Water

The Elements #1

by John Boyne

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.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Ireland, Literary Fiction, Irish Literature, Book Club, Audiobook

161 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 2, 2023

About the author

I was born in Dublin, Ireland, and studied English Literature at Trinity College, Dublin, and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. In 2015, I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by UEA.

I’ve published 14 novels for adults, 6 novels for younger readers, and a short story collection. The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas was a New York Times no.1 Bestseller and was adapted for a feature film, a play, a ballet and an opera, selling around 11 million copies worldwide.

Among my most popular books are The Heart’s Invisible Furies, A Ladder to the Sky and My Brother’s Name is Jessica.

I’m also a regular book reviewer for The Irish Times.

In 2012, I was awarded the Hennessy Literary ‘Hall of Fame’ Award for my body of work. I’ve also won 4 Irish Book Awards, and many international literary awards, including the Que Leer Award for Novel of the Year in Spain and the Gustav Heinemann Peace Prize in Germany. In 2015, I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of East Anglia.

My novels are published in 58 languages.

My 14th adult novel, ALL THE BROKEN PLACES, a sequel and companion novel to THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS, will be published in the UK on September 15th 2022, in the US and Canada on November 29th, and in many foreign language editions in late 2022 and 2023.

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is imperative to find a woman to blame for a man's crimes.

Wow. This book is tiny in size, just 176 pages, and unobtrusive in cover and title, but it is a deeply emotive and political book, containing commentary on many different subjects— women and men, religion, abuse, politicians, insular communities, and complicity.

It is rare to find a book that so concisely delivers so much, though it is not really surprising. John Boyne's The Heart's Invisible Furies and A Ladder to the Sky are among my all time favourite novels and here he returns to a similar style.

Vanessa Carvin is a well-drawn, complex character who intrigued me from the get-go. Boyne is very skilled at creating memorable characters and imbuing their stories with equal parts sadness and humour. As always, his dialogue is fantastic.

The themes are dark, but the book is never dreary. Boyne very effectively explores what it feels like to be a woman dealing with shitty men who refuse to stop being overgrown children (so much so that I would have sworn a woman wrote this if I didn't know better), as well as looking at a family torn apart by tragedy and scandal, yet a sense of humour shines through the narrative.

In Terenure, I was a member of a book club, but that was mostly because I could find no way out of it.

**

"And you'll be from Dublin, I suppose," she continues, employing a tense that I'm not sure exists in the language.

Keyboard warriors, virtue-signalling politicians, and powerful men who take advantage of others all come under fire over the course of this short book and neither Vanessa nor Boyne holds back their feelings. It says so much in so few pages, which, I think, makes it all the more powerful.

[Mark Porton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Water is my second John Boyne novel, the first being The Echo Chamber, which was a 5-star book in my view. I have taken to Boyne’s writing like a duck to water.

Wife and mother of two adolescent girls, Vanessa Carvin, self-exiles on a remote island off the coast of Ireland. This wee island has a population of only four hundred, it is close knit, there are no secrets. She rents an old one-bedroom cottage, a ten-to-fifteen-minute walk to the ‘town centre’ with two pubs and a handful of small shops. Boyne describes this remote, harsh environment beautifully.

The first things Vanessa does, on arrival, is change her name to Willow Hale and cut her hair very short. Despite the remoteness of the island, many people there would know her as she and her family have been in the news.

She is escaping a scandal of horrific proportions which had catastrophic consequences. This scandal forever changes the family dynamics and Willow needs space and time to (a) escape the attention and (b) examine her own role, or lack of action – in the crimes committed by a family member.

This is a haunting story. Willow Hale is a fascinating character, Boyne has created a character so real, I could almost touch her, and I certainly could feel her emotions. Her journey of introspection is complicated and believable. Her interactions with the locals are interesting and sometimes funny. Look out for ‘Bananas’ the cat.

