Vividwater

by Jacqueline Owens

Shortlisted for the NZ Booklovers Award for Best Adult Fiction Book 2026.

Shortlisted twice for the Laura Solomon Cuba Press Prize

New Zealand speculative fiction, a future world that is running out of clean water, where only the water-rich have a secure supply.

A Jane Austen dystopia of surface politeness and dirty deals, all with one aim – to control and get rich from dwindling supplies of water.

Climate fiction at its most darkly humorous, in a satire of office politics where everyone has something to hide.

A woman trapped in a corporate dystopia knows she’s on the wrong side: but she needed the job and the water allowance. She’s a near invisible office drone, whose only asset is her carefully trained memory and what she knows. Then an old love returns from years overseas, leading to a secret affair, with constant temptation of betrayal.

Meet Alex Pym, corporate drudge and mnemopath, a human memory machine. Her job is to remember everything to make her bosses looks like geniuses. Her mission in life used to be to get enough water to survive. Then her old love, Lawrence, returns, and Alex’s life is transformed to excitement, riches and secrets she has to hide.

268 pages, Paperback

Published April 5, 2025

About the author

Jacqueline Owens lives in Wellington. Vividwater was longlisted for Grindstone Literary International Novel Prize, and shortlisted twice in the Laura Solomon Cuba Press Prize. It is the first in a three-part series.

Excerpts and short stories from other manuscripts have been published in online journals. A screenplay, The Floating World, won the New Zealand Writers Guild (NZWG) Best Unproduced Screenplay Competition and another, Three Gardens, was a quarterfinalist in the Nicholl and Blue Cat competitions. A young adult novel, Bluest Moon, was published by New Women’s Press, in the 90s

Outside writing, she has had mnemopath-like jobs in government and made the most of degrees in Classics and Political Science, as a grand-finalist on Mastermind New Zealand, with subjects The Chronicles of Narnia and Classical Greek Mythology. While doing a Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Screen and Television, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, she was a university teaching assistant and assessed screenplays for production companies.

Reviews

[Tajammul Kothari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vividwater is both a gripping yet disturbing tale of power struggle with the "elixir of life" as a background.

The main protagonist Alex is torn between the haves and the have-nots and the dilemma of choosing the right from the wrong.

Set in a future world, the story can so much relate to the trying times we are staying in currently where the underclass are deprived by the governments and corporations for their own benefits and profits.

The setting of the novel is what I particularly liked and it seems the author is definitely in love with the city as she describes the environment with utmost details.

Coming at around 134 pages, the story is fast paced with a good resolution at the end.

Recommended read!

[Angela Gabriela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t usually read dystopian fiction but Vividwater was riveting. The future world portrayed by the author felt disturbingly real: one or two climactic shifts and we’re all enslaved, parched, and desperate, unless of course you’re rich and politically well-connected.

I cannot wait to read more of the “perspicacious” Miss Alex Pym.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It is set in Wellington so you’ll recognize everything which is fun. But it’s also scary because it is so believable- a New Zealand where all the water is privately owned and in short supply. I liked the characters and now I want to know what they do next and how the hell we get ourselves out of this mess. Absolutely recommended.

[Jennifer Lane]

Alex works as a ‘mnemopath’ (professional memory machine) for a water trading bureau with questionable ethics. She’s struggling to get by on her meagre water rations when the man she loves returns from China after many years, and her life takes an even more dangerous turn. A fast-paced, humorous, and tightly-written dystopian novel set in Wellington, Vividwater left me thirsty for more. Hopefully a sequel is on the cards!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you liked the futuristic dystopian realism of She’s a Killer by Kirsten McDougall or Prophet Song by Paul Lynch you will love this book.

Wellingtonians (and public servants in particular) would love this book - a great premise which is terrifying and entirely plausible. Lots of social and political satire to enjoy.

Fantastic to hear it is a trilogy and I can definitely see the screen play from this … and the fun casting Jarred and Ross and of course Alex.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliantly depicted picture of a disturbingly possible future. Sci-fi meets potential real life sometime in the near future. Highly recommended and topical.

[Wendy Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded down from 3.5.
I started this book ages ago, and had trouble getting into it because I felt the author was trying to be too clever with names (e.g., government agencies like "WaiOra", "Miraka Atawhai", etc.) and it was distracting me from the story. I took a second crack, and once the clever naming seemed to ease up (or at least, once I got past it), I could focus on what was actually happening.
The story takes place in the future, and is about a woman who works for the government agency that controls NZ's water. Water is an extremely valuable resource given massive droughts over past years. She discovers some wheeling and dealing related to water sources, while wrestling with what she must do to ensure her own survival. Good companion piece for other NZ cli-fi (recency bias brings Sea Change to mind).

