A review by niyou
Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield

mysterious reflective sad slow-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? Yes

4.75

Our Wives under the Sea takes soft horror and uses it to tell a poignant love story. At the beginning, Miri announces her intent to make us not just understand – but feel. This definitely succeeded with me. I felt Miri and Leah’s love for each other, and their panic and grief at its impending loss. The horror shifts between the eerie mystery at the heart of Leah’s story and the soft body horror we see through Miri’s eyes. At first, I did not care for the body horror as it didn’t have the same emotional impact. Then I realized that this disconnect is as much part of the story as Leah’s mystery. It’s so sad that they never got to experience each other’s narratives, the way you do as a reader. I expect that I’ll return to this story often to explore its hidden depths (pun intended).
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