Try free for 30 days
-
The Covenant of Water
- Narrated by: Abraham Verghese
- Length: 31 hrs and 16 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from Wish List failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
The Covenant of Water
Buy Now for $46.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's Summary
OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • SUBJECT OF A SIX-PART SUPER SOUL PODCAST SERIES HOSTED BY OPRAH WINFREY
From the New York Times-bestselling author of Cutting for Stone comes a stunning and magisterial epic of love, faith, and medicine, set in Kerala, South India, following three generations of a family seeking the answers to a strange secret
“One of the best books I’ve read in my entire life. It’s epic. It’s transportive . . . It was unputdownable!”—Oprah Winfrey, OprahDaily.com
The Covenant of Water is the long-awaited new novel by Abraham Verghese, the author of the major word-of-mouth bestseller Cutting for Stone, which has sold over 1.5 million copies in the United States alone and remained on the New York Times bestseller list for over two years.
Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala’s long-existing Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time. From this unforgettable new beginning, the young girl—and future matriarch, known as Big Ammachi—will witness unthinkable changes over the span of her extraordinary life, full of joy and triumph as well as hardship and loss, her faith and love the only constants.
A shimmering evocation of a bygone India and of the passage of time itself, The Covenant of Water is a hymn to progress in medicine and to human understanding, and a humbling testament to the difficulties undergone by past generations for the sake of those alive today. It is one of the most masterful literary novels published in recent years.
What listeners say about The Covenant of Water
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Freda
- 30-08-2023
A work of art.
This epic tale has been crafted so beautifully and read so passionately by the author. It reaches out and pulls you into a world where family and community are paramount to the existence and wellbeing of each of the characters. The writer’s gentle and passionate narration leads to an emotional and heartfelt journey that will open your heart and feed your soul. Congratulations! An outstanding experience.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Joanne Cheney
- 15-09-2023
Masterful storytelling and narration
This beautifully narrated and poetically written story transports the listener to Southern India 1900-1977.
The ebbs and flows of the characters’ lives mimic the mighty rivers and canals that give life force to the land .
From cataclysmic and earth shattering (metaphorical) floods and monsoons to gently told family life , this story had me weeping , laughing , gaping and yearning for more . Poignantly told - thoroughly recommend .
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Maggie
- 24-12-2023
A book.worth 20 stars
ì am sorry that I have got to the end of this brilliant story... and will listen to it again.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Susan J Rahily
- 18-03-2024
Vivid imagery of life at Parembul and the stories of the characters entwined through the book.
I recommend this book highly to everyone. It is beautifully written and narrated by Abraham Verghese.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Robert B
- 21-03-2024
Fine writing and descriptions make this tale as a narrated story very enjoyable.
Absolutely loved this story. I think it is exceptionally narrated, which made the listening experience superlative. The plot has a few surprises!
The scattering of facts and real places enhances the story so much that I felt inclined to search the internet for these.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- vandermere
- 07-04-2024
Great read
Loved this intriguing story from beginning to end. From one generation to the next it was so interesting, exploring the different lifestyles and what some families do to survive in the name of love.
Narration was excellent though I did have a bit of difficulty with the Indian names.
Another new story please Abraham
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Kerena McLaren
- 12-04-2024
A Lesson on India
A story that takes a reader (or listener) to another place and causes them to feel the pain and joy of imagined people is a triumph!
Congratulations and thank you to this gifted and generous author.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- John Iwankiw
- 30-05-2024
Generational twists and turns
Fabulous story from the beginning to the end ...
Narration by the author raises it to the next level..
Years of life experiences research and passion definitely evident throughout. Thoroughly recommend.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Leesa Elliot
- 08-09-2023
Amazing
Now in my top 3 books! Epic story. Loved the history, the characters, the narration.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 08-06-2023
Marvellous South Indian family saga
So many lives and ways of life over generations, centred around one main family and described very interestingly - the births and deaths, passions and tragedies - over generations. It’s such an imaginative journey, set in a part of the world that I happen to love anyway, that I looked forward to giving my full attention to it for hours sometimes, every day. Really well narrated.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!