Water by John Boyne

From the first page, I was completely immersed in this story. John Boyne is a master storyteller without a doubt.

A woman arrives at an island and sets about changing herself - first her name and then her appearance. She is running away from her past for a while until she can find a way to deal with it and the attention she attracts. The story carefully unfolds to reveal the terrible crimes her husband has committed and the accusations she has received as being an enabler or colluding in some way. She questions herself about whether it is true.

The title of this novella is the theme that is both physical and symbolic. The woman tells her own story in the first person, explaining that 'Water is the cruellest of all the elements and will swallow up anyone who challenges it.' Her husband was a swimming instructor who trained Olympic swimmers and she noted that she moved to live by the water, as well as drinking it to survive and all people begin life in water. Of course, water is cleansing.

However, this isn't about water as a metaphor. It is about trauma and the part water plays in it. Shame, misogyny, traditional values and human connection all feature heavily. The central character, a woman, expresses how men dominate and control women from the male gaze to their sense of entitlement, while women reinforce this. Very impressive coming from a male author.

A simple yet composite story, beautifully written, harrowing and sensitive and totally absorbing.

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Published by Doubleday on 2 November 2023.