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The Waters of Thirst
Describes a gay couple, Terry and William, as they cope with life, love, illness, and dreams in the modern world
183 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 3, 2024
Coinciding with the start of Pride month this is Adam Mars-Jones’s first novel, published in 1993. It’s about a gay relationship set in the 1980s with the backdrop of AIDS. William does voiceover adverts and his partner Terry works on the airlines. The whole is a monologue by William (no chapters). There are a number of strands to the story. One of them is that William has kidney disease and needs dialysis. We get descriptions of this and the diet and drinking regime, and the wait for a new kidney.
Another strand is William’s obsession with a gay porn star called Peter Hunter (no idea whether he was real or not. He buy everything his obsession is in and stores it in his room (often not even opening it.)
It is set before Retroviral drugs were properly in use and it does capture the spirit of the time rather well. William is a bit of an obsessive and the whole is well observed. The last ten pages are rather odd and feel hallucinatory and they leave a question mark over what you think you know. It also feels rather dated now, a bit of a period piece. It’s also a love story which concludes that love is awkward, sad and banal.
It's an interesting angle writing about a gay man with a chronic illness that isn’t AIDS, especially at the time. It sort of works, but the ending doesn’t because it casts doubt on the veracity of the rest of the novel.
Another strand is William’s obsession with a gay porn star called Peter Hunter (no idea whether he was real or not. He buy everything his obsession is in and stores it in his room (often not even opening it.)
It is set before Retroviral drugs were properly in use and it does capture the spirit of the time rather well. William is a bit of an obsessive and the whole is well observed. The last ten pages are rather odd and feel hallucinatory and they leave a question mark over what you think you know. It also feels rather dated now, a bit of a period piece. It’s also a love story which concludes that love is awkward, sad and banal.
It's an interesting angle writing about a gay man with a chronic illness that isn’t AIDS, especially at the time. It sort of works, but the ending doesn’t because it casts doubt on the veracity of the rest of the novel.
November 16, 2018
3.5, rounded up.
It's been twenty-five years since Mars-Jones' debut novel, and in a few ways the book has become dated, yet it still remains a fascinating look at a particular place and time, at the height of the AIDS crisis, right before the introduction of anti-retrovirus drugs. But aside from that, the book also delves into issues of monogamy, porn addiction, and a large portion of it deals with the protagonist's battle against polycystic kidney disease. Mars-Jones prose is fluid, yet I often wished for chapter breaks - it bugs me when a book is just one long entity. Also, I think a MUCH better title would have been 'Nil By Mouth'!
My thanks to my GR buddy Lee for the recommendation.
It's been twenty-five years since Mars-Jones' debut novel, and in a few ways the book has become dated, yet it still remains a fascinating look at a particular place and time, at the height of the AIDS crisis, right before the introduction of anti-retrovirus drugs. But aside from that, the book also delves into issues of monogamy, porn addiction, and a large portion of it deals with the protagonist's battle against polycystic kidney disease. Mars-Jones prose is fluid, yet I often wished for chapter breaks - it bugs me when a book is just one long entity. Also, I think a MUCH better title would have been 'Nil By Mouth'!
My thanks to my GR buddy Lee for the recommendation.
November 17, 2025
In the same way that 'On Leave' by Daniel Anselme is one of the great novels about war though there is not a single battle field in it 'The Waters of Thirst' is one of the greatest novels to come out of the AIDS epidemic. On publication it was described thus:
"William thought trust was a good idea but didn't know how to get it started. Terry needed a lover who could keep his little secret. That was in 1977, before fear was invented. But how does accidental monogamy survive in a world ruled by illness and denial? What exactly is William's interest in motorcycle couriers? And why does an American porn star take up so much space in his bedroom?"
Which is a better synopsis than the one on GR but the real truth is this final line:
"Adam Mars-Jones' novel is a captivating monologue, a literary performance of extraordinary range and pace."
If ever a book deserved the accolade tour de force this novel does. Mars-Jonnes is the great British writer on gay themes and it is incomprehensible to me that he is not as widely read as the mediocre Alan Hollinghurst.
This is literature for the ages - it is one of the great AIDS novels because AIDS is everywhere but it is not about AIDS, or rather it is not simplistically about AIDS.
"William thought trust was a good idea but didn't know how to get it started. Terry needed a lover who could keep his little secret. That was in 1977, before fear was invented. But how does accidental monogamy survive in a world ruled by illness and denial? What exactly is William's interest in motorcycle couriers? And why does an American porn star take up so much space in his bedroom?"
Which is a better synopsis than the one on GR but the real truth is this final line:
"Adam Mars-Jones' novel is a captivating monologue, a literary performance of extraordinary range and pace."
