It has been 14 years since Abraham Verghese published Cutting for Stone, a book that easily ranks in my top five favorites of all time. With The Covenant of Water, readers are gifted another richly layered familial story of love, heartache, faith, loyalty, betrayal, and forgiveness. It is set in the very southern tip of the Indian coast – present-day Kerala – and also where Verghese’s own family is from.

“A tale that leaves its imprint on a listener tells the truth about how the world lives, and so, unavoidably, it is about families, their victories and wounds, and their departed, including the ghosts who linger; it must offer instructions for living in God’s realm, where joy never spares one from sorrow. A good story goes beyond what a forgiving God cares to do: it reconciles families and unburdens them of secrets whose bond is stronger than blood. But in their revealing, as in their keeping, secrets can tear a family apart.”

The story begins in 1900 as 12-year-old Ammachi leaves her family to travel a half-day by boat away to the 500-acre homestead called Parambil. There, she’s to marry a widower and raise his 2-year-old son, JoJo.

A physician by trade, Verghese (as he did in Cutting for Stone) makes good use of his expertise in The Covenant of Water – he crafts the narrative around an odd “Condition” that seems prevalent in the central family.

In this story, a marriage broker says that what makes a family are the secrets it shares. This family’s secret is the source of mystery and myth, perhaps a curse that has been mapped on a hand-drawn family tree and secretly passed down by its matrons. The parchment warns of the danger lurking in rivers and streams, but also cooking pots and shallow puddles.

A danger ever-present in a “world of rivulets and canals, a latticework of lakes and lagoons, a maze of backwaters and bottle green lotus ponds” – a place ill-suited for a family with a preponderance of drowning. There is so much water that when people “say ‘land’ they include water, because it makes no more sense to separate the two than it does to detach the nose from the mouth.” And so, perhaps drowning should be normal.

In actuality, the Condition is a rare inherited medical trait.

If the Condition is the skeleton, the flesh and bones of The Covenant of Water are three generations of a family – their marriages and children, as well as others – friends and laborers (who are sometimes both at once) – that live within Parambil.

By the 1970s, Ammachi’s granddaughter Mariamma – a physician specializing in neurology – applies science to her family’s Condition to protect future generations. At the same time, she uncovers a deeper secret held by the prior two generations that threatens to unravel all she has known to be true.

The story that binds Ammachi and Mariamma spans the decades that challenged the traditional roles set by caste and gender and race. While society reckons with its own progression, both women must decide if they will love in spite of circumstances and forgive despite the consequences.

Like its predecessor, The Covenant of Water provides characters and scenes that stay with you long after the story closes, and its broad thematic exploration offers much to be savored. While many book clubs may shy away from selecting the 730+ page tome, those who do will be richly rewarded with an excellent discussion.

And also like its predecessor when I read it in 2010, The Covenant of Water is well positioned to be the best book I read this year.

The Covenant of Water was a beautifully written epic. Unfortunately it was just too long for me to enjoy. Also all the medical content was not my favorite.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I had conflicting feelings about this novel. On one hand I appreciated its epic scope and beautiful writing. The medical and history of India were both completely fascinating and I was completely satisfied… really even impressed…by the ending, which I felt was a tall order, which brought all of the plot lines together.

On the other hand, parts of the novel seemed bogged down by secondary characters and too many details and I found myself skimming. Meanwhile, important moments also felt maudlin.

I would definitely recommend to anyone who loved Verghese’s Cutting for Stone. The novel is a commitment, and not necessarily an easy read, but a beautiful one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to read the ARC.

I was thrilled to be given an opportunity to read an early galley of this book by NetGalley after hearing Anne Bogel mention that Abraham Verghese had written another sweeping saga. Verghese's earlier novel Cutting for Stone invigorated my reading life many years ago and I've since recommended it to scores of reading friends. It was set in Africa and I still feel like I have visited that continent as a result of the sense of place and the vibrant characters to whom I was introduced. It is for these reasons I was breathless when The Covenant of Water appeared on my e-reader.

I was not disappointed. The setting, this time India, was as real and vibrant as the one before and the characters…they are still living in my mind, just as before. It could be that the story is richer? deeper? or perhaps that I am older and can appreciate the central character more from my more wrinkled perspective. Big Ammachi (based on the author's mother) is the main protagonist of this story and we watch her life progress from her marriage as a child bride to her matriarchy over both her family and her village. As the generations stroll past, we learn that in each one there has been a drowning in the family and this is a central question to be answered. Verghese, always with a loving touch for his characters, explores that mystery as well as themes of family, home, and love.

The Covenant of Water was released earlier this month and I recently came upon the hardback edition of it in a bookstore. I was startled with the size of it. It is over 700 pages in length, though it didn't read like a tome. I was also captured by the beauty of the book itself. I knew when I finished reading a few months ago that I'd want a physical copy for my shelf, what a bonus that the object is fittingly as beautiful as the words it contains and as ending it provided.

3.5 stars. It's a sweeping novel about a family, but it's a slog through 730+ pages without a driving plot. Is the writing gorgeous? Of course. Are some of the characters compelling? Yes. Did I love it? No. "Cutting for Stone" is much better.

"Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. The family is part of a Christian community that traces itself to the time of the apostles, but times are shifting, and the matriarch of this family, known as Big Ammachi—literally “Big Mother”—will witness unthinkable changes at home and at large over the span of her extraordinary life. All of Verghese’s great gifts are on display in this new work: there are astonishing scenes of medical ingenuity, fantastic moments of humor, a surprising and deeply moving story, and characters imbued with the essence of life."

Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

DNF @20%

I cannot tell you the last time I was so disappointed in a book that I was so excited to read. Like many reviewers before me, I had really enjoyed Cutting for Stone and could not believe when I saw that the author had [finally] written another book, I HAD to request it and was super excited when I was accepted to read it.

After finally getting the audiobook, I excitedly dove in, and while the opening is a bit disconcerting [it will ALWAYS be off-putting to read about a twelve year old marrying a forty year old with a child of his own, no matter that I know that was the culture/time-frame etc. I will never be okay with that in my own heart], it quickly smooths out and flows into a lovely, soothing, gorgeous story [even with the events that happen at the end of the Part 1 <--you KNOW something is coming so it wasn't a surprise, though the who was, but I still cried ugly tears] that I was loving 100%. And then part 2 starts and W T H??? It is so sudden and so jarring and so...so...so...yuck. I immediately dislike Digby and while I read in other reviews that the stories flow together, I just don't see how this selfish, unlikeable character can do anything but detract from the story. I immediately wanted to go back to the other story and that stayed with me for most of the parts of Part 2 that I was able to get through [though I had to stop and rage a couple of times].

Ultimately, I had to quit this book and take a DNF [the two star rating is simply for part 1, which I loved. Those chapters will always stay with me]. The time jump [which was ALSO extremely jarring], the addition of ALL new characters and the unlikeability of said characters and then the realization that it was going to be jumping back and forth over and over was just too much for me. This could have been such a gorgeous story [and I applaud those that stayed the course, and the ones that loved it; I wish I could have read it with their eyes] and I am still struggling with my disappointment over not being able to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Abraham Verghese, and Grove Atlantic/Grove Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a marvelous epic novel Abraham Verghese has written with The Covenant of Water. This multigenerational story engages and moves you throughout. I loved the medical background set in a world that is largely new to me. 5 stars for me
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. The Covenant of Water is on sale now.

The Covenant of Water is a magnificent, multigenerational novel set in India. Losses, loves, medical mysteries and secrets thread their way through the pages. Highly recommend. This is is a definite book club selection.

One of the best novels I’ve read this year. A novel of this scope cannot also present individual human characters that are memorable. This is not a traditional character-driven novel. The main character in this epic is the land itself. We readers become immersed in the geography, location, natural and emotional history of a special land. What a fascinating idea. The book starts with a map. All this is why you need to read the novel, it’s the complete, enjoyable, fascinating, story of a land.
This is an important work of historical fiction. In every chapter, readers will learn about the interesting and entertaining culture of Christian Indians, people who live side by side with elephants, and magic, and water both tame and wild.
The plot skips from one medical emergency or mystery to another. At times, the medical detail is unnecessary for me, and therefore the book is longer than I wanted it to be.
Although dedicated to the author’s mother, this is a novel written for all of us who love literature. This was clearly a labor of love on the part of Dr. Verghese, and I thank him. Readers will, too.

I loved getting lost in these lives, over the generations, in a land that is unfamiliar. Their love, hard work and values for family are universal and true. I feel like I’ve been on a journey with a very satisfying ending.

The water that both terrifies and connects the characters to one another is a theme worthy of discussion.

And my fondness for each of the characters is remarkable considering I didn’t really like one of them.

I recommend this to readers who like to sink their teeth into big books, transport themselves to another time and place and have the patience for a rewarding ending.

This novel, lush in detail is just gorgeous and heartbreaking. We’ve waited so long for this author to grace readers with a new novel, and the wait was worth it. Tracing the lives of a family through the generations, we uncover the connections that sew us with our ancestors and the ways we differ. Worth the read

Verghese makes us wait for his novels, but thankfully we have not waited in vain! This sweeping, multigenerational saga unfolds in 20th century rural South India (with one short trip to Scotland), telling of love, family, faith, and medicine.

Wow, what a book! I’ve waited anxiously for Verghese’s next book. Cutting for Stone was a favorite of mine and I’ll be honest, I think I loved it a bit more than this new book. But that did not take away from the enjoyment of this new read. I’m a big fan of historical fiction and learned so much about India, Kerala, the caste system, the culture, and British colonialism. I also happen to love medicine so the intricate details of surgeries and medical procedures did not dissuade me from loving this, as it might for others. Like many books spanning years and generations of family, this story included love, marriage, tragedy, war, heroes and hope. Verghese’s talent to draw characters that you care deeply about is unique. The author’s prose is beautiful and I found many quotes that I have copied and kept, as I did in his other books. Was the book a bit too long, perhaps, but I still felt drawn to come back to it. I would highly recommend this book and I hope we don’t have to wait so many years for his next one!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

