Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Ballantine Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy of this book in return for an honest review!

I have a lot of feelings. I struggled through the first third of the book because there were just so many characters with the perspective constantly changing, not only between characters, but also in year and location. I caught myself having to go back and forth between chapters just to make sure I didn’t get stories confused, though once you have a handle on who everyone is, the story that unfolds drags you into a tsunami of emotion (the water reference is absolutely on purpose and absolutely necessary). 

While this book explores numerous topics (family issues, resentment, motherhood, racism, environmentalism, climate change, etc.), the topics that really gripped me were interracial relationships in the Caribbean, specifically between a Chinese immigrant in Lin and a Black local in Mathilda, who goes on to leave her family with no explanation; as well as child abandonment, and sexuality from a cultural lens. While I don’t want to delve in too deeply and get into spoiler territory, I appreciate the detail and care the author put into exploring these specific topics and showcasing a reality that has more than likely played out given the history between Chinese immigrants and the island of Jamaica, which is what this non-disclosed island is modeled after. 

I appreciate the complexity of Benny’s character and how steadfast she is in defending her passions and bisexuality, never allowing her family, friends, or partners to sway her identity and beliefs, regardless of the abuse she endures due to their biphobia and rigid beliefs. 

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Eleanor’s life and gaining insight on her childhood all the way up to what she was experiencing as an elder and how it was captured in three distinct sections and lives. This was definitely a story that benefitted from the multiple perspectives since you were able to see how each person played a major role in her life.