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abrdoodle's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a beautiful book with compelling themes of love, grief, and learning to let your loved ones go. I saw a strong parallel to learning to accept a loved one who has developed dementia for who they are now and coming to terms with the fact that the person you once knew is gone. The author wrote lyrically and used some excellent sea/water imagery and metaphors throughout the book that really helped shroud the story in its shadowy, ocean-y atmosphere. For example: "There is nothing of the previous night, when she dipped her head into my shoulder. Something has crested the surface between us and sunk again, the water closing over its head." Great language and imagery! Also, although the ending was weird as hell, I still enjoyed it for its beauty and sadness. I can't imagine a different ending being more satisfying than the one she wrote.
I expected this book, in short story style, to have some open ends and things to make you think, and I was prepared for that and totally fine with it. I liked the ambiguity left with multiple plot points, such aswhether the Centre intentionally sunk the sub for 6 months, what the hell that Lovecraftian creature was, and even whether Leah turned into water or a fish..? (I'm pretty sure she became water but I'm not 100% certain). However, I wasn't satisfied with how Leah's submarine escapades connected to the bizarre things going on with her back home. Like I said, I'm definitely okay with some mystery and ambiguity, but I just don't think there was enough reason for why just seeing a monster would cause her to turn into the ocean (Leah's arc concluded the way it did). There's not enough correlation there for me to convincingly connect those dots. Sorry to the people not reading spoilers; it's good, read it anyway!
I also think this book could have benefited from the voices of the two main characters, Miri and Leah, being more distinctly different. Each chapter alternated back and forth between the first person perspective of the two characters, and their voices were so similar that they could have been just one character. Additionally, and this is a small point because I understand that Miri was feeling very removed from the events occurring, I can't believe that they did not once go to a hospital! There was some crazy stuff going down, and that's one of the first things that I would have done, or at least once shit really started hitting the fan.
One more thing that I enjoyed was that Miri grew a lot over the course of the story; she accepted the caretaker role for Leah that she had hoped Leah would do for her when they became old, a role reversal that she didn't expect, and navigated through her resentment to that end. I appreciate when a character becomes a different person by the end of the story than they were when it started.
I couldn't put this book down and read it very quickly over just two days. I don't think this book will be for everyone, as I'm sure many people will find it slow-paced with not much plot happening. This book is much more about the characters and the vibes than it is about a plot. However, that works for me, and I found it engrossing and definitely moving. I would say to go into this book with expectations of a quiet, understated story about life and love that happens to contain horror and magical realism. If this sounds like your cup of tea, I think you'll really enjoy it.
"Problem is that ultimately you're really the one who has to kill them. Or not them but the idea of them–you have to make a choice to let it end."
4 stars
I expected this book, in short story style, to have some open ends and things to make you think, and I was prepared for that and totally fine with it. I liked the ambiguity left with multiple plot points, such as
I also think this book could have benefited from the voices of the two main characters, Miri and Leah, being more distinctly different. Each chapter alternated back and forth between the first person perspective of the two characters, and their voices were so similar that they could have been just one character. Additionally, and this is a small point because I understand that Miri was feeling very removed from the events occurring, I can't believe that they did not once go to a hospital! There was some crazy stuff going down, and that's one of the first things that I would have done, or at least once shit really started hitting the fan.
One more thing that I enjoyed was that Miri grew a lot over the course of the story; she accepted the caretaker role for Leah that she had hoped Leah would do for her when they became old, a role reversal that she didn't expect, and navigated through her resentment to that end. I appreciate when a character becomes a different person by the end of the story than they were when it started.
I couldn't put this book down and read it very quickly over just two days. I don't think this book will be for everyone, as I'm sure many people will find it slow-paced with not much plot happening. This book is much more about the characters and the vibes than it is about a plot. However, that works for me, and I found it engrossing and definitely moving. I would say to go into this book with expectations of a quiet, understated story about life and love that happens to contain horror and magical realism. If this sounds like your cup of tea, I think you'll really enjoy it.
"Problem is that ultimately you're really the one who has to kill them. Or not them but the idea of them–you have to make a choice to let it end."
4 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Body horror
Moderate: Suicide, Blood, Confinement, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Lesbophobia
mirireads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Body horror, Blood, and Confinement
Moderate: Death of parent and Death
Minor: Suicide
sea_sea's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really loved this book. It has lesbians and the ocean >o<!!!!
It is, I think more of a metaphor and things do not get explained.
I still really enjoyed reading it. Especially the submarine chapters were super interesting yet also kind of scary and haunting. The end made me cry though >^<. I found the ending as beautiful as it was sad. It reminded me of the original ending of the little mermaid and, in a way, it fits in a sad and beautiful way.
It is, I think more of a metaphor and things do not get explained.
I still really enjoyed reading it. Especially the submarine chapters were super interesting yet also kind of scary and haunting. The end made me cry though >^<.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Confinement, Terminal illness, Body horror, and Blood
Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, and Medical content
lagaialettrice's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Body horror, Grief, and Blood
icieri's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Gore, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Torture, Confinement, Death, and Death of parent
mold_munchr's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This wasn't a gothic horror novel in the traditional sense of the word, but rather a novel about slow inevitable loss and self-destruction. The horror aspect of it was a vessel for the emotions which it held - it's not really about what's at the bottom of the sea, is it? And I guess maybe that's what ultimately makes it a gothic horror after all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Dementia, and Grief
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Blood, Medical content, Sexual content, and Medical trauma
tejanafeminist's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Blood
andrewhatesham's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
I used to think there was such a thing as emptiness, that there were places in the world one could go and be alone. This, I think, is still true, but the error in my reasoning was to assume that alone was somewhere you could go, rather than somewhere you had to be left.
This one lives up to the hype.
Our Wives Under the Sea is a grotesquely beautiful exploration of grief in its many shapes and forms, both figurative and literal. The writing style is amazing and the plot is refreshingly unique. Some of the body horror did get to me, but overall the horror aspect is much more psychological and emotional. I still don't know what to make of the ending, but I think that's the way it's supposed to be. Uncertainty is scary.
Don't go into this expecting terrifying scenes and mind shattering plot twists because it's not that type of book. This is the type of book that can have you reading the same passage over and over again, lingering on certain words; a book to get comfortable in despite the discomfort.
Our Wives Under the Sea is a grotesquely beautiful exploration of grief in its many shapes and forms, both figurative and literal. The writing style is amazing and the plot is refreshingly unique. Some of the body horror did get to me, but overall the horror aspect is much more psychological and emotional. I still don't know what to make of the ending, but I think that's the way it's supposed to be. Uncertainty is scary.
Don't go into this expecting terrifying scenes and mind shattering plot twists because it's not that type of book. This is the type of book that can have you reading the same passage over and over again, lingering on certain words; a book to get comfortable in despite the discomfort.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, and Confinement
Minor: Suicide, Death, and Medical content
tallhousecookies's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Death, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Death of parent
deetabz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Terminal illness, Grief, Death, Death of parent, and Blood
Minor: Sexual content, Lesbophobia, and Homophobia