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Water
Water | John Boyne
20 posts | 17 read | 35 to read
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.
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review
CBee
Water | John Boyne
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Pickpick

Goodness, what a book. Very thankful to my local library for acquiring this and Earth so that I could read them! Not an easy read, but are any of Boyne‘s books light and fluffy? I loved this.

BarbaraBB Me too! 2d
66 likes1 comment
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Cathythoughts
Water | John Boyne
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this one. Set on an island off of Galway. Where the water is all around and healing. I loved the descriptions of island life. I have Earth ready to go now too.

‘Water has been the undoing of me. It has been the undoing of my family. We swim in it 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. Water kills. ‘

BarbaraBB Glad you liked it. Earth is so good too! 5d
Cathythoughts @BarbaraBB He‘s so readable! Looking forward to Earth 👍🏻 4d
44 likes2 comments
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suvata
Water | John Boyne
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Pickpick

5 Stars • "Water" by John Boyne follows Vanessa Carvin, who renames herself Willow Hale, as she escapes to an Irish island to flee her past. Her husband, Brendan, was imprisoned for child abuse, and she seeks solitude to escape public judgment and confront her own complicity. The novel explores themes of identity, isolation, and redemption through Willow's interactions with islanders and her internal struggles. ⬇️

suvata The narrative uses water as a metaphor for cleansing and change. Ultimately, Willow finds a path toward healing and self-forgiveness, marking a hopeful conclusion to her journey. 1mo
37 likes1 comment
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BarbaraBB
Water | John Boyne
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Pickpick

What a wonderful book. How I love John Boyne. And how I felt for Vanessa and her trauma, guilt, grief, and anger. The small Irish island community. All adds to a fabulous and sad experience, one I am glad to be a part of for an ample 160 pages. I can‘t wait for the other elements and have already purchased a copy of Earth!

TheKidUpstairs You had me at "small Irish island community" - stacked! 2mo
BarbaraBB @TheKidUpstairs I was thinking of you while mentioning that 😂 Definitely your kind of book! (edited) 2mo
See All 19 Comments
BarbaraBB @JamieArc It‘s so good! I‘m sure you‘ll love it too! 2mo
squirrelbrain I‘ve just started the ARC of Fire…. 2mo
Suet624 I had no idea he‘d even written another book! 2mo
BarbaraBB @Suet624 So good Sue, try to get it from your library! 2mo
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain Oh wow! Are Earth and Fire just as good? 2mo
Suet624 I will. Right now. 2mo
BarbaraBB @Suet624 😀. You need to go there anyway, to pick op 2mo
Suet624 Haha. Yup! Tomorrow is my day to go to the city. 😊 2mo
Suet624 Oh, apparently it‘s not available yet in the U.S. That‘s weird. 2mo
BarbaraBB @Suet624 That‘s weird indeed. Canada maybe?! 2mo
squirrelbrain I think Water is the best, although Earth is also good. I haven‘t got far enough into Fire yet, although it‘s supposed to be very tough to read. 2mo
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain Can‘t wait! I‘ll bring Earth with me to Gladstone! It‘s a safe bet I think 🤞🏽 2mo
sarahbarnes I haven‘t read Boyne I don‘t think, but this sounds very good. 1mo
BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes you haven‘t read any Boyne? If so please run to your library or bookstore and get a copy of 😀 1mo
sarahbarnes Since it‘s a recommendation from you, I‘m on it immediately! 😁 1mo
BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes You‘ll love it I think! ❤️ 1mo
68 likes9 stack adds19 comments
blurb
BarbaraBB
Water | John Boyne
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#WhereAreYouMonday

I‘m on a small island of the coast of Ireland, not sure where exactly but there‘s only 400 inhabitants, 2 pubs and a shop. And a church of course. This is where Vanessa Carvin aka Willow Hale arrives for a self-imposed exile.

A super intriguing start of this John Boyne book.

AmyG I really liked this one. Enjoy. 2mo
46 likes1 comment
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Mccall0113
Water | John Boyne
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Love Boyne's writing! I want to know what happens in the sequel but don't want to pay $25 for 176 page book. Womp womp. Off to see if my library can order it!

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ClairesReads
Water | John Boyne
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Pickpick

I wasn‘t sure how I was going to feel about this because I don‘t always get on with Boyne but I liked this very much and think it‘s an accomplished novella (novel?) Water does everything I like in a short, serious work of fiction. It‘s relentlessly bleak, direct, has many layers, characterises with complexity, resolves but doesn‘t solve, evokes emotion and place, and does it all with a brevity of expression.

