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Waters and the Wild
Amy was five when she vanished during a family trip, only to be found hours later, clutching a golden acorn and claiming to have visited fairies. Now she's eighteen and the fairies are calling her back.
While attending a wedding deep in the Antrim glens, the voices grow darker and their song takes hold. Not sure if she's mad or if the fairies are real, she flees, drawing well-meaning Simon into her fairy-fuelled roadtrip.
To escape their hold, she must confront long-hidden secrets, and find a truth which may not be hers to unearth.
But, even then, the fairies may not let her go....
While attending a wedding deep in the Antrim glens, the voices grow darker and their song takes hold. Not sure if she's mad or if the fairies are real, she flees, drawing well-meaning Simon into her fairy-fuelled roadtrip.
To escape their hold, she must confront long-hidden secrets, and find a truth which may not be hers to unearth.
But, even then, the fairies may not let her go....
- GenresFantasy
183 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 23, 2017
4 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Jo Zebedee
25 books108 followersI write dark sci fi and fantasy with kick-ass pace. Edgy voices and sexy space pilots. And people, conflicted and sometimes half-mad, but always written so closely you could be them.
If you want to keep up to date with what I'm up to, get exclusive short stories and information about launches, sign up at: http://jozebedee.com/newsletter/ (I promise not to spam anyone!)
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If you want to keep up to date with what I'm up to, get exclusive short stories and information about launches, sign up at: http://jozebedee.com/newsletter/ (I promise not to spam anyone!)
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 9, 2024
I really enjoyed this book - I loved that it was based in Northern Ireland the mention of local places felt close to me, it also had our dialect used within the book too - it felt homely.
I loved the premise of the book, it's something I've never read before.
Not at all is how it seems in this book and I loved that - It was a lot darker than I expected and has twists! :)
I loved the premise of the book, it's something I've never read before.
Not at all is how it seems in this book and I loved that - It was a lot darker than I expected and has twists! :)
May 10, 2017
What a completely enthralling new novel from Jo Zebedee! Throughout 'Waters and the Wild' there's a haunting sense of disparateness - between goodness and evil, darkness and light, truth and lies and, movingly, between what each character believes they know and what really is. From the very opening chapter, the reader falls headlong into a mother's nightmare; on holiday in the Glens of Antrim, little Amy suddenly and completely disappears. We're drawn into spiralling panic as Amy's family search frenziedly for the lost child. It's at this point (and, boy, does this fascinating novel stand re-reading!) that a schism slowly begins to uncurl - growing relentlessly throughout the novel and fracturing spectacularly in the closing chapters. This may sound slightly generalised, but I am trying VERY hard not to give any spoilers - you'll understand when you throw yourself into this amazing novel and follow each twist and turn as Amy and her family race towards the breath-taking conclusion.
This is no light-hearted fairy tale; a palpable sense of darkness permeates not only each character in the novel but also the lushly atmospheric surroundings of the Glens of Antrim. This is a place steeped in myth and legend which will prove to be either Amy's salvation or her destruction. It shelters and exposes; it protects and it injures. Nothing is guaranteed. Did the fairies take Amy all those years ago? Does she still possess fragile childhood memories of past times with them (and an ability to communicate with them, now, in the present) or is this little more than a troubling adolescent psychosis which will drive Amy remorselessly towards her destruction?
Jo does something extremely clever (and utterly compelling) in this novel - she moves seamlessly from one narrator to the next and drives the action relentlessly on; we explore each person's assessment of Amy's deteriorating condition (including Amy's own terrified thoughts of what she's experiencing) as each undertakes their own personal quest. But who is correct in their understanding of Amy's condition and who (perhaps even Amy herself?) is driving her towards destruction?
This is a lush, beautifully crafted tale of journeys - physical, personal, emotional and spiritual - set against a backdrop of the beautiful Glens of Antrim. These journeys (taken, quite literally, into the unknown) are driven by lost wishes, fervent hopes, horrifying darkness, growing doubt and heart-breaking moments of awareness that we cannot posses as adults what we once hoped and dreamed of as children. The magical creatures that people 'Waters and the Wild' are entrancing, beguiling and often seductively vicious. Yet no matter how terrified she may be of these faerie creatures, Amy feels compelled to return to them - just as her family, friends and helpful locals are driven to follow her in her ever more destructive quest to resolve her situation. And when, with superb sleight of hand, Jo finally unwraps the full story of Amy, her fractured family and these haunting creatures, the reader is filled with such a sense of sadness for what has been lost and what can no longer be. And YES - the delicate unravelling complexity of this novel demands that you sit right down and read the whole thing right through again!
