Beneath Pale Water

by Thalia Henry

Set amidst the physical and psychological landscapes of New Zealand's southern hills and grasslands, Beneath Pale Water is a social realist and expressionistic novel that follows a triangle of three damaged individuals - a sculptor, a vagrant and a model - who have grown calcified shells against the world. Their search for identity and belonging leads them into dangerous territory that threatens both their sanity and lives. As their protective shells crack they are left vulnerable - both physically and emotionally - to the high country winds and their own conflicts that, ultimately, might free or destroy them.

"Powerfully evokes the landscapes and seasons of inland Otago." Owen Marshall

Winner of the IPPY Gold Medal Award, Australia/New Zealand - Best Regional Fiction, 2018

Genres: Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Travel

248 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Jaidee · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 "haunting, exquisite and resonant" stars !!

Tie - The Silver Award Winner of 2020 (second favorite read)

Thank you to BookSirens and the author for providing me with an e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Some novels stoke the intellect, others warm or chill the heart. Very special novels however affect the gut and then move into the spirit. This novel does that for me and during this time of pandemic entered my night-time consciousness through dreams and in the daylight through reveries.

The prose is imperfect, lilting, gauzy and triggered deep melancholy and longing within me. Three lost souls (and one deceased one) glide around one another. Afraid to connect, fearful of loneliness and marred by neglect. Over a period of a year, they interact, they grieve, they lament, they flee, they hurt and there will either be implosions of a calamitous type or an explosion that will affect the entire New Zealand sea and landscape. Perhaps the three atoms will reach a state of homeostasis if courage and compassion prevail.

This is a novel that entered into my inner being and will remain with me for the remainder of my days. Exquisitely beautiful and devastatingly sorrowful. More importantly this was nurturance for my soul.

A sincere thanks to Ms. Thalia Henry for writing this masterpiece in a minor key.

[Pallavi Sareen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realistic Fiction, it is not a genre most people are familiar with and for those who hope to find an escape in this book, this book will be a disappointment. It very aptly depicts the modern urban life and the feelings of modern day characters, but that is not always a happy sight, though it is the most realistic. As I began reading this book, I was lost by the amazing prose and writing style. I knew that this book, no matter the plot would be a good read because the writing would save the day. In the end, that is what happened.
I can't say that this book would be everyone's taste, instead, I think it will have a very limited audience. But the book does carve a niche for itself. When I read about the sculptor and the nomad, living their lives through the pages of this book, I felt them to be very familiar characters. Yes, there is a sense of melancholy in this book which is ever-existing but ain't that true for life too? Even in the happiest of moments, humans tend to hold on to some sadness at the back of their minds. Some things are just unavoidable and some feelings exist in each one of us. The reason why I liked this book was that it showed how love or loss is not something as romantic as shown in books and movies. It gave a very real picture of what grief is like. Very few authors have that capability of staying true to the characters and I must say Thalia did it well. She probably has a good observational power or perhaps these moments are something she would have experiences herself. No matter what the reason behind such writing, I must say that this book will remain on my shelf as one of my liked reads because of its uniqueness. It might not have become a favorite but it is still something extraordinary.

[Heena Rathore Rathore-Pardeshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beneath Pale Water by Thalia Henry is a wonderfully written book rich with descriptions of places that authors take us through one-by-one via her skillfully created characters. I enjoyed this book and felt that it was very different from the other, modern contemporary, genre fiction.

This book had a great story, good characterization, simple yet effective writing and a beautiful atmosphere which enveloped it from starting to end. Equal parts philosophical and entertaining, this book was uniquely interesting and engrossing. Initially, it took me a couple of pages to get into the story but once I got into the flow of the book, I was in it for good. I appreciated the author's resistance to over-indulging in exposition as it saved the book from being too heavy.

A considerably quick that I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys reading about other countries and cultures.

You can also read this review at www.thereadingbud.com

[Lily Wonka · Rating 5 out of 5]

/I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily./

This book is an absolute jewel !

