When Oprah says, “The Covenant of Water is truly one of the most gripping and exquisite novels I have ever read and I’ve been reading since I was 3”, I believe her! Author Abraham Verghese, who also wrote the amazing book Cutting For Stone, will take you on an incredible journey starting with the first sentence.
This is Oprah’s 101st Book Club pick. I’ve read more than a handful of her choices and in my opinion, The Covenant of Water is the best book she’s selected.
It follows 3 generations of an Indian family from 1900 to 1977 set in Kerala on South India’s Malabar Coast. Sections of the book pivot between an Indian family to another group of characters beginning in Glasgow, Scotland. The 2 segments eventually intertwine in an unimaginable way.
The family, headed by the matriarch, Big Ammachi, is plagued with an unexplained medical condition in which a person from each generation dies from drowning. They name this horrific misfortune the “Condition”. This affliction is threaded throughout the book and exposes tragedy, love, medical phenomena, the connection of characters, and the human spirit.
I adored this novel for so many reasons. The characters are complex yet compassionate. The setting is exotic and described as if you are observing the story in real-time. You will experience many different emotions throughout the story. The bond of family Verghese creates is so powerful and captivating. I personally love books that transport and teach me about societies unlike my own. I could continue with my thoughts but I think you understand my point. It’s a compelling read.
This book is a whopping 715 pages! I debated whether I had the stamina to handle a book this long during the summer and that is why you haven’t seen a review on my blog since July. It took me a while to read but I absolutely made the right choice!
On a personal note, I do wish the book contained the definitions of the many Malayalam words which are used in the text. Malayalam is the language which is spoken in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It would have been more convenient instead of having to google their meanings.
Also, a rough family tree would have been helpful to keep the characters in order. For a book this large, I DO underline names and passages in pencil but I found myself leafing through the book more often than I would have liked. But to make up for these judgments, take a close look at the cover art. It’s gorgeous!
If you’re eager for an incredible story that pulls you into another world, I can’t recommend this enough! Once you jump in, you won’t want to come up for air. Oprah states, “I’m so enthralled by this epic story I think of it as a modern masterpiece”. Grab a copy and enjoy!
On YouTube, Oprah and Author Abraham Verghese discuss 2 sections of the book at a time on each episode. I absolutely enjoyed watching the videos. It added much thought and insight to the whole experience. If you would like to listen as well, click on this link for episode 1.