Absolutely fabulous work - eerie, atmospheric and incredibly evocative with gorgeous descriptions of the countryside and its people; I can't recommend this highly enough - and I've managed to get to the end of this review without giving away key plot points!! Take this book to the Glens of Antrim and read it with the waves crashing on the shore; I can guarantee that your goose-bumps won't simply be caused by the cool water!
This is no light-hearted fairy tale; a palpable sense of darkness permeates not only each character in the novel but also the lushly atmospheric surroundings of the Glens of Antrim. This is a place steeped in myth and legend which will prove to be either Amy's salvation or her destruction. It shelters and exposes; it protects and it injures. Nothing is guaranteed. Did the fairies take Amy all those years ago? Does she still possess fragile childhood memories of past times with them (and an ability to communicate with them, now, in the present) or is this little more than a troubling adolescent psychosis which will drive Amy remorselessly towards her destruction?
Jo does something extremely clever (and utterly compelling) in this novel - she moves seamlessly from one narrator to the next and drives the action relentlessly on; we explore each person's assessment of Amy's deteriorating condition (including Amy's own terrified thoughts of what she's experiencing) as each undertakes their own personal quest. But who is correct in their understanding of Amy's condition and who (perhaps even Amy herself?) is driving her towards destruction?
This is a lush, beautifully crafted tale of journeys - physical, personal, emotional and spiritual - set against a backdrop of the beautiful Glens of Antrim. These journeys (taken, quite literally, into the unknown) are driven by lost wishes, fervent hopes, horrifying darkness, growing doubt and heart-breaking moments of awareness that we cannot posses as adults what we once hoped and dreamed of as children. The magical creatures that people 'Waters and the Wild' are entrancing, beguiling and often seductively vicious. Yet no matter how terrified she may be of these faerie creatures, Amy feels compelled to return to them - just as her family, friends and helpful locals are driven to follow her in her ever more destructive quest to resolve her situation. And when, with superb sleight of hand, Jo finally unwraps the full story of Amy, her fractured family and these haunting creatures, the reader is filled with such a sense of sadness for what has been lost and what can no longer be. And YES - the delicate unravelling complexity of this novel demands that you sit right down and read the whole thing right through again!
Absolutely fabulous work - eerie, atmospheric and incredibly evocative with gorgeous descriptions of the countryside and its people; I can't recommend this highly enough - and I've managed to get to the end of this review without giving away key plot points!! Take this book to the Glens of Antrim and read it with the waves crashing on the shore; I can guarantee that your goose-bumps won't simply be caused by the cool water!
July 20, 2017
Hrm.
It can be tricky reading authors you've read plenty of when they branch out and try a different trick, as the brain expects certain things and when other things happen there is a dissonance.
Maybe its that which led me to be lukewarm about the opening chapters of Jo Zebedee's Waters and the Wild. Or maybe it was trying to do so with my mind elsewhere. Maybe its just I didn't care much for Simon, the PoV character at the book's opening. Its Simon, lad around Belfast and nice chap, who drags us into the book's chaos when out at a country wedding, he spies a lass called Amy slipping off to a fairy glen late at night.
Little does the poor wee unsuspecting lamb know that Amy reckons she sees the fairies and with that pressure building in her head, is about to do a number of less than sane things.
Once it gets going, Waters and the Wild is a grand ride. The best part of the book is the reaction of Amy's family to her actions, smacking them in all of their sore points as it does. Say one thing for Jo Zebedee, say she nails family dysfunction. But Amy and Simon's adventure is worth reading in its own right. Certain elements are predictable but so much that so to remove the need to keep flicking pages. And that's what you want from a book.
It can be tricky reading authors you've read plenty of when they branch out and try a different trick, as the brain expects certain things and when other things happen there is a dissonance.
Maybe its that which led me to be lukewarm about the opening chapters of Jo Zebedee's Waters and the Wild. Or maybe it was trying to do so with my mind elsewhere. Maybe its just I didn't care much for Simon, the PoV character at the book's opening. Its Simon, lad around Belfast and nice chap, who drags us into the book's chaos when out at a country wedding, he spies a lass called Amy slipping off to a fairy glen late at night.
Little does the poor wee unsuspecting lamb know that Amy reckons she sees the fairies and with that pressure building in her head, is about to do a number of less than sane things.
Once it gets going, Waters and the Wild is a grand ride. The best part of the book is the reaction of Amy's family to her actions, smacking them in all of their sore points as it does. Say one thing for Jo Zebedee, say she nails family dysfunction. But Amy and Simon's adventure is worth reading in its own right. Certain elements are predictable but so much that so to remove the need to keep flicking pages. And that's what you want from a book.
