Three sisters have been raised by psychopathic parents in an isolated compound, being forced to engage in rituals that inflict physical and psychological harm on themselves and each other. When first their father disappears, followed soon after by arrival of three strangers and then the disappearance of their mother, the sisters are forced to face new possibilities and realities. Narrated by the sisters, this is an incredibly disturbing read that asks audiences to examine the nature of religion and other belief systems, the roles of education and ignorance in families, societies, and institutions, and the ways in which women victimize other women. Content warning for rape, incest, murder, and other violence.

I just finished reading The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh (Doubleday, on sale Jan 8 2019). The publisher has called this "The Handmaid's Tale meets The Virgin Suicides" and even Margaret Atwood got in on the praise, calling it, "A gripping, sinister fable!" I tend to agree--I couldn't put it down, despite the knots of discomfort it put in my stomach. It touches on escapism and ritual, the bonds of family and desire of all kinds. It's like a violent storm breaking a heat wave.

This story is a metaphor for... something. The inherent violence we all harbor inside us? The idea that relations between men and women can never be peaceful? I honestly don't know. The writing is lovely, lyrical and haunting but too veiled for me. Are men really a threat to women in the outside world, or is the sickness a metaphor? Or is it just that Grace, Lia, and Sky's parents are incredibly manipulative and abusive (physicallyand psychologically)? Although some things become clear(er) by the end of the book, much is left in obscurity.

I can't decide if this is a simply a cautionary tale against men, against the destruction of our natural habitats, or against society as a whole. There is a power struggle between the parents and three sisters. Even after the "death" of the father, he still played a prominent role in the family's traditions and behavior.

This story was never cohesive at all. The viewpoints switched often and were so similar I had a very hard time determining which sister was narrating. I would note warnings for self harm and violence; this is certainly not a young adult novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Water Cure has beautiful prose, unmatched by anything I've read recently, but I unfortunately got very easily confused by the story line. When I read for long periods of time I could follow things, but as soon as I took a break and picked it up later I found myself struggling to figure it all out again.

If you follow my blog or social media, you will know that I love the dystopia genre. The Water Cure immediately caught my attention when I read the synopsis and saw that it was compared to The Virgin Suicides and The Handmaid's Tale. The Handmaid's Tale is one of my all time favorite books so I was excited to start this one.

This story is told mostly from Lia's perspective, but there are also chapters that are labeled with all three sister's names; Lia, Grace and Sky and you can't really tell who is speaking. Later in the book there are some chapters from Grace's perspective as well. The first few chapters of this book were a bit slow and a bit confusing, as they don't explain much about the outside world. The story then starts moving along at a faster pace and we get a lot of information about the current life of this family, as well as information about what is in the rest of the world. I will say though that we never do really get an explanation about the outside world and we never know the location where this book is taking place. The explanation about the rest of the world is basically that the world has become toxic, especially to women and men are all extremely dangerous.

The story follows the sisters through there daily lives and the wide variety of therapies and treatments that the girls receive regularly. Some of these were quite cruel and surprised me in their intensity. The way the book is written and the way the girls behave did indeed remind me of The Handmaid's Tale. The comparison to The Handmaid's Tale is also accurate with some things throughout the book. I initially gave this book 3 stars, bu after thinking about it more, I decided to change it to 4 stars. The book is very interesting and it will have readers trying to figure out what is going on the entire time. The way it is written from multiple perspectives is interesting, but I definitely enjoyed reading from Lia's perspective most of the time. She is an interesting character and I found it quite fascinating to be in the mind of a character who grew up segregated from the rest of the world, basically in a cult like atmosphere.

The ending of the book surprised me, as did the events in the last few chapters. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how the book would end and although I figured a few things out, the author did a great job surprising me in the end. The whole book focuses on how men are evil, but in the end the women are pretty brainwashed. My only problem with this book is "hate all men because they are evil and band together with your sisters" mindset. I think some people will see this more as a feminist book and less of a dystopian. This was initially how I felt when I finished the book, which isn't my thing at all. But once I thought about it more, even with the feminism views, it is really a great story. So I decided not to focus on that aspect and instead focused more on the story and the writing.

Overall, I thought this was a very interesting story and I really enjoyed the characters and the author's writing. I look forward to reading more work from the author in the future.

Thank you to the publisher, Doubleday, for sending me an ARC of this book.

