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fromthefoxhole's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I thought I knew what I was in for, and yet. In short, Our Wives Under the Sea is sapphic literary horror about a woman who returns from a deep sea expedition Wrong that is also a long metaphor for grief.
Somehow I still underestimated the way this book *hurt*. I finished the book and found myself wishing for a sequel - a cute romcom about Miri and Leah in the before, so that I could spend more time with them that didn’t feet like someone was actively squeezing my heart in a vice grip. I just want them to be happy 😭.
Armfield’s writing is absolutely gorgeous, and feels very much like treading water, which perfectly matches the story.
Great read, i’ll probably never revisit it out of self preservation.
Somehow I still underestimated the way this book *hurt*. I finished the book and found myself wishing for a sequel - a cute romcom about Miri and Leah in the before, so that I could spend more time with them that didn’t feet like someone was actively squeezing my heart in a vice grip. I just want them to be happy 😭.
Armfield’s writing is absolutely gorgeous, and feels very much like treading water, which perfectly matches the story.
Great read, i’ll probably never revisit it out of self preservation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Death of parent, Vomit, Body horror, and Grief
eliya's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Struggling with where to put this rating ~ 2.75 - 3.5??
This book was rreeeally tedious and boring for the first 70% with some really beautiful lines and perspectives on grief peppered in that i am glad i read this book for.
Too many chunks of just regurgitating facts about the ocean with not enough reason for the facts, just that they were fun
Miri DOES say that it IS hard to make a person see how much you love someone, especially hard to make them love that person themself. I really wanted to be invested, and I shed a few tears, but I was taken out by the mundanity of it all. Too much detail placed on the wrong things. I don’t need to know exactly what was playing on the neighbor’s TV, what I really want to know is what the sound sounded like! I loved and appreciated the physical horror, but all around the horror elements just were mid and not enough.
Was really hopeful for this book, really beautiful idea, really beautiful phrases and thoughts, but it just misses the mark.
favorite quotes from the book -
“grief is selfish: we cry for ourselves without the person we have lost far more than we cry for the person” (p. 107)
“when I went to visit her, I found it increasingly difficult, not to imagine the two of us breaking down and turning to dust” (p. 117)
“ the gentle grasp and then drop of a hug that I’d initiated” (p. 118)
“I wore it as a badge of honor, nonetheless, picking up abandoned glasses with a sigh and fairing them to the dishwasher. I don’t really think it’s that hard, I used to say a lot, and she would apologize and fill the chip and sink with soap, and and really, now I think about it, what an absolute waste of life.” (p. 126)
“I’ve been thinking about you, a bit. I bite the tips of my fingers and I think about you.” (p. 176)
“… version of her I imagined before I met her, the gentle pressure when I pushed my lips in the cup of my own hand and pretended a kiss…” (p. 185)
This book was rreeeally tedious and boring for the first 70% with some really beautiful lines and perspectives on grief peppered in that i am glad i read this book for.
Too many chunks of just regurgitating facts about the ocean with not enough reason for the facts, just that they were fun
Miri DOES say that it IS hard to make a person see how much you love someone, especially hard to make them love that person themself. I really wanted to be invested, and I shed a few tears, but I was taken out by the mundanity of it all. Too much detail placed on the wrong things. I don’t need to know exactly what was playing on the neighbor’s TV, what I really want to know is what the sound sounded like! I loved and appreciated the physical horror, but all around the horror elements just were mid and not enough.
Was really hopeful for this book, really beautiful idea, really beautiful phrases and thoughts, but it just misses the mark.
favorite quotes from the book -
“grief is selfish: we cry for ourselves without the person we have lost far more than we cry for the person” (p. 107)
“when I went to visit her, I found it increasingly difficult, not to imagine the two of us breaking down and turning to dust” (p. 117)
“ the gentle grasp and then drop of a hug that I’d initiated” (p. 118)
“I wore it as a badge of honor, nonetheless, picking up abandoned glasses with a sigh and fairing them to the dishwasher. I don’t really think it’s that hard, I used to say a lot, and she would apologize and fill the chip and sink with soap, and and really, now I think about it, what an absolute waste of life.” (p. 126)
“I’ve been thinking about you, a bit. I bite the tips of my fingers and I think about you.” (p. 176)
“… version of her I imagined before I met her, the gentle pressure when I pushed my lips in the cup of my own hand and pretended a kiss…” (p. 185)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Death of parent
kajoreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
I’d almost decribe this book as slice of life but horror-adjacent. I found it oddly comforting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Terminal illness, Body horror, Grief, Suicide, and Dementia
Moderate: Vomit, Blood, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Lesbophobia, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Animal death
skogsheks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Body horror, Terminal illness, Confinement, and Death
wowsmeows's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Confinement
Minor: Body horror and Blood
shaun_dh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I struggled with how to rate this literary body horror. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it and I'm certainly left with more questions than answers. I know that the point was to be about loss and grief, but it’s hard for me to love a book with an unresolved plot: what were the motives of the Centre?! What happened to it? . Def Annihilation vibes
I shed a few tears, but idk if I’d say it’s particularly memorable. I do appreciate that it’s a love story with lesbians that’s not centered around them being lesbians. WLW—we’re just like you, lol
One thing I absolutely hated (that ultimately lead me to my 3⭐️ review) is that the book is clearly written by a Brit (they use British words like petrol station and flat) but the spellings of words are U.S. English (neighbors instead of neighbours). Maybe that’s just something that would bother a weirdo like me, but pick a style! I like reading British versions of books, but I feel like the editor should have changed the words for the U.S. printing or just use British spelling
I shed a few tears, but idk if I’d say it’s particularly memorable. I do appreciate that it’s a love story with lesbians that’s not centered around them being lesbians. WLW—we’re just like you, lol
One thing I absolutely hated (that ultimately lead me to my 3⭐️ review) is that the book is clearly written by a Brit (they use British words like petrol station and flat) but the spellings of words are U.S. English (neighbors instead of neighbours). Maybe that’s just something that would bother a weirdo like me, but pick a style! I like reading British versions of books, but I feel like the editor should have changed the words for the U.S. printing or just use British spelling
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Body horror
Moderate: Dementia, Grief, Suicide, Death, and Death of parent
camam4's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Hypnotizing and haunting
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Grief, and Body horror
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit and Panic attacks/disorders
gia0203's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I found this book to be absolutely fascinating.