There was a moment in this book that resonated with me to the extent it made me choke up.

This is a powerful story I could not put down.

5 Stars

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

hmm. i love JBs books, but im personally not a fan of short stories. i thought JBs storytelling would make up for what i find to always be lacking in novellas but, unfortunately, it did not.

because what i find novellas to be guilty of is telling, not showing. and when the story is an exploration of the effects of sexual assault, abuse of power, and complicity, i feel like telling doesnt do those very real themes any justice. it feels shallow and doesnt properly give the power to them that a full-length novel would.

looking ahead at the other books in this series, they all seem to tackle the exact same theme of sexual assault. so i wonder, if all of the short stories had been compiled into a single book, would i have liked this better? as a part of a whole instead of a standalone installment?

that being said, JBs writing is great and the idea of this story is an important one, i just wish it was longer and further developed.

↠ 3 stars

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Willow Hale retreats to an isolated island cottage off of Ireland after the very traumatic collapse of her life involving her husband… and the loss of her daughter.
Being part of this island community helps her take steps towards recovery.
This is the first of four interlinked novellas … the theme of these being the four elements… WATER, EARTH, AIR, and FIRE.

John Boyne always writes a page turner, can’t wait for the next novella of this series.

[Angela M · Rating 5 out of 5]

My feelings about Willow Hale previously known as Vanessa Carvin were mixed throughout the story as were her own about herself. I never once wavered in my thoughts about John Boyne’s excellent storytelling capability and writing . From the beginning of this novella I was drawn into Vanessa’s introspection as she tries to escape from her past life where her husband is found guilty and imprisoned for despicable crimes. She is hoping that taking this break, escaping to a small, remote island off the coast of Ireland will help her sort out her feelings of guilt over the loss of one of her daughters, asking herself whether she was complicit in some way, wanting to reconnect and make peace with her other daughter .

It’s heartbreaking in so many ways , maddening in others eliciting both empathy and anger at the same time, tough subject matter . While there is a focus on her individual reflection , the story as with other Boyne novels reflects broader and deeper themes of women’s roles, male chauvinist attitudes, family dynamics . We also get a view of this small community who take care of their own, mind their own business while knowing everyone else’s. The title representing the power of water blocking out the rest of the world; the power of the water with its capability to take life and then bring one to a better place within oneself . I can hardly wait to read the second in this series, Earth which I will begin reading today.

This is the first novella in the series The Elements which I received as an arc that is part of the collection of the books to be published September, 2025 received from Holt through Edelweiss.

[Suz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Water tells a serious and contemplative story using the theme of water to create distance, solitude, and self-exile. The unknown preceding life altering event is unpicked slowly for the reader, the weight of it always there heavily, always hanging in the cold Irish air. Changing her name and shaving her head, Willow has chosen a beautiful place to enter life again, somehow.

Choosing to go into town to eat a meal, to converse with the locals, or not. I found it interesting she did not completely delve into herself entirely, she knew that contact with the world, though limited, was a necessary evil to maintain.

The isolation in this remote island of Ireland created a cosy atmosphere, in contrast to the sinister reasons for Willows seeking refuge from prying eyes. On and off interactions with her adult daughter are fraught with unease, the love for her evident but the shadow of their estrangement ever present.

As the reasons for her removal from life become apparent, my feelings were in a tumble in trying to reconcile this woman’s complicity versus ignorance versus a refusal to see evil where it should not lie. My heart broke as a character was attempting to disclose serious abuse which was passed over; this was well written, compulsive, and absorbing in all aspects. I was left feeling disappointed AND understanding of this character, and a voyeur in her attempts to reconcile her life.

John Boyne is remarkable in every way. I was spellbound, drawn in and contemplative at the last scene, not a word wasted, listening twice. Willow was haunted and hunted by her grief, hoping for her to come back to herself. I loved the people she met along the way, and those she in turn she helped.