This dystopic fiction is Sophie Mackintosh's debut novel and was long listed for the 2018 Man Booker prize. It is one of those novels that if you haven't read anything of the synopsis, the initial set-up of the story might be a little confusing. The Water Cure is narrated by the three sisters and is reported in alternating perspectives, with the switchovers happening very quickly - within a page or two. Other than that, there are sections narrated by a united trio to show the of universality of their experiences, the borderline abuse endured by their parents, the fears that don't dissipate with age and their complex reactions to the stories they have been told about why they inhabit this world and what the outside looks like. As a literary metaphor, The Water Cure touches on the dangers of New Age treatments and the need to regulate health care but also discusses feminist issues by exploring how risk and ruin can lurk inside what looks like a safe haven.
I enjoyed aspects of the storytelling, especially the way the author sets up the binary gender differences as the cause and effect of the suffering being detailed in the book, with men as perpetrators and women as victims and later how she challenges her own idea in showing how their experiences varied with their ages. I liked how the characters' names reflected their interaction with each other but even that didn't carry through for all the cast.
However, while this had a good plot, I wasn't a fan of the storytelling. There were parts of the narrative that felt wordy and in Part 1, the sisters voices didn't feel sufficiently unique to distinguish between their stories. I appreciated the imagery and I was very much anticipating whether Makintosh would present a trans-gender or androgynous character and what that would look like.
I gave this a 3 star rating because:
I liked the different responses to water from within and exposure to alternate sources, and how one was encouraged and the other banned.
I enjoyed the character's names and how they both embodied and rejected those meanings
I admired the premise that parental sacrifices are not always understood or even accepted by their children and if this was the metaphor behind this unlikely story, then it was an interesting way to present this age-old rebellion in a new way, and give an alternate view of how life lessons often feel like torture.
I didn't really care for how disposable some of the characters felt and I searched for what their ambiguous disappearances meant and couldn't find the greater meaning.
If dangerous love was the overall theme of the story, then it wasn't my favorite thing to read about.
Aspects of this book reminded me Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi as well as The Roanoke Girls.

Tw: animal abuse, child abuse, self harm, murder, child death

This has go to be one of the weirdest and most out there books I've ever read. Honestly, I have no idea what in the world I read and I probably still won't know long after. Was it about a cult? Was it just a family trying to survive by any means necessary? I can't tell you because I do not know.

The prose on this book was probably some of the best prose I've ever read. It was beautiful and so very haunting. Every single sentence was crafted meticulously. Each word was thought about very carefully and considered for the sentence. I can tell that there was a lot of work put into just the crafting of the sentences and I loved that.

But the prose got in the way of the story at times. Because the writing was so flowery, I was often confused about what was happening. Maybe that was the purpose? To be super mysterious? I don't know. But I wish it had gotten straight to the point at times when it was needed. Especially with some of the reveals at the end. I just wanted to know what happened.

Overall, this is just one of those books you got to read for yourself. I know that this is a super short review but I can't really say much about this book without giving it all away. This is really all I can tell you. Despite my average rating, I can't wait to see what else Sophie Mackintosh writes next.

This is the author's debut novel and she did a wonderful job. With a predominant theme of patriarchy, it was refreshing to read about three sisters who find their freedom in life.

I was intrigued by the concept of this book. Instantly, I noticed a flowy like writing style. Which does take a little getting used to but I have read several books like this and so I was able to "go with the flow" pun intended.

In the beginning, I was intrigued by the set up of this book. However, my peaked interest dissipated fairly quickly as the writing style this time did not help but kind of hindered my reading. Additionally, I found myself struggling to keep the three sisters apart. Everyone's voice was monotone and blended together as one. After painfully getting about twenty percent of the way into the book, I was done. I felt no need to continue reading.

This was a really different story. Three sisters are living with their mother and father. None of the girls have ever experienced the outside world, having grown up in their "commune" for lack of a better word.

Everything comes crashing down when their father doesn't return from a supply run. Now having to survive themselves, the girls and their mother carry on as best they can. Then one day strange men arrive, supposedly sent by their father.

What follows is a look into each girl's life. How they think, what they feel and how the circumstances in which they were raised has effected them. It's an overall interesting story, but it really didn't move at a pace that kept me interested. Some sections felt drawn out, while others needed some expansion on what was happening.

Basically a really strange read that’s not a good fit for my library's patrons. It has very abstract writing, with no clear plot. Our library's patrons like solid plot. The novel didn't have very strong development of the charaacters either. I really didn't care for them one way or another.

I don't see myself recommending this book at all to our patrons.

My apologies to the publisher for a late review. I was gifted an ARC of The Water Cure in exchange for my honest opinion.

Labeled as a female dystopian novel, I was excited to receive an early copy of this book. Unfortunately, it took me weeks to pick this novel up once I put it down. The story was bleak, disjointed and disturbing. Three sisters live on an isolated island where they are taught men are evil. Of course, when men finally breach their island they discover what they thought they understood is all wrong. Honestly, I’m not sure the point of this story. It seemed very similar to another story I read earlier this year and equally did not enjoy. I never got the sense that this was an alternate world or experienced any feelings of a dystopian future.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a review copy, but this story fell very short for me.

Reading this book felt sticky and warm, totally atmospheric. I will forever be obsessed with the cover art. I need it on my nightstand for always. The story itself is uncomfortable and confusing, as you only know as much as the characters. It could be compared to "stuck on an island" stories, or not to distant future "it only gets worse for women" type books but it truly feels like a weird, depressing myth, fitting of this generation. If melancholy sister tales are your bag then this one is for you.

