The Sweetness of Water

Locations
Call Number: Fiction / Harris, Nathan, Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / Harris, Nathan
On Shelf At: Downtown Library, Malletts Creek Branch, Traverwood Branch, Westgate Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Fiction / Harris, Nathan	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Fiction / Harris, Nathan	4-week checkout	Due 05-07-2024
Malletts Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / Harris, Nathan	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Traverwood Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / Harris, Nathan	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Traverwood Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / Harris, Nathan	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / Harris, Nathan	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Pittsfield Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / Harris, Nathan	4-week checkout	Due 05-01-2024
Pittsfield Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / Harris, Nathan	4-week checkout	Due 04-26-2024

"Oprah's Book Club 2021" -- cover.
"In the waning days of the Civil War, brothers Prentiss and Landry, freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, seek refuge on the homestead of George Walker and his wife, Isabelle. The Walkers, wracked by the loss of their only son to the war, hire the brothers to work their farm, hoping through an unexpected friendship to stanch their grief. Prentiss and Landry, meanwhile, plan to save money for the journey north and a chance to reunite with their mother, who was sold away when they were boys. Parallel to their story runs a forbidden romance between two Confederate soldiers. The young men, recently returned from the war to the town of Old Ox, hold their trysts in the woods. But when their secret is discovered, the resulting chaos, including a murder, unleashes convulsive repercussions on the entire community. In the aftermath of so much turmoil, it is Isabelle who emerges as an unlikely leader, proffering a healing vision for the land and for the newly free citizens of Old Ox"-- Provided by publisher

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

Summary / Annotation
Author Notes

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Lots to like, but in the end I didn't love it submitted by Susan4Pax -prev. sueij- on June 20, 2022, 9:35pm What I liked most about this novel was that it addressed a time in US history that I’ve never encountered (in accessible, story form) before – the time and place that was the South in the moment the Civil War ended, enslaved people were freed, and slave owners had to contend with a new social order. It was a time of phenomenal upheaval, and white people were loathe to accept it. It’s a fantastic setting for a story, and I think the author did an excellent job showing (not just telling) viewpoints of those who were freed, Southern returning soldiers, Southerners with local power, Union officials trying to manage the situation, and local whites just trying to live their lives without particularly getting into the question of slavery.

Nonetheless, it took me two tries to get into the book, and the writing style itself only somewhat held my attention. I definitely got more pulled in as the story went along, but the first quarter or third were not as compelling to me. I think the main characters’ emotions at the start, which were meant to be dark and difficult, slowed the story and just were a hard place for me to get into.

Still, I’m glad I read this, and would definitely try another book by this author, especially if he continued to take on such interesting topics.

Hard to put down, beautiful perspective submitted by sunbeam44 on November 19, 2022, 9:20pm This book opens with a man in the woods of his vast land, avoiding being in his own home for fear of telling his wife what he learned that morning: their only son died in the Civil War. Right from the jump I was drawn in. The drama is perfect, never too much. I was regularly laughing out loud at the characters' personalities and senses of humor. And then, something terrible happens, and through the rest of the book I felt a mix of shock, fear, curiosity, sadness, then finally satisfaction. It's a very rich story, with beautiful characters, perfectly placed in time. I'm very excited for this young author's future novels.