[Anne Matheson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable if slightly disturbing read. I loved reading a book set in Wellington with a very likeable heroine. It's Wellington in the fictional dystopian future, but it's a very convincing future. Depriving the natives of a plentiful resource while selling it overseas is scarily likely (and to some extent happening already) and the massive gap in quality of life between the haves and have nots seems like where we're already heading.

Vividwater gives a voice to people who are smarter than their bosses but don't get the credit for it, who get out-manoeuvred by office politics and to those who have had a meaningful relationship scuppered by geographic separation and differing employment opportunities.

Vividwater water is funny and empathetic as well as disturbing, and you should read it.

[Cat Randle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review being written

[backy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“People do all sorts for things for water. They sell their bodies, if they can, or their children if they can’t. They sneak into houses, they hold up old people.” In her sci-fi novel Vividwater, Jacqueline Owens immerses readers in a near-future world of extreme water scarcity. In this sometimes alien, often all-too-familiar world set mostly in Wellington, New Zealand, many people carry voice-activated, unhackable water flasks. Their status, perhaps their very lives, depends on what level of water access card they have—if they have a card at all.

Owens paints this world in exquisite detail, such that when the protagonist, Alexa Pym, describes her thirst, my own throat felt parched. The narrative is present tense, from Alexa’s viewpoint. And that narrative and the dialogue sparkle with depth, wit, and dry (of course) humor. Alexa and the other main characters are realistic and relatable; you probably know people like some of Alexa’s mates and coworkers. The book is brimming with kiwi phrases and slang, and also Māori characters, language, and culture, all of which add to the richness and realism of the story. The writing is of high quality, with only a few small errors. My only nits were that sometimes the dialogue, often heavy with colloquialisms, was hard to follow, and something happens at the very end that doesn’t seem realistic given the rest of the book.

I loved this book and recommend it without reservation. But be aware, the stakes aren’t of the “existential threat to Earth” variety. They’re much more personal—but still compelling, and very realistic and relatable. Even the ending is realistic. There’s a love story, but it’s low-key. There’s also a mystery. But mostly this is a story about flawed people and how they cope with difficult circumstances.

NOTE: This book is for Mature (18+) readers due to language.

[Victor Issac · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, I expected a typical dystopian story about climate collapse and water scarcity, but this book goes much deeper than that. The idea of water being traded like a commodity while people die of thirst is disturbing on its own but what really makes the story powerful is Alex. She isn’t a hero in the traditional sense. She’s just trying to survive, making morally uncomfortable choices because she has to, and that makes her feel painfully real.
Alex’s role as a mnemopath essentially a living memory machine adds an unexpected emotional layer to the story. Memory, loss, love, and guilt are woven into the narrative in a way that feels intimate rather than flashy. When her former love returns after fifteen years, the story shifts from quiet desperation to tension and danger, and the emotional stakes rise fast.
What stayed with me most is the atmosphere. The world of Vividwater feels dry, harsh, and suffocating, yet there are moments of tenderness and hope that prevent it from becoming bleak for the sake of it. Jacqueline Owens does a great job showing how people adapt to injustice not because they agree with it, but because survival leaves little room for idealism.
This is a thoughtful, unsettling dystopian novel that asks hard questions about resources, memory, and what we’re willing to trade to stay alive. It’s not loud, but it’s haunting and long after finishing, I found myself thinking about how close this future feels.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy reflective, character-driven dystopian fiction.

[Swapna Peri ( Book Reviews Cafe ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Vividwater" by Jacqueline Owens is a fast-paced dystopian novel that feels both gripping and unsettling at the same time. Set in a future where water has become the most valuable resource, the story follows Alex, a young woman caught between powerful systems and struggling communities. The idea of water being controlled by governments and corporations makes the world feel uncomfortably close to reality, which adds to the tension. Even though the book is short, it builds a strong atmosphere and keeps the story moving quickly.

One of the highlights of the novel is its setting. The detailed portrayal of Wellington brings the story to life, making the futuristic world feel believable rather than distant. Alex is a relatable and likeable protagonist, especially as she navigates her difficult job and personal life. Her role as a “mnemopath” is a unique touch, and her emotional struggles—balancing survival, love, and morality—add depth to the story. There’s also a subtle mix of humour and satire that lightens the tone without taking away from the seriousness of the themes.

At its core, "Vividwater" is about inequality, power, and the cost of survival. The divide between the rich and the poor is sharply drawn, and the story raises important questions about how far society could go if resources are controlled by a few. While some moments are disturbing, they feel purposeful and thought-provoking. Overall, it’s an engaging and relevant read that leaves you thinking long after it ends, and it definitely feels like the beginning of something bigger.

