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Our Wives Under the Sea Review
Literary Horror | Grief Horror
I went into Our Wives Under the Sea expecting something eerie and atmospheric, and that’s exactly what it delivered.
From the first page, the book holds onto a quiet, persistent sense of unease. It captures that unsettling feeling of everyday life continuing as normal while also being completely wrong at the same time. The creeping dread never lets up, and I thought it did a beautiful job of portraying anxiety in a way that felt grounded and painfully real.
At its core, this is a story about mourning, specifically the strange kind of grief that happens when a relationship is technically still alive but already slipping away. Miri’s experience of loving Leah, hoping she will return to the person she used to be, and slowly realizing that might never happen was heartbreaking in a very subtle, human way. It explores that painful space of knowing you should let go while still desperately hoping things can be fixed.
I did find myself wondering what truly happened while Leah was in the sub. Part of me expected the story to lean more heavily into science fiction, but it never quite went there. The same is true of The Centre, I would have loved a little more insight into what was happening behind the scenes, though I understand why the book chose to stay focused on emotion rather than explanation.
One element I really appreciated was Miri finding unexpected support in Juna, Jelka’s sister. Their connection added warmth to an otherwise isolating story. Jelka’s gradual unraveling was another strong touch, adding to the sense that something deeper and darker was happening just beneath the surface.
By the end, when Miri brings Leah back to the sea at her mother’s house, it felt less like an answer and more like a closing chapter, not just for Leah, but for Miri’s own long process of mourning her mother as well.
Was this a five-star read for me? No. But it was thoughtful, haunting, and strange enough that I would absolutely read more from Julia Armfield in the future.
If this story stayed with you, these reads belong on your shelf → Love That Doesn’t Ask Permission
Track your reading journey here → T.B.R. Tracker