seat so to speak, seeing nightly on the news here in the UK the progression of the movement.
Its not until reading this novel though that I understand just how tough life was for folk there. How difficult daily life was, the struggle to get enough to eat, to get medicines, to survive, and how oppressing it could all be.
I guess that's really what the issue is for me in enjoying the story, I read to be entertained and educated but I also feel there's enough drear in daily life, and I want a HEA, or at least the possibility from my reading. Here though I got a heart breaking story of two lads in love, but its a romance that had no way of ending well without taking a huge risk. I was almost in tears at the end for poor Ludwik, even for Janusz, as they really were living in a time and place where what they shared had little chance of lasting. Such a waste of love and life, and yet still in the world this type of issue is far too widespread.



Stars: Three, its a beautifully written tale, but the content was just too depressing for me to actually enjoy the story.

Arc via Netgalley and publishers

★★★★✰ 4 stars

“It’s best to start with the beginning—or at least what feels like it. I realise now that we never much talked about our pasts. Maybe it would changed something if we had, maybe we would have understood each other better and everything would have been different. Who can say?”

Swimming in the Dark is a strikingly elegiac debut novel. The story, in its broadest terms, explores a young man’s identity and sexuality under Communist Poland.
In December 13th 1981 martial law is declared in the Socialist Republic of Poland. Ludwik Glowacki, a young Polish man living in America, hears of this on the news. This Western acknowledgment of his home country’s tumultuous political landscape triggers his recollection of his past. Rather than reiterating his whole childhood, Ludwik lingers on some of his more meaningful experiences: starting at age nine, when he became infatuated with a Jewish boy, to his longer-lasting relationship to Janusz.
Throughout the narrative Ludwik addresses Janusz in the second-person (which will probably elicit comparisons to Call Me By Your Name), giving his reminisce the impression of being an unwritten letter of sorts.

But this is only partly a love story. Ludwik’s examination of his time in Poland will make you feel uneasy. We read of Ludwik’s early struggle to reconcile himself with his sexuality, of his self-discovery (aided by a copy of Giovanni’s Room), and of his attempts to create a future in a growingly alienating society.

As Ludwik struggles to maintain his identity, and finds himself not only holding but voicing dissident opinions, his relationship with Janusz, who is much more complacent, becomes strained. Ludwik's daily life is permeated by an undercurrent of fear one that forces him into secrecy.

Jedrowski's writing is by turns allusive and explicit. Ludwik's intimate narration is one that might make readers feel >almost uncomfortable, as if were encroaching upon his privacy. Yet, this intimacy also allows us to experience some of Ludwik's emotions, to understand the depth of his feelings for Janusz, his guilt for not visiting his grandmother, his growing sense of dislocation.

Jedrowski renders in an almost painful clarity what it means to live in a country in turmoil, a country whose government and (collapsing) economic restrict and deteriorate its citizens quality of life.
Yet, against this bleak backdrop, Jedrowski's prose seems almost startlingly luminous. His style emphasises the more striking nuances of the English language, and his word choices perfectly lend themselves to conveying the beauty and anguish in Ludwik's life.

Jedrowski's writing also showcases a propensity for metaphors: “‘Perverts’ — the word falling from her lips like a two-limbed snake, dangerous and exciting”. At times these metaphors could be beautiful, and often brought certain moments or images from Ludwik's memory into the foreground, so that certain scenes are rendered in almost snapshot clarity. In other instances these seemed to accentuate Ludwik's impression or feelings towards someone or something.

Certain metaphors however stood out for the wrong reason, seeming over-written, silly, a bit too impressionistic, and made me wonder whether Jedrowski had an aversion for calling things what they are (for instance: “Tears started to slide down my cheeks like melted butter” / “Warm cave of his mouth” / “your ass was powerful, like two great smooth rocks sculpted by the sea” / “breasts like overripe fruit”).

In spite of his novel's tragic undertones, Jedrowski's prose remains luminous, and there are moments of true beauty in Ludwik's deeply personal tale. Still, a sense of disquiet seemed ever present. Perhaps Ludwik's hindsight distorts some of his memory, turning blissfully happy moments into bittersweet memories.

Living in a country that through its laws and policies imposed uniformity on its subjects, Ludwik not only does he hold onto his individuality but he tries to overcome the shame and guilt that seem irrevocably ingrained in him. Ludwik's psychological turmoil is temporarily alleviated after he comes across an illicit copy of Giovanni's Room. He begins to draw parallels between himself and its protagonist, and soon he fears that he too will behave in a cowardly way. I too became increasingly afraid for him, especially as he is repeatedly forced into morally distressing situations. Yet, to go against the tide is no easy feat, and there were many challenging occasions where Ludwik has to fight not to stray from his values.

Ludwik's relationship to Janusz is rendered with poignancy. There are moments of vulnerability, of frailty, of emotional and physical abandon, of weariness, and of grief. Due to the secret nature of their relationship Ludwik seems to be perpetually longing for Janusz. However, Ludwik's anxiety for his/their future, Janusz's job and acquaintances, and their contrasting political views, create conflict between them.

This novel is a deeply intratextual work. James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room appears throughout the narrative, at times it alleviates Ludwik's despair, in other occasions it appears to him almost as a cautionary tale.

In navigating his past Ludwik demonstrates incredible self-awareness. He acknowledges early on that his recollection of his past is imperfect and possibly biased. Retrospective blurs his memories. Yet, its is his present knowledge that allows him to 'dig' deeper, to discern his own motivations and feelings as well as those of others. In fact, as Ludwik ruminates his way through his past, he seems also to be trying to understand or question some of his choices.

Swimming in the Dark presents its readers with an examination of a young love that is filled with passion, misery, contrition, and jealousy. Simultaneously elegiac and raw, this novel is brimming with sensitive observations about youth, love (of being gay in a society that deems same-sex love unacceptable), family, and freedom.

Swimming in the Dark is a love story set in Communist era Poland, in which two young men meet one summer at agricultural camp, but then must return to the realities of the city. Ludwik is just graduating university and is worried about the future, both his and the country's. When he meets Janusz they spend time adventuring through forests, swimming in lakes, and falling in love, but then they must return to Warsaw and their very different takes on their own lives.

This is a short, captivating novel that combines a love affair with the grim realities of living somewhere where people can't get enough food, can't get a doctor's appointment, and where bribes and 'contacts' are how you get anywhere. It gives an insight into Poland's history, but also a very personal look into a character full of anxieties and disillusionment. The narrative is told with hindsight, a classic method with a story of love and sacrifice, but the time gap is short so it feels more like reflection after the fact than looking back with nostalgia. Jedrowski combines a lot of detail and elements into a concise narrative that really focuses on Ludwik.

Swimming in the Dark is a Cold War era love story about life in a Communist country and realising you make very different choices even to someone you love. Readers will likely be drawn in by the love story, but then also get caught up in the tension and detail of the setting.