**This review contains spoilers which I will hide, I advise you do not read them if you intend on reading the book, it will really take something away from the experience IMO.**

The story line spreads over a year beginning with summer, ending with spring.
It is about grief and how to deal with it. It is also about how sadness can verge onto madness. We follow Delia, her mother, Luke, his father and Jane, all misfitted or a little broken, all struggling through life.

Delia is the centre-piece, the one whose feelings and thoughts we access the most. The one who makes the story happen actually. But none of the stories and memories recounted are told in vain, they all end up explaining something, after a while it feels like you are trying to finish a jigsaw reading this book. In a good way. The clues are masterfully scattered, never giving it out too much without making it confusing - in a way that will make you go "that makes sense" rather than " come on that was so obvious" - without any sort of "big reveal" which always lack subtlety or humility.

The writing is beautiful, emotions turning into colours, nature becoming somewhat sentient, making it all very feral. The rhythm of the story as well as that of the grammar is perfect, making it very hard to put the book down. We often switch from one character's perspective to another but this is also well crafted, for it hardly ever stops the story (none of this fake cliffhanger crap cause now we have to read about shmuck's useless non-epiphany). And when it does, it is to give us a piece of vital information hidden it the protagonists' pasts. All in all, forming a story that feels speedy yet calm, you want to know the whole thing and yet will find yourself content to just read what Thalia Henry has to tell you.


[The climax gave me butterflies and even though the end is quite goody-goody everybody is happy (which I usually hate) I was happy to read it, again proof of how well written this book is, in my opinion.

[NoBeatenPath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautiful, lyrical novel manages the difficult task of combining multiple time lines and characters, with jumps back and forth in time, yet it all flows coherently and is not at all confusing.

Set in a small New Zealand town, we are brought in to the world of a small cast of characters and through following them we explore large themes - longing, grieving, mental health, families, belonging, love. All of the characters - from sculptor Delia, her model Jane and nomadic Luke, to the parents of some of the characters - feel very real and complicated rather than just archetypes or token characters written to advance a plot point.

The author also writes beautifully about the landscape, following the water, mountains and sky throughout the seasons. It is as though the landscape is another character rather than a backdrop.

There are some very local terms in this book - not sure many US readers will know what things like 'Stubbies' are - but as an Australian I got them all. I like that the author has considered that her readers will be smart enough to figure out what these terms are from context or go find them out if they really need to.

I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[K.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delia is a sculptor, who is very imaginative, and a little obsessive. Jane models for her. By the lake, Delia meets Luke. He is a drifter with a lot of secrets, and we find out early on that he resembles Delia’s boyfriend who died. Delia takes a liking to him and envies the freedom of his lifestyle.

About a third of the way into the book, the pace picks up a bit as we start uncovering more about how the three lives are intertwined, and the relationships are as complex and psychologically deep as real life. It almost feels as if we are chasing the three around the lakes, orchards and pubs of Otago, getting confused and backtracking as we try to unravel what is real and what is not.

This book can be confronting and a bit uncomfortable at times. It is a dark read, almost gothic in its outlook. Although I found the characters quite hard to relate to initially, I think this story is perhaps more about who we are, than who we wish we were. The characters are all trying to come to terms with loss in healthy and unhealthy ways. It is about the masks we wear and the realities we create for ourselves and about freedom and responsibility. Beautifully written and vivid descriptions make a haunting tale.

More reviews at www.writersideoflife.com

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beneath Pale Water was much more than I was expecting when I picked it up. Written almost lyrically, the whole book is packed with beautiful details and scenery, and is almost nostalgic in style.

Delia is a sculptor, who we learn early on lost her boyfriend. Jane is Delia's model and had a past relationship with Luke, and Luke is a wandering nomad who resembles Delia's lost boyfriend. Throughout the book, we learn the unlikely ways that all three lives are intertwined in a beautiful and memorable story.

The story that was interwoven between these three characters delves deep into their psychology, making for an intricate story that left me guessing all the way until the end. The end did seem a little rushed, but not enough to take away my overall enjoyment from the story.

