thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! <3

’Every book opens a potential new world, new forms of life. Something to strive for, to inhabit’

Have you ever wondered ‘what would The Secret History by Donna Tartt read like if they stayed in the house in the country?’. Well look no further, because Waist Deep is exactly that, just in Denmark.

This book is nothing short of brilliant, and a beautifully written examination of identity and love and friendship all placed in the most gorgeously described setting. For such a short book I was instantly drawn in and connected with the characters so deeply, particularly Karen and Gry. Each person was unique, and had aspects of their personality to analyse that were raw and human. I loved the comparison between Karen and Gry’s perceptions of materialism and motherhood, and Adam and Quince’s stoic-personality and free-wheeling attitude. I think the only character I didn’t care for was Sylvia, who while a nuanced and interesting character just isn’t the sort of person I’m drawn to, in real life or in books.

While some of it was a little predictable - I certainly figured out who would be together by the end of it - that is overridden by the stunning prose and magnificent character work. Yes, they might have been all completely insufferable (other than Karen and Gry) but that’s sort of the point.

Overall, Waist Deep gets 4/5 stars.

What I found whilst reading Waist Deep is that on the surface, it isn't highly dramatic with much happening, but below the surface, there was actually alot going on.

I found the dynamic between this group of friends highly fascinating. I thought I wasn't going to like Sylvia much at the beginning, tbh, but, despite being a 'dreamer' and someone who was quite flighty, I found her to be refreshingly 'real' which surprised me in the best possible way!

This is exactly the type of provocative, summer read you could easily loose a whole afternoon reading!

The ending was the only thing that confused me with the small snippet from Karen? Apart from that, I enjoyed this immensely!

Waist Deep by Linea Maja Ernst is a novel set to be published by Jonathan Cape on 8th May 2025. It has been translated from Danish by Sherilyn Nicolette Hellberg.

The novel follows Sylvia, who, along with girlfriend Charlie, leaves their Copenhagen narrow boat for a holiday in a forester’s cottage in the woods at Madum Lake with her friends. There's Quince, a trans and queer Casanova; Gry, the group's mother hen, with young children Vera and Sejr in tow; Gry’s intimidating husband Adam, an important ministerial advisor; Karen, the leader, queenly and stoic; and Esben, Karen's poet fiancé and Sylvia's long-term crush.

Sylvia and Quince are two of my favourite literary characters of all time, I have to say. Sylvia is all too relatable to me as a dreamer and idealist, wishing for more and getting it thrown unceremoniously back in her face. Her feelings for Esben are all too familiar for me, too. And Quince is so unapologetically himself, even when he isn't always 100% certain of his own place, in the world, in terms of masculinity,

Very reflective and introspective, Waist Deep is almost a treatise for how we need each other, and how things like the gender binary, heteronormativity and society get in the way of this, while also advocating for self love and being true to yourself. I love how the author plays on the reader's perceptions, as well to reinforce this, plus the vivid descriptions of the beautiful landscape really adds something.

No, there isn't much action, but so much happens and I certainly felt different by the end, in quite a short time, too, as I couldn't get enough of this beautiful book.