The Waters & The Wild by DeSales HarrisonPublisher: Random House
Pages: 320 pages
Source: NetGalley
Description from GoodReads: A debut novel about a psychoanalyst haunted by a past crime and a past lover--a story that examines what it means to love, to betray, and to forgive.
Daniel Abend is a good example of who you do not want to be your psychoanalyst. Let’s just be honest, if you knew his story – this is definitely not the guy you’d be going to for help with your mental health. I couldn’t really put my finger on who this guy was, to be honest. I wasn’t connected with any of the characters in particular. The author very slowly revealed the truth of each character, which made the storyline interesting, but made me unable to connect with any of the characters because some of their actions were just so confusing. Daniel’s especially - until the end.
The writing was beautiful. The plot was very complex. And I liked that it dealt a lot in the relationship between parent and child as well as the mental health of both Abend’s patient and his former girlfriend – and that was all tied together in the poem by Yeats.
You need this book if you’re a fan of literary fiction, elegant prose, and a very slow-burning mystery.
I received an ARC copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Daniel Abend is a psychoanalyst and single parent living in New York City, with a successful practice and a comfortable life: an apartment on the Upper West Side, a beautiful teenage daughter, and an untroubled daily routine. When one of his young patients commits suicide, it is a tragedy, but one easily explained by her depression and drug addiction.
But shortly after, Daniel receives an ominous note that makes him question the patient's death. A few days later, his daughter abruptly disappears. A series of letters from an unknown sender ensnares Daniel in an increasingly desperate search for his daughter and for the truth--a search that stretches back decades, to when he was a young man living in Paris, falling in love with a woman who would upend his life. With lyrical prose and masterful plotting, The Waters & The Wild is a sophisticated and surprising literary mystery about passion, betrayal, and redemption.
Rating: 3.25 stars
Overall impression: Much like the gorgeous cover of this book, the writing was beautiful. I appreciated the psychological aspects of this story as well as the references to literature. Specifically, poetry – which fit with the poetic prose of the book. The characters were complex, but I didn’t have a connection with them. I wish since it was a literary mystery and not just literary fiction that it wouldn’t have been such a slow and meandering burn in the plot.
Entertainment Value: 3
Characterization: 3
POV/Voice: 4
Storyline/Plot: 3
Overall: 3.25
Daniel Abend is a good example of who you do not want to be your psychoanalyst. Let’s just be honest, if you knew his story – this is definitely not the guy you’d be going to for help with your mental health. I couldn’t really put my finger on who this guy was, to be honest. I wasn’t connected with any of the characters in particular. The author very slowly revealed the truth of each character, which made the storyline interesting, but made me unable to connect with any of the characters because some of their actions were just so confusing. Daniel’s especially - until the end.
The writing was beautiful. The plot was very complex. And I liked that it dealt a lot in the relationship between parent and child as well as the mental health of both Abend’s patient and his former girlfriend – and that was all tied together in the poem by Yeats.
You need this book if you’re a fan of literary fiction, elegant prose, and a very slow-burning mystery.
I received an ARC copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
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