Water by John Boyne

Water by John Boyne
UK Publication: 2^nd Nov 2023
Reviewed by: Book Worm
Rating: [★★★]

This ARC was provided by Random House UK (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

I want to break free

Synopsis from Goodreads: 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.

My Thoughts: I love John Boyne’s books each one is so different from the previous books and this was no exception. In this Boyne explores isolation both self-imposed and that imposed by society. He explores the ideas of guilt and blame and how often it is innocent women who end up blamed and tarred by the actions of guilty men.

Escaping from the modern world with its constant contact and information overload gives Vanessa time to explore her own actions and to come to terms with her own regrets. It allows her space to heal and time away from her daughter and her judgements so that she can return stronger. It also allows a chance for her to be a new person someone not defined by the actions of another and this new chance allows new friendships to blossom.

While this is a serious book exploring serious themes it also has it light hearted moments with interactions with the closest neighbour and disputes over a cat being my favourite.

Who would like this? This is a slim book at under 200 pages but it does pack a punch. Read this if you have ever wondered about the real people behind the headlines.

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