“Beautiful prose and wonderful characters . . . an important book written by one of the great thinkers of our times. It’s a thriller, a historical how-to, a love story and a warning. I read it one long night and the next day pressed it into everyone’s hands. Brilliant.”
NO MAJOR SPOILERS
Just finished The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates. This terrific epic novel of the Underground Railroad will stay with you long after you finished reading it. This widely anticipated and well-received book made many best of the year book lists as it should have.
This is the story of Hiram Walker, a young man whose father owns the plantation he lives on and his mother who is a slave. His father brings Hiram into the main house after the mother is gone and his main job is to help keep his white brother in line. Here, Hiram has the intelligence and the personality to go along with it while his brother is nothing but an heir who will survive because others did things before him.
Unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned and because of an accident 2 things happen. His white brother died and Hiram discovers he has been blessed with a gift of sight which leads him inevitably to a desire to head up North on the underground railroad. Here we will meet Harriett Tubman who will help Hiram find his way
This is a well written, well defined novel that brings the dangers of the rail road to life. That there was so much to Lise on that road, as well as gain. Highly recommended
Reviewed by:
Richard Franco
Added 4th May 2020
