OUR WIVES UNDER THE SEA by Julia Armfield

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I started reading this book the other night and was instantly absorbed by the melancholy tone.

Miri and Leah are married and live in an apartment with the permanent noise of their neighbour's TV filtering in through the walls. Leah is a marine biologist who left on a three-week submarine expedition but didn't come back until six months later. And now that she's back, she's not the same. Leaving Miri with a wife who feels and looks more like a stranger every single day...

Wow. What an eerie and intriguing book.

Miri and Leah's alternating POVs tell their separate stories so we find out about their relationship, friends, and jobs. Miri delves into the awful six months living without knowing where her wife was. Leah reveals what happened under the sea and how it changed the three-person crew. Both experiences are interesting and captivated me for different reasons.

While the story is grimy, sad, and leaves you feeling a little sick from the effects of how the sea changes Leah and destroys their relationship, it's also full of inspiring situations and connections. I particularly liked the way the events unfolded. How well the past and present are woven together, leading to a tragic, horrifying conclusion. At the same time, the ambiguity stitched into the very core of this book also offers up an even sadder conclusion, similar to what is presented in the message board Miri frequents during Leah's abscence.

Either way, this tale of love and grief is written so well that both narratives work. Fantastic!


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