In the aftermath of losing his wife, Nick Mitchel experiences the resurgence of old memories that he thought he had put behind him. Overwhelmed by despair and the absence of his wife, Nick retreats into isolation, wasting away within the confines of his home. However, Natalie, one of his closest friends, refuses to let him waste his life and is committed to helping him find his way back. They begin organising a diving trip to Truk, where Nick had participated, during WW2, in Operation Hailstorm, sinking Japanese ships, along with Natalie’s late brother. Hopefully, this will be a voyage towards saying goodbye to the past, confronting it, and moving ahead.
Despite his strong reluctance, Junichi Takahashi cannot refuse his father’s dying request to go on a trip to Truk. Why his father would want him to go and see the ship that went down with him onboard, the ship he barely survived the sinking of, was beyond him. Nevertheless, Junichi’s father yearned for a definitive separation between the past and present. Thus, Junichi felt compelled to revisit Natsu-Shima Island and explore the submerged wrecks as a way to honour his father and find a resolution regarding the war’s impact on his life.
Stephanie Woodman’s novel Eye Contact Over Truk is a deeply emotional exploration of loss and acceptance, as well as learning to live with grief.
Everyone remembers the famous battles of WW2, but unfortunately, others of equal importance are slowly being lost to history. Still, those who participated in those battles are haunted by invisible scars and indelible memories. Many battles were treated as just numbers - counting planes, bombs, and casualties. Faceless individuals, all with their own story to tell, wiped away, forgotten. The haunting feeling of knowing the impact of your actions, even if you were following orders, in such a battle and the lives you have cut short is undeniable. Throughout the novel, Nick faces significant struggles as he delves into various underwater wrecks, grappling with the immense devastation his war involvement caused while also attempting to absolve himself of blame.
Some characters in the novel are untouched by the war and remain oblivious to the extent of the devastation and life-altering effects. This is perfectly exemplified by Nick’s children. While Nick struggles to repress his memories and escape the past, his children live in blissful ignorance of his wartime experiences. The book illustrates numerous examples of how the war impacted everyone’s lives. Nick fought in it. Junichi, although young, suffered immense trauma from the fire bombings as he desperately ran away from the blistering heat, fully aware that any pause could be fatal. The war had a profound impact on Natalie’s life when her brother died in the line of duty. Her relationship with those around her, such as her parents, shifted. The effects of war are profound, and they cannot be erased or healed simply by the passage of time.
The diving element in this book was fascinating, a unique approach to recounting history by revealing the aftermath instead of the actual events. Through Nick’s flashbacks, the reader gets a glimpse of what it was like to fight in this war. Nevertheless, Nick’s emotional reaction to seeing the wrecks years later has a significantly more intense effect on the reader. The reader learns that the war’s impact lingered long after the fighting ceased. The story of the wrecked ships, transforming into an underwater cemetery for countless individuals, is truly heart-wrenching. Even though coral and new life have begun to thrive, the sunken ships still serve as haunting reminders of the lives lost in a war. However, as Nick encounters more and more life-threatening situations caused by his malfunctioning diving gear, doubts and suspicions begin to surface. Junichi’s aversion towards Nick intensified upon learning about his involvement as a pilot during Operation Hailstone, attributing him to the numerous casualties. Yet, would Junichi’s loathing for Nick drive him to deliberately endanger his life?
Despite a slow beginning, the pace of the novel rapidly intensifies, capturing your attention and making it impossible to put down. The characters are so meticulously developed that their emotions resonate deeply with the reader. Although the characters are fiction, the historical events in this novel are authentic. Operation Hailstorm was a real battle, and many people died in the attacks. Through her fictional characters, Ms Woodman sheds light on a little-known battle, portraying the trauma, loss, grief, and evoking empathy in readers. The reader experiences the characters’ emotions, as this book emphasises the enduring psychological impact of war on its survivors. Many historical sites are tourist attractions now, but they were once inhabited by living, breathing people, whose circumstances ended with their deaths. It’s one thing to remember history, but to live through it and survive when so many others didn’t is a whole other story.
Eye Contact Over Truk by Stephanie Woodman is a novel that will touch your heart and leave a lasting impression. The book evokes a strong desire from the reader to embrace these characters and erase their painful memories. But alas, such a thing is not possible. Many individuals, like Nick and Junichi, left the war without physical injuries but were mentally scarred for the rest of their lives. It not only destroyed the lives of those who died but also those of the ones who survived. Stephanie Woodman’s novel explores the lasting impact of trauma on WWII veterans, who expected to be hailed as heroes but instead found themselves bound to the memories of war and their fallen comrades.
