Reviews

Great book that gets darker and darker as the story unfolds.
The Fens location (where most of the story is set) is very well evoked, to the point where it almost becomes another character in the book.

iancarpenter's review against another edition

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5.0

an all time favourite from way back.

philosykos's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

faintgirl's review against another edition

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3.0

Waterland is a real slow burner. A history teacher, about to be laid off, starts telling his class strange stories about the local history of the town they grew up in. When the novel begins, the Fens are the star, but as it progresses, we realise that something quite twisted has happened, and the background writhes and darkens until the final act is revealed. It's pretty revelatory, but rather slow to kick off.

mutinyfan's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

andsharman's review against another edition

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3.0

Some themes in this book seem quite dated in 2022. So much so that a few scenes felt uncomfortable to read. There is also a lot of historical detail which breaks the flow of the novel.

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