I absolutely loved We Died in the Water! Meg Flores writes a memoir that is open, vulnerable, and raw. She grants the reader an intimate look into her life as she examines the loss of two key relationships in her life; when her father left the family when she was a child, and of a key relationship that lasted eight years.

In the most beautiful, lyrical prose, her reflections help her see the causes that led to the leavings, her coming to acknowledge her part in the loss of her personal relationship, the impact of the leavings on current and future relationships, and the blessings she has gained from them.

This is such a beautiful, warm, flowing book that I read it entirely in one sitting. I highly recommend it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association) for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I quite liked this poetry collection by Meg Flores. Poetry is definitely very hit and miss for me but I enjoyed a large majority of the poems in this collection and sped through it.

Wow. Wow. Wow. This book is an intimate look at generational loss and how that loss comes back again and again. It is wholly beautiful and heartbreaking all at once.

Meg Flores is so vulnerable and honest in her writing that her pain becomes my pain. Her tears are my tears.

The metaphor of water is so artfully woven throughout the pages of this book. It is tears and death and baptism.

This book is one that will stay with me.

This was an interesting and creative poetry exploration of the themes of love, leaving and loss over two generations. I really liked it.

I am blown away by how beautiful and moving this book is. There were moments where I was on the point of tears at how relatable and gorgeous the writing was. I would love to return to this book over and over again.

I can see this book being the next Milk and Honey.

"We died in water. Like any fire would." We Died in Water explores losing and finding love throughout the author's lifetime.

"but, maybe i imagined more than i felt."

"this is what being left was like, a fixation on the nonexistence of things, of oneself."

"i wanted to know what he knew of his own heart, but i wouldn't have listened. when i'm sad i don't want to hear anything real."

"there is only one letter between love and lose."

"you didn't die early even though you thought about it once. you pulled back from every ending to be alive with me."

i've wanted to read this for quite awhile now, and i knew it'd be really spot on with my current situation and already hardly even in, it is so relatable.
i just finished and i want to cry, but i've cried for an entire month straight now since the love of my life left me. these words were exactly how i feel, but i don't want to accept the loss. i don't want to feel this absence. i just want my love back. i hurt so much. this book killed me and i already felt dead.

Meg Flores writes beautiful poems of living in a progression that shows her talent and shares her experience. I recommend We Died in Water for lovers of verse, poetry, and literary reads. I especially liked the poet's use of individual verses to build on one another.