All the Water I've Seen is Running

Bewildered by the recent death of a high school girlfriend and first love, Daniel ends his relationship with his boyfriend and travels from New York to Florida to process complex feelings and reacquaint himself with old friends and enemies.

All The Water I've Seen is Running eloquently captures many of the nuances of young adulthood in the American south, an experience I've always struggled to describe accurately in my own life. The author Rodriques manages to weave together many intricacies of intersectionality through each character and plotline; race, economic class, immigration history, and sexuality come together to make for a compelling novel.

While the pace of this book was slower than others, I think it aligns well with the plot, mood, and setting. "All The Water" captures the beauty of the American south and its people, and I would definitely read something else by this author.

Note: I received a free ebook copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In his debut novel, ALL THE WATER I’VE SEEN IS RUNNING, Elias Rodriques explores themes of identity and memory. After learning that his best friend, Aubrey, died in a car accident, Daniel breaks up with his boyfriend and travels back to the town where he grew up. Exploring the eastern coast of Florida, he visits friends from school and searches for the cause of his friend’s death. Daniel is between worlds and can’t seem to find space for himself. He’s the descendants of African’s brought to Jamaica as slaves, Indians who were shipped by the British to the Caribbean when slavery ended, and Lebanese immigrants. Daniel searches the coast for explanations about his friend’s life, and his own.

This book is poetic and moving. While not plot driven, this book is centered around tone, emotion, setting. The waters of Florida are characters themselves in this novel. As the novel progresses, secrets are revealed among friends. The story builds to a reckoning; a local who escaped to New York City and has returned.

Jumping between present day, Daniel recounts aspects of his life in Jamaica, New York City, Florida. He recalls events between his family that he seems to have repressed for years. As he returns to the “Redneck Riviera,” the memories flow back to him, years of abuse and trauma.

Race and class are also dissected in this novel of black and white characters. All of the friends are poor and lack the opportunity to leave for a better life. Some resent being stuck there, while others have accepted the place as their home.

This book does not have a strong plot, but the mood drives the reader to continue with Daniel’s journey. The author doesn’t use quotation marks which add to the poetic, atmospheric quality of the book. I really enjoyed this novel and thought it was a beautifully written exploration of trauma and identity.