Praise
“An engrossing tale….A cryptic long-lost narrative inside an impending family tragedy wrapped in a true-crime murder mystery framed by the aftermath of all of the above….Ms. Shreve unravels themes of adultery, jealousy, crimes of passion, incest, negligence, and loss… ultimately creating a nearly intolerable tension….A haunting novel.”
—Susan Kenney, New York Times Book Review
“Both stories move slowly and surely through the dark and distorting medium of water toward tragedy….Both stories feel primitive in their passions, as if the characters were bereft of language and necessarily reliant on gaze, gesture, and touch….This is a powerful achievment.”
—Barbara Fisher, Boston Globe
“Colorful storytelling at its best, satisfying and entertaining.”
—Jeanne Ray, Boston Herald
“Mesmerizing… quietly spellbinding….A kind of mystery forged of romance and danger….Part of the book’s power is of the conventional whodunit variety….Equally strong is Shreve’s evocative prose style….The Weight of Water is well-crafted entertainment that also plumbs the depths.”
—Dan Cryer, Newsday
“Spellbinding….Shreve’s triumph here is in creating a pace that brilliantly mimics the frenzy of one who acts in a moment of searing passion.”
—Leah Odze Epstein, Nashville Bookpage
“It’s impossible not to keep turning the pages, as Shreve, with somber voice, leads us on.”
—Susan Dooley, Washington Post Book World
“Riveting… haunting….Shreve is equally adroit at spinning a yarn and etching fine prose.”
—Kate Callen, San Diego Union Tribune
“Powerful….This taut thriller is based on the true story of the murder of two women on a small island off the coast of New Hampshire in 1873….Shreve has fashioned together two memorable dramas into a single narrative that explores jealousy, trust, and betrayal.”
—Barbara James Thomson, St. Louis Post Dispatch
“Spare, tightly plotted, and compactly written . . . a novel powerfully driven by plot and language….Shreve displays an intriguing range of style and tone. It is as if an Ibsen drama had erupted in an Ann Beattie novel.”
—Maureen McLane, Chicago Tribune
“Absorbing and suspenseful….The writing is controlled and evocative, the novel mysterious and disturbing.”
—Orlando Sentinel
“Gripping….The speed with which lives unravel is at the heart of both strands of Shreve’s stunning tale. There is plenty for the reader to ponder and savor in this accomplished inquiry into the ravages of love.”
—N. Heller McAlpin, Los Angeles Times
“Shreve manages to surprise — her imagination never fails her….The Weight of Water accrues power through its sharply described detail and carefully controlled language….It is impossible not to admire Shreve’s considerable craft.”
—Jocelyn McClurg, Hartford Courant
“Taut and chilling….Told in exquisitely moving prose….The sense Shreve conveys of life’s inexorability is perfectly on target.”
—Polly Paddock, Charlotte Observer
“It’s a literary voyage you don’t want to miss….A stunningly realized portrait of love’s darker aspects….Shreve’s plot line is a powerful current, the writing equally strong.”
—Amy Waldman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“Shreve manages to keep the reader’s interest at a fever pitch….A haunting and disturbing tale.”
—Karen Glendenning, Chattanooga Free Press
“Shreve’s writing is spare, poetic, and completely captivating.”
—Rae Francoeur, North Shore Magazine
“Enthralling….The Weight of Water sheds light as raw as that which floods the Isles of Shoals in the dark of winter….Shreve has written the most moving book of her career so far.”
—Rebecca Radner, San Francisco Chronicle