I received an advance review copy of this book for free, but that doesn't effect how I'm reviewing this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beneath Pale Water is the debut novel from Thalia Henry. The language is lyrical and often very beautiful, but the story and characterizations are a mess.

From the synopsis, we can see there are meant to be three protagonists, but the book does not deliver. Delia (the sculptor) seems to be the intended main focus, but Luke (the vagrant) emerges as the only character given any in-depth development. Jane (the model) is an afterthought. We get nothing about her motivations and almost nothing about her background. All we know is that her life seems to revolve around Luke, that she has stalked and tried to manipulate him since she laid eyes on him.

Luke is an odiously selfish man who treats all of the people around him as if they are nothing. His wants are his sole focus. His desire to be a nomad because he read about one in a book trumps all else. During winter, he decides to break into the home of a woman he spent a few days with because he needs shelter from the cold. She is away, so he decides to stay for weeks to eat all of her food and sleep in her bed, like that's just something he's entitled to do. However, he's written as a sympathetic character, completely ignorant of his wrongs because the author doesn't view them as such. The female characters in the book fall at his feet.

Delia needed far more development to make her pain feel realized. When we meet her, we know it's been a few years since her partner suddenly died. We're told through her mother's perspective that she's never truly recovered. That's it. How is that enough information to help the reader swallow her incredibly erratic, destructive behavior? For example, she attempts to kill a woman multiple separate times because she mistakenly believes the woman has wronged her. The story continues as if it's barely worth mentioning.

(Side note - Delia is referred to as "nuts" and "mad", both casually and derogatorily, and spends some time in a psych ward. The judgemental nature of the language used around mental illness was often disgusting to read.)

Delia and Luke meet, and she's immediately struck by how much he resembles her late partner Ben. The reader then has to simply accept that this is much more than a resemblance. Luke and Ben were close in age, lived in close proximity, had all the same facial features (including hair and stubble), wore the same clothes, and rode the same claret bicycle. It seems so implausible that it's easy to doubt, especially when seen through Delia's unreliable eyes. But the other characters corroborate, say the two men could be twins. What a coincidence!

Delia and Luke "fall in love", and it is here that the author truly succeeds. The two characters barely attempt to get to know each other, instead inventing and inhabiting their own fantasies. They obsess over each other, become codependent. As time goes on, hurt and anger take center stage. This is not love, and they don't know each other at all. It is a very lonely relationship to experience but a realistic one.

All of the struggles come to a head in one messy, climactic moment in the snow, in which all of the characters magically learn their respective lessons. They emerge in sunny spring for an optimistic ending that feels unearned.

One more positive point is that the author has a talent for descriptions of nature and the seasons, which she uses to structure her story. But this is a case of style over substance. This novel could have been very different had more vital elements been given the same attention afforded to the aesthetics.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book cover caught my attention first with this one, and then the genre, and then I read the first line which went something like "When I die, I'll be a bird." and I was pretty happy with myself because that was exactly, more or less, the kind of book I was looking to read. Nonetheless, it just so happened that I read it at a weird time in my life, so I'll probably read it again sometime down the line, just to see if it's any different then.

It turned out to be heavier than I'd expected. Kind of like Delia's sculpting studio in the story. It's beautiful and almost, definitely poetic, the language, the imagery, and the characters, but it also felt heavy, not like the stone statues, rather more like the dusty air that makes it harder to breathe...okay, enough with the analogies and what not.

I did enjoy this a whole lot and although it's not quite a favorite, it's closer than many things and I'd love to have it as a physical book in my bookshelf one day. It resonated and satisfied a whole lot with my philosophical existential crisis...whatever you call it. And. It's pretty.

One thing that I questioned a little was some details, etc. about how a psychiatric ward was written in this story and whether it was accurate to real life, but I'm not very knowledgable about how they work and what the experience of one is like, so that's that.

Thanks to BookSirens and the author for providing a free copy in exchange for a review.

