The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Grove Press, kindle edition 2023
775 pages
audio edition narrated by the author
Recorded Books, 2023
31 hours and 16 minutes
Summary (from goodreads):
A stunning and magisterial new epic of love, faith, and medicine, set in Kerala and following three generations of a family seeking the answers to a strange secret.
Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. The family is part of a Christian community that traces itself to the time of the apostles, but times are shifting, and the matriarch of this family, known as Big Ammachi—literally “Big Mother”—will witness unthinkable changes at home and at large over the span of her extraordinary life. All of Verghese’s great gifts are on display in this new work: there are astonishing scenes of medical ingenuity, fantastic moments of humor, a surprising and deeply moving story, and characters imbued with the essence of life.
A shimmering evocation of a lost India and of the passage of time itself, The Covenant of Water is a hymn to progress in medicine and to human understanding, and a humbling testament to the hardships undergone by past generations for the sake of those alive today. It is one of the most masterful literary novels published in recent years.
My thoughts:
This is a tough book to review because my feelings are complicated.
The Covenant of Water is a beautifully written, all-encompassing family saga. It delves into culture, class, medicine, art, faith, politics, and more. There are scores of characters, multiple storylines, complicated relationships, deep secrets, and somehow this talented author manages to weave them all together to culminate in one of the most remarkable endings I've ever experienced. What an amazing feat!
But there is a downside. It took 775 pages (in my kindle edition) and over 31 hours on audio to get to that mind-blowing ending. I got bogged down a few times along the way, and even considered giving up at one point. Instead I decided to take a break - twice. And each time the characters called me back. I could not get them out of my mind!
Ultimately, the ending made reading all 775 pages worth it! And yet even with the stunning ending, gorgeous writing, and unforgettable characters, I hesitate to recommend this book to other readers.
A note on the audio production:
Abraham Verghese is a man of many talents. In addition to being a physician and an extraordinary writer, he has been blessed with a melodic voice and the ability to use it to further elevate the words he has written. The author's narration enhanced my overall reading experience. I highly recommend a read/listen combination.
My rating:
The ending elevated what might have been a 4-star read to 4.5 stars.
Bottom line:
The Covenant of Water is a wonderful read, but it requires a huge time commitment plus the mental space to keep up with all the characters/threads. It’s one of those books where you really have to choose your reading time wisely!
Sounds good but my reading slump is making it hard to finish almost any book although it's getting easier. At 775 pages I'll have to pass on this, maybe later.
ReplyDeleteVicki - This is an amazing book, but it's one you really need to know what you're getting into. Definitely not one for a lingering reading slump. Hope you hit your reading groove again soon.
DeleteI often wonder if any book needs to over 500 (450?) pages. Could this novel still be as good with 250 fewer pages? I enjoyed Cutting for Stone by Verghese but am not sure if I will read this one or not.
ReplyDeleteHelen - I've often wondered the same thing! There is just so much in this novel... my mother mentioned that she skimmed over most of the medical stuff, but I found that part interesting. When I did get bogged down, I found switching to audio helped.
DeleteAfter reading Lonesome Dove, I feel like I can tackle any book over 500 pages! Lol! I'll give this a read in 2024, and will follow your example and go with a read/listen combo. Great reveiw, JoAnn!
ReplyDeleteLes - Haha! Yes, it feels like I'm on a roll with long books this year, too. This one actually felt longer to me than Lonesome Dove, but the read/listen combo is definitely the way to go.
DeleteI do believe that this is an excellent novel, but I didn't find it to be nearly as compelling as a couple of other Verghese books. I struggled at times to keep going when some of the time shifts focused on characters I didn't feel were as compelling as those in the segment being segued from...hate when that happens. Definitely a commitment to get through a book of this length, but I'm really glad that I did it.
ReplyDeleteSam - The only other Verghese I've read is Cutting for Stone, but that was so long ago it's hard to compare. Still, I remember not being able to put that one down. His memoirs are on my tbr list now.
DeleteI roomed in grad school with a chemistry student from Kerala, who was Catholic. Your book interests me, though I've lost touch with her. She had an American boyfriend in her same department, so she may be in the U.S.
ReplyDeleteHarvee - I learned a lot about the area and its culture from this book... so interesting that you had a roommate from Kerala!
DeleteGreat talk about the book. I can see where it would have both positives and negatives -- and that readers must weigh the time commitment! Right now it's not for me -- but it might be at another time. But you have me wondering about the ending. Sounds like a doozy. I love the author though and still think of his book The Tennis Partner sometimes. His memoirs are amazing. I hope he writes another. I think it's great you finished this long tome!
ReplyDeleteSusan - Yes, this is one of those books where each reading is going to have to make their own decision. It's quite a commitment, but worth it for me. Not so for my mother, yet my sister loved it. I definitely need to try one of Verghese's memoirs!
DeleteI agree with you, JoAnn. I enjoyed it, but it is soooo long! Not sure most people would be patient enough for this one.
ReplyDeleteDeb - Exactly. I feel like my patience was rewarded, but am not sure most other readers will feel that way.
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