Present Books Concering Three Views of Crystal Water

Original Title:	Three Views of Crystal Water
ISBN:	000718039X (ISBN13: 9780007180394)
Edition Language:	English

Three Views of Crystal Water Hardcover | Pages: 418 pages

Chronicle As Books 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.

Define Based On Books Three Views of Crystal Water

Title	:	Three Views of Crystal Water
Author	:	Katherine Govier
Book Format	:	Hardcover
Book Edition	:	Anniversary Edition
Pages	:	Pages: 418 pages
Published	:	2005 by HarperCollins
Categories	:	Historical. Historical Fiction. Cultural. Japan. Fiction. Canada

Rating Based On Books Three Views of Crystal Water

Ratings: 3.83 From 159 Users | 15 Reviews

Criticism Based On Books Three Views of Crystal Water

Katherine Govier is the author of ten novels, three short story collections, and a collection of nursery rhymes. Her most recent novel is The Three Sisters Bar and Hotel (HarperAvenue). Here previous novel, The Ghost Brush (published in the US as The Printmaker's Daughter), is about the daughter of the famous Japanese printmaker, Hokusai, creator of The Great Wave. Her novel Creation, about JohnThree 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

This a multilayered tale, which begins in Vancouver in the mid-1930s, cutting back and forth in time and space between Panama, Japan, and the Middle East. Govier interweaves young Vera Drews story with that of her grandfather, James Lowinger, the most sympathetic of a feckless lot of pearl-mad adventure.The pacing may at times test a readers patience. Govier works in a lode of pearl lore and legend, bizarre accounts of treachery and cruelty. And just as she romances the pearl, she mythologizes

Laborious read. Generally I love books set in exotic parts of the world and being an historical novel would be a bonus, unfortunately I found this such a laborious read that I frequently questioned myself as to why I was persevering with it. It felt like a non-fiction book and could have benefitted from severe editing.Vera is a likeable enough character, who finds herself motherless at the age of six. Her father's whereabouts are unknown, so she lives with her pearl trading grandfather and his

I am not sure what I think of this book. It had some lovely descriptive bits, but I found the pace extremely slow. I kept wanting something to happen. If I hadn't had to read this for book club, I probably would not have ploughed through. It has won several awards, and I'm trying to figure out why. I'm sure I could learn something important if I could figure it out!The ama are interesting. The sword lore was vaguely interesting. If I was someone enamoured with Japanese culture I might have

Canadian writer Govier set her novel in Vancouver a beautiful city with a view to the Orient and Japan where I first find Vera describing how she, a white European dives for abalone the traditional almost naked way with the women who specialise in this task in the village of Koba in the late nineteen thirties. The prolog introduces the lyrical beauty of the crystal water: the divers feeling of weightlessness in the silky touch of the clear waters, the beauty of the waving kelp on the sea floor

I learned about Peal Diving from this book. Brave characters.

Great book, out of print, you may need to order this.