The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve


Synopsis :

 "I wonder this : If you take a woman and push her to the edge, how would she behave?" The question is posed by Jean, a photographer, who in 1995 arrives on Smuttynose Island, off the coast of maine, to research a century-old crime.  As she immerses herself in the details of the case - an outburst of passion that resulted in the deaths of two women - Jean herself enters precarious emotional territory.

 The suspicion that her husband is having an affair burgeons into jealousy and distrust, and ultimately propels Jean to the verge of actions she has not known herself capable of - actions with horrific consequences.

 Everywhere hailed for its beauty and power, The Weight of Water takes us on an unforgettable journey through the farthest extremes of emotion.

This is my first introduction to Anita Shreve.  I have seen a few of her titles in the market but I never picked them up.  Although this book was bought in the pre-read book sales, it wasn't bought by me.  I inherited it from a friend who has since migrated back to her home country.

The Weight of Water contains two story that's intertwined.  The story started with Jean who visited Smuttynose Island with her family for a holiday in present days. From there she enters the story of a woman who was the sole survivor of a crime that took place in Smuttynose Island about a hundred years ago.

It wasn't a very good read especially the story of Jean but the story of Maren, the survivor of the murder was quite intriguing in it's own way.  We get to know how Maren first came to this country from Europe and from their we get to know how her family viewed her and subsequently about the murder concerned and the truth was revealed to readers (although I have guessed it much earlier on :)

The ending wasn't what I expected especially the ending to Jean's story. I thought it was rather tragic and expound on the title of the book and as I turned the last page and close my eyes, I can feel the weight of water and how it can drag you down if you let your guard down, even for just a tiniest moment.

If you need a book that helps you reflect on life, you can give this book a try.

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