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

emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

5.0

At first, I wasn’t completely meshing with the writing style and how nonchalant Miri was when describing what was happening in her life. However, I came to realize that her apathy towards these abnormal and jarring experiences with Leah that she’s unfolding to the reader really demonstrates how numb we can become to extraordinary troubles when presented when them for long enough, especially with no solution in sight. I ended up loving this book. It was definitely a bit slow to start, but the last half kept me up until the sunrise so that I could finish reading it. I loved the different perspectives and how they unfolded the story in different ways. I loved how the book continued to reference back to earlier parts of the book or of their relationship. One of them would reference something that they were confused about the other and then the other would explain that their reasoning was rooted in the love they had for them. I love love loved it. Dealt with grief, loss, sexuality, and changes in relationships in such a unique way. And along the way, I felt like the metaphors and imagery having to do with the ocean kept me intrigued and wanting to learn more. I would highly recommend this book!