About the Book:
From internationally bestselling author John Boyne, a masterfully reflective story about one woman coming to terms with the demons of her past and finding a new path forward.
The first thing Vanessa Carvin does when she arrives on the island is change her name. To the locals, she is Willow Hale, a solitary outsider escaping Dublin to live a hermetic existence in a small cottage, not a notorious woman on the run from her past.
But scandals follow like hunting dogs. And she has some questions of her own to answer. If her ex-husband is really the monster everyone says he is, then how complicit was she in his crimes?
Escaping her old life might seem like a good idea but the choices she has made throughout her marriage have consequences. Here, on the island, Vanessa must reflect on what she did - and did not do. Only then can she discover whether she is worthy of finding peace at all.
Published by Doubleday
Released November 2023
My Thoughts:
Rating: 4 stars
Why I chose it: I like John Boyne's novels. He's a terrific storyteller.
Themes: Starting over.
For fans of: Irish fiction.
The good: A quality quick read - I'd say it's a novella at 170 pages. It packs a lot into its pages and is quite fast paced. You can read it in one sitting.
The not so good: I struggled at first with feeling empathy for Vanessa, being more inclined to judge her, and it wasn't until almost the end of the novel that I felt a shift within me towards her. Why is this not good? I don't want to be that judgmental person that questions another woman's actions and intelligence, so it was uncomfortable to realise that sometimes, I am.
In brief: This fast-paced quietly unfolding story deep dives into the life of a woman who has fled her current existence in the hopes of finding some answers to the questions that are plaguing her regarding how complicit she was in the crimes her husband has been found guilty of and imprisoned for. Did she genuinely not know what was going on or was she aware on some level but unable/unwilling to see? Escaping to an island where she hopes no one will recognise her, she spends time dwelling on all that has gone on, the death of her eldest daughter and the estrangement between herself and her youngest daughter. Deeply introspective, Water is a thought-provoking look at blame, grief, and starting over. I enjoyed it, the Island life, the way the story unfolded in pieces, and the ending, which was hopeful and seemed exactly right.
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