Ann's Reviews > Water

John Boyne’s writing is always beautiful, and the plot of this short novel strikes deep. A woman trying to escape her past - and full of guilt and remorse - seeks anonymity, peace and self-contemplation on a small Irish island. She is running from despicable acts committed by her husband, but she must analyze her own complicity. Should she have known or figured it out? Was her failure to see what was going on complicity or just the role of an unsuspecting mother and spouse? Not only does John Boyne do an excellent job of describing the emotional dilemmas of the main character, but he also paints the Irish island and the cast of supporting characters in beautiful and vivid detail. Apparently a “sequel” relating the story of a minor character in this novel is to come – I’m in!