[Holly Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. The style of this authors writing was unlike anything I’ve read before and was very uniquely and imaginative way. The authors descriptions of places, feelings and people speaks in a way that flows in a poetical sense. The characters in the book all had an intertwined, complexed relationship with the main character that really challenged the way we may think of loss and grief and how it may exonerate in ways we may not think of.

This book was a wonderful read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beneath Pale Water is a calm but realistic fiction about three people dealing with issues of grief and loneliness. The primary protagonist, Delia, is a sensitive sculptor who is driven to the brink of madness over the loss of her husband. This tranquil but disturbing account of just dealing with life is brought to life by Thalia Henry in her first novel.

Delia is in the mountains when she meets Luke, a runaway, who is avoiding returning to his family orchard. Luke closely resembles Delia’s former husband who has died and they immediately start a relationship. Delia is a sculptor who works with a model, Jane. Delia is certain that Jane had a relationship with her former husband, Ben. Delia becomes very confused between Ben, Luke and Jane. To preserve her sanity, she must deal with her delusions and/or her relationships with these three people.

The author switches between characters frequently and at first this is very confusing. However, as one gets into the rhythm of the book this confusion sorts itself out and the story begins to flow.

In my mind, what is incredible about this story is that, even though there are multiple characters, none of them are incredible, in fact they are quite ordinary. And yet, they all suffer from exactly the same affliction and are only able to sort themselves out through support of others. To understand this, you will have to read the book but it is worth it.

The story has a certain ethereal quality that makes it tranquil and beautiful and yet in a way out of reach. The landscapes are only vaguely described. Sculptures play a major role in the story, but what role they serve I couldn’t grasp. I still feel as though I missed a major part of the message.

I recommend this book because it is beautiful. What you will take home I cannot not say but it is worth the experience. I give it a 4 on 5.

[Stan Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a story of the interrelationships between three people: A sculptor Delia (who has lost her partner Ben), her model Jane (who knows Luke from when they were young) and a loner Luke (who resembles Ben). There is a story between each pair that in itself would be interesting enough to read, but Henry has crafted a book where three psychologically complex relationships are intertwined. As I read the book, and especially as I got closer to the end, I was constantly surprised at how the details were exposed to the reader. I thought I had figured out the relationships between Delia, Jane and Luke, and I was wrong. Kudos to the author.

What had attracted me to the book was the phrase "...who have grown calcified shells against the world" in the blurb. I was very curious how an author would portray a character with a "calcified shell" as I had an image in my head of how a character's "calcified" personality would be portrayed. Each of the characters had experienced loss and became stuck in a stage of grief - there was even a quick reference in the book to the same - so it is easy to see how each develops a shell. You won't see this at first, but as you progress through the book, more details of the personality show through right up until the end.

Putting the characters and their complex relationships aside, I really enjoyed the author's vivid and crisp language used to describe the scenes. I thought everything was described in perfect detail which made it a real pleasure to read.

You have to read the book for yourself to see how it the stories unravel and experience great writing for yourself.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The winter landscape at Aviemore was a different character to the ones Delia had met in summer and autumn. The thin blanket of snow blended with a white sky, rendering outlines indistinguishable. Ice crunched beneath her boots, spreading cracks and shards. The seconds, leading into minutes, were excruciating. Her fingers had become numb, and her nails, when she pressed against them, didn’t spring back with colour. She no longer welcomed the cold.
Her body stiff, she walked towards the lake, reminiscing about a warmer day when she’d walked into the water wearing a sundress. The hues of the scene had been bright then, yellow ochre and piercing blue. The edge of the lake tickled her boots. If she were to paint a scene on a flattened stone now it would be different. The colours would veer towards pastel, influenced by the winter-white glow that surrounded her. The lake had a unique scent to it. (p.175)

This excerpt is just a sample of the exquisite writing in this beautiful book by debut novelist Thalia Henry. The book won the Independent Publisher Book Award for Australia/New Zealand – Best Regional Fiction, and it derives from a play called Powdered Milk (2008).
Set in powerfully evoked landscapes of New Zealand’s South Island (mainly around Dunedin as far as I can tell), the novel focusses on a triangle of characters, all of whom have been damaged by life. Of the three, a sculptor, a nomad and an artist’s model, the nomad seems at first to be the most troubled.

