Her Death Was Also Water is a brilliant and thought-provoking debut novel from writer and poet Allen C Jones.

When an apocalyptic flood submerges the world, seven very different people find themselves trying to survive on a small boat together. As the story unfolds, we’re introduced to each character: Mo, a South-Asian mini-mart owner who’s recently been widowed; David, an academic who has recently separated from his wife and his daughter Charlotte, an introspective teenager; Deacon, a young and misogynistic man and his timid brother Trent; and finally Carol and her kind daughter Julia.

The novel shifts between the character’s perspectives, highlighting their distinct world views and attitudes. Themes surrounding toxic masculinity, racism and misogyny are explored and these issues ultimately heighten feelings of resentment and tension between the characters.

The imagery Jones paints is both ethereal and eerie – we see whole cities buried under water, endless stretches of blue, magnificent whales, and a surreal island where they encounter the dead.

There is a dreamlike quality to this novel, but Jones also maintains a firm grasp on reality. As they attempt to survive the flood, the seven characters have to battle the elements, from painful sun burns, to staving off starvation through rationing. They are confronted with death at every turn.

This is a beautifully written and gripping novel that touches on very real and timely concerns.

Reviewed by Akina Hansen

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Allen C. Jones is an award-winning writer from California. He has lived and taught in Spain, Mexico, Korea, China, and presently serves as associate professor of literature in Norway. He earned an MFA in poetry from the University of New Mexico and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. His work appears widely online and in print