I finished this yesterday and have been struggling to write a review that does it justice! The writing is amazing and despite being a novella and short in length, it has such depth. The subject matter is difficult, but it tackles this sensitively, holding a mirror up to society and how we treat women in relation to the crimes of men. Ultimately it’s a story about reconciling the past and finding a way to heal. It’s hard to say more without giving too much away, but I am very much looking forward to the next instalment of this quartet in the Spring. Thank you to the publisher for my proof.

I'm a big fan of John Boyne's books and I loved reading Water. I thought it was a wonderful novel. I enjoyed reading the story of the main character, and how she deals with losing her family and her reflections on what part she did or did not have to play in that. I also liked the other characters and how John Boyne made them feel so real with their mannerisms and dialogue. I got a real sense of what life on the island was like. Water deals with difficult and traumatic issues, but for me the novel is also full of spirit and hope. Water is part of a quartet of novels and I look forward to reading Earth, Fire and Air.

Can you ever truly fix the consequences of past mistakes? Vanessa Carvin escapes to a remote island off the coast of Ireland to escape the fallout caused by her husband’s scandal. She changes her name to Willow Hale and slowly starts to integrate herself with the locals. Will she be recognised? How will people judge her if they find out who her infamous husband is? John Boyne never disappoints. I’m loving this new series and presume we’ll have Fire to follow Earth and Water. Rony Elite Reviewing Group

Water by John Boyne I give this book 5 stars This is the first in a interlinked novel quartet named after the elements……Water,Earth,Fire and Air. This powerful prose doesn’t feel like a novella and left it’s mark on me.The author takes us on a sweeping journey of self discovery encompassing guilt,grief,family,religion and subtle humour all of which are perfectly balanced throughout the storyline .As always with John Boyne it’s crafted exquisitely and the serious subject matters are executed with emotional impact.I loved how Water has its part to play! An incredible and intense read …… I could not put this one down for the life of me,and I’m excited for what’s to come next in Earth.

A young woman has upped sticks and travelled to a remote island. The first thing she does on landing is change her name. Willow Hale does not come with the same baggage as Vanessa Carvin. Big nasty baggage which I will leave you to discover as the author intends. But I will say that she has good reasons for wanting to get away from it all, to leave her past behind, to escape the notoriety that her husband's crimes have associated her with and the uncertainty of exactly how much she knew at the time. It's a time for her to stop, take stock, relax and try to come to terms with the whirlwind that her life has become. And to mourn for what she has lost. But, remember the old adage, you can't escape your past until you have made peace with it... This relatively short novella, I believe to be a part of a series, follows Willow as she learns to live basically. To strip down her life into just what she needs to survive. How she starts to open up. Meeting some of the larger than life characters who already inhabit her new home. And as we follow Willow in the present, we also follow Vanessa in the past. Her relationship and subsequent marriage and, eventually, how it all went horribly wrong and unravelled. These vignettes give colour and clarity to Willow's present journey and also become rather cathartic as the whole horrible truth is finally laid bare. But only then can her journey of healing begin...