Book Review - The Water Dancer

This was my book club pick for July. I was so hoping that I could make a really good Southern spread for my book club - BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches, collard greens, steamed okra, corn on the cob, etc... But alas, the dumpster fires of 2020 rage on so again we meet by Zoom. 

This book is lovely and deeply emotional. Hiram is a slave. He was born into slavery and then his mother was sold. He cannot remember his mother but has heard stories of her magic power. When he experiences the magic himself, he has so many wonders about his mother. The imagery of the magic of this book and the memories which keep the magic alive are so beautiful and yet so haunting. I really enjoy how the story is told, there's a surprise with every chapter. And some of those surprises are absolutely awful, because, well, slavery. I think reading about the betrayal is my least favorite, simply because I had been rooting for Hiram the entire time not wanting him to have any setbacks (possibly a spoiler?? Possibly not??). 

Sometimes the book stalled out, almost as if Hiram lost himself. Almost as if the book was going to end and become a short story instead of a full novel. It seemed there could be an ending at a few different spots but then there was an added twist to the story and once more, it would be an engaging read, which can be a telltale of a first novel - or so I've noticed with the last few first novels that I've read. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but just an observation.

I also like how this author provides us with an alternate history - with the added magic of Conduction and the memories that Hiram has, this books leads me to believe that slavery - in this book - had a better outcome than reality. Systemic racism still reaches everyone today. I also really love how Harriet Tubman appears and is known as Moses, a magician in the book. It makes the wonderment of history and the hope that slaves escaped instead of died so much more. Reading about Harriet Tubman as Moses made me stop to think - and read up on The Underground Railroad more to refresh my memories from school, and also learn new things since they don't teach everything you need to know.

I really enjoyed this book. And find it appropriate to read this summer - with all the racial tensions, this is something that you can physically buy to support a Black author and to raise Black voices.