Books like Three Views of Crystal Water

“Three Views of Crystal Water” has been on my bookshelf for close to 15 years. I read it when it was first published and loved every word. I always wonder if a novel will hold up over time when I pull it out for a second read many years later. In this case, the answer was most decidedly yes.It is ostensibly the story of the ama diving women of Japan and much of the story does revolve around them. But it is also the story of the secret world of pearl merchants and the story of Japans ill-considered alliance with Hitler. All of this plays out as its main character Vera Lowinger Drew endures the loss of her mother and grandfather, finds herself transported to Japan where she becomes by necessity an ama diver for a few years, reunites with the long last father she barely knows and finally carves out a life of her own back in Vancouver, Canada. “Three Views of Crystal Water” showcases Govier’s trademark meticulous research and her ability to probe the depths of her characters’ psyches. It is the kind of novel you can settle into and lose yourself inside for a few weeks. Every bit as enjoyable a read the second time around.