Spanning nearly a century (1900-1977), Covenant takes place in southwestern India in the Kerala region and focuses on a Malayali Christian family and a mysterious drowning affliction that affects someone in each generation. Of course, like all great novels it’s about much more than one challenge–its encompasses love, betrayal, and secrets–” this is the covenant of water: that they're all linked inescapably by their acts of commission and ommission, and no one stands alone ... all is one."
At times, I found myself rooting for the main character Phillipose, a husband and father mired in a disintegrating spiral of bad choices and destructive behavior. Surely, he can pull out of this I thought, but then I began wondering: is he actually the villain, hurting those closest to him–am I rooting for the wrong guy? My own inner struggle perfectly captures Verghese’s skill in crafting a world of nuanced and layered characters. As I neared the final 200 pages of this 700-page saga, my reading slowed. I knew my time with this family would soon end, and I wanted to prolong it.
Key Quotes:
23 Thankamma's affect reminds her of her mom so much it only makes her sadder.
59 On love: "Love, she thinks, isn't ownership, but a sense that where her body once ended, it begins anew in him, extending her reach, her confidence, and her strength. As with anything so rare and precious, it comes with a new anxiety: the fear of losing him, the fear of that heartbeat ceasing."
133 "The mistake, Digby, of choosing to see more in your future mate than the evidence has already suggested."
235 "fiction is the great lie that tells the truth about how the world lives."
395 As the monsoon approaches (at last) Philipose says: "Eyes open to this precious land and its people, to the covenant of water; water that washes away the sins of the world, water that will gather in streams, ponds and rivers; rivers that float the seas, water that I will never enter."
517 Big Ammachi as she ponders her last night before death, washing herself with water over her head: "Such precious water, Lord, water from our own well; this water that is our covenant with you, with this soil, with the life you granted us. We are born and baptized in this water; we grow—full of pride, we sin, we are broken, we suffer, but with water we are cleansed of our transgressions, we are forgiven, and we are born again, day after day till the end of our days."
577 As Mariamma leaves home, we see the saddest moment: a single parent left home alone—all their children gone.
586 Philipose visits Cochin for an interview about the creation of Willingdon Island and its ecological impact. As he looks toward the ocean: "He smells the history in this breeze. The Dutch, the Portuguese, the English ... Each left their stamp. All gone now. What will be his masterpiece? ... Mariamman. She is his masterpiece."
706 Mariamma as she uncovers the secret of her parents: "this is the covenant of water: that they're all linked inescapably by their acts of commission and ommission, and no one stands alone ... all is one."
714 "Every family has secrets, but not all secrets are meant to deceive... what defines a family isn't blood but the secrets they share."
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