Freespirit Great review!!! 5mo
33 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BookBelle84
Water | John Boyne
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Pickpick

John Boyne is a master at writing emotion. This book is short but says a lot. Looking at the roles of men and women, abuse, suicide, small town ideologies, and religion, this book crams a lot into its pages but is never preachy. It would make a fantastic book club pick. I love the idea of his Elements series and will definitely be getting the next one.

AmyG I liked this one, too. 7mo
33 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Jeg
Water | John Boyne
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Pickpick

A short book. Such a great story teller. Follows one character. I believe there are 2 more books to come . In the next one Earth we follow the life of one of the characters mentioned in this book. Clever. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VRM1975
Water | John Boyne
Pickpick

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TrishB
Water | John Boyne
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A short book that packs a powerful little story. I‘ll look forward to the next one.

AmyG Good to hear. 10mo
BarbaraBB Makes me curious! 10mo
90 likes2 comments
blurb
Mccall0113
Water | John Boyne
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This author is an auto buy for me. So excited to dive in. Pun intended. 🤿🏊🏻‍♀️🏄🏻‍♀️

Ruthiella 😂😂 10mo
ricalyr ..want to read
9mo
65 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Tove_Reads
Water | John Boyne
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Always great to read the latest Boyne. Can‘t wait for the next three elements. Boyne tackles the issues in life that hurts us the most, but in a way that you really want to read about them. The short book is so much more than just story. Boyne truly is one of the greatest storytellers ever. ❤️

TrishB Just brought this one in the Waterstones sale. 10mo
Tove_Reads @TrishB 👍🏽❤️ you‘ll love it! 10mo
squirrelbrain I have Earth already as an ARC…! 10mo
Tove_Reads @squirrelbrain ❤️❤️ 10mo
45 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
Mccall0113
Water | John Boyne
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Bought myself an early birthday present!

Tamra 🙌🏾 Yay for you!! 10mo
Amiable Ahhh! Is this a new one? I ❤️ John Boyne! 10mo
Mccall0113 @Amiable yes! I rarely pre order but he is an automatic buy for me! 10mo
60 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Bookbuyingaddict
Water | John Boyne
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My friend and I met the wonderful author John Boyne last night at his book 📖 launch 🚀 tour , what a lovely man he‘s my favourite living male author , really enjoyed his talk and chatting to him afterwards and so so nice to be in a room of like minded people ☺️happy Friday fellow book 📚 lovers 🥰

Megabooks Wow! So cool! 12mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Awesome 🤩 12mo
erzascarletbookgasm 🤩 I love John Boyne 12mo
kspenmoll Fantastic! 10mo
39 likes4 comments
review
squirrelbrain
Water | John Boyne
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Pickpick

As ever, another enthralling read from John Boyne, tackling a very dark subject.

It‘s only a short read and, whilst this means it packs a heavy punch, I do wish there had been space to explore some areas a bit further.

Willow Hale arrives on a tiny Irish island from Dublin, having changed her name. What is she hiding from and can she really ever escape?

#netgalley #water

Published in the UK 2nd Nov.

TrishB I was worrying you weren‘t reading 😁 12mo
BarbaraBB Lol @TrishB me too! 12mo
squirrelbrain @TrishB @BarbaraBB - not reading as much as usual but I‘m trying! 🤣 12mo
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TrishB Same here! I now have the lurgy everyone else has had so even less reading happening. 12mo
squirrelbrain Oh no @TrishB 😞 Everywhere I‘ve been this week, someone has had it so I wouldn‘t be surprised if I get it too. 🙄 12mo
TrishB It‘s very hard to avoid! I‘ve just got out of bed and eaten a sandwich and no have no energy, fun times 😁 but I‘ve finished a book. 12mo
squirrelbrain Ugh, hope you feel better soon @TrishB - I prescribe a whole week off work! 12mo
63 likes2 stack adds7 comments
blurb
Tove_Reads
Water | John Boyne
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For the lucky ones that can get this one on NG, go request it! 🥰🥰🥰

AmyG Ooooo….love his books. 1y
squirrelbrain Oooh thanks - I just requested. 1y
ErikasMindfulShelf Hmm. Couldn‘t find it when I searched. 1y
See All 8 Comments
Tove_Reads @ErikasMindfulShelf Change to the UK site and see if you find it there! 1y
ErikasMindfulShelf That worked! Didn‘t know I could do that. I have a feeling they won‘t approve me but doesn‘t hurt trying. Thanks. 1y
Tove_Reads @ErikasMindfulShelf YW! Could be that you won‘t get it, but if there‘s a popular book that is both available in the US and the UK, it‘s quite often easier to get it from the UK site, if they allow for you to request 1y
Tove_Reads @andrew65 I hope you have requested 1y
Andrew65 Can‘t beat a John Boyne book. Requested it but not had a decision yet. 1y
36 likes1 stack add8 comments