Affecting and momentous, completely insightful, I highly recommend this book. A wonderful audio read via the Libby platform and my public library.

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 5 out of 5]

5★
“I read. I look out the window. I think about the morning when the Gardaí arrived at our front door in Terenure. I tell myself not to think about the morning when the Gardaí arrived at our front door in Terenure. And, in this way, the hours pass and, before I know it, it’s almost lunchtime and I can walk down to the village.”

She’s gone across Ireland from Dublin over to Galway, on the Atlantic Ocean, where she plans to hide out in a rented cottage on one of the many small islands in Galway Bay. This island has only 400 people, and she hopes they aren’t too up to date with the news.

She’s chopped off her hair, changed her name, and is treated politely but with evident curiosity as yet another refugee from the mainland. We don’t know exactly what’s happened, but she speaks of texting her surviving daughter, who keeps blocking and unblocking her.

She walks to one of the two pubs in the village for her lunch, keeping to herself. She has mobile coverage at the cottage, but wifi is only at one pub, which suits her just fine. Maybe she can fly under the radar for a while.

“Later, when I too am alone in my single bed, I wonder whether God is looking over me and, if he is, what punishment he will send my way next. A dead daughter. A husband in jail. My family’s reputation shattered. An entire country convinced that I was complicit in all of it. What more can he do to hurt me?”

She’s not a believer, which is a recurring theme in Boyne’s stories, but she befriends the local priest, because he’s an interesting man to talk to. Ifechi, born in Nigeria, invites Willow to use the church as a place of peace as it’s mostly empty during the day.

“It can be a good place to catch ones thoughts, away from the world. You can talk to God, talk to yourself, or talk to no one at all.”

She wanders in one day drawn to the Stations of the Cross, admiring the art work but then becoming annoyed with what it all represents.

“The whole business of the twelve apostles has always bothered me, the hard-nosed maleness of their clique, the decision from the start to exclude women from their number. Most became saints, I think, but did that prevent them from leering at the women who served their food, or making vulgar remarks about girls they noticed on the streets?”

She goes on to wonder if some of the apostles may have lured girls away or taken women without their permission. She gets angrier and angrier as she looks at the pictures.

“All these men, all these f**king men. Sacred and hallowed and venerated for two thousand years. And yet it was the women, and only the women, who were there for Him at the end when the men betrayed Him, denied Him, ran from Him, pocketed their thirty pieces of silver for traducing him.”

So much for a place of peace. It has done nothing but remind her of the evil she is trying to escape – how much damage is caused by men who consider women as here for their convenience.

“Outside, emerging into the sunlight, I inhale deeply, filling my lungs with air, and feel a sense of relief to have escaped a building that exists solely to comfort the troubled.”

When she is startled awake one night and can’t go back to sleep, she takes herself to the shore and wades in, thinking of the part water has played in her life. Her swimming teacher became her husband. He becomes a well-known coach and community figure, and she takes up social swimming.

Wading into the Bay that night she thinks about Virginia Woolfe, who walked into the water with her pockets full of stones to weigh her down.

“Water has been the undoing of me. It has been the undoing of my family. We swim in the womb. We are composed of it. We drink it. We are drawn to it throughout our lives, more than mountains, deserts, or canyons. But it is terrible. It kills.”

She has been badly shaken by what has happened to her family, but she is still very much an individual and a pretty strong one at that. It’s not all tears and guilt and grim self-recrimination, so I can say I enjoyed reading her story.

John Boyne is a master of the mind. He can put himself in someone else’s shoes, whether it’s a soldier in WW1 or, in All the Broken Places, an 80-year-old woman whose little brother was the protagonist of the The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. His characters are always real and always memorable. This 54-year-old woman is no exception – he understands her mind, her strengths and her weaknesses.

Thanks to #NetGalley and Random House / Transworld for a copy of #Water for review.

