There is something unique about the bond between siblings—a connection that exists beyond words, built through shared experiences, silent understandings, and, sometimes, unspoken sacrifices. In Bodies of Water, Claire Baldwin Harrison captures this complexity through Anna and Laura, two sisters who navigate life with an unbreakable yet complicated bond.
For Anna, Laura is more than just a sister. She is a protector, a guide, and, in many ways, the person who shapes her understanding of the world. From childhood, Laura takes on the responsibility of caring for Anna, ensuring that she is safe, even if it means keeping certain truths hidden. But love between siblings is not always simple. Sometimes, it is full of secrets—choices made in silence, sacrifices that go unnoticed until much later.
The Silent Language of Siblings
Siblings often communicate in ways that others cannot understand. A glance, a small gesture, a shared inside joke—these things form an invisible thread that ties them together. Anna and Laura share this unspoken language, one that Anna doesn’t fully appreciate until Laura is gone.
Even in her absence, Laura continues to guide Anna. Through memories, through the traces she left behind, and through the secrets she kept, Laura’s presence lingers. Anna realizes that there was more to her sister than she ever knew, and as she uncovers the layers of Laura’s past, she begins to understand just how much her sister sacrificed for her.
Love in the Form of Sacrifice
One of the most powerful themes in Bodies of Water is the idea that love is often expressed through sacrifice. Laura’s choices—some made long before Anna could understand them—were always rooted in her deep sense of duty as an older sister. She carried burdens that Anna never knew about, making difficult decisions to protect her.
This reflects a truth that many siblings experience: sometimes, love is not about grand gestures or spoken words but about quiet acts of devotion. It is about taking on responsibilities without being asked, about shielding each other from pain, about doing what needs to be done—even if it means keeping painful secrets.
What Happens When the Protector is Gone?
When Laura dies, Anna is left with more than just grief—she is left with questions. She begins to uncover pieces of her sister’s past that she never knew existed, realizing that Laura was more than just the steady, responsible older sibling she had always seen her as. In some ways, the loss forces Anna to grow in ways she never expected.
Claire Baldwin Harrison draws on her own experience with loss to explore how grief transforms relationships. Laura’s death does not sever their bond; instead, it forces Anna to see their relationship in a new light. She begins to understand Laura not just as a sister, but as a person—one who had dreams, struggles, and choices she never spoke about.
A Bond That Cannot Be Broken
Even in loss, the love between siblings endures. Anna’s journey is not just about grief; it is about discovering who Laura truly was and, in turn, discovering herself. Their bond, built on love, secrets, and sacrifice, does not fade. It simply transforms, becoming a part of Anna forever.