This year has been a treasure of wonderful books and Abraham Verghese’s new release is at the top. Beginning in 1900 in Travancore, South India with the arranged marriage of a twelve-year-old girl to a forty-year-old man who owns agricultural land days away from her home, the story unfolds as they characters grow and change and love and die. Each character is so lovingly rendered that the reader falls for them too, with all their strengths and weaknesses. Centered around a community of Saint Thomas Christians, we follow our original couple and their family through the tumultuous times of independence in India, the revolt against the caste system, industrialization, and modernization.
Verghese is a doctor, and his love of medicine and knowledge is shared by many of his characters as they fight for basic healthcare, Conditions that are inexplicable, and those that are. Some of the best scenes are set in a Leprosarium, where we learn compassion and hope for those on the farthest edges of society.
To say the writing is both beautiful and wise would not do justice to the storytelling and the delicate care this author gives to his characters as well as his readers. The book is 736 pages long, but you will be sorry it isn’t twice that. It’s that wonderful. It was released on May 2, 2023 by Grove Press.

A new Abraham Verghese book is something worth celebrating and The Covenant of Water does not disappoint. Beautifully written, it’s a multigenerational story that takes place over two continents. At heart is a family with a condition and an aversion to water. There are family secrets and you’ll feel intense emotion as the story unfolds. It’s long, it’s definitely a commitment, but one you’ll be glad you gave the time to. “Every family has secrets, but not all secrets are meant to deceive.” The Covenant of Water is an absolute masterpiece.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for this ARC.

The Covenant of Water follows three generations of one family in South India who are unusually afflicted by drownings or disorientation with water. Starting in 1900 with the marriage of Ammachi into the family, Verghese begins to paint the picture of the life of the family's home in Parambil. Her new husband refuses to go near water and when her son is born, he also reacts oddly to water. She learns that in every generation, there is at least one death due to water and she wonders if it might be some kind of medical condition. This ties into the other part of the story, following surgeon Digby Kilgour, who comes to India from Scotland to work in the medical service and after a terrible event, finds himself becoming a doctor at a leprosy treatment center where he eventually meets members of the family. There are many characters and plotlines all tied to the family, as well as a focus on medicine and the advancements made, eventually culminating in figuring out what the condition is. Verghese also touches on other issues of the times, such as caste, religion, independence, and leprosy. Overall, a sweeping saga for readers interested in a very detailed setting with well-developed characters and in tracing one family's path and the secrets they hold.

This brilliant, sweeping historical opus by Vergese (author of the simply amazing book Cutting for Stone, along with two others) opens with a young 12-year-old girl getting married off to a widower in his forties, to go live with him and his young son on a remote jungle estate in Kerala, located in Southern India right on the coast. The marriage has been arranged by the widower’s sister, who encourages him to raise the girl as a child in his home and caregiver to his young son until she comes of age to take on wifely duties. She proves endlessly resourceful, buoyed by her strong Indian Christian religious faith and tough resilience.

What enfolds encompasses three generations, with the young girl growing into a powerful, loving, strong and tough matriarch known as Big Ammachi (“Big Mother”), who raises the orphaned JoJo and goes on to have a son and daughter of her own, and eventually a daughter-in-law and grandchild who grows up to become a physician. Hauntingly running through the narrative is a family curse, couple with a fear of water, that leaves one family member drowned in each generation. The novel opens in 1900 and stretches to 1977, with historical events unfolding from the emergence from British colonial control to social upheavals and struggles with the caste system to the end of the Raj. Verghese tells Big Ammachi’s story infused with compassion, presenting his characters as well-meaning people facing a barrage of challenging and in some cases devastating events. The novel’s axis centers mainly around plot, without any deep individual character building but rather a blending of archetypes.

Drawing on his own background as a doctor, Verghese weaves into the story countless gripping medical scenes and the stunning progress of medicine across eight decades. Running on a separate narrative stream, the story of Digby, a Scottish doctor enfolds, with the two narratives eventually powerfully merging.

This novel is destined to become a classic!


Thanks to Grove Atlantic, Grove Press, and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

Great read, with compelling prose by the author. Absolutely loved their last work, and waited so long for this to come out. Amazing.

I was unable to read it because the print was so tiny- this happens a lot. I would like to be offered books in Audible

This is a hefty multi-generational historical fiction spanning 77 years set in the state of Kerala in south India. Against the cultural, social and political backdrop of Kerala, the author weaves disease and medical challenges resulting in a rich and interesting tapestry for the novel. The story centers around a Christian family in which a member of each generation is plagued with the “condition.” Alongside the family are a host of other major and supporting characters. This huge network of people are all interconnected and the threads do come together finally in this long drawn out tome - so long that I couldn’t wait for it to be over, until the last few chapters when it got interesting again. I felt the number of characters in the book detracted from the story. I get the author was creating the environment for the storyline but it felt overwhelming. Part of the challenge was that I didn’t find the writing compelling enough to keep me glued to the book. It took me a long time to get to the end. Overall the book was an okay read for me but not stellar. This is my second attempt at an Abraham Verghese book - I’m not having as great a time with his works as others are. I may have better luck with his nonfiction. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.