Daisy Johnson's "Long Wave" Explores Motherhood and Loss

Daisy Johnson's novel "Long Wave" has been released, exploring themes of motherhood, abandonment, and intergenerational secrets across three generations. This work is being hailed as potentially her strongest to date, surpassing her previous critically acclaimed novels and collections.

Johnson, previously shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2018 for her debut "Everything Under," has a history of crafting complex narratives. Her earlier works include the short-story collection "Fen," the psychological horror "Sisters," and the ghost stories in "The Hotel." "Long Wave" continues her exploration of the uncanny and the deeply personal, but with a refined subtlety.

The narrative of "Long Wave" centers on Ori, a woman who as a child was found abandoned on a remote island off the English coast. The mystery surrounding her mother's actions and their flight to the island resurfaces in Ori's adulthood as she grapples with postpartum struggles. The novel delves into the profound impact of these early experiences on Ori's life and her understanding of motherhood.

The book examines the intricate relationships and unresolved questions that bind three generations of mothers and daughters. Johnson's ability to weave together the fantastical and the everyday, as seen in her prior works, is present here, contributing to a rich and layered reading experience that probes the depths of familial bonds and the enduring nature of loss.