[The Belladonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The elements - water, earth, fire, air - are our greatest friends, our animators. They feed us, warm us, give us life, and yet conspire to kill us at every juncture."

Four books in this novella series - Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. Water is an emotionally charged read written in a subdued manner. The ending scene was brilliant. Boyne wrote a moving closure using the main character in the next book, Earth. Looking forward to the rest of The Elements series!

[Henk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complicity, guilt and blame but also catharsis on a small Irish island
Because staying quiet is easier than causing a fuss, isn’t it?

A small gem of a novel, reminding me somewhat of Small Things Like These, tackling uncomfortable truths in Ireland.
A greying woman of 52 flees scandal from Dublin to simple life on an island. She has two children and had an interesting life, being covered in tabloids and meetings with three popes, yet never worked in her life before. Island life is isolated, with Ireland being "there across".

The book slowly yields its secrets to the reader, and to tell too much would be a disservice to what John Boyne achieves here, but it is interesting to think about how in every sensationalist news story we read there are real people. I’m also impressed with how the author seemingly effortlessly weaves in sexual desire into the novel, in all kinds of variants. Feminism and the ambiguity of feelings are well portrayed, as are still strong homophobia and general effects of toxic masculinity.

Quotes:
Repression was their legacy to their son

It’s women like us who allow it to happen.

I refuse to be frightened of men anymore

Better things have happened to worse men

When the storm comes I am afraid

You’d be surprised how busy one can keep when you have nothing to do

[Meike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first installment of Boyne's "Elements" quartet, and it's a moral tale that questions female agency in a patriarchal world: The narrator is the estranged wife of a disgraced sports functionary who flees to a remote island to ponder her complicity in her husband's crimes - was she blind to his deeds, or did she know deep down inside, but pushed it away? The 52-year-old woman has lived a traditional life as a stay-at-home trophy wife, putting effort in her appearances and meeting popes and politicians because her husband was a big shot in the National Swimming Federation, leading Ireland to Olympic glory. Now he's in jail, one of her daughters has committed suicide, and she tries to go incognito by assuming the name Willow Hale, far away from her former home in Dublin. Is she herself to blame?

What I like about the novella is that it gives no simple answers: Yes, we see an Ireland that is misogynistic and homophobic, but we also listen to a protagonist who subscribes to some narrow-minded assumptions about the world and generally holds firm to her beliefs without questioning them (a more harmless example: the neighbor tells her not to give her cat milk because the cat is lactose intolerant, but she's like "cats drink milk is what I've heard all my life" and goes ahead feeding the cat milk - in fact, despite common cliches, most cats should NOT drink milk, they can't digest it. How she as a woman is mistreated follows a similar logic, but she can't grasp that). Willow also feels perpetually victimized - after a core revelation, her first reaction is: What has MY life become? -, which is pretty infuriating, while at the same time, it is true that she gets blamed for her husband's crimes, when she should only be blamed for her failures. And what exactly are they? The answer is clearly not that she's faultless, and this whole moral conundrum around a messy protagonist renders the story captivating.

The title water refers to several aspects of the story: The husband's connection to swimming, the water around the island, a death in the story, the church plays a major and ambiguous role (so holy water, repentance and whether Willow believes in it), yada yada yada. And here's my main issue with the novella: It sometimes veers dangerously close to Paulo Coelho territory (I hate Coelho's sugary whimsy). Take this quote for example, alluding to the idea of the "Elements" cycle: "The elements - water, earth, fire, air - are our greatest friends, our animators. They feed us, warm us, give us life, and yet conspire to kill us at every juncture." For one, this is of course nonsense, as no one has ever been killed by a conspiracy of elements, but it's also a pseudo-deep statement that doesn't even work as a metaphor in any way. Or look at what Willow says about water: "Water has been the undoing of me. It has been the undoing of my family." No, Willow, that was your husband, and you, too. The sentence is just, as the cool kids say, melodramatic cringe.

