This is a tough book to review as I think it requires a second read through for me to fully understand how the earlier parts, which went over my head a bit, link in with the realisation I had closer to the end of the book.

Water: A Chronicle is a fractured collection of short stories set around the shifting watery landscape of southern Vietnam. Each tale also seems tied to, either loosely or more directly, to the tale of a woman seeking a cure for her child. Whether this is woman is the same woman or several women is hard to determine and purposefully ambiguous I feel. 

While the meaning of the book only started to make sense at the end, the journey was thoroughly enjoyable due to the wonderfully lyrical prose and expert translation. 

Thanks to Major Books for the gifted finished copy for me to read and review.