April 5, 2018
This is an intriguing tale set in the atmospheric glens of Antrim over one long wedding weekend.
The story reads well, carrying me along at a decent rate. Its essence is a compact storyline revolving around a traditionally nuclear but not so traditionally dysfunctional family. A rugby playing wedding guest gets drawn into the swirling vortices of the families unravelling past.
The setting and the small central cast make for a claustrophobic tale, events pressing in as Amy teeters along a boundary between two worlds those of sanity and madness, or those of our world and the Fae.
At times I found some motifs a little laboured but the tale still took a sharp enough twist, shining a fresh light on a back story I had thought I understood and so helping draw the threads together into a satisfying denouement.
The story reads well, carrying me along at a decent rate. Its essence is a compact storyline revolving around a traditionally nuclear but not so traditionally dysfunctional family. A rugby playing wedding guest gets drawn into the swirling vortices of the families unravelling past.
The setting and the small central cast make for a claustrophobic tale, events pressing in as Amy teeters along a boundary between two worlds those of sanity and madness, or those of our world and the Fae.
At times I found some motifs a little laboured but the tale still took a sharp enough twist, shining a fresh light on a back story I had thought I understood and so helping draw the threads together into a satisfying denouement.
February 6, 2019
Great book! Zebedee paints a powerful portrait of a family being torn to shreds by the main character's possible schizophrenia and/or psychosis, as well as by the feelings of guilt, helplessness and anger that follow in her illness' wake. At the same time, we get a compelling drama as the main character, Amy, desperately tries to escape the clutches of the fairies who may or may not be figments of her imagination. (And these aren't your average, everyday fairies. It's more like they've read too much Stephen King and binged on fairy-dust before heading out looking for trouble.)
The result is a real page-turner where neither you nor Amy are sure what is real and what isn't. So good, I bought a second copy for my wife for her birthday. (Shh! Don't say anything, her birthday isn't for a little while yet.)
The result is a real page-turner where neither you nor Amy are sure what is real and what isn't. So good, I bought a second copy for my wife for her birthday. (Shh! Don't say anything, her birthday isn't for a little while yet.)
May 11, 2017
Waters and the Wild centres on eighteen-year-old Amy, who sees and hears fairies, and finds herself drawn to them even as she perceives the danger they represent. This has been going on since an incident at age five, but things come to a head, and the story begins, one night at a family wedding in the Amtrim Glens, when Amy heads off towards a supposedly fairy-haunted waterfall. She is stopped by wedding guest and distant cousin Simon, who is concerned for her safety, and who thus finds himself drawn into the world of the Lyles – especially when Amy then disappears.
Simon is the everyman character here, a rugby-playing web designer – relatable and realistic, but we never learn a great deal about his life before the story. That fits, because it points up that the focus is rightly on Amy and her family (as one would expect from Zebedee, family perhaps being her theme). Simon acts as an introduction to the Lyles and also a kind of observer, making this a bit like an Ulster working class Brideshead Revisited (well, I did say “a bit”). Amy, her separated parents and her older brother are superb creations, and the relationships, tensions and bonds within the family are very well done, dramatic without seeming exaggerated. As events unfold, all reveal their own issues, which weave together and are all tied up with Amy’s fairy “psychosis” (if that’s what it is). I could have spent a lot more time with them.
That’s possibly my only real criticism of the book: I wanted it to be longer. I wished Simon could have observed the Lyles at first in slightly less fraught circumstances. In particular, I think this would have given the mother, Emma, more space to breathe. She’s a very interesting character, and the key in a way to the whole thing, but I felt sometimes that she was being forced to reveal herself by the demands of the narrative rather than doing so completely naturally.
But better for a book to leave you wanting more than to outstay its welcome, which this never did. The characterisation here is uniformly good. Amy exudes vulnerability and determination, and the other leads are all sympathetic in their own way. Even the bit-parts feel like completely real people. And there’s a strong sense of place that comes through in the characters, their thoughts, dialogue, and the details of the setting. It feels very rooted in its landscape. Apart from a couple of minor blips in the second half, the pacing is excellent too.
As for Amy’s fairies, I loved their shifting slidiness, the way you don’t quite know what you’re dealing with. Most readers will want to know by the end whether they’re real or just in Amy’s mind. I won’t spoil that, but I found that side of things well-handled.
A very strong 4/5.
