2024 the best book ever written review

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OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER SUBJECT OF A SIX-PART SUPER SOUL PODCAST SERIES HOSTED BY OPRAH WINFREY

From the New York Times-bestselling author of Cutting for Stone comes a stunning and magisterial epic of love, faith, and medicine, set in Kerala, South India, following three generations of a family seeking the answers to a strange secret

“One of the best books I’ve read in my entire life. It’s epic. It’s transportive . . . It was unputdownable!”—Oprah Winfrey, OprahDaily.com

The Covenant of Water is the long-awaited new novel by Abraham Verghese, the author of the major word-of-mouth bestseller Cutting for Stone, which has sold over 1.5 million copies in the United States alone and remained on the New York Times bestseller list for over two years.

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. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala’s long-existing Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time. From this unforgettable new beginning, the young girl—and future matriarch, known as Big Ammachi—will witness unthinkable changes over the span of her extraordinary life, full of joy and triumph as well as hardship and loss, her faith and love the only constants.

A shimmering evocation of a bygone India and of the passage of time itself, The Covenant of Water is a hymn to progress in medicine and to human understanding, and a humbling testament to the difficulties undergone by past generations for the sake of those alive today. It is one of the most masterful literary novels published in recent years.

Reviewer: Brandel Luebbert
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Navigating Life's Currents: My Journey with "The Covenant of Water" by Abraham Verghese
Review: Hello! New to the group and I wanted to share my experience/review of the 6th book I finished this year, "The Covenant of Water" by Abraham Verghese.Working at an animal shelter, I've discovered that listening to audiobooks is a great way to drown out the barking and find some peace amidst the chaos. It also aligns well with my love for big books. Verghese's narrative skill navigated me through a myriad of lives, each distinctly drawn and compelling. While the pacing occasionally lagged, I found that it reflected the fluidity of life's currents, with every character, no matter how seemingly minor, contributing meaningfully to the narrative. This mirrors the intricacies of existence, where even the smallest roles hold significance, enriching the overall fabric of the story.What truly elevated the experience for me was Verghese's own narration. His voice lent an intimate depth to the characters and their journeys, infusing each moment with a palpable sense of authenticity. It was as if he personally invited me into the world he had crafted, guiding me through its highs and lows with a storyteller's finesse. This added layer of connection between narrator and listener made the emotional impact of the book even more profound, leaving an enduring impression that transcends the pages.Moreover, Verghese's prose captured the essence of human experience with remarkable clarity and depth. Through his vivid descriptions and keen insights, he delved into themes of identity, love, loss, and redemption, inviting readers to contemplate the complexities of life and relationships. Each scene was meticulously crafted, evoking a range of emotions and prompting introspection long after the audiobook had ended. Verghese's narrative mastery not only entertained but also challenged and enlightened, making "The Covenant of Water" a truly unforgettable literary journey.

Reviewer: Phillip S. Ewart
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Absolutely exhilarating!
Review: Absolutely one of the finest novels I have ever read. Beautifully written and remarkably researched by a vet knowledgeable author. Although over 800 pages I could not lay it down. I am 86 years old and a retired University professor, so I have read a lot of books and consider this one of the best.

Reviewer: Mary Lynn
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great story
Review: I loved the way Verghese can weave a story. It was so well thought and interesting. Characters were very well developed and likable, and admirable. What I didn’t like was the use of SO MANY Indian terms. Unless you speak and Indian language it was very distracting to the beautiful story. If there is just a few Indian words per chapter, I would be willing to look up the translation, but not 4 or 5 per page, which often occurred.I would give it 5+ stars if there was an abridged book with fewer Indian words. My book club agreed with all my above comments. Fantastic book, but too many unknown words.

Reviewer: Maria Lydia
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Very different and utterly engaging
Review: Perhaps having been to India helped me visualize the story well. I had never read Verghese but I am not a fiction reader. Still, I found Verghese's narrative riveting and also rich and detailed as India's diversity deserves. The is a culture shock at every corner and radically different ways of thinking and interacting. Yet, Verghese captures it all, in sufficient detail to satisfy and engage. I am so glad I heard of it.

Reviewer: Foretune
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Stick with it! An astoundingly complex and clever story.
Review: Full confession – I read and put down this book for about nine months before I finish the last third in three days. What an epic tale! The medical mysteries and detailed prose Abraham Verghese weaves together are rich and yet mind boggling. Initially, I struggled keeping the different characters straight, but if you make an effort to remember the names, the story is incredibly worthy. I might even like this book better than Cutting for Stone and that’s saying a lot.

Reviewer: Reaper15
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Compelling story of adversity in Christian India
Review: The book is quite lengthy. It takes a while for all of the sub-plots to develop. All are interesting and well written. The story is uplifting and believable. A pleasure!

Reviewer: Beth E Nelson
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Deeply moving, story from the heart
Review: Loved the characters and their learning, changing, growing. Loved God’s word throught the book. Riveting novel. Did not notice the length of the book. Would recommend to anyone. Ordering a copy for my mother.

Reviewer: Mallow
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Eye-opening and -watering
Review: Dr Verghese is a skilled author, and has chosen for this challenging novel a multi-decade history of the extreme southwest corner of India. From the opening sentence (literally) one is immersed in a family and its adventures. If there is a fault to be found, it is the implausibility of some of the relationships, and a rather contrived conclusion. Still, it would be churlish to be more than mildly critical. There is, as one would expect from a family’s story over such a long period, much genuine love and tragedy, portrayed sensitively, at times reducing the reader to genuine tears. Take the time and jump in. You’ll love it.

Reviewer: CJ
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: The culture of India is painted clearly. The medical issues interesting in that many treatments have changed. The family story so captivating, although rare on the real world.The descriptions of places, scents, colours, movements, and especially subtle human emotions beautifully described. The only thing I found difficult was the use of Indian words without more explanation of what they meant. I read via Kindle format and some were accessible but many not. Context helped, but short either description or translation would have been useful.

Reviewer: yairis
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Maravilloso libro

Reviewer: Teresa
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Um livro lindamente escrito sobre uma família indiana, desde a época da ocupação inglesa até a década de 70. Trata dos grandes acontecimentos da vida: nascimentos, perdas, amores, mortes.

Reviewer: Dr. Bijoy Jose
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Such an amazing work. Hav.nt been so engrossed in a book of late. Its nt easy to keep somebody glued to a 700 pg book

Reviewer: Tarekofcairo
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Epic extraordinary journey