Dreaming of Water: A Novel

From bestselling author A.J. Banner, Dreaming of Water shows grief’s negative and often hidden side, its physical and mental impact on the individual and family unit, and how a girl must learn to move past it. Astrid Johansen has been struggling with the effects of grief and guilt for nearly two decades after her younger sister Nina drowned at the age of two.

Now, at the insistence of her aunt, she finds herself returning to Heron Bay, Washington, the coastal town where the event took place, with the rumor that there may be a discovery that could change their family’s view of past events. Astrid learns that not everyone is excited about this coming back to the surface, which makes her wonder, was Nina’s death an accident or was there more to it?

Banner’s writing is consistent throughout her work; each story is unique yet bears her trademark tones (dark and thoughtful). The reader will experience various emotions and most likely will not figure out the twist until the last couple of pages. While a beautifully written piece of fiction, the overall story contains non-fiction themes about dysfunctional family dynamics, mental health struggles, and self-help ways of rediscovering yourself.