We Are Water

A Novel

By: Wally Lamb

Narrated by: Wally Lamb, George Guidall, Maggi-Meg Reed, Tavia Gilbert, Richard Ferrone, Edoardo Ballerini, Cynthia Darlow, Therese Plummer, Sandy Rustin

Length: 23 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

We Are Water is a disquieting and ultimately uplifting audiobook about a marriage, a family, and human resilience in the face of tragedy, from Wally Lamb, the New York Times best-selling author of The Hour I First Believed and I Know This Much is True.

After 27 years of marriage and three children, Anna Oh - wife, mother, outsider artist - has fallen in love with Viveca, the wealthy Manhattan art dealer who orchestrated her success. They plan to wed in the Oh family's hometown of Three Rivers in Connecticut. But the wedding provokes some very mixed reactions and opens a Pandora's Box of toxic secrets - dark and painful truths that have festered below the surface of the Ohs' lives.

We Are Water is a layered portrait of marriage, family, and the inexorable need for understanding and connection, told in the alternating voices of the Ohs: nonconformist, Anna; her ex-husband, Orion, a psychologist; Ariane, the do-gooder daughter, and her twin, Andrew, the rebellious only son; and free-spirited Marissa, the youngest. It is also a portrait of modern America, exploring issues of class, changing social mores, the legacy of racial violence, and the nature of creativity and art.

With humor and compassion, Wally Lamb brilliantly captures the essence of human experience and the ways in which we search for love and meaning in our lives.

The complete list of narrators includes Robin Miles and Sandy Rustin.

©2013 Wally Lamb (P)2013 HarperCollinsPublishers

Great book!

What did you love best about We Are Water?

I'm always surprised when I read/listen to a book and am just taken with it and then I read the reviews of other listeners and find that some could not stand the readers, the story, blah blah blah.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book although the subject matter was pretty tough to hear at times. Wally Lamb certainly captures the essence of complicated family dynamics. I totally loved having different actors read the parts. It made the story so much more dimensional. I am just sorry that multiple readers isn't always the case (unless Frank Muller was still alive. He could do every character to every book I listen to and I would always want more). Having different readers makes the story come alive for me. I'm hoping that those making the director's decisions reads this review.

Well worth the read if you like/understand the details of intense families and the reflection that accompanies those stories. The interview at the end with Wally Lamb was fascinating also. Understanding that a story manifests itself in the mind of the writer just tickles me.

Great read

Where does We Are Water rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the top ten

What other book might you compare We Are Water to and why?

She's come undone. Would love to listen to I know this much is true if only Audible had the unabridged version.

Which scene was your favorite?

Just to many to choose.

If you could rename We Are Water, what would you call it?

I wouldn't change it the name is perfect.

Any additional comments?

Wally Lamb is just a great writer. It amazes me how he can take 5 or 6 really different stories and tie them all together at the end. The book was a great read that I didn't want to see end. The characters were so real some very likable and some you hated yet I enjoyed reading about all of them. A fabulous book.

Wally Lamb does it again!

Where does We Are Water rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The multiple readers add tremendous flavor to the characters, making it one of my 10 favorite audio books to date.

Outstanding performance, not just a great reading.,,

With numerous actors performing different roles, this is a captivating experience way beyond the limits of a normal reading. I struggled to get beyond the first chapter of the book I purchased for more than three years. The audible version brought the text to life and I strongly recommend both reading and listening.

Not what I expected.

I wasn't ready for a story about child molesting nor child abuse. Not my idea of a good or entertaining book.

Outstanding writer

Where does We Are Water rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

If I was the dollerouter of the Nobel Prize this writer would be near top of my list. Of his books this is my favourite. Well written. Well read. Interesting. Engaging. Thought provoking. This author has that special something that separates good from great writers. So many writers, prize winners included are missing that special something - that real life something this guy has.

Awesome!

So sad to have it end. Wonderful characters that you really care about. Fantastic performances. More Wally Lamb up next!

Beautiful book.

As always, Wally Lamb takes us on another amazing journey. His characters are so complete I feel like I know them.

wally lamb is the best!

his books do a wonderful job exploring each character. riveting, and they really make you think

The best of Wally Lamb

Would you listen to We Are Water again? Why?

This is my 4th Wally Lamb book and the best. So many stories within the story that you just need to keep listening

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

The tone of the performers where natural for the character they were reading