John Boyne

Simon Mayo's Books Of The Year

International bestselling author John Boyne joins Simon and Matt for a natter about his new book.

'Water' is the first of a Quartet of books, which will also include Fire, Air and Earth.

John talks about his inspirations, why he writes the characters he does and what drew him to the elements in the first place.

Here comes the science bit:

From million-copy-bestselling author John Boyne comes a masterfully reflective story about one woman coming to terms with the demons of her past and finding a new path forward.

The first thing Vanessa Carvin does when she arrives on the island is change her name. To the locals, she is Willow Hale, a solitary outsider escaping Dublin to live a hermetic existence in a small cottage, not a notorious woman on the run from her past.

But scandals follow like hunting dogs. And she has some questions of her own to answer. If her ex-husband is really the monster everyone says he is, then how complicit was she in his crimes?

Escaping her old life might seem like a good idea but the choices she has made throughout her marriage have consequences. Here, on the island, Vanessa must reflect on what she did - and did not do. Only then can she discover whether she is worthy of finding peace at all. Can you ever truly wash away your past?

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