About the Book:

Frank Herbert’s family has gathered at Tinaroo Dam for his daughter Lily’s wedding – the first time he’s been back since the death of his father, Joe, a year earlier. Like Frank, the dam is at an all-time low and as the water recedes, objects begin to emerge – abstract and disquieting.

Joe’s father Victor – Frank’s grandfather – was the butcher of Tinaroo during the dam’s construction, but Joe refused to speak of him. Joe was not a talker, but he could roar. And he could smash things. What sorrow was his fury, and this place, concealing? And can Frank find a way into a future of his own making?

Moving between the weekend of the wedding and the explosive year in the 1950s that would shape the Herbert men’s destiny, Cool Water is an unforgettable novel about fathers and sons, what it means to be a good man, and the damage that can ripple through generations.

A breathtaking story brimming with insight and emotional power by Miles Franklin-shortlisted author Myfanwy Jones.

Published by Hachette Australia

Released February 2024

My Thoughts:

This was a beautifully written story, gently unfolding, and deeply introspective. There are some serious themes explored throughout – intergenerational trauma, toxic masculinity, domestic violence – and yet, it reads so smoothly, unflinchingly honest yet never once giving me cause to look away. What a skilled writer Myfanwy Jones is.

Alternating between the present day and the 1950s, we bear witness to the shaping of the Herbert men. It was particularly an emotionally charged experience to read about Joe as a young lad, being repeatedly crushed by his cruel father, and to then discover how much like his own despised father he ended up becoming. Repeated patterns, the ripples of which continued to have effect even after the deaths of each generation.

We all carry our families with us, whether we want to or not. Some of us bear it lightly, others are weighed down by it. Cool Water was a story that demonstrated this in exactitude. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.