[Eric Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Wellington, New Zealand, not long from now, Alexa Pym is on the knife's edge between the haves and have-nots. The world is in drought, and so water is the most precious commodity. Working as an assistant to a broker in the top firm makes her better off than most, though she struggles to survive on her water ration. Meanwhile, she has to watch the elites live without worry in a corrupt company, operating in a corrupt government.
The book has a minor mystery-thriller story, though its social commentary is what shines. It can be tongue-in-cheek at times, though not without some dark and disturbing mid-apocalyptic vibes. The characters' metaphors, both spoken and internal, border on silly with their constant relation to water, leaks, etc. They have a number of specific names for the grades of water they haul out of the ground through fracking, the titular one being the most sought after. I wasn't convinced at first, but it works in the context of people not only obsessed with subsistence through water, but with the sales and marketing of it. The office setting reminded me of a real-estate firm in the US, with the salespeople running roughshod over the ones doing the actual work.
The story is full of too-believable characters with realistically obnoxious executive jargon. I found it easy to enjoy, and though the references to Māori culture and history are a little obscure to an American, I had no trouble with context.
First person, present tense, with few noticeable typos.

[Mitchell Waldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vividwater is both a compelling speculative fiction novel and a warning of how things soon may be in the not so distant future where water is the new currency of life, where people without jobs do not have cards for access to good quality water, and where people roams the streets begging, robbing, or scouring for water. It's not a pretty world, but with climate change a very real possibility. That said the author writes a page-turner of a story, the protagonist, Alex, working as a mnemonist or memory specialist for a government water trade agency in Aotearoa, New Zealand which is one of the major controllers of water resources in the region. Her true love, Lawrence, who works for a Chinese water trade agency, Zenshui, comes back to Aoteroa as the chief hydrologist foe Zenshui and the flame between Alex, after many years apart, is rekindled. But will it last? And who are the good guys in this water is business world where the rich have water and the poor don't and people like Alex and Lawrence have to work for those controlling water resources just to have access to water to survive themselves? This is an entertaining novel that will keep you reading and wondering about the future of our children.

[Anna Hola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vividwater is a quietly unsettling dystopian novel that feels disturbingly plausible. Jacqueline Owens doesn’t rely on dramatic explosions or over the top chaos instead, she builds a slow, creeping sense of dread. The idea that AotearoaNZ has become one of the last places with drinkable water, yet sells most of it overseas while its own citizens struggle, is both heartbreaking and infuriating.

Alex is a compelling protagonist because she’s not heroic in the traditional sense. She’s tired, practical, and doing what she must to survive. Her role as a mnemopath adds an eerie layer to the story in a society where water is rationed, even memories are controlled and commodified. When her former love returns after fifteen years, the story shifts from survival drama to something more intimate and dangerous. Their relationship adds urgency and vulnerability to an already fragile world.
What makes this novel stand out is its realism. The drought, the bureaucracy, the moral compromises it all feels like a natural extension of our current climate anxieties. It’s a thoughtful, well crafted story that leaves you reflecting long after you close the book.

[Grace Bennet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vividwater is a haunting and intelligent dystopian novel that feels uncomfortably close to reality. Jacqueline Owens imagines a future where water is the ultimate commodity, and AotearoaNZ survives not through abundance, but through control and trade. The premise alone is compelling, but it’s the human story at the center that truly makes this book memorable.

Alex is a beautifully flawed protagonist. As a mnemopath working for the main water trading bureau, she’s complicit in a system that profits while others suffer yet she’s also just trying to survive in a world where even water is rationed. That moral tension gives the story weight. When her great love returns after fifteen years away, the emotional stakes rise sharply. Their hidden relationship adds layers of vulnerability and danger to an already fragile existence.

Owens writes with restraint and depth, allowing the bleakness of the setting to speak for itself. The drought scarred landscape feels stark and believable, but there are still moments of tenderness and hope woven throughout. Vividwater is not just a warning about climate change it’s a story about memory, love, and the quiet resilience of the human spirit.

[Scotliteboost · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t expect Vividwater to hit me as hard as it did. At first, I was drawn in by the premise a future where drinkable water is scarce and controlled by a trading bureau but I stayed for Alex. She’s caught in a system that profits from suffering, working a job she doesn’t believe in just to survive. That moral tension runs through every chapter.
The drought-ravaged version of AotearoaNZ feels vivid and haunting. You can almost feel the dryness in the air, the desperation of people measuring life in water rations. But what truly gives the story depth is the return of Alex’s former love. Their relationship is layered with history, secrecy, and risk, adding emotional stakes to an already fragile world.
The book balances political dystopia with intimate human moments beautifully. It’s not just about climate catastrophe; it’s about memory, identity, and whether love can still exist in a world ruled by scarcity. Thought-provoking, tense, and quietly hopeful, Vividwater is a compelling read for anyone who enjoys character-driven dystopian fiction.

[Angela Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Within the first few lines, Owens paints a future that is well within the realms of possibility. A future where clean drinking water is scarce and sold off to the highest bidder.

