Reviews

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

mnasadoo's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

billiejmiller's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

ajethon's review

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

laurenhutchinson14's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

liseannew's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-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

kitta's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Wow

This one is heavy, bother literally and figuratively, at >700 pages, but it’s worth it. But I loved it as I loved his last novel, Cutting for Stone.

This reminds me a bit of A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, an epic tail of loss and life. Which was written by my English teachers husband, and is fantastic if you get a chance to read it.

This novel follows 3 generations of an Indian family following their life’s ups and downs. A mysterious condition affects some members of the family, but that just serves as a backdrop to their lives. 

There’s a bit of medical stuff, like in his last novel, but it’s all well explained and engaging. 

Highly recommended. 

cleothegreat's review

5.0

“The Condition . . . it’s just life, isn’t it, Amma?” she says, speaking to the Stone Woman. “Maybe I’m not looking to solve the mystery of the Condition or the mystery of why I’m on this earth. Mystery is the nature of life. I am the Condition. Maybe it isn’t the workings of Appa’s mind that I’m after, the clues to an inherited disease. I think, Amma, that it’s really you I’m looking for.”


AFTER ALMOST A MONTH AND IM DONE WITH THIS WHOOOO but actually, actually I devoured this book entirely. so gorgeous. if I had a functioning soul I’d have cried at the ending-I really grew to care for all of the characters and the prose? beautiful. this may be signaling the start of a deep and insatiable historial fiction phase

gabmarie101's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

j2j89's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense slow-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? No

5.0

dianlisa's review

emotional reflective slow-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

2.0

My first experience reading a book with medicine-theme. The setting is in India, from early 1900's to 1970's. To be honest I almost DNF-ing this book since the pacing is too slow but I decided to give it the second chance. I really don't like the plot twist which I find unnecessary. But well, ok, maybe the author really wanted to mention more disease (since this is medicine-themed book).