The Sweetness of Water (Oprah's Book Club): A Novel

“The Sweetness of Water” by Nathan Harris continues the tradition of emotionally moving novels based on the Reconstruction. It weaves together two stories, one about formerly enslaved people and another about Confederate soldiers, both scary when you consider the context. As with any dark period, we as readers take comfort in acts of kindness and humanity; therefore, seeing newly freedmen find a relationship with a grieving father in Georgia will engross you. The story goes like this: Prentice and Landry recently achieved freedom and sought paid work on George Walker’s Georgia farm. George and Isabelle mourned the death of their son in the war, but then young Caleb appeared on their doorstep in reasonably good shape. The kid has a major secret that led to his departure from the war. The flap warns us that this will lead to murder, but the tease leaves us wondering what will happen and how. Most books live or die on character development, and Harris does not spare details. He even gives a mute character an equal amount of humanity. In the land of former slave-owners and Confederates, this quickly could have gone off the rails and does not. Since the death occurs “on screen,” we witness a crime story in which the readers genuinely care about the victim and even the perpetrators, to an extent. At the halfway point of the novel, you do not know if you will be reading an adventure story, a morality tale, a crime drama, or a mixture of all of them. Harris makes all of these threads interesting enough that you will follow, regardless. I had trouble reading about unfair treatment and justice even though the author probably portrayed the assailants accurately. Our fights for victims’ justice are not new. I did not see the ending coming, and the deck was stacked against our heroes. One solution seemed too far-fetched and the other too depressing. Debut novelist Harris has some skills in achieving the appropriate balance. As a reader who subjects himself to alternating slavery and Holocaust novels, I did not go into this expecting to whistle as I closed the book and received a thorough emotional workout, as will you.

This is a wonderful first novel that is not without a few issues. First the good news: Nathan Hill is a very talented writer. Sometimes the gradual unfolding of the Sweetness of Water feels plodding, but not often. Hill is quite assured and his prose impressive. There are memorable passages and strong character development, particularly Prentiss and Landry and Isabelle. All three are wonderfully realized. A minor character named Mildred is also memorable. Problems arise with the characterization of this as "Gay Fiction" or LGBTQ friendly. I'm not sure why. The two gay characters are either a vicious sadist or a miserable, despicable coward who lets an innocent man die. Hardly a source of redemption or inspiration. Though you could argue that Caleb struggles successfully to atone for his cowardice and failings, one could also say he wouldn't require atonement had he not been so sniveling and pathetic. If Hill's argument is that LGBTQ are as imperfect as heterosexuals he will get no quarrel from me, though it seems a tenuous premise upon which to hang a fiction categorization. Perhaps my problem with these labels is we should by now, be well passed the point where fiction is queer or black or feminist and just human. As mentioned, at times the novel can be a bit slow but don't let that deter you. Nathan Hill is a genuine talent and the Sweetness of Water is a beautiful read.

I really loved this book. I can't believe it is a debut for this author. It was beautifully written and pulled me right in. I find I can read a book and forget it. Or read a book that I think about when I am not reading. This book did that for me. I also picture it as a movie!

Beautiful writing, so sad and yet deeply satisfying. These characters will stay with me long after I put this book down.

It’s approximately the late 1800’s when Landry and Prentiss show up at George and Isabel’s farm. They make a deal with George to help him plant in exchange for land they can use to make money. Eventually, they plan to move away from this part if the south and look for their mother, from whom they were separated for many years. The first half of the story allows us to get acclimated to the people in the coomunuty, the brothers and George’s family, including their son Caleb, who had deserted his army troop towards the end of the war. But then something huge happens, and the story takes a huge turn — it goes from being a sort of slice of life, with the rest of the times there in the background, to becoming a true post-Civil War tale of how white people treated Black people and how the government was, at least for a time, ineffectual, to make the necessary changes to protect the newly freed slaves. After this event, the main characters grow and change in ways that make them proud — some have no choice because of he circumstances, and others, need to if they can ever have a shred of self- respect. And beyond all this is a book about the different types of love in our lives whether it’s same gender, long term spouses, brothers, parents and children, friends, and other iterations. That’s pretty much the reason that the book is sweet and sad.

This book is so beautifully written - hard to believe it’s a debut novel and Nathan Harris was only 29 when he wrote it. If you like your books fast-paced then this is not for you but if you enjoy a good story (with a factual background) that is really well written then you will not be disappointed. By the end I felt I knew all the main characters personally and didn’t want to let them go!

A great story, not always a comfortable read but very rewarding. Worth all the time you take to read it.

This has been one of the most challenging books I've ever read. Set immediately after the US Civil war in a rural southern community. Heartbreaking, yet ends on an optimistic note. The prose was stunning. The stories were disquieting, some were very moving, some were truly gut wrenching - all were emotional and so very sad. I sobbed at “I can carry him, I've carried him my whole life.” This was an astounding novel.

Beautifully written novel dealing with very real problems of the time. Heartbreaking and enriching at the same time. I loved every word

This was a very good novel, with a smart and well-developed plot. The main characters are presented by an omniscient narrator who draws the reader into the world of each protagonist. The author covers numerous themes that can relate to today's world, which I found made this novel worth my time to read.