We Are Water: A Novel (2013) is a work of contemporary literary fiction by American author Wally Lamb, who is known for his psychologically nuanced explorations of family, trauma, and moral complexity. We Are Water centers on the wedding of Annie Oh, an artist who has left her longtime husband, Orion Oh, to marry her partner and art dealer, Viveca Christopholous-Shabbas. Set in New England, the narrative unfolds over the days surrounding the wedding while incorporating events from the family’s past through multiple first-person perspectives. The novel gradually reveals the circumstances that shaped Annie, Orion, and their three adult children, Ariane, Andrew, and Marissa. Blending elements of domestic fiction, psychological realism, and social commentary, Lamb examines themes of Intergenerational Trauma and Secrecy, Power and Vulnerability in Intimate Relationships, and Creativity and Art in Emotional Healing.

This guide uses the 2013 Harper Perennial e-book.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of bullying, racism, gender discrimination, antigay bias, sexual violence, rape, mental illness, child abuse, child sexual abuse, pregnancy loss and termination, child death, death by suicide, suicidal ideation, animal death, substance use, addiction, graphic violence, sexual content, death, physical abuse, and emotional abuse.

Plot Summary

The novel opens with a journalist interviewing dealer and artist Gualtiero Agnello, who recounts his memories of Josephus Jones, a gifted Black artist who once lived in the Connecticut town of Three Rivers with his brother, Rufus, and Rufus’s Dutch wife. Agnello’s recollections shift into immersive memories of the racism the brothers faced and the controversy surrounding Jones’s provocative artwork. Agnello reflects on Jones’s painting Adam and Eve, which depicted Jones and a white woman as the biblical pair and sparked outrage during a community art show. Jones was later found deceased in a well under suspicious circumstances, though no one was held accountable. As the interview concludes, Agnello tells his interviewer—Patrice Arnofsky—that he will soon attend Annie’s wedding.

While artist Annie Oh looks over the extravagant wedding dresses sent to her by her partner, Viveca Christopholous-Shabbas, she reflects on her past marriage to psychologist Orion Oh and on her habit of keeping secrets. As her thoughts spiral, she fixates on class divisions, conflicted about benefiting from Viveca’s wealth while resenting it. She has grown closer to their housekeeper, Minnie, and the building staff, tipping them excessively and sharing lunch with Minnie. Annie begins smoking again and minimizes her growing anxieties about the wedding. She hesitates to sign the prenuptial agreement sent by Viveca’s lawyers, questioning what the document implies. Her uncertainty intensifies as she prepares to return to Three Rivers and worries about her children’s reactions to her new relationship and lifestyle.

Meanwhile, Orion drives to Viveca’s house in Cape Cod while listening to a radio program about great white sharks in the area. During the drive, he revisits how he met Annie, how their marriage deteriorated, and how his professional life collapsed after one patient, Jasmine, accused him of sexual harassment and another, Seamus, died by suicide. Orion recalls his resentment of Annie’s dedication to art and his difficulty understanding her compulsive creative drive. He also reflects on his estranged father and his own desire to reinvent himself.

Ultimately, Annie signs the prenuptial agreement after drinking and spilling wine on the wedding dresses. Acting on sudden inspiration, she gathers the stained dresses and leaves the apartment.

The narrative flashes back as a resident of Three Rivers, Ruth Fletcher, recounts the events surrounding Jones’s controversial artwork and suspicious death. The chapter takes place on the day of Ruth’s husband Claude’s funeral, which follows closely after a devastating flood that swept through the town. The funerals of Sunny O’Day and her infant daughter, Grace, occur at the same time. Ruth recalls Claude’s resentment of their neighbors, the Skloot family, for employing and housing Josephus and Rufus Jones. She revisits the 1959 Tercentenary celebrations, during which Jones’s painting Adam and Eve won first prize at a local art exhibition. The painting, which depicted Ruth’s stepdaughter, Belinda Jean, as Eve, provoked outrage among many townspeople. Claude reacted publicly and violently upon recognizing Belinda in the painting. Weeks later, Jones was found dead in a well on the Skloot property.

