It is very difficult to review this book, partly because it is so small yet deals with so much. The narrative is told through the voice of Vanessa Carvin or should that be Willow Hale as she trys to piece the broken fragments of her life into a new and sustainable hole. Vanessa's charcter is so complex and her emotions which perform their own helter-skelter shine through. How much of the recent past is her fault, could she have changed the outcomes? Isolating herself on a remote Island off the coast of Ireland she struggles with thee thoughts whilst also manageing to carve out a place from which she can move forward.

I felt fully immersed not only in her struggle but also in the place where she undertook this struggle. Boyne so cleverly draws person place and time into a beautiful whole.

Absolutely stunning novella about one woman’s struggle to cope with a horrific situation. Imagine finding out that your husband has committed the worst crimes. She escapes to a small island where she changes her name and the way she looks, and questions her own guilt. Did she know, were there clues?
This is the first in a series of four, and I’m really excited to read about the other elements.

I loved this book, so moving and engrossing. The themes are dark but somehow the book is uplifting, this is John Boyne doing what he does best. I can't wait for the other three parts in the quartet.

Water - by John Boyne

The only disappointing thing about this book was it was over to soon. It is a short book more a novella and for some reason probably having read a number of John Boyne's novels I expected a more complex read.

Having said that I loved it and desperately wanted more.

Vanessa arrives on the small island off the coast of Ireland renting a fairly isolated cottage to be alone with her thoughts and to get away from the media storm following her husbands arrest and the fact that she is thought to be complicit in his crime. She hacks of her hair and changes her name to Willow, to avoid being recognised so she can mix with the islanders if she so wishes.

The story reveals what happened before she came on the island and the relationships she had with her husband and two daughters and the fallout from the consequences of the crime her husband committed.

This is a hard hitting story exploring the subjects of sexual abuse and suicide beautifully written as always.

I loved the character of Vanessa / Willow and her interaction with the islanders, the younger man she has an uncomplicated relationship with and the discussions with the RC priest. The discussion about "Bananas" the cat and his irritable bowel made me laugh out loud.

A great quick read which somehow still manages to pack a punch despite its size.

Another lovely book from John Boyne. A lyrical tale of a woman, Vanessa/Willow who escapes to a remote island after her world literally falls apart. I liked the way we only discover all of her back story later in the book. She discovers the freedom of living a totally different life changing her name and appearance in order to disappear and rediscover her sense of self.
Told with humour and as with previous books full of great characters. The ending was both uplifting and heartbreaking as both Vanessa and her daughter confront their truths and reconnect. It ends with such a sense of hope for rebuilding a life - whatever that looks like for her.

'Water' has an intriguing beginning that draws you right into the story and makes it compelling from the start. A woman arrives on a quiet Irish island and immediately changes her name and her appearance. It's clear she's running away from something, but what exactly? Over the rest of the novel Boyne gradually reveals it, and then allows his characters to look to the future.

The pacing is skilful - Boyne unveils our narrator's history at just the right speed, never so slow you get frustrated, but always slowly enough to keep you keen to keep reading to find out more. With a nice short length (I admire authors who don't feel the need to pad out a novel, a decision that nearly always makes a better book), I read it in two sittings without meaning to as the story carries you along nicely.

It's not a happy story and there are some very dark subject matters here - including suicide and sexual abuse, for those readers who prefer to avoid those topics. However despite that darkness, I wouldn't describe it as gloomy. Painful and moving yes, but not hopeless and never hysterical. There's an underlying theme of the way women are marginalised in a patriarchal society and the problems that causes both to individuals and to society as a whole.

The question the narrator - Vanessa/Hope - is asking herself is whether she is a victim or a villain, or something in between. Naturally, the reader ends up wrestling with this too - and may not be able to come up with an easy answer. It would potentially be a good book group choice for this reason as there is plenty to discuss, despite the shorter than average length (which in itself can be a good thing when finding books that time poor members can also get through).

Overall this is a well written and thought provoking book that should appeal to anyone who enjoys literary fiction (but just be aware of the content warnings mentioned above). It looks like the first in four novels themed around the elements, and going on the quality of this I'll certainly want to try the next one.

Fabulous read. Everything was spot on - the setting, plot, characters that popped off the page. First read from this author for me but I’ve since gone and started reading his back catalogue.

I've struggled with Mr Boyne's work before now simply because he always seems to write a book that brings up difficult issues. It always felt like he had to have a cause.

However I requested Water from Netgalley because I feel its always good to keep trying an author you've not read for a while - their style may change and your tastes may also have altered.

Water is the story of Vanessa Carvin (who calls herself Willow Hale). At the start of the book all you know is that she has arrived on a tiny island off the Atlantic coast. She is running away from some terrible scandal that has left one daughter dead and her husband in prison. I won't say more about the plot except to say that it is a difficult and disturbing issue to deal with.

I have never encountered this particular issue personally so I'd only be guessing if I said I wouldn't behave like Vanessa/Willow. No one can know (in any crisis) how they'd behave until it happens.

That said, John Boyne, deals sensitively with the matter and throws several twists into the story just to blindside you.

It was easy to read (if not digest) and so short it would only take most readers a couple of hours to finish. It doesn't delve deep enough into the subject nor does it reach any conclusions. It was an interesting short read that Boyne readers will most definitely appreciate and for those who have never read any of his work previously it would be a good introduction.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the advance review copy.

Vanessa travels to the island and becomes Willow. Changing her name and changing her life. Leaving behind a daughter who won't talk to her and an ex husband who has done something unthinkable. Is Willow complicit in his crimes? Should she have known? A quiet, isolated life will help her decide. It's not entirely quiet as she's joined by a wandering cat, an angry neighbour and her thoughtful son and a bundle of other islanders.