Still, I enjoyed reading this for the moral complications, and I'll read on, although I'm already dreading part 3 which I'm hearing contains BS fueled by the author's TERF ideology, for which he has recently been rightfully on blast.

[Andrew Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A woman arrives on a small island off the coast of Ireland, where she immediately changes her name and takes steps to ensure her appearance is radically altered, too. She’s obviously in hiding, but from what or from whom?

The answers to these questions are not provided quickly. At least not overtly, but it’s not difficult to join up the dots. So this is not a mystery novel, it’s a short tale about things that can happen to individuals and to families that profoundly change everything. And in the aftermath of these events, how it might strike some of them that they may in some way be responsible – or at least partly responsible – for bringing this catastrophe upon themselves.

The meat of this story is how the woman – now called Willow – wrestles with how events had played out and how she copes with the mental torture this evokes. There’s a little more to the story, mainly in terms of the few people she engages with whilst on the island, and this weaves comfortably enough into the narrative.

It’s a disturbing story of betrayal and of serious damage done, but also of renewal too. It's not a comfortable read, but it is a short one. Another brilliant piece of writing from an author who never ceases to surprise me.

My thanks to Random House UK for supplying a copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reflection
John Boyne continues demonstrating his diversity and masterful storytelling with Earth, a reflective story of abuse, loss, betrayal, guilt, and a search to assess whether a subconscious complicity exists. Escaping Dublin on the back of a family scandal, Vanessa Carvin arrives on an Island off the coast of Galway. She immediately disguises herself by cutting off her hair and changing her name to Willow Hale. On the Island, she is an outsider; she rents a remote cottage where she can reflect on the devastation caused by her husband’s crimes. Willow embarks on a journey of discovery, trying to understand her husband’s actions and if, deep down, she should have been more vigilant. Perhaps the atrocities were even closer to home.

John Boyne tackles some challenging issues and, as always, creates an atmosphere and authenticity that reveals many uncomfortable thoughts and gives voice to important and consequential matters. What is always exciting about his works is the complexity within the story. The observations of relationships and human nature provide an astounding depth.

The concept of Water is woven throughout the book, from the title to the backdrop of an Island and her husband's role with the National Swimming Federation. If we choose to interpret the many metaphorical threads, we can find a water context within many fascinating scenarios.

“She’s beseeching the water to go against its nature, to show compassion for once, but, like King Canute demanding that the tides fall still, she’s asking in vain, for water is the cruellest of all the elements and will swallow up anyone who challenges it.”

Water is a short novel and one of four that will reflect on the natural elements. The next book in the series is Earth, released in April this year, and Fire is due for release in November 2024. I would highly recommend reading this book where John is at his best.

[Dem · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful and reflective story of a Woman, a wife, and a mother coming to terms with her husband's crimes and the pain, shock, loss and void that it has caused. Set on an island off the Irish Cost in modern times.

We have all wondered about the partners of convicted criminals and their families, did they know their partner or wife was involved in crime, how could they not have known, did they choose to confront them or were silenced by shame or society. How does a partner and family of someone who commit the vilest of crimes move forward with their lives in a small town or community, how far can you run before you trip and fall.

This was such an interesting read on so many levels, I would really loved to have read this as a book club read as think there is so much discussion in this one. I spent a lot of time thinking about this one long after I finished it.

How we think we would react and how we react to situations was foremost on my mind when reading this book. So much to reflect on with this novel.

I never fail to be moved by John Boyne's Novels, I have loved many and disliked a few I must admit, but never regretted reading this author's work.

[NILTON TEIXEIRA · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Water”, (The Elements #1), by John Boyne

5 brilliant stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW: sexual abuse, suicide

This was my 16th book by this author and its book 1 of 4. All books are being published this month as one, and titled as “The Elements”. I own all hardcovers as separate editions, as I like.

