The Covenant of Water

I'm 69 1/2 years old and have been reading since I was 4 1/2. So, in 65 years of reading, this is one of the very best books I've read. The characters and setting are so real. I've never been to anywhere even close to the setting of this book, yet I could see it all around me. Great writing, plot, interesting time in history, fascinating medical mystery.

This is a great saga, with all of the pluses and minuses of the doorstop novel. It surrounds the lives of rural residents of Kerala, in India's Southwest, with occasional forays into Tamil Nadu. The protagonists are attractive, smart, good people who suffer the many afflictions we attribute to the deep past: leprosy, typhoid, diptheria, as well as some that are still among us, including neurofibromatosis. Verghese is an accomplished writer and also a physician at Stanford. So, get ready for a lot of diagnostic stuff, as well as surgical procedures that will interest some more than others. Except for the occasional lecher and selfish relatives, no villains haunt the story. At times, the prose is pretty didactic, but I don't know how one gets around it when speaking of Hindu divinities, informal names, caste categories and other contextual challenges. I thought the romances were a little too good to be true, and despite the title, water is more allegorical than real, considering how powerful the monsoon and the watersheds of the Western Ghats are to the region. And the novel barely glances at the structuring forces of WWI and WWII, the partition that followed independence in 1947, and the stresses of Indian modernization of rural life. In a sense, the book hovers just underneath all these great tectonic changes, staying at the level of village, plantation, and individual actors. Not a complaint, really, as I can't feature including the macro without adding another 700 pages or so, but still.... Having spent time in Southern India, I enjoyed the sights and sounds and manners that I remember. I especially recognized the uniqueness of train travel: stepping off into the station in Madras (or Delhi) or careening across trestles, or sharing compartments with the most memorable companions. I always enjoy reading Verghese's fiction. Such a talent deserves praise.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (4.5 stars) The Covenant of Water is a sweeping, immersive novel that fully earns its reputation as an epic. Abraham Verghese’s storytelling is rich and deliberate, drawing the reader into generations of a family shaped by love, loss, medicine, and fate along the waterways of South India. From the first pages, the sense of place is vivid—lush landscapes, monsoon rains, and the quiet power of water itself are rendered with striking, almost tactile imagery. One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its characters. They are deeply human, layered, and memorable, evolving in ways that feel both intimate and inevitable. Verghese takes his time allowing readers to know them fully—their flaws, sacrifices, and quiet resilience—making their journeys emotionally resonant and often heartbreaking. The intersections of family, culture, and medicine are handled with care and insight, adding depth without feeling didactic. The story itself is compelling and beautifully woven, though undeniably expansive. While the scope contributes to its epic feel, the novel likely could have achieved the same emotional and narrative impact with fewer pages. At over 800 pages, there are moments where the pacing slows and sections feel more indulgent than necessary, even if they remain well written. Still, this is a novel to savor rather than rush. Its ambition, emotional weight, and lyrical prose far outweigh its excesses. The Covenant of Water is a deeply rewarding read—one that lingers long after the final page—and a testament to Verghese’s mastery of character-driven storytelling.

I am moved beyond belief by this incredibly rich story that unravels over decades. Kudos to Abraham Verghese for bringing this enchanting world of South India to life through his telling of this family’s evolution. His writing is such a pleasure to read and his weaving of the rich tapestry of the story is deeply moving.

‘“We’re so blessed, aren’t we?” She marvels that a man who has suffered so much can feel this way.’ (p624) This is a tale of a large, extended family along with the villagers and outsiders who touch their lives. It spans almost eighty years, most of which encompass the lifetime of the matriarch who is the rock supporting and sustaining everyone around her. Hardship, fear, and sadness mix with joy and wonder; grief, anger, and despair collide with hope, faith, and resolve. Mistakes, misfortune, and egregious conduct result in unspeakable tragedies. So yes – in many ways the characters’ lives are difficult, and there are portions of the book that have a decidedly dark, bitter tone. But this novel has a beauty that defies description. The prose and the story soar. Expect plenty of multi-layered mysteries and surprises, several unforgettable characters, and deep, sometimes searing commentary on many important matters: colonialism; the caste system; gender roles and differences; uprisings and revolutions; assault; disabilities. The author also delivers thoughtful insights regarding family, our obligations to others, and what it means to experience a full life well lived. In my view, however, his most important message is a compelling challenge to all of us: if you want to change the world, roll up your sleeves and change your neighborhood.

This story covering generations has enthralled me from beginning to the very final pages. Any woman who has not read this, has missed out on a real treasure. The richness of the language and the depth of the story pulls you into its pages. Simply beautiful. Now please a movie 🙏🏼. Thanking you, Dr Verghese, for this masterpiece.

Very good book, set in India. Bought it for my husband's birthday. He has just finished all 758 pages and found it compelling reading.

Nice story. As usual with Verghese, there are lots of extensive surgical descriptions which don't really serve the narrative. At some points the story gets a bit sugary, but on the whole a beautiful book.

Nothing is as good as a story well told, combining family secrets, romance, spiritual wisdom and tragedy of a family in the Indian state of Kerala. Spanning three generations Abraham Verghese takes the reader on a fascinating and colorful journey. The author is a master wordsmith, and it becomes apparent why he spent more than a decade sculpturing this masterpiece. There are so many words of wisdom put into the mouths of the protagonists. Some examples: "Success is not money! Success is fully loving what you are doing. That only is success!" or "Fiction is the great lie that tells the truth about how the world lives!" ..."What defines a family isn't blood but the secrets they share. Secrets that can bind them together or bring them to their knees when revealed." A passage that really stands out: "In the next instant, she looks right through him, just as for years she looked through that plavu, pretended that its ugliness wasn't there and that her view was unobstructed. At that moment she has made him vanish, wiped him off her canvas so that what's left is a smeared surface that holds the false lines, the figure that did not come out right, the erroneous strokes of a marriage, and world botched beyond repair ..."

Stunning book. The writing is superb, very descriptive but the descriptions never trite or tedious but evocative and beautiful. The story and the characters and so well fleshed out I felt as tho I was living with them. Twists and turns throughout the story and each character came alive. The author has written a wonderful book, unputdownable in fact. The only reason I gave it 5 stars is because there was no option for 10. Thank you for a truly superlative read.