Castle of Water: A Novel
I should preface this by saying that I LOVE the classic desert island survival trope. I will read or watch any story about people stranded on a desert island.
So I was already predisposed toward this story, but it still managed to surprise me. The plot itself is not unique–a plane goes down, two survivors land on an island, and initial hatred turns to love. But Huckelbridge’s literary style, vivid characters, and the way that he intertwined art, music, and reflections on love, loss, and home elevated this book beyond my expectations. I loved it from start to finish.
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Publisher’s Description
Two very different people, one very small island.
For Sophie Ducel, her honeymoon in French Polynesia was intended as a celebration of life. The proud owner of a thriving Parisian architecture firm, co-founded with her brilliant new husband, Sophie had much to look forward to―including a visit to the island home of her favorite singer, Jacques Brel.
For Barry Bleecker, the same trip was meant to mark a new beginning. Turning away from his dreary existence in Manhattan finance, Barry had set his sights on fine art, seeking creative inspiration on the other side of the world―just like his idol, Paul Gauguin.
But when their small plane is downed in the middle of the South Pacific, the sole survivors of the wreck are left with one common goal: to survive. Stranded hundreds of miles from civilization, on an island the size of a large city block, the two castaways must reconcile their differences and learn to draw on one another’s strengths if they are to have any hope of making it home.
Told in mesmerizing prose, with charm and rhythm entirely its own, Dane Huckelbridge’s Castle of Water is more than just a reimagining of the classic castaway story. It is a stirring reflection on love’s restorative potential, as well as a poignant reminder that home―be it a flat in Paris, a New York apartment, or a desolate atoll a world away―is where the heart is.