The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
A mixed bag of responses from Brunch Book Club; a number of us struggled to get into and it wasn’t until around Part 2 that we really got stuck in. As ever, it sparked a beautiful discussion with great topics and thoughts debated. So for that it gets a thumbs up!
Young Hiram Walker was born into bondage. When his mother was sold away, Hiram was robbed of all memory of her — but was gifted with a mysterious power. Years later, when Hiram almost drowns in a river, that same power saves his life. This brush with death births an urgency in Hiram and a daring scheme: to escape from the only home he’s ever known. (From Goodreads)
I am very conflicted about this book; on the one hand, it is perhaps the most beautifully written book I have read so far this year — the contrast between the poetic prose and the acts of violence being narrated really stuck with me. On the other hand, the pacing of the narrative was all over the place, sometimes too slow and, when the story deserved more space to breathe, it all happened in a matter of a couple of pages. I loved the idea of the mysterious power alluded to in the blurb but felt like it was under-utilised, perhaps because the author did not want to take away the real struggle that people went through to escape slavery by suggesting there was a quick magical way of doing it. Still, since the power was introduced, I would have loved to see the full potential of it. I would still recommend it as a masterclass in beautiful prose and for the many great characters the author created.