If ever a book deserved the accolade tour de force this novel does. Mars-Jonnes is the great British writer on gay themes and it is incomprehensible to me that he is not as widely read as the mediocre Alan Hollinghurst.
This is literature for the ages - it is one of the great AIDS novels because AIDS is everywhere but it is not about AIDS, or rather it is not simplistically about AIDS.
March 18, 2010
This book is lovely. The writer captivates.
December 29, 2017
One of the best books I've read. Insightful, haunting, and has stayed with me for over 12 years. I've been searching for it again -- Just wish it was published in ebook format!
June 10, 2026
Wish this author had more books.
January 12, 2024
jesus i rly enjoyed this, loved how small moments were scrutinised and drawn out, feel like I have a very similar brain to Mars-Jones. I’ve never read a book so sarcastic and self deprecating, and the fourth wall breaking narrator was fricking epic
Rly enjoyed the middle class utopia setting, and how this was slowly collapsing, was such a good representation on 90s/00s England, reminded me of my parents lol
was slightly scared of the no chapters to begin with but quite loved how well moments and scenes flowed in and out of each other, like one big stream of consciousness
fascinated by Mars-Jones and now must read everything he’s ever published
Rly enjoyed the middle class utopia setting, and how this was slowly collapsing, was such a good representation on 90s/00s England, reminded me of my parents lol
was slightly scared of the no chapters to begin with but quite loved how well moments and scenes flowed in and out of each other, like one big stream of consciousness
fascinated by Mars-Jones and now must read everything he’s ever published
December 12, 2024
Stream of consciousness gay renal failure transplant pornography armchair investigation.
I needed this.
I needed this.
Read
March 29, 2021So it turns out that the book does finish on page 182 and that my copy is not missing an epilogue. So what the hell happened? What a weird ending! I mean what the actual F? Am I to assume that it was a metaphorical way of presenting his condition. Was the whole thing a metaphor? Was his Renal issue actually AIDS all along? I have no idea. I’m completely lost by the whole thing actually.
The book was rambling enough without becoming a gibbering mess right at the end. Was it supposed to represent a delirium? Perhaps my brain just doesn’t think the way this book is written.
It did have some potential to start as it described the 80’s in a way that I could recognise and I could see William and Terry in my mind, easily recognisable as characters that can be found in every gay pub in the world. It was also nice to find that it wasn’t all about the AIDS epidemic, focusing instead on his porn addiction and kidney illness instead, at least that’s what I’d thought, but I’m not so sure now I’ve finished it.
It may be that when the book was released it was revolutionary, but with programmes like ‘It’s A Sin’ and films like ‘Holding The Man’ and ‘BPM’ I think we’ve seen the story delivered better, although I have to admit that I haven’t read anything else on the subject. I’ve also never had to concern myself too deeply with the virus in any urgent way, so perhaps this wasn’t aimed at me.
It definitely needs some pauses or breaks and I’m not sure that William is endearing enough to be the lead character. He’s actually a B!tchy Queen and probably not someone that I would choose to connect with if I ever met him.
It could be witty if it wasn’t so vicious.
I’m glad it was so short, because I might have given up on it otherwise.
The book was rambling enough without becoming a gibbering mess right at the end. Was it supposed to represent a delirium? Perhaps my brain just doesn’t think the way this book is written.
It did have some potential to start as it described the 80’s in a way that I could recognise and I could see William and Terry in my mind, easily recognisable as characters that can be found in every gay pub in the world. It was also nice to find that it wasn’t all about the AIDS epidemic, focusing instead on his porn addiction and kidney illness instead, at least that’s what I’d thought, but I’m not so sure now I’ve finished it.
It may be that when the book was released it was revolutionary, but with programmes like ‘It’s A Sin’ and films like ‘Holding The Man’ and ‘BPM’ I think we’ve seen the story delivered better, although I have to admit that I haven’t read anything else on the subject. I’ve also never had to concern myself too deeply with the virus in any urgent way, so perhaps this wasn’t aimed at me.
It definitely needs some pauses or breaks and I’m not sure that William is endearing enough to be the lead character. He’s actually a B!tchy Queen and probably not someone that I would choose to connect with if I ever met him.
It could be witty if it wasn’t so vicious.
I’m glad it was so short, because I might have given up on it otherwise.
March 31, 2018
Closer to a 3.5. Witty 70s British Middle class monologue regarding a porn addicted guy with kidney failure.
April 10, 2011
I just couldn't get into the characters of this book. One accomplishment from this novel is the empathy he elicits for the day-to-day issues that face those on dialysis. I had no idea...
December 10, 2021
WTF happened in those last 8 pages?!?!
August 7, 2009
An odd, foreign monologue.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews