The Girl in the Water

LoveReading Says

A coming of age narrative held against the backdrop of the last days of the Soviet Union ‘The Girl in the Water’ by Joseph Howse follows Nadia as she grows up with elder sister Nastya and her friends Ida and Jaan, or Johnny. When Nadia and Nastya move away, their friendship group is splintered and each character goes down their own path, only to be reunited later on.

Set against the backdrop of the final days of the Soviet Union, this book references the Afghan War and Chernobyl, as well as the shadow of World War II, Hitler and Stalin. This setting and context of the book feels authentic and it is clear that a lot of research has been carried out in order to add dimension to the story.

The sense of change in the setting reflects the coming-of-age themes in the characters' narratives. While we follow events from Nadia’s perspective plenty of time is given to flesh out each character and focus on the journeys of Nastya, Ida and Johnny. ‘Girl in the Water’ is a very character driven narrative, as Nadia floats between her friends and family, observing life’s progress, while taking small steps towards her own future.

I felt there was a stasis in Nadia throughout the novel, offering the reader a fixed point of reference to watch Nastya, Ida and Johnny. I think that this book would appeal to those interested in character driven family dramas and relationship stories, and may appeal to those interested in modern Eastern European history.

Charlotte Walker, A LoveReading Ambassador

About The Girl in the Water

The Girl in the Water is the story of a multiethnic group of young friends, coming of age in Estonia and Ukraine in the last days of the Soviet Union. Their lives are shaped by an Afghan war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the collapse and legacy of a suffocating society.

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