The Covenant of Water is the new novel by Abraham Verghese author of Cutting for Stone. Set in Kerala, Southern India and spanning almost eight decades starting at the turn of the 20th century, this is part family saga, part history of India and wholly a masterfully written book.

When a twelve year old girl is sent to marry a 40 year old man, it is hard to imagine that one day she will be the strong matriarch of the property, known to all as “Big Ammachi.” There is a peculiar curse around water afflicting the family she has married into and she is determined throughout her life to find a cure for it, no matter what it takes.

There are so many beautiful moments in this book as well as heartbreaking ones as each generation’s story unfolds. My big complaint is that at almost 800 pages I felt is was a couple of hundred pages too long and by the end I found it tiring and I was ready to be done. Although I didn’t love it as much as Cutting for Stone, it is a beautifully written novel and a great read for anyone willing to make the commitment.