carbinara's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I had went into this with high hopes, then got let down a bit, then left having enjoyed it. An odd process. I had went in expecting horror, not really having read lit fic, so I found the first 150 pages quite slow and tedious. However, once you get past the 150 page mark the plot starts going and I really enjoyed it. While I much preferred Leahs POV to Miri’s, both gave such an insight to these characters and the situation they’re in. I found myself really feeling for both of them by the end. I think the characterisation was well done, although I wish the plot was more neatly wrapped up. That being said, I think that was intentional.
Spoiler
I’m really glad we actually “saw” a sea monster and it wasn’t just left as movement in the darkness
Content Warnings
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Body horror, and Gore
emmaerl's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Vomit
Minor: Lesbophobia
rabidteddybear's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Amazing book and I love the tone, the atmosphere, and the romance and that's the only it isn't a full 5 stars for me
Spoiler
but I wish there had been more information on the centre's and what their true plans had been
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Self harm, Suicide, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Lesbophobia
eva_hihi_'s review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Beatifully written, ripped my heart out, made me want to find a wife and settle down
Also made me more afraid of the ocean than I already was
Also made me more afraid of the ocean than I already was
Spoiler
Part of this book is how Miri deals with her wife's dissapearance. And that part especially spoke to me since I also have a friend who vanished. How in the beginning you act like everything's fine and don't worry that much bc there are loads of reasons why someone could be missing, it doesn't have to mean something horrible happened. How at some point you kinda assume they're dead bc it's easier but at the same time you can't get yourself to truely believe it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Body horror
Minor: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Terminal illness
deviya's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Heart breaking heart shattering changed me forever I will never be the same God it hurts terrifying mysterious 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔 5 stars <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, Confinement, Death, Grief, Vomit, Body horror, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Kidnapping, Dementia, and Lesbophobia
charming_killerqueen's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Abandonment and Lesbophobia
lyrapollock's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Death, and Body horror
Moderate: Sexual content, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, and Blood
Minor: Self harm, Eating disorder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
cosmicpasta's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is a book that when I finished it I just sat there and knew my brain chemistry was changed forever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Body horror, and Blood
Minor: Violence, Vomit, and Lesbophobia
bi_n_large's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Lesbophobia, Violence, Sexual content, and Biphobia
dellydoos's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
This one was a bit of a strange ride, no doubt about it. And just like the book itself, reading this felt like I had sunk to the bottom of the ocean, with no clear way to resurface. Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield took me on a journey that was both captivating and perplexing. It's a book that delves into the depths of emotions and explores the enigmatic nature of grief. With its beautiful prose, meticulous research, and haunting atmosphere, it left an indelible impression. However, there were a few aspects that left me with mixed feelings.
Starting off a bit like VanderMeer’s Annihilation, Leah returns home to her wife Miri after a catastrophic deep-sea submarine expedition goes wrong. She’s been missing for over six months and now that she’s back home, something about her is very off. The ordeal has evidently changed Leah. She leaves taps running, forgets things, and drinks nothing but saltwater. As Miri struggles to reconcile herself to the fact that the person she married is no longer the same, Leah grapples with the aftermath of her underwater mission. What initially appears as a horror-esc plot, gradually becomes a narrative which takes on an introspective tone, peeling back layers of emotion and unearthing the mysteries that lie beneath the surface.
Reading more like a literary novel than a straightforward horror story, the book is quite slow-paced, focusing more on the characters relationships and their pasts than on the central mystery. Written in a dedicated, lush prose, Armfield's emphasis on character development and exploration of their emotional landscapes enriches the narrative, which allowed me to fully invest in their journeys. And the portrayal of grief in Our Wives Under the Sea is nothing short of phenomenal. Armfield delves into the complexities of loss, capturing the raw emotions and the lingering effects it has on the characters. The exploration of grief is both tender and haunting, making it one of the most poignant aspects of the book.
Atmosphere plays a crucial role in this novel, and Armfield excels at creating an eerie and disconcerting ambiance. The story is permeated with a sense of unease, blending elements of horror and confusion that kept me hooked. Leah’s haunted expedition was so interesting, and I was often annoyed by how short her chapters were in comparison to Miri’s. I needed to know what was happening.
Which is why I think I was a bit disappointed by the ending. It felt too open ended, leaving many questions unanswered. While ambiguity can be powerful and thought provoking, in this case, it left me longing for a more conclusive resolution. I craved a clearer understanding of about what it all meant, about what was actually happening. And by the end of it, I was left feeling a little frustrated. If the ending was a tad clearer, this would have been easily a 4 star book for me.
3.5/5 stars.
Starting off a bit like VanderMeer’s Annihilation, Leah returns home to her wife Miri after a catastrophic deep-sea submarine expedition goes wrong. She’s been missing for over six months and now that she’s back home, something about her is very off. The ordeal has evidently changed Leah. She leaves taps running, forgets things, and drinks nothing but saltwater. As Miri struggles to reconcile herself to the fact that the person she married is no longer the same, Leah grapples with the aftermath of her underwater mission. What initially appears as a horror-esc plot, gradually becomes a narrative which takes on an introspective tone, peeling back layers of emotion and unearthing the mysteries that lie beneath the surface.
Reading more like a literary novel than a straightforward horror story, the book is quite slow-paced, focusing more on the characters relationships and their pasts than on the central mystery. Written in a dedicated, lush prose, Armfield's emphasis on character development and exploration of their emotional landscapes enriches the narrative, which allowed me to fully invest in their journeys. And the portrayal of grief in Our Wives Under the Sea is nothing short of phenomenal. Armfield delves into the complexities of loss, capturing the raw emotions and the lingering effects it has on the characters. The exploration of grief is both tender and haunting, making it one of the most poignant aspects of the book.
Atmosphere plays a crucial role in this novel, and Armfield excels at creating an eerie and disconcerting ambiance. The story is permeated with a sense of unease, blending elements of horror and confusion that kept me hooked. Leah’s haunted expedition was so interesting, and I was often annoyed by how short her chapters were in comparison to Miri’s. I needed to know what was happening.
Which is why I think I was a bit disappointed by the ending. It felt too open ended, leaving many questions unanswered. While ambiguity can be powerful and thought provoking, in this case, it left me longing for a more conclusive resolution. I craved a clearer understanding of about what it all meant, about what was actually happening. And by the end of it, I was left feeling a little frustrated. If the ending was a tad clearer, this would have been easily a 4 star book for me.
3.5/5 stars.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Body horror
Minor: Lesbophobia