Book Review: "Our Wives Under the Sea" by Julia Armfield

Lyrical and haunting are two words that best describe this book.

I read this a few months back and never got around to posting my review. It’s such a beautiful and unique book, so I’m glad to finally sing its praises.

Leah is a marine biologist who went on what should have been a brief exploratory mission on a submarine. But the submarine sank, Leah was gone for six months, and her wife, Miri, got very little information about what happened or when/if Leah would return.

But when Leah finally returns, she is changed drastically. Leah locks herself in the bathroom for hours, running the faucets, as that seems to be the only thing that gives her comfort. She doesn’t eat, but craves salt water. Miri sleeps in the guest room alone, eats alone, and watches her wife vanishing before her eyes. What happened beneath the sea?

How do you come to terms with grief, with watching a relationship fade away through no fault of your own? How do you handle the significant transformation of the person you love into someone you don't know or understand?

The book alternates between Miri and Leah’s narration, from the days before the submarine expedition to now, and includes Leah’s journal entries from the mission. Armfield doesn’t give you all the answers, but this book is one I’ll remember for sure.