Books We Are Water by Wally Lamb

We Are Water by Wally Lamb is a novel centered on Annie Oh, an artist and mother who, after 27 years of marriage and three children, has fallen in love with Viveca, a wealthy New York art dealer. They plan to marry in the Oh family's hometown of Three Rivers, Connecticut, where gy marriage has recently become legal. The upcoming wedding triggers mixed reactions within the family and opens a Pandora's box of dark, painful family secrets that have simmered beneath the surface for years.

The story is told through alternating voices of the Oh family members—Annie, her ex-husband Orion, their children Ariane, Andrew, and Marissa—providing a layered narrative about family dynamics, human resilience, and personal transformation. The novel explores complex themes including abuse, trauma, identity, acceptance, family dysfunction, social issues such as class, race, and changing societal norms, alongside the creative process and the symbolism of water.