Simon is the everyman character here, a rugby-playing web designer – relatable and realistic, but we never learn a great deal about his life before the story. That fits, because it points up that the focus is rightly on Amy and her family (as one would expect from Zebedee, family perhaps being her theme). Simon acts as an introduction to the Lyles and also a kind of observer, making this a bit like an Ulster working class Brideshead Revisited (well, I did say “a bit”). Amy, her separated parents and her older brother are superb creations, and the relationships, tensions and bonds within the family are very well done, dramatic without seeming exaggerated. As events unfold, all reveal their own issues, which weave together and are all tied up with Amy’s fairy “psychosis” (if that’s what it is). I could have spent a lot more time with them.
That’s possibly my only real criticism of the book: I wanted it to be longer. I wished Simon could have observed the Lyles at first in slightly less fraught circumstances. In particular, I think this would have given the mother, Emma, more space to breathe. She’s a very interesting character, and the key in a way to the whole thing, but I felt sometimes that she was being forced to reveal herself by the demands of the narrative rather than doing so completely naturally.
But better for a book to leave you wanting more than to outstay its welcome, which this never did. The characterisation here is uniformly good. Amy exudes vulnerability and determination, and the other leads are all sympathetic in their own way. Even the bit-parts feel like completely real people. And there’s a strong sense of place that comes through in the characters, their thoughts, dialogue, and the details of the setting. It feels very rooted in its landscape. Apart from a couple of minor blips in the second half, the pacing is excellent too.
As for Amy’s fairies, I loved their shifting slidiness, the way you don’t quite know what you’re dealing with. Most readers will want to know by the end whether they’re real or just in Amy’s mind. I won’t spoil that, but I found that side of things well-handled.
A very strong 4/5.
March 27, 2019
When you think Northern Irish literature, you think dark and scary, right? Well, "Waters and the Wild" is dark and scary, but not in the way you're thinking. "The Troubles" are only mentioned in passing. These modern Northern Irish characters are living perfectly normal lives. Except for the fairies.
Yes, fairies. This is a story of psychological, not political, unrest. Amy was taken away by the fairies as a small child. Ever since, they've been haunting her. Or does she suffer from schizophrenia and psychosis?
The story is beautifully atmospheric, creating a setting that's somewhere between magical and terrifying. The point of view switches back and forth between Amy, her brother Mark, and their new friend Simon, who gets caught up in the drama when Amy goes missing. The multiple perspectives allow the author to build plot tension and also move back and forth between characters who believe in fairies and those who don't. There's an element of mystery, an element of suspense, and an element of magic in the way the story is constructed, as well as its final conclusion. A haunting and compelling addition to the genre of Irish fairy-tale fantasy.
Yes, fairies. This is a story of psychological, not political, unrest. Amy was taken away by the fairies as a small child. Ever since, they've been haunting her. Or does she suffer from schizophrenia and psychosis?
The story is beautifully atmospheric, creating a setting that's somewhere between magical and terrifying. The point of view switches back and forth between Amy, her brother Mark, and their new friend Simon, who gets caught up in the drama when Amy goes missing. The multiple perspectives allow the author to build plot tension and also move back and forth between characters who believe in fairies and those who don't. There's an element of mystery, an element of suspense, and an element of magic in the way the story is constructed, as well as its final conclusion. A haunting and compelling addition to the genre of Irish fairy-tale fantasy.
July 14, 2017
Tales of people being called by fairies are not new but this book takes an interesting view on it – looking at not only the central character, Amy (is she mad or are they really calling her) but also on the adverse affects on her family over the years.
Set in modern day Ireland, the story takes place over a couple of days as the call of the Fairies on Amy becomes impossible to ignore. The book captures the increasing frantic nature of Amy’s struggle and her friends and family’s efforts to keep her safe. And with a couple of twists you are not sure if this is an urban fantasy or a portrayal of mental health issues.
To be honest this isn’t the sort of book I would normally pick up but I found myself thinking about the characters and sneaking in an extra chapter or two when I could.
Set in modern day Ireland, the story takes place over a couple of days as the call of the Fairies on Amy becomes impossible to ignore. The book captures the increasing frantic nature of Amy’s struggle and her friends and family’s efforts to keep her safe. And with a couple of twists you are not sure if this is an urban fantasy or a portrayal of mental health issues.
To be honest this isn’t the sort of book I would normally pick up but I found myself thinking about the characters and sneaking in an extra chapter or two when I could.
May 16, 2019
From the first word to the last, a pleasure to read.
There now I've really gone and said it.
Waters and the Wild By Jo Zebedee.
Just received in the mail the paper edition. I've read and enjoyed a number of Jo's books already and though this is not my usual genre to read I knew I just had to read this one. Jo does not disappoint.