Vividwater depicts a very different Wellington to the one I know, one filled with scavvos, desperate with thirst. A city where mnemopath Alex has to play the game at her government department, in order to get the water she needs. Alex's job is making her superiors look good, with facts and figures and secrets at her capable fingertips. She is as stable and secure as one can be in this dystopian world... until an old love comes back into her life, and she finds herself immersed in deals and politics way over her head.

This is a clever, gripping read. Highly recommend, and I look forward to more works from this author.

[Evelyn Praise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a striking exploration of scarcity, power, and human resilience. The concept of hydrospheres controlling the world’s drinkable water is chillingly believable, and the author handles it with intelligence and nuance. Alex’s internal conflict, selling water overseas while locals suffer, makes the story morally complex and deeply engaging. The return of her great love adds emotional intensity and raises the stakes beautifully. Vividwater is both a cautionary tale and a story of hope, reminding readers that even in harsh systems, humanity still finds ways to endure.

[Ebenezer A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vividwater delivers a compelling mix of dystopian suspense and intimate human drama. The idea of earning water to survive is terrifyingly effective, and the structure of society around this resource feels carefully constructed. Alex’s profession as a memory machine is one of the most original elements of the book, adding depth and intrigue to the plot. The love story woven into this harsh world adds warmth and vulnerability. It is a gripping read that highlights both the fragility and strength of humanity.

[Fiona Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nominated for a NZ Booklovers Award, VW is a dystopian thriller with a plot that revolves around selling and rationing water. Subterfuge, corporate corruption and double-dealing include the subversion of Te Reo and Māori into 'waterservations' and a delicate romance. Owen's characters are fun, and funny - disguising what they're really up to. However, they've underestimated Alex, who not only has a photographic memory, she worked in a watercrimes unit. Well written with humour, emotion and some terrific water-related similes.

[Peter Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A curiously evolving net of hydro-conspiracy in a not too distant foreseeable but disturbing future where we very much don't want to get to. I really enjoyed the future global hydro-politics and social challenges explored, seen from the perspective of a smart but lowly worker in a small pacific nation trying to hold onto some sense of cultural identity but play in big global arena. I sense there's more of this to come... ideally just in fiction and not in reality if we don't tread carefully.

[Favour James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jacqueline Owens has crafted a dystopian future that feels vivid and immersive. The drought ravaged AotearoaNZ setting is richly detailed, and the tension around water trading gives the story constant urgency. What stood out most was the emotional core, Alex’s struggle with her job, her survival, and the rekindled love she must keep hidden. The balance between political commentary and personal story is handled exceptionally well. Vividwater is unsettling, emotional, and beautifully written.

[Evelyn Praise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a powerful reflection on climate crisis and inequality wrapped in an emotionally charged narrative. The depiction of AotearoaNZ transformed by decades of drought is stark and thought provoking. Alex is a layered character whose moral struggles make the story feel real and urgent. The themes of redemption, memory, and hope shine through even in the bleakest moments. Vividwater is an unforgettable story that blends social commentary with heartfelt storytelling.

[C.I. DeMann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very well-done near future dystopian story. The world is extremely well-designed and real, the characters were sympathetic, and the premise was all too believable. At times, this book bummed me out because it seemed a little too realistic, a little too believable, a little too close to home, so if you're looking for an escape from reality, I'm not sure I'd recommend it. But if you're looking for a very well written thriller, yeah, I really think you'd like this.

[Geoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a Wellingtonian added to the enjoyment of this read. Not a totally unrealistic novel about how the future pans as resources we take for granted become more scarce. Of course the 'haves' in society ensure they stay on top. Much of the depiction of working in the public sector could be taken from today. I think this is a first novel and I will be following for more.

[Book Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vividwater is a gripping and emotionally charged dystopian novel that feels disturbingly plausible. The world building is sharp and immersive, painting a future where water is currency and survival comes at a moral cost. Alex is a compelling protagonist flawed, human, and deeply relatable and her personal struggle adds real heart to the larger societal crisis. The blend of speculative science, ethical tension, and quiet hope makes this a thought provoking read that lingers long after the final page. Highly recommended for fans of intelligent, character driven dystopian fiction.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A future without water is not going to be easy. She sell water to overseas companies while trying to earn more water for herself. An old love will reappear and her life will be upended so see how she gets on
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and. Powerful read

[William Barkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gripped from the first chapter. Vividwater blends near-future worldbuilding with a heartbreakingly believable heroine in Alex. The water-scarcity setting felt urgent and original, I couldn’t put it down

[Hilton Kline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jacqueline Owens writes with real compassion and teeth, Alex’s job as a mnemopath is such an original device for exploring memory and corporate power. Beautiful prose, sharp satire, and a romance that never feels forced