The Covenant of Water

The Covenant of Water is a big novel, set in Kerala along India's Malabar Coast. It's the story of a family of people who suffer from a curious problem: many people in the family unexpectedly drown.

The story opens with the marriage of a twelve-year-old girl in that family, a girl who comes to be known as Big Ammachi. We learn about Big Ammachi's life and the lives of her new extended family and friends over three generations.

It's a compelling story with many wonderful happy moments and many terribly sad moments.

I knew that I wanted to read this book the moment I heard author Abraham Verghese speak about this novel at Inprint in Houston this year. And, despite my high expectations, I was quite satisfied with the story.