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2019/05/17/b...

[Madhuri Palaji · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beneath Pale Water by Thalia Henry is a beautifully written fiction. I really liked the style of the author, placing the events in a strategic manner challenging the reader to guess what could be the next scene.

Delia is a young sculptor from Kurow. She is still grieving the loss of her lover Ben when she meets Luke, a wanderer and somehow looks like a twin to Ben. Luke who always dreamed of freedom and who always wanted to be a nomad, feels drawn to Delia.

Jane who is a model for Delia's sculptures plays a very important role. She is also someone who is in love with Luke but the feelings are not reciprocated by Luke.

Delia's mother, Helen, loves her daughter immensely and wants to protect her from all the harm and Luke's father, Alfred, loves his son in his own way.

Thalia wove the story in an extremely beautiful way. The craving for love, freedom and the games that our minds play to have them are depicted in this book in a very unique way. Coming to the geography of the place where this story is set, I must say, I fell in love. The cherry orchards, Lake Aviemore, Ahuriri river, I won't be lying if I said the images are engraved in my brain now after reading the detailing in the book. I badly want to visit Aoraki before I die.

I loved this book. It is a very different love story and it has a subtle pain to it that will haunt you even after turning the last page.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to BookSirens for a free ARC of this book.

This is possibly one of the best and most beautiful books I have ever read. I'm a huge fan of 'experimental' and emotionally raw stories, and Henry writes every emotion under the sun in such a realistic way that I connected with the characters more than I have with any other in a long time.

All three of the characters are in different places in their lives, but are somehow emotionally intertwined - I really enjoyed the interactions between them. Henry's portrayal of New Zealand is also so uncannily accurate. The country really has a unique feel to it and this novel brought back so many memories of travelling there.

The book toes the line between novel and psychological analysis so so well - it's not for everyone but it is for most. If you enjoy characters motivated by their own emotions - grief, anger, confusion - then I whole-heartily recommend this book.

[Nebulous · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Beneath Pale Water" is an intricate read that sheds light on the mindset by Luke (vagrant), Delia (sculptor) and Jane (model) against the backdrop of beautiful landscapes of New Zealand. This is certainly a visual treat and I felt that I was transported to the South Island.

Thalia Henry has really developed memorable characters along with the supporting characters of Helen (Delia's mother) and Alfred (Luke's father). They really complement the overall plot centred around a sense of belonging and identity and it is interesting to gain a parental perspective. I took a bit of time to get into the writing style of the author but I was engaged and couldn't wait to unearth what would happen. It is an unconventional book that presents a realistic overview on grief and reliving the past.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Marvic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beneath Pale Water is a psychological novel on two levels. It explores and delves into relationships and how these lead to actions, reactions and assumptions that can have both positive and negative repercussions. Also, it tackles the effects of depression, which can be far reaching and also inherited from childhood. How each individual seeks an own way to find solace, to find peace and security.

What struck me is the author’s vivd description of nature, it’s colours, hues and outlines, light and darkness - all of which evoke the senses of the characters and the reader. I found a correlation between the depicted peaceful surroundings versus the tumultuous inner and outer lives of the protagonists. The prose is poetic, “romantic”, which I found pleasant and enchanting.

I will not go into the details of the story itself. Suffice to say that this could be anyone‘s life story. One can easily identify with similar problems, circumstances, frustrations, aches and pains, which the characters experience. The characters and situations intertwine nicely, creating a sense of mystery and suspense, which makes you want to read on.The first half of the book is slower, mainly because it introduces us gradually to the different characters and their individual backgrounds, whereas in the second half, it all comes to a head and all characters come together and the story unfolds.

The above is my honest take from this book. Although it is my pleasure to leave this review, I was also requested to do so after receiving a free ecopy.

[Andromeda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the southern hills of New Zealand, this psychological book revolves around three characters-Delia,Luke and Jane who deal with many complicated emotions and misunderstandings as they try to come to terms with their problems,ready to go to any length.

I was not even one page into the book and I was already drawn to it. Thalia Henry's writing style is absolutely splendid!The author's vivid and intricate description of the landscapes and emotions has this tinge of mysticism and melancholy that's so soothing and calming.The plot is very simple (yet not so predictable) with multiple POVs and this book has amazing aesthetics!

This book has a dreamy and hazy vibe,so comforting to your mind and leaves you with this urge to visit kurow,the ahuriri river and every other bewitching place Thalia has beautifully described!

This book is just too good to have just 184 pages!

This is very different from the realistic fiction books I've read so far and I very much recommend it!And I'm so looking forward to read more from Thalia Henry!!
(I badly want a physical copy)

I recieved an advanced review copy for free and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

[Annie Mondesir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review:

I found this to be one of the most lyrical novels I have read in a long time. It was quite refreshing to read a book that I actually had to decipher the underlying meaning to.

The imagery was just stunning. I felt totally transported. It stirred my soul.

It was truly a beautiful dance between these characters that had me guessing right up until the end. I absolutely hated to put it down when necessary.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to take a break from the everyday story.

This Novel will win awards, and the author is going to write wondrous stories!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Franca Chase · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although, a good story line, I think it moved very quick and felt a little rushed. Additionally, although the descriptions of the locations were supposed to be a highlight, not enough time was spent on them to truly immerse the reader. In saying that though, I think as a reader it is really important to actively read those setting descriptions thinking about the psychological context they refer to, to gain full access to the ideas of the book, which I don't think I did. It was nice, as a New Zealander to read a story set in my own country, with landscapes I am familiar with.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart and imagination where transported to the amazing land of New Zealand , described so magically by the author.

Three souls, tangled and torn, and their relationships are presented in this novel in stark and realistic way. I was drawn into their stories. This book just captured me and I couldn't escape till I was done with the tale!

Please, grab a copy of this book when you can, it will become a favorite !

[Anjali Krishna · Rating 1 out of 5]

This total drag of a novel is testament to the fact that Goodread reviews are unreliable metrics to assess books. The pace and so-called realism of this plot infuriated me, and I only managed to finish it by sheer will. Not only are the main protagonists insipid but also their respective backstories. One star for the backdrop being New Zealand, because the descriptions of Dunedin got me nostalgic.

[Star · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a wonderful dark read. The story was very creative in the interrelationships of the three individuals. It was evocative and refreshing. The author did a great job in choosing her characters.

A stunning story I would recommend to others.

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Gwen A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book of wonderfully sculpted characters and lyrical and mystical proles blend together so well. It blends the landscape of the plot in the microcosm of the story together seamlessly. I would highly recommend this read. It causes the reader to deeply think about their relationships with one another and how those relationships contact other people in the world around them.

[Eddy Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Initially I enjoyed the setting and descriptive language, but found the plot and writing progressively clumsier as the book progressed. Frustrating last 50 pages. The Dunedin snippets were the highlight (except for the heavy reliance on the drunk student stereotype, surprise surprise). Thank you to Kirstie for giving me this book and for the shared reading experience.

[Eeyore · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read with a melancholy, slightly romantic and slightly crazed rhythm.

Memorable characters with lives almost too real to be fiction. A satisfying story I would recommend to others.

I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Rean Fadyl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was well told abs sits well within the tradition of NZ small town tales such as In My Fathers Den or The Scarecrow. I did feel at points the writing made things a bit too neat and tidy in terms of the character journey.

[Dione Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful description of New Zealand South Island. The atmosphere pervades the whole story.

[eliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

finally some aotearoa representation in my bookshelf. 3.5-4

[Kayla Leeann]

this book is by my english teacher so i wanna read it asap😭❤️