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 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 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 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, 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 humanunderstanding, and a humbling testament to the hardships undergone by past generations for the sake of those alive today. Imbued with humor, deep emotion, and the essence of life, it is one of the most masterful literary novels published in recent years.
© 2023 Recorded Books, Inc. (Audiobook): 9781705070246
Release date
Audiobook: 2 May 2023
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 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 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 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, 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 humanunderstanding, and a humbling testament to the hardships undergone by past generations for the sake of those alive today. Imbued with humor, deep emotion, and the essence of life, it is one of the most masterful literary novels published in recent years.
© 2023 Recorded Books, Inc. (Audiobook): 9781705070246
Release date
Audiobook: 2 May 2023
Step into an infinite world of stories
Overall rating based on 87 ratings
Page-turner
Heartwarming
Thought-provoking
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Deepika
9 May 2024
After reading a lot of rave reviews about The Covenant of Water, decided to plunge into the audiobook narrated by the author himself. After putting myself through 31 hours, I have emerged out drenched in disappointment. There was nothing in the book that spoke to me, not a single moment that brought about any wave of emotion. The story was extremely predictable not that I mind that so much usually, but in this case it was pretty dampening! As for the audio experience, the narration wasn’t that impressive either. I understand that the author spent most of his life outside India but to listen to Indian/Tamil/Malayalam words mispronounced did not sit too well with me. The female character voice impressions by the author/narrator all seemed too weak. I really wanted to complete the book to understand what all the hype is about and to my dismay couldn’t find anything.
Tomy
11 Jun 2023
Excellent book, born in Syrian Christian family in Kerala in late in 1950s I can relate a lot with the characters in the book. So enjoyed reading it
Jartemis
8 May 2024
Such profound writing, so immersive, an absolute must read. If you liked books like Pachinko and One Hundred Years of Solitude, you will definitely love this.
Moly
12 Dec 2023
One of the best books I ever listened so far.
Jesly
20 Aug 2023
All so familiar backdrop and an endearing story. There are moments things seems to drag off but you will fall in love with the characters. Especially Big Ammachi.
English
India