I admit to having read similar novels; as out here there is a local author William Voigt who has a number of novels that integrate local folk lore into local settings. And just like William, Jo does a great job of using those to frame around her characters and give the reader a tremendous reading experience.
Waters of the Wild is a story of a descent in madness(similar to Castles: A Fictional Memoir of a Girl with Scissors by Benjamin X. Wretlind) that delivers twists of almost Hitchcockian proportions and just as much frenetic suspense; though it is paced well with a strange and deep story about this girls family that takes us into the depths of a real life and then wrings it all out in a mashing of madness leaving the reader uncertain what to believe.
I opened this book the minute it arrived and honestly was propelled through it from the first word to the last.
Way to go Jo.
J.L. Dobias
There now I've really gone and said it.
Waters and the Wild By Jo Zebedee.
Just received in the mail the paper edition. I've read and enjoyed a number of Jo's books already and though this is not my usual genre to read I knew I just had to read this one. Jo does not disappoint.
I admit to having read similar novels; as out here there is a local author William Voigt who has a number of novels that integrate local folk lore into local settings. And just like William, Jo does a great job of using those to frame around her characters and give the reader a tremendous reading experience.
Waters of the Wild is a story of a descent in madness(similar to Castles: A Fictional Memoir of a Girl with Scissors by Benjamin X. Wretlind) that delivers twists of almost Hitchcockian proportions and just as much frenetic suspense; though it is paced well with a strange and deep story about this girls family that takes us into the depths of a real life and then wrings it all out in a mashing of madness leaving the reader uncertain what to believe.
I opened this book the minute it arrived and honestly was propelled through it from the first word to the last.
Way to go Jo.
J.L. Dobias
July 23, 2017
I've become a fussy reader in my old age, if a book doesn't catch me within the first few pages, that's it, I'm away. I have read another of this author's books called Inish Carraig. I couldn't leave that one down. The eyes were hanging out of my head because I was up till 3 a.m.. I had to finish it, I had to know what happened next. It didn't disappoint.
When I saw that Jo had another book out I decided to chance it again. I wasn't sure what to expect. Thank God I was on holidays. The book was every bit as gripping as Inish Carraig, I was wrecked the next day, having sat up all night. I had to find out what was going on.
What did I like? The fast pace, I was never bored, just enough setting, plenty of character development, plot driven. The perfect amount of mystery to drive me to turn the page to find out more. I loved the characters. I want a Simon in my life. I'm not going to talk about the plot except to say it drives the book on and ties up nicely. When I finished my readathon, I was happy.
Buy it, it's a no brainier!
When I saw that Jo had another book out I decided to chance it again. I wasn't sure what to expect. Thank God I was on holidays. The book was every bit as gripping as Inish Carraig, I was wrecked the next day, having sat up all night. I had to find out what was going on.
What did I like? The fast pace, I was never bored, just enough setting, plenty of character development, plot driven. The perfect amount of mystery to drive me to turn the page to find out more. I loved the characters. I want a Simon in my life. I'm not going to talk about the plot except to say it drives the book on and ties up nicely. When I finished my readathon, I was happy.
Buy it, it's a no brainier!
September 11, 2017
This is a book about fairies meddling with an Irish girl who can see them when no one else can. Not your cute, fluttery Tinkerbell type fairies, but menacing, primitive creatures you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. The story is told from several points of view, as different people react to the girl's ability. It's nicely ambiguous about whether she really can see them or whether she's mad. There are lovely details about the landscape that made me jealous as a writer. I did feel that after a while the sections from the girl's point of view started to sound repetitious, but other than that, this was a good read.
May 6, 2018
Right from the first page, I was pulled into this bewitching story that mixes fantasy with realism with hinting at mental health issues. Beautifully written, brilliantly paced and totally enthralling Zebedee takes the reader on a heart-stopping journey through the Glens of Antrim. Looking forward to reading more of her books.
May 11, 2017
If there's a line between fantasy and madness, then Jo Zebedee's characters are dragged kicking and screaming across it. A dark fable about belonging that is rooted as deeply in Northern Ireland as it is in the fantasy genre, with shades of Graham Joyce thrown in for good measure.
February 4, 2020
I really enjoyed this story. It’s very well written with likable characters. I love the cover as well. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author. I would recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 5, 2021
I have read a few books by this author and I have loved every single one. This book is such a great and compelling story with awesome characters that I could not set it down!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 5, 2017
If you're a fan of high-octane psychological thrillers [with a supernatural twist], this could be the book for you. It's fast, it's furious and it's got faeries in it.
September 18, 2017
The book was brilliant, really enjoyed the story. I was totally engrossed in the tale
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews