Water

A haunting, confronting novel from the author of The Heart’s Invisible Furies

By: John Boyne

Narrated by: Niamh Cusack

Brought to you by Penguin.

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.

©2023 John Boyne (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

His quietest novel... but one just as powerful as his larger canvases

An intriguing investigation of contemporary trauma... [a] short but powerful book

Boyne does not put a foot wrong in this masterly novella

A perceptive, moving exploration of guilt, grief and complicity

Boyne not only opens up conversations, he writes beautifully and sensitively

Subtle, intelligent and humane

The story, the words and the storyteller

Niamh Cusack was just perfect to read this book. Absolutely wonderful listen. A great story simply told. John Boyne is just a brilliant storyteller, you get lost in his books so quickly. I was there on that little island too.
Excellent

The narrator's voice and intonement was excellent!

Beautifully written with such sensitivity in spite the heartsore...it will stay with me for quite some time!

Wonderful performance

This is one of those books where the audiobook version is definitely superior to the physical version. Buy it, listen to it and marvel at the experience of excellent writing beautifully read. I almost hugged myself in sheer joy at Niamh Cusack’s narration, it’s wonderful.

Challenging, eye-opening, compassionate

This is a story about truth, deceit, innocence, guilt & the impact they have on individuals & communities. Featuring disruptive events that affect many people near or far from the main storyline, the action takes place on an island. The water is an overarching metaphor, storing meaning for different parts of the narrative.
The unfolding of memories, insights of characters & transitions between past & present, all make this short book a dense reading, filled with tension, regret, doubt & eventually, hope & clarity.
Looking forward to the next 3 books in the Elements series!

meaty characters

I just love how John Boyne tells a story! The characters are well rounded and most always shows a deeper glimpse into their psyche - underneath the hard shell.