Sweetness of Water, The
Harris, NathanWhen George Walker offers recently emancipated brothers Landry and Prentiss work on his land, he surely stirs up a hornet's nest in the nearby town of Old Ox, where everybody has an opinion about the fate of freed slaves. The return from the Civil War of two Confederate soldiers in a forbidden relationship precipitates a series of events that leave few in this Georgian community unscathed.
Powerful and engaging, this is a lyrical story of the American South with its unforgettable characters exposed to the best and worst of humanity.
Pages
356
356
Year
2021
2021
Reviews
24-04-2023
Style of writing old-fashioned but conveyed a sense of the times. Very flowery and descriptive. Learnt a lot about the history of slavery and the effect on people when this was abolished. Lots of depth and layers to the characters and the story. At times depressing and hard to get into.
23-03-2023
A wonderful book to read. We all thought it quite amazing for a 'first' book. No holds were barred in the telling of this quite horrific story set in the dying days of the American Civil War.
09-01-2023
For a number of members the book provided an insight into a period of US history they had known little about. The idea of telling a story of slaves who were suddenly freed, with no support or resources to lead a life of independence was a very strong one... We thought there were some excellent things in the book - the prose (most of the time), the characterisation, a new perspective on a period of history important in shaping the US today and some strong relationships; and it ended on a note of hope. Withal, we thought it too long and trying to do too much.
09-01-2023
Everyone who read the book enjoyed it, two people took it home to finish. Some were depressed and upset about the fact that nothing much has changed with the prejudices associated with religion, gender identity, class, money and race... It was a well-written book (poetic and lyrical in parts, everyone agreed) and it made it deep and intense, but very worthwhile to read. It was very real with nothing sensationalised. The book didn't seem like a novel, more of a social document which caused some discomfort to read. Average score was 4.5 stars.
03-10-2022
Interesting discussion engendered. Many significant themes - too many We wanted to know the significance of the 'Beast' - a range of theories were advanced, but none convinced.
03-10-2022
A time period we had never really read or thought about before. Well written!
03-10-2022
Everybody was very interested in reading and learning about that time in American history. The story was gripping.
21-09-2022
Excellent book set in a very short period of history - however it was a very turbulent and violent time of reconstruction and change. Interesting characters and plot.
18-08-2022
All enjoyed this book for the writing, the interesting period (immediately post U.S. Civil War, and for the story. Some found the characters fascinating, while some found them a bit unlikely - but on the whole, all approved!
16-08-2022
Generated good discussion and is worth reading. We enjoyed the interplay of relationships.
15-08-2022
Many found the topic of racism confronting. Powerful read.
06-05-2022
We all enjoyed the book bar one.
07-03-2022
Like reading poetry, so fabulous!!