Julia Armfield has such a unique voice that grabbed me with Our Wives Under the Sea an her second novel, Private Rites, has similarly demanded my attention. In her re-telling of King Lear, three sisters, Isla, Irene, and Agnes are brought back together after their architect father dies. In dealing with his death, the three sisters' lives each begin to spiral in different ways all with the backdrop of a climate crisis where the persistent rain has forced everyone to figure out how to live with rising waters. 

If you are in the mood for a ~vibes~ book I absolutely recommend Private Rites - you get queer, sapphic relationship drama, sister drama, parent-induced trauma, and a what in the world just happened ending, all with Armfield's exquisite writing style. 

I both read and listened to Private Rites and really enjoyed the audiobook. The text version does not have quotation marks for the conversations, which sometimes trips me up while I'm reading, but certainly gives a different effect than listening. I would absolutely recommend either medium while reading. 

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Flatiron Books, and MacMillan Audio for the advanced copy.