An interesting novella which definitely questions why women are often held accountable for the actions of men.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book with no obligation to review.

I enjoyed this, it was a quick and easy read but with some interesting points to ponder. I immediately liked Vanessa/Willow and felt for her in her terrible situation with her family members. There was a bit of a twist regarding that near the end and I felt that the ending was good and plausible.

I felt that the depiction of island life was authentic as were the characters and situations.

it does seem strange to "enjoy" a book with such disturbing issues but I did and it was a good read.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Boyle captures the woman’s voice so competently, I never once doubted the veracity of the protagonist. This is a well written tale of a woman wracked by guilt for the horrors inflicted on her family and others by her ex husband. His arrogance and lack of compassion is demonstrated in very few words, again Boyne paints detail in few words like a master of his craft.
The setting is a lightly populated island in Ireland and the place gets its own story, storms and terrain again are deftly described in short scenes that leave you in no doubt of the visual landscape. I rushed to get back to this book, I thought about Willow after the novel had ended. This for me is a sign of a well crafted, though provoking novel which I will definitely recommend to others. Thanks to the publishers for advanced copy.

A beautifully written, evocative novella which follows a woman who moves to an isolated Irish island under a new name as she tries to come to terms with the loss of a child, a shocking revelation regarding her husband, and the resulting difficult relationship with her surviving daughter. Despite the short format, the main character does have a clear development arc through the story, and the other characters, for the most part island locals, are also well defined. A very enjoyable short read - I will look for more of this author’s work.

Upon arriving on a small Irish island, Vanessa Carvin changes her name to Willow Hale. Wanting to escape the media furore that has been following her, she rents a small cottage. Her ex-husband is accused of being a monster — but does that make her complicit in his crimes? Vanessa reflects on her old life and the choices she made.

This novella by John Boyne is another beautifully written piece of work. It's short but really packs a punch. As Vanessa's past is slowly revealed, the reader begins to feel empathy for her situation. Could she have lived her past life differently? Yes. But doesn't everyone have something they wish they could change? Out of tragedy new hope springs forth. Another wonderful story from this immensely talented author.

John Boyne is a novelist that I always look out for and this novella does not disappoint. Vanessa Garvin leaves Dublin after her husband is jailed. During the trial the media has painted her as being complicit in his crime and so she needs to escape, to cut herself off to re-evaluate her life. She rents a bleak cottage on an island off the Galway coast and as soon as she arrives she shaves her head and changes her name to Willow Hale. Her isolation on the island is complete as her younger daughter has blocked her - her eldest daughter died some years previously. Willow spends her days walking and sleeping and tries to have very little contact with the islanders but some persist and these people are wonderfully drawn - even the cat! She hopes - believes - that on this remote island where wifi coverage is intermittent, she will not be recognised but ultimately finds that this is not the case. Interactions with the local priest and some other locals help her to trust herself and gradually her story is revealed. A theme that stands out is the way that Willow - and many women like her are oppressed by their husbands' actions; their own plans for the future thrown onto the scrapheap. This could be a dark read, the subject matter is hard, but there is humour and lightness here as well. A read that gets to you. Rounded up to a 5*

The plot, the characters and the location featured in Water were all intriguing and as per usual John’s writing is description and beautiful. But due to its short story format, it was missing a lot of the depth it desperately needed in order to make a significant impact. If you’re a crime junkie looking for an interesting, quick read it’s still worth delving into, but The Hearts Invisible Furies remains my favourite read from Boyne!

John Boyne has a remarkable talent! His books tackle some difficult subjects, the same applies within his latest short story Water in which Vanessa/ Willow tries to make sense of her husbands actions and her own grief by moving to an isolated Irish island.
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Water is a must-read for readers both familiar with and new to his work. I now wait with baited breath for his next short story in a couple of months

This is a short, quick read but I highly recommend. Set in Ireland, the theme centres around the loss of a child, although there are touches of humour throughout. It's a thought provoking, sensitive, emotional read and beautifully written. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

A perfect little book. No words are wasted and yet the author manages to weave a tapestry of good and bad lives lived and lost, secrets kept and shared and the possibility of a brighter future.
Thank you to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book

A moving novella about a woman's determination to heal from the pain and betrayal of her past. On arriving on a remote island off the coast of Ireland Vanessa changes her name to Willow and attempts to become anonymous as she processes the monstrous things her husband has done, and questions whether she is entirely blameless. As she settles into island life and gets to know the locals, both friendly and wary, she is forced to recast a family tragedy against the framework of her husband's depravity, and try to repair the fragile relationship she has with her daughter. A story for our times, Water asks questions to which there are no easy answers. As ever, John Boyne writes beautifully and movingly. A short, but thought-provoking read.

When Vanessa Carvin arrives on a remote island, a boat ride from Dublin, the first thing she does is change her name to Willow Hale. The second is she cuts all her hair off. The reader quickly learns her husband is in Jail. One daughter doesn’t talk to her, the other has died. Although the book is short, not even 200 pages, each page is hauntingly beautiful and the author has once again crafted a novel that breathes life into its characters.
Willows husband was a renown swimming coach who was found guilty of sexually abusing at least 8 young girls in his care. Surely the wife must have known what was going on? While Willow tries to hide on the island, there are those that recognise her from the newspapers, and she in turn reflects on what she did and didn’t do including her daughters request to have a lock on her bedroom door, which she refused and then Emma’s subsequent death.
Although the subject matter is bleak, I loved every page, every line of this story.

#Water #NetGalley