I have always found space more terrifying than the ocean. I think of the sea more curiously than fearfully, and sometimes wonder what’s beneath the surface. I went through a phase too of being obsessed with octopi (J still love them). So I actually found the story more beautiful than horrifying. Leah’s feelings about the ocean, and how she reflected on how it had shaped not just her life but everyone else’s, was wonderful to read. The ocean was always a source of comfort for her, but she also depended on it. It was an obsession, and I liked how this was a source of tension in Leah and Miri’s relationship.
I liked too how the book was a metaphor for grief. The death of the protagonist’s parents was intertwined with Leah’s narrative beautifully. The way Leah’s body changed was a reflection of slowly losing someone, and it was really well done. The ending definitely paid off because of this.
The pace moved slowly and gently like the ebb and flow of the waves. The text was littered with small details about Leah and Miri’s life and it made the reading experience really emotional. It’s hard to pull off a pace this slow without being dull, but for me this book was never boring, and instead I anticipated what was going to happen next while also enjoying being in the characters’ heads and learning about their lives. Leah was definitely a more concrete and likeable character than Miri, but by the end I loved both of them and thought their relationship was beautifully written.
I think the slow pace of the novel made me feel like I was losing my mind too. It’s easy to get lost in this book. It made me feel dreamy and not quite here. Sunken thoughts, as Miri would say.
On a final note, I wish we could’ve found out more about the creature at the end - I was looking forward to reading the pages Leah wrote! I guess it’s left up to our imagination. Regardless, I thought this was a wonderful and devastating book and I ordered a physical copy immediately upon finishing the digital version.
I have always found space more terrifying than the ocean. I think of the sea more curiously than fearfully, and sometimes wonder what’s beneath the surface. I went through a phase too of being obsessed with octopi (J still love them). So I actually found the story more beautiful than horrifying. Leah’s feelings about the ocean, and how she reflected on how it had shaped not just her life but everyone else’s, was wonderful to read. The ocean was always a source of comfort for her, but she also depended on it. It was an obsession, and I liked how this was a source of tension in Leah and Miri’s relationship.
I liked too how the book was a metaphor for grief. The death of the protagonist’s parents was intertwined with Leah’s narrative beautifully. The way Leah’s body changed was a reflection of slowly losing someone, and it was really well done. The ending definitely paid off because of this.
The pace moved slowly and gently like the ebb and flow of the waves. The text was littered with small details about Leah and Miri’s life and it made the reading experience really emotional. It’s hard to pull off a pace this slow without being dull, but for me this book was never boring, and instead I anticipated what was going to happen next while also enjoying being in the characters’ heads and learning about their lives. Leah was definitely a more concrete and likeable character than Miri, but by the end I loved both of them and thought their relationship was beautifully written.
I think the slow pace of the novel made me feel like I was losing my mind too. It’s easy to get lost in this book. It made me feel dreamy and not quite here. Sunken thoughts, as Miri would say.
On a final note,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, and Grief
Moderate: Suicide and Death
Minor: Death of parent
sxndaze's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
These are all things that I know, but none of this is really important. I used to think it was vital to know things, to feel safe in the learning and recounting of facts. I used to think it was possible to know enough to escape from the panic of not know- ing, but I realise now that you can never learn enough to protect yourself, not really.
gorgeous written and hauntingly romantic
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Grief
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Lesbophobia, Sexual content, and Homophobia
justjaqueline's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Sadly, this did not hit it out of the park for me.
While the writing is beautiful, and the character work top notch, I was trying so hard to understand the point of it all that I couldn't lose myself in it.
So I guess my recommendation is to stop thinking while reading and just feel it.
While the writing is beautiful, and the character work top notch, I was trying so hard to understand the point of it all that I couldn't lose myself in it.
So I guess my recommendation is to stop thinking while reading and just feel it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Body horror