To know the ocean, I have always felt, is to recognize the teeth it keeps half-hidden.

Miri said this to me once: Every horror movie ends the way you know it will.
― Julia Armfield, Our Wives Under the Sea

Having people be kind to you is so important, but it’s also incredibly irritating. It’s hard to find the balance of what you’re actually able to accept without wanting to hit someone.
― Julia Armfield, Our Wives Under the Sea

When Miri’s wife Leah, a scientist and explorer, returns home safely after a submarine accident, Miri has to learn how to live with her again. A routine underwater expedition that was supposed to last two weeks becomes five months of Miri not knowing what happened or if Leah was safe. Since Leah came home, her behavior and personality became so different that Miri didn’t know what to do. The “centre” that funded and employed Leah and her two other explorers did not provide any helpful information. Miri was stuck at home with Leah with no idea what happened or what could have caused such a drastic change to Leah’s mind and body.

The book alternated between Miri and Leah’s point-of-view, with most of the exposition provided by Miri. The story shifted back and forth in time. Miri’s story took place during the aftermath of Leah’s accident, as she cared for and tried to make sense out of what Leah had become. Leah’s chapters occurred before the underwater mission as well as during it, when the “accident” occurs.

This book was tough for me to read. I remarked to a friend that I wish I had gotten more of Leah’s story, especially the parts told from her time aboard the submarine. Instead, we are thrust into the daily frustrations of Miri as she attempts to take care of Leah while fearing that her actions are only making Leah’s condition worse. While Miri’s point-of-view was extremely relatable, the parts told by Leah were far more interesting.

The writing was gorgeous, and the book was rather short. Even though it dragged in places, it moved along quickly enough to prevent me from dropping it altogether.

There was a supernatural element to the story, which to me was the single most compelling part of the book. It wasn’t the focus, but it was interesting enough for me to keep reading and find out what actually happened to Leah while she was trapped at the bottom of the ocean.