Reviews with content warning for Grief - Our Wives Under The Sea

Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield

338 reviews

lizardgod's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I thought this was a horror, I left with only sadness.

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orizenda's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

I don’t understand what happened in this book. I don’t know if you’re supposed to fully. I don’t entirely know what to make of it. I was bored in the beginning, but then I started getting more interested. Especially seeing Miri’s side of things. There’s not really Leah’s present side of things? but I think the strong part of the book for me was the emotional aspect that Miri brought out. Ig dealing with love and loss and stuff

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jcshells's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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eggboy397's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

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aselin's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.75

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zemightyenby's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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cspa's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-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

5.0

This book is truly captivating. It beautifully combines poetic and lyrical elements without losing its essence. It paints a poignant picture of love, loss, and the profound impact of change. The narrative is haunting, immersive, skillfully crafted, and deeply moving. The story unfolds gradually, with the first half focusing on the characters adjusting to the unfamiliar, while the latter half reveals the true depth of their losses and transformed love.

I ventured to the 1-star reviews to see what could possibly make someone dislike a book that - in my eyes - is like no other and has reignited my passion for consuming creative writing. If your qualm with this book is its vagueness or lack of a clear plot, I would say you may not have looked deep enough. The story is not laid out in front of you as an outline; it is meant to make you FEEL as Leah and Miri FEEL as they come to terms with their metamorphic reality and forever changed love. The stagnation and frustration you bear as a reader represents how the characters cope, and if you don’t like actively feeling those emotions, it makes sense why you wouldn’t enjoy this book. However, I am a glutton for punishment and expect books and art to make me endure the range of emotions especially with topics that address the processing of grief, adapting, letting go when it feels impossible or even foreign and unnatural. Armfield doesn't give you the answer because there is none, making it all the more devastating.

Loved it, couldn't recommend it more.

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