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A review by joyceheinen
Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
In Our Wives Under the Sea”, we follow the couple Leah and miri. They have been separated for months because Leah has been trapped at the bottom of the sea for six months, for a research mission. However, the real misery begins once the submarine resurfaces and she is reunited with Miri. Leah’s deep-sea mission has changed her for good.
As a reader, you strongly empathize with Miri. She is happy that Leah is back, but she realizes she isn’t the same person. And she tries everything to make her feel better and to try and understand her. Her narration alternates with that of Leah, where she looks back on the mission and we see what it was like to be on a submarine for so long. The experience made Leah a stranger to Miri.
It's a highly character-driven story, that over plot. And I’m more of a plot-driven kind of reader. With that, the story sometimes drags and is a bit boring at times too. I never really got into the story. Other than feeling sympathy for both characters, reading about their connection and the beautiful writing, this book did nothing for me.
I guess, this is not the type of book for me. But I was so disappointed, because I had such high hopes for “Our Wives Under the Sea”.
As a reader, you strongly empathize with Miri. She is happy that Leah is back, but she realizes she isn’t the same person. And she tries everything to make her feel better and to try and understand her. Her narration alternates with that of Leah, where she looks back on the mission and we see what it was like to be on a submarine for so long. The experience made Leah a stranger to Miri.
It's a highly character-driven story, that over plot. And I’m more of a plot-driven kind of reader. With that, the story sometimes drags and is a bit boring at times too. I never really got into the story. Other than feeling sympathy for both characters, reading about their connection and the beautiful writing, this book did nothing for me.
I guess, this is not the type of book for me. But I was so disappointed, because I had such high hopes for “Our Wives Under the Sea”.