The Sweetness of Water

In the spirit of The Known World and The Underground Railroad, a profound debut about the unlikely bond between two freedmen who are brothers and the Georgia farmer whose alliance will alter their lives, and his, forever. In the waning days of the Civil War, brothers Prentiss and Landry---freed by the Emancipation Proclamation---seek refuge on the homestead of white farmer 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 to the town of Old Ox from the war, hold their trysts in the woods. But when their secret is discovered, the resulting chaos brings convulsive repercussions for the entire community. With candor and sympathy, debut novelist Nathan Harris creates an unforgettable cast of characters, depicting Georgia in the violent crucible of Reconstruction. Equal parts beauty and terror, as gripping as it is moving, The Sweetness of Water is an epic whose grandeur locates humanity and love amid the most harrowing circumstances.

Genres

Content Warning

Racism

Want to edit this book?Become a Librarian

Popular Reviews

Reviews with the most likes.

Julia

Like the title, this book was really beautiful. I'm working with a lot of people with extensive trauma histories at work right now, so I was bracing for the tragedies I was pretty sure were going to unfold, not feeling totally sure about my capacity for non-escapist fiction right now. The central one was indeed wrenching, but I'm glad I stuck it out for what Harris captured about what can come after that.

April 23, 2022

Tim B

I think books like this only come once every few years. It was a delight to read the author's prose is fantastic and the story is fantastic. I do not generally give five star reviews unless the book is something magical that tells a great story and one that stays with you for awhile. This is one of those books.
I was a bit hesitant to read as it was an Oprah Book Club choice. I am glad I took the chance on it. Seriously a great read and one that should become a classic. It is a book of hope and how we should treat one another.

October 31, 2022

TimSupporter

I think books like this only come once every few years. It was a delight to read the author's prose is fantastic and the story is fantastic. I do not generally give five star reviews unless the book is something magical that tells a great story and one that stays with you for awhile. This is one of those books.
I was a bit hesitant to read as it was an Oprah Book Club choice. I am glad I took the chance on it. Seriously a great read and one that should become a classic. It is a book of hope and how we should treat one another.

October 30, 2022