I appreciate the opportunity to review this book. Unfortunately, I have been trying to read this book for over a week and I just can't get into it.

The writing in this book, and the way the author is able to describe the somewhat strange setting, is stellar. In the Man Booker Prize longlist wasteland that is 2018, I found it one of the more compelling reads. I love the little backstory italic parts between chapters, the ending and questioning everything, and the sisters. I felt like the story itself, what actually happens, to be less satisfying.

The italics backstory is where the story connects most with other recent books from The Power by Naomii Alderman to Red Clocks by Leni Zumas. Here is one passage in particular:

"I didn't understand how rapidly things had changed, how all that had been needed was permission for everything to go to shit, and that permission had been granted. I didn't know that there was no longer any need for the men to hold their bodies in check or to carry on the lie that we mattered."

These sections make the reader think they know what the book is. But is that what it is?

I have no idea how to classify it now that I've reached the end. [Is this dystopia on a grand scale or more like Room is for the two in it? Are there actual environmental toxins going on or are the daughters being poisoned? Is the third sister really not related or was that a convenient story to tell for King to get what he wanted? Who were the women who used to be with them, and why aren't there any more? (hide spoiler)]

I have to admit, I kind of liked mulling over these questions, maybe the best part of my reading experience. That coupled with the writing made it more of a solid read for me.

The Water Cure is one of the most interesting books that I’ve read in awhile. It’s a bit like a combination of Lord of the Flies and The Virgin Suicides with a hint of King Lear.

Three sisters, Grace, Lia and Sky, are raised on an isolated island by their parents, King and Mother. They are taught that the outside world is a dangerous place for females because men are a threat.

They are taught to do bizarre rituals – like wearing weighted clothes in the water and drinking sea water. I guess it’s to help them survive if they ever leave the island. They used to get female visitors who were escaping the outside world. The women had to do the survival rituals. It was supposed to make them all stronger.

Their father disappears almost without a trace. Three men arrive on the island. Soon after their mother disappears.

After the men appear, there is a lot of tension between the sisters. Lia falls in love with one of the men. Grace and Sky believe that the men are dangerous and should not be trusted.

If I say anything else, I’ll give away the ending. It’s a really great novel and you should read it. I’d give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.





The Water Cure on Amazon



I received an ebook from NetGalley in exchange for doing a review. All opinions are mine. Obviously.

I’m continuing on my @manbookerprize long-list journey and finished #TheWaterCure by Sophie Mackintosh last night. Not sure that timing was a wise decision on my part, as the ending left my mind reeling (and hello nightmares!)

This was a unique read for me - it is very literary and a bit abstract, but this works really well to support the bizarre narrative!

We follow three women living with their Mother on an island, and are told that any contact with men other than their father, King, is toxic and harmful to them. The women are compelled to undergo a number of treatments to help rid their body of toxins from their time in society prior to living on the island, including the title treatment which alleges to ‘cure’ women of the condition. It’s like a cult narrative, a dystopian/apocalyptic narrative and a commentary on gender violence without ever exclusively being any of these things!

The alternating perspectives worked incredibly well here, and the plot was cryptic and crazy enough to keep me furiously turning the pages, despite not always having a clear picture as to what was happening.

My only criticism of the novel is that even at the end, there was so much about the narrative that was left unanswered. I think a bit more detail would have gone a long way to closing out some questions the reader had (despite the flurry of plot-bombs that Mackintosh drops in the final part of this novel! 🤯). I think this could have been done while still leaving substantial intrigue and suspense for the reader to ponder.

This was a really readable literary fiction and I hope to see it make the Man Booker shortlist! 🤞🏻

Thanks to @netgalley and @doubledaybooks for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. And special shout out to @womanvsbooks for chatting with me about this as I read it 😊

“The Water Cure,” by Sophie Mackintosh, is a dystopian fiction novel described as: “The Handmaid's Tale meets The Virgin Suicides in this dystopic feminist revenge fantasy about three sisters on an isolated island, raised to fear men.”
While I enjoyed the author’s style of writing, I had a hard time getting into this the story.

I was provided a copy of this book by NetGalley and Doubleday books in exchange for an honest review.

I read prior reviews for The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh and was looking forward to this novel, but was greatly disappointed by it. The story begins with King, his wife and three daughters in a place of their own, which is kept apart from the rest of the world, which has become a toxic place. He keeps his family safe and teaches his daughters to stay away from men, for the are evil and will do things to women. His eldest daughter manages to get pregnant with no men around...except her father.

The book discusses how their property used to be a retreat for women who would come for the water cure, which would purify them. They eventually stopped offering this as their food supplies grew less and they became more insular.

Eventually some men found their way to the island and the girls aren't quite sure what to make of them. The book continues on its strange path, The book left me cold, felling like I had just wasted all the time I spent reading it. I got nothing out of it, didn't enjoy it and had to force myself to finish it.