Deep End not so deep after all
The Deep End of the Ocean tries very hard to be a moving portrayal of a family brought together by tragedy but ends up trying too hard to accomplish the feat. The premise is quite good, but much more could have been made of the story. Mitchard's writing style is fluid and easy to read, but the plot deteriorates into the world of talk shows and soap operas by halfway into the novel. In the end, Mitchard seems to not know how to finish up the story, ending up with a conclusion that leaves the reader saying, "So what?&quot