Anyways, I cannot add more emphasis on this author’s extraordinary storytelling skills as well as his superb writing. What a talent! His novels are published in 59 languages, making him the most translated Irish writer of all time.

What can I say about this book?
It is so well written and expressed! So insightful!
My blood boiled with anger as well as with anticipation and sadness.
The story is quite heartbreaking.

The main character was so well defined, and although not very likeable (because of her privileged life status) it was hard not to feel some sympathy for her.

The conclusion was absolutely touching. I just cannot imagine that kind of pain and living with such guilty feeling.

I tried to understand the title and took me some time to relate it with the story. Then I saw it as a metaphor for keeping the distance.

Simply phenomenal.

Hardcover (Penguin Books): 166 pages, 15 chapters

[Antoinette · Rating 5 out of 5]

“ The first thing I do when I arrive on the island is change my name. I’ve been Vanessa Carvin for a long time, twenty eight years, but I was Vanessa Hale for twenty four years before that and there’s unexpected comfort in reclaiming my birthright, which sometimes feels as if it was stolen from me, even though I was complicit in the crime.”

So begins “Water” by John Boyne, a novel that I could not put down once I started. Vanessa Carvin becomes Willow Hale once she arrives on the island. She has run away from her life after a horrific event that has left her unmoored. She has come looking for space to think and reflect on whether she was in any way complicit. She has come to a place where no one knows her.

Willow takes long walks by the water, talks to the villagers and thinks. How culpable is a person if someone you live with commits an unspeakable crime? Shouldn’t you have known?

John Boyne never shies away from addressing distressing subjects. I love the way he navigates and explores these topics. His writing flowed over me much as waves do on a beach. An emotional read with a very satisfying ending. This book has heart- the kind of book that will stay with this reader.

I look forward to reading the next book in the Element series.

Published: 2023

[Chrissie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am, and have always been, in complete awe of this writer.

When he imagines a character, they are entirely visible, their appearance, their emotions, their stories - their whole selves.

The book actually is relatively short, but no less awe inspiring for it.

[zed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Golly! What a powerful tale this was. I came into this without reading any blurb, not having a clue as to what it was about. At about a third of the way through the outstanding audio narration by Irish actor Niamh Cusack, I knew something had to happen, but what? Then it came, and to say I was hit between the ears as to the events would be an understatement. And as to a meeting and the “telling of truths” near the end, I was floored at the telling.

This is not a happy book, it covers grief, unwanted truths, denial and other fraught emotions but what a book. A hard book to review without giving away spoilers.

[Vit Babenco · Rating 3 out of 5]

She wants to be a recluse… And she goes to the island…

Something is missing, and it takes me a few moments to realize what it is: there is no television set. I’m not disappointed. If I am to live this hermetic existence, then it is best that nothing intrudes upon it. It will be a rare privilege to be so willfully ignorant of the outside world and all its nonsense.

Right away the story struck me as being false… Everything I am told sounds outright fake… And it is written badly… Insipid clichés are in abundance… It’s nothing more than a cheap melodrama designed to jerk a tear or two…

And what of Andrew, or Matthew, or Judas Iscariot? Did they take women without permission, forcing their unwashed parts into unwilling bodies whenever they felt so moved? All these men, all these fucking men. Sacred and hallowed and venerated for two thousand years.

Oh, it’s so teary… Is it why the novella is titled water? Or is it because there is nothing solid in it?
Moralizing never managed to change the world.

[Vincent · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t really put my finger on what is wrong with this book; it is engaging enough and well written. I just can’t shake the feeling that it never goes beyond the surface of what it tries to explores. It polishes an attractive veneer of clichéd theme, but fails in its haste to explore what really matters, the visceral sense of guilt on which the whole narrative arch is based.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully written book - difficult material explored lyrically and economically.

What worked well, I felt, was the treatment of a nuanced character and a difficult story.

I found the ending problematic.