Ruth recalls her suspicion that Claude was involved in Jones’s death. Her fears were confirmed when she found him disposing of evidence, and he admitted to killing Jones. Ruth chose not to report him and instead prayed that the truth would remain hidden. Claude’s health declined, and Belinda became increasingly withdrawn. At the funeral home, Ruth reflects on her silence and asks God for mercy.

Back in the present, Andrew Oh, Annie and Orion’s son, calls in to a conservative radio program seeking guidance about whether to attend Annie’s wedding. The host advises him and his fiancée, Casey-Lee, to prioritize their religious convictions. Although Andrew initially echoes Casey-Lee’s opposition, he later decides to attend the wedding—a choice that leads him to end the relationship.

Annie and Orion’s younger daughter, Marissa Oh, is violently assaulted by an actor during an encounter arranged through a mutual acquaintance. Fearing legal consequences and damage to her career as an aspiring actress, she does not report the assault. Instead, she returns home, conceals her injuries, and attempts to manage her distress through unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Meanwhile, Annie and Orion’s other daughter, Ariane Oh, travels to Cape Cod to stay with Orion before the wedding. During her flight, she speaks with a fellow passenger and reflects on her family’s circumstances and her pregnancy, which resulted from artificial insemination.

As the siblings gather at Viveca’s Cape Cod house, unresolved issues surface. Ariane reveals to Orion that Annie physically abused Andrew during childhood, describing incidents that were kept secret within the family. Marissa appears wearing sunglasses to conceal bruises from her recent assault, and Andrew arrives shortly afterward, newly single but withholding that information. Orion expresses concern over his children’s well-being and begins reconsidering his role as their father. He also reconnects with Tracy, a marine biologist studying shark activity in the area.

The siblings depart for Three Rivers to prepare for the wedding, while Orion initially plans to remain behind. Changing his mind, Orion leaves for Three Rivers but must return when he realizes Marissa has forgotten her cell phone. Upon reentering the house, he encounters members of the cleaning company and is struck and rendered unconscious.

Simultaneously, Kent Kelly, Annie’s cousin and abuser, is traveling by bus to Three Rivers. He describes being exposed to sexual behavior at a young age while under the care of a neighborhood babysitter. After the flood claimed the lives of Sunny and Grace, he was sent to live with the O’Day family, where he began sexually assaulting Annie. As an adult, he was later convicted of crimes involving children and served a prison sentence. After reading an article describing Annie’s artistic success, he became fixated on her; he now intends to find Annie at home.

Annie returns to Three Rivers. As she prepares for the ceremony, she revisits the family home and discovers a photo album that renews her anxiety about her past. She worries about seeing Andrew and reflects on her failures as a mother. At the Bella Linda Inn, Annie realizes that she has forgotten the wedding rings. Andrew volunteers to retrieve them and encounters Kent at the house. Knowing that Kent once helped Annie during the 1963 flood, Andrew invites him to attend the ceremony. At the reception, Andrew introduces Kent to Annie. Upon seeing him, Annie becomes visibly distressed and retreats to Viveca’s hotel suite. There, she discloses to Andrew that Kent sexually abused her during childhood and coerced her silence by invoking guilt over Grace’s death.

Andrew leaves the reception and pursues Kent. He assaults him and, after Kent dies, disposes of his body in the same well where Jones’s body was discovered decades earlier. Later that evening, police arrive and inform the family that Orion has been attacked and seriously injured.

The final part of the novel shifts forward three years. Orion survives the assault but is left with paralysis that necessitates in-home care. He remains in Three Rivers alongside Ariane and Andrew, with his in-home aide, Belinda Jean. Marissa has achieved success on a soap opera and is in recovery from alcohol addiction. Ariane is raising her son, Dario, with the support of her family, while Andrew, who continues to conceal Kent’s death, struggles with isolation.

Orion reflects on his marriage, his role as a father, and his earlier resentment toward Viveca. He gradually acknowledges his own responsibility in the failures of his marriage and recognizes Annie’s support during his recovery. He continues to keep Andrew’s actions secret. At the novel’s close, Orion and Andrew revisit Long Nook Beach together. Andrew confesses that he is considering turning himself in for killing Kent, and Orion refrains from directing his decision. Andrew carries Orion into the ocean, his ultimate choice unresolved.