The Waterproof Bible
Andrew Kaufman
Rebecca has a most unusual problem: no matter how hard she tries, she can’t stop broadcasting her feelings to people around her. Luckily, she’s discovered how to trap and store her feelings in personal objects but just how much emotional baggage can Unit 207, E.Z. Self Storage hold?
Lewis is grieving for his wife, Lisa, Rebecca’s sister. Inconsolable, he skips Lisa’s funeral, flies toWinnipeg, gets a haircut and meets a woman who claims to be God.
At the wheel of a stolen Honda Civic is Aberystwyth, aka Aby, driving across Canada to save the soul of her dying mother. She is green, gill-necked, and very uncomfortable out of the water. An unexpected encounter with Aby sets off a chain of events which sends each of them on a personal quest.
Can Rebecca, Lewis and Aby find redemption before a terrible flood destroys their chance at happiness?
You could view this book as something of a comment on religion and indeed there is a lot of religious imagery used: the great flood; the strange strict religion Aby has grown up with and her rejection of this; an episode of sudden blindness, and not to mention the actual title of the book and its direct reference to religion. Although religious exploration may not be for everyone, and I must admit it is not my usual genre, don’t let the title put you off as there is so much more to the story. The Waterproof Bible is, in essence, a lovely (if rather odd) tale of romance, love, the isolation of modern-day living and the trials of personal discovery, with religious metaphor mingled throughout.
Each of Kaufman’s characters goes on a journey and the exploration provides a wonderful insight into feelings that we can all relate to. They are all waiting for that moment when lightning strikes and their feelings of loss disappear. I particularly enjoy the idea of projecting feelings into possessions and then storing these away in a self-storage unit. Genius!
Call this book a case study on the search for the true meaning of life, a serious discussion of God, faith, and religion, a light comic romp, or just a simple love story. Whatever it is you want, I think you will find it in this wonderfully unique story, full of Andrew Kaufman’s unique use of metaphor and his wonderful gift for surreal story-telling.
Rating:
