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A review by jessplayin
Private Rites by Julia Armfield
4.0
Massive shoutout to Flatiron Books for the ARC copy via NetGalley.
It's no secret that Julia Armfield has swiftly become one of my favorite writers. Our Wives Under the Sea still haunts me, so I was greatly anticipating this upcoming work. While I enjoyed it, I don't think it quite hits as deeply or works quite as well as her previous novels/short stories.
The story revolves around Isla, Irene, and Agnes as they deal with the death of their father. It is written in narrative POV flashing back and forth in their lives from the past to present day. While they all struggle internally the city is also beset with a never-ending rain that begins to sink it.
The personal issues of the sisters and the broader narrative of the climate crisis are beautifully intertwined and stay true to Julia's love of water metaphors. It's a claustrophobic feeling and really drives home the sense of impending loss and doom.
What stops it from being a 5 star for me is its pacing. It feels that sometimes things get lost in the middle and the novel meanders before going at lightening speed at the end tying up the main plot. The rushed nature works on some level as it feels like the water breaking over a dam, but I wish that the tension had risen at a more even pace. The twist just didn't quite land for me.
What the novel does well though is creating a very beautifully written tale about loss and dealing with the daily nature of pain. As long as Armfield keeps writing. I'll keep reading.
It's no secret that Julia Armfield has swiftly become one of my favorite writers. Our Wives Under the Sea still haunts me, so I was greatly anticipating this upcoming work. While I enjoyed it, I don't think it quite hits as deeply or works quite as well as her previous novels/short stories.
The story revolves around Isla, Irene, and Agnes as they deal with the death of their father. It is written in narrative POV flashing back and forth in their lives from the past to present day. While they all struggle internally the city is also beset with a never-ending rain that begins to sink it.
The personal issues of the sisters and the broader narrative of the climate crisis are beautifully intertwined and stay true to Julia's love of water metaphors. It's a claustrophobic feeling and really drives home the sense of impending loss and doom.
What stops it from being a 5 star for me is its pacing. It feels that sometimes things get lost in the middle and the novel meanders before going at lightening speed at the end tying up the main plot. The rushed nature works on some level as it feels like the water breaking over a dam, but I wish that the tension had risen at a more even pace. The twist just didn't quite land for me.
What the novel does well though is creating a very beautifully written tale about loss and dealing with the daily nature of pain. As long as Armfield keeps writing. I'll keep reading.