Drowning Is Inevitable is a young adult fiction novel by Shalanda Stanley. In the novel, Stanley chronicles the journey of Olivia, a young girl whose mother committed suicide at the tender age of 19. In her quest to break free from bondage to her mother's legacy, Olivia runs away from her home town in Louisiana with a number of her friends. In this enrapturing novel, Stanley subtly weaves the themes of friendship, love, and loyalty into her masterfully written work.
First published in 2015 by Random House, Drowning Is Inevitable has received largely positive reviews. Critics have described Stanley's debut novel as "Realistic yet hopeful—a wide array of readers will enjoy this atmospheric book" and as "An emotional book of family bonds and teen relationships, the power of parental influence, and of fate".
