THE WEIGHT OF WATER by Anita Shreve

I am generally ambivalent about Anita Shreve's books.  Usually, I really like parts of them but other parts - not so much.  The Weight of Water is the same for me.  Jean is a photojournalist on assignment to cover a 100 year old murder mystery that occurred on Smuttynose - an island off the coat of Maine.  (I looked it up - this murder really occurred)  Accompanying her are her husband, their small daughter, her brother-in-law and his girlfriend.  Five people, occupying space on a small boat for an extended period of time - it magnifies any marital strain, any jealousy, any petty remarks.  A storm is brewing.

The novel bounces back and forth between Jean and her life and the occupants of a very small home on the island of Smuttynose.  Maren and her husband are Norwegian immigrants who, 100 years ago, shared their home with his brother and sister-in-law, her sister and the occassional long-term boarder.  Five people, occupying space in a very small home for an extended period of time - it magnifies any marital strain, any jealousy, any petty remarks. A storm is brewing.  Because of the weather, the men who earn their living on the sea are unable to return home for the night.  Jean discovers a document written by Maren on her deathbed detailing the accounts of the night when an axe murderer entered the house and brutally killed Maren's sister and her sister-in-law while Maren hid in a cave outside the house.

The part of the book about the Norwegian settlers and the murders was extremely interesting.  There has been speculation for the last 100 years whether the convicted murderer was indeed guilty.  Shreve tells a compelling story in which she presents her version of the events leading up to the murders and what she feels happened.  She paints a grim picture of the isolation of these women and the hardships of their daily lives.  She also gives the women character and personality and I was interested in how they coped with their daily lives.

Unfortunately, I did not feel the same way about the modern group.  I did not find that any of these characters had been fleshed out to the point where I cared whether their lives were grim or glamorous.  The book is worth reading, however, for the 'historical' portion of it.