What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us

Laura van den Berg's debut collection of short stories is a stunning examination of how loss impacts life changes. To say that all of the main characters of the eight short stories are female and have experienced loss of a family member in some manner - by death, separation or merely drifting apart - would be too simplistic a connection. Not only have the narrators encountered loss that they are trying to understand, their lives are impacted by others that have encountered recent losses and life changes of their own. The stories are multifaceted layers of characters and events that resonate pain, and hope for the future, while depicting coping mechanisms employed to face these life changing events.

Each narrative, while searching for show more answers sweeps the reader along with travels to exotic locales in the quest for answers to larger world puzzles - deforestation impact on the lemur population of Madagascar, searches for the mythical creatures Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster and the search for a rare flower.

I finished all stories in one short afternoon and was saddened to find myself at the last page of the last story. I can only say that I hope to see further stories by van den Berg published in the near future. show less

The Short of It:

What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us is a gem of a little book. Filled with stories about women who don’t settle, yet struggle to find their place in society. Honest and thoughtful in her delivery, van den Berg creates a world where beauty exists in everyday things.

The Rest of It:

How do I share the feeling that I am feeling right at this moment? Well, let’s give it a shot.

There are many wonderful stories in this collection and although each story contains its own set of memorable characters, they are all tied together by a common thread, people who are searching for that special “something” that sets them apart from the rest. The world is filled with people yet if you take a moment to really show more reflect on people in general, you’ll see how different and unique each person can be. This is what I noticed with this collection.

The author takes normal people, puts them in unusual situations or locales and then we see what they do with the cards that are dealt them. To me, this is an incredibly personal journey. A journey of discovery, yes, but it almost felt as I was lurking in a corner somewhere within these people’s lives. Listening to their conversations, anticipating their next move, etc. It’s a wonderful feeling to escape life for a minute and to just observe someone else.

My intent was to finish this book in one day. You can surely do that as it’s very short, but why would you? After reading the first story, you’ll figure out ways to make it last, as you won’t want it to end. I’ve been reading it for several weeks now and although I’ve finished it, I still find myself flipping through its pages.

What I especially appreciate, is that these stories are so different from what I’ve read before. Many of the stories center around monsters. Yes, Bigfoot and Loch Ness to name a few. Imaginary beings and things such as a tunnel leading to the other side of the world. Reading this book is almost like being a kid again. For a brief while, you can immerse yourself in the story and not think about what is real and what isn’t it.

I can’t pick a favorite story as they were all wonderful in different ways. There’s science and art and the beauty of language and foreign places. Oh, and the writing is wonderful too. I caught myself re-reading sections just because they were so well-written. You’ll just have to take my word for it. The book is great and it deserves a spot on your shelf.

This book was a Barnes and Noble Discover pick and I have to say that I’ve never been disappointed with one of their picks and this is her first book!

Source: This copy was sent to me by the author, Laura van den Berg. show less

The stories in What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us are marked by a quiet, delicate, beautiful melancholy. Many of the characters are searching for something elusive or imaginary—the Loch Ness monster, a rare flower, a monster living in Lake Michigan—and this forces us to wonder what other, more tangible things they might be looking for (or studiously avoiding) and what real connections they’re missing out on while they devote all of their time and energy to the search for something they will never or can never find.

Read my full review at The Book Lady's Blog.

This debut collection of short stories shines. Van Den Berg’s protagonists, mostly young women, are on quests ranging from the absurd to the dangerous. Often they are reeling under the impact of a life tragedy and using their quests or projects—playing Bigfoot in a theme park; searching for a rare, nigh-extinct flower near Loch Ness; swimming for long distances in the oceans off Madagascar—as a way through the grief to the other side. Each story is highly polished and finely crafted, and each character—quirky and damaged as they all are—is believable and sympathetic. Standouts include “Where We Must Be,” “Goodbye My Loveds,” and the title story.

Exceptionally good stories exploring discovery and realization. It's not uncommon to find collections that are essentially the same story retold in different contexts. Here, instead, each story takes on a different angle, or level... The title story that finishes the collection is absolutely my favorite, but I suspect without the groundwork laid by the rest it wouldn't have the impact it does.

4.5 out of 5. van den Berg's stories stick around, wispy and beautiful, long after you've turned the page or closed the book. This isn't as a strong of a collection as her more recent one, but it's still necessary reading if you like her writing - and I do. I really, really do. It's incredible to see an author whose voice is so clear from day one and I, for one, absolutely adore that voice. Laura is writing unlike anybody else out there today and I look forward to reading whatever comes next (and after that, and after that, and so on) - because she only keeps getting better.

More Weds: http://wp.me/pGVzJ-1bx

Don't read this book if you're looking for stories with happy endings. On the other hand, do read this if you want to read about everyday people who have a strong belief in something, a mythological creature, perhaps, such as the Loch Ness Monster or Mokele Mbembe, or perhaps a magical tunnel that leads to another world.

The common theme in the stories is that of loss. Each one of the central characters in the stories have suffered a loss of some kind in their past, be it the loss of parents,friend, husband, or boyfriend.

They are stories of the coping mechanisms that each employs to move forward with their lives. Some will find new inner strength, perhaps loaned by a new fish, a tribal mask, an endangered flower, or in believing in a show more fabled monster. All will grow in quiet, resolute acceptance. show less