The main character gets off way too lightly. A mother who turned a blind eye, who “doesn’t know” if she actually knew what was happening or suspected something amiss…has completely abandoned her child for an easier life in my eyes.

No doubt there are many different judgments from readers on the final outcome, which was perhaps the author’s intent (and also the beauty of a character-driven story).

Beautiful and dreadful.

[Mahtab Safdari · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The first thing I do when I arrive on the island is change my name.
I’ve been Vanessa Carvin for a long time, twenty-eight years, but I was Vanessa Hale for twenty-four years before that and there’s an unexpected comfort in reclaiming my birthright, which sometimes feels as if it was stolen from me, even though I was complicit in the crime.
A few minutes later, I change it again, this time to Willow Hale. Willow is my middle name, and it seems prudent to take a further step in separating the woman I am now from the woman I once was."

When you see such an opening, you expect the story to be promising. Indeed, it was. Water is a middle-aged woman's journey (both external and internal) who's hiding from her past on a remote island.
As the title suggests, water plays a multifaceted role in the narrative. It symbolizes the fluidity of emotions and memories and the constant presence of the past, but also represents the dangers of drowning, reflecting the fatal impact of the trauma in the main character's past and the ways water itself can be a cause of death and a method of escape.
The island serves as a physical and psychological refuge. It separates Vanessa from her old life, offering isolation, but also exposes her to nature, which can be both beautiful and perilous.
This remote setting provides a sense of safety and a chance for healing, allowing the character to rebuild herself and confront her past in solitude. The small community and the challenging elements of nature on the island create a unique space for reflection and personal growth.
The story questions whether one can be complicit in crimes, even if indirectly, by looking the other way or remaining silent. It makes readers consider the ethical implications of inaction and the choices people make in difficult situations.
Despite its dark themes, Water has moments of humor and light, a clever style that Boyne uses to balance the heavy subject matter.

[Patience ~ AnotherOddCreature シ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Second book to bring tears to my eyes this week!!!

I’d still 100% recommend this well-written short read! :)

Oooo and there’s a second part “Earth”! Should I? Should I read it? 😆 Naahhh, I could use a shortish break

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up to 5 stars. John Boyne is one of my top ten authors and Water once again reminds me of why that is. I normally have issues with novellas as it always feels that there's not enough time to connect to the characters, but not only does this 176-page story pack a powerful punch, you actually end up feeling like you've read a full-length book.

Some authors write beautiful sentences and others incredible stories - John Boyne is one of the few that does both while also creating deep empathy for other people's lives. In All the Broken Places he focused on the theme of complicity and culpability in a war situation, but in Water he addresses this same theme in a more intimate way. I'm blown away by how authentic his female protagonists voices are in both these novels.

I listened to the audio version and the narration by Niamh Cusack was perfection.

The Story: In this first in a quartet of interlinked novellas named after the elements a woman arrives on a remote island, head shaved and name changed. Gradually, we find out why she is escaping from her past.

[Oscar Duffy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was aggressively ok.

[Stephen the Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new John Boyne is always worthy of anticipation and curiosity; a consummate story teller who manages to pull us into the depths of his characters whilst raising questions about society, values, love and family.

Water is a shorter novel compared to earlier publications but it still delivers a powerful impact and will linger with you after reading. Similarly to All The Broken Places the question of complicity is explored- is Vanessa - the central character -morally complicity if she fails to truly see what has been happening in the world around.

In this story, Vanessa Carvin decides to leave home in Dublin following the imprisonment of her husband; she decides to go to a remote Irish island where she changes her name and follows a path of solitude and reflection. It is within this premise, we learn the story of her marriage and the subsequent shocking events.

Upon the island; will she find the peace or understanding she desires; will she be recognised following a high profile case; will the past continually haunt her? This is a beautifully constructed novel. Each word and sentence is pitch perfect to create the remoteness of the island, the intrusiveness of a small community and the turmoil that is challenging Vanessa. The lives of other island inhabitants are tentatively explored but build the questions of how can we redefine who we are and what is our place within families and communities- remain or escape.

