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A review by thatgirlwho_reads
Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield
5.0
If I had a penny for every sapphic story I've consumed featuring some kind of submarine related drama I'd have two pennies, which isn't a lot, but it's two more than I thought I'd have. This book had been in my TBR for a while because the premise reminded me a lot of BBC's Vigil, which I absolutely loved. This book is, of course, entirely different from Vigil (aside from lesbians and submarines).
I put off reading this partly because it had been described as "horror" which isn't overly my thing. I don't think I'd describe it as a classic horror, but it does have a gorgeous haunting, sickly and uneasy atmosphere throughout. Its focus is more centred on vulnerability and the unknown.
The writing is absolutely beautiful, the best I've read in a while. Every sentence is so carefully and intelligently thought out. I would read anything Armfield writes. She has a gorgeous lyrical and figurative quality to her writing that's unlike anything I've read before. It feels earthy and authentic. The details are so specific that the words feel very genuine and alive.
I loved how the book was structured too. Each act corresponds to the terminology of the ocean from most shallow to most deep: sunlight zone, twilight zone, midnight zone, abysmal zone, the hadal zone. This was such an interesting way to mark each section and could be interpreted in a number of ways as the narrative shifts gears.
I enjoyed the mysterious aspects of the plot, definitely a story for readers who prefer reflecting on questions rather than seeking all the answers. The timeframe is purposely blurry and disorientating. This was expertly woven together in a really fluid way, which felt very appropriate for a novel about the ocean. The whole book feels very much like a love letter to the ocean but with fear at its core.
Overall a fantastic story written so perfectly. One I shall be thinking about for a long time and look forward to revisiting.
I put off reading this partly because it had been described as "horror" which isn't overly my thing. I don't think I'd describe it as a classic horror, but it does have a gorgeous haunting, sickly and uneasy atmosphere throughout. Its focus is more centred on vulnerability and the unknown.
The writing is absolutely beautiful, the best I've read in a while. Every sentence is so carefully and intelligently thought out. I would read anything Armfield writes. She has a gorgeous lyrical and figurative quality to her writing that's unlike anything I've read before. It feels earthy and authentic. The details are so specific that the words feel very genuine and alive.
I loved how the book was structured too. Each act corresponds to the terminology of the ocean from most shallow to most deep: sunlight zone, twilight zone, midnight zone, abysmal zone, the hadal zone. This was such an interesting way to mark each section and could be interpreted in a number of ways as the narrative shifts gears.
I enjoyed the mysterious aspects of the plot, definitely a story for readers who prefer reflecting on questions rather than seeking all the answers. The timeframe is purposely blurry and disorientating. This was expertly woven together in a really fluid way, which felt very appropriate for a novel about the ocean. The whole book feels very much like a love letter to the ocean but with fear at its core.
Overall a fantastic story written so perfectly. One I shall be thinking about for a long time and look forward to revisiting.