Water runs through the novel as a literary device/theme, a metaphor and obviously is a physical presence surrounding Vanessa. There is also a clear message of the impact of catholicism and the traditional attitudes of a patriarchal Irish society upon Irish women. Moving, and challenging, but equally beautiful and rewarding. Highly recommended - another brilliant novel

[Maria Yankulova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Дестилиран тих ужас опакован в скромните 189 страници. Ужас, тъга, гняв, които се лутаха в мен, докато детайли от историята ми се разкриваха постепенно. Този кратък роман ме помете емоционално. Надали е най-доброто, което съм чела. Вярвам, че Джон Бойн има още много скрити козове, отделно е можел да задълбае още в историята и образите, нооо майчиното ми сърце е опустошено…

Роман за мрачните тайни в едно семейство, за лъжите, заблудата и отказът да видиш очевидното…

Колкото повече ирландски автори чета, толкова повече ми харесват, но и ми оставят едно усещане за безнадежност. Лицата на Ирландия, кои��о опознавам са пъстри, но често в мрачни краски.

През цялото време си мислех, че ще
дам 4⭐️ на книгата, заради усещането ми, че имам нужда от още дълбочина, но 14 Глава добави финалната 5та⭐️

[Lyubov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. Not a groundbreaking story but a good read, distilled in 160 pages. Short and quick but nevertheless painful and dark.
Can't wait to read the other 3 elements in the series and to grasp the whole idea of this literature puzzle crafted by Boyne.

[enzoreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je suis choqué ?????? C’est peut-être ma lecture de l’année ????

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a satisfying read! This is the first of four loosely interconnected novellas by the oh so fantastic John Boyne. All four novellas comprise a novel called The Elements, but each is also available as a stand-alone. A cool concept: this book is titled Water, and his others are Earth, Fire, and Air. I’ll be reading each right after the other. Can’t wait!

I gobbled this one up. The narrator is a woman who moves from Dublin to an island of 400 people off the coast of Ireland. She is escaping the aftermath of a horrific scandal involving her family. She immediately changes her name and chops off her hair. She’s hoping no one recognizes her; the scandal had been very public. We get to hear what’s going on in her head as she starts her life as a single, independent woman living out in the boonies, a woman who is wracked with guilt, remorse, sadness, and anger. There’s an estranged daughter, and you feel mom’s pain as she walks on eggshells, trying to reconnect. The narrator loves her solitude but also gets lonely, so she goes to the pub every day for lunch, mostly keeping her distance. She is complex and mysterious—Boyne is great at creating characters who grab you.

One thing I loved was the instant absorption. From page 1, I was mesmerized. Forget chores! Who is this intriguing character and what’s going to happen? It’s exciting how you get little bits of the backstory doled out in just the right amounts to keep you enthralled. Great pacing. It’s funny—it’s a quiet book but it’s a page turner nonetheless. Only a master storyteller can pull that off.

Another thing I liked: Boyne creates an atmospheric story without long or precious descriptions (which usually bog me down). For reasons unknown to me, I’m partial to stories set on islands, so I especially loved that I felt like I was right there, surrounded by the sea.

A few small nits: one is that the main character tells her daughter something that I don’t think a mom would share with her daughter. I try to stretch my mind but it keeps nagging at me. Second, there are some scenes with a priest, so a teensy bit of God talk. I don’t like when there is any religion. Not a big deal, though, since it doesn’t take up much air space. Third, there’s a short scene where the narrator is talking to a pub owner and she ends up telling him off, her anger toward men loud and abrasive. I didn’t buy that she’d get that nasty with a stranger who she is befriending. None of these complaints knocked it out of the 5-star category, though. It’s a fantastic story, one I won’t forget!

Onto Earth. I’m excited!