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The Sweetness of Water
- Narrated by: William DeMeritt
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
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The Sweetness of Water
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Summary
An Obama Summer Reading Choice and New York Times best seller
An extraordinary novel of life after slavery for listeners of Washington Black, The Underground Railroad and Days without End.
In the dying days of the American Civil War, newly freed brothers Landry and Prentiss find themselves cast into the world without a penny to their names. Forced to hide out in the woods near their former Georgia plantation, they're soon discovered by the land's owner, George Walker, a man still reeling from the loss of his son in the war.
When the brothers begin to live and work on George's farm, the tentative bonds of trust and union begin to blossom between the strangers. But this sanctuary survives on a knife's edge, and it isn't long before the inhabitants of the nearby town of Old Ox react with fury at the alliances being formed only a few miles away.
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Critic reviews
"Better than any debut novel has a right to be." (Richard Russo)
"A fine, lyrical novel, impressive in its complex interweaving of the grand and the intimate, of the personal and political." (Observer)
"[A] highly accomplished debut." (Sunday Times)
What listeners say about The Sweetness of Water
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andri
- 09-05-22
Loved it
I loved this book. It is beautifully written and the characters are clearly observed. The theme of the supposed end of slavery in America after their Civil War is thought provoking. I found William DeMeritt’s gentle and sensitive narration enabled me to immerse myself fully into the story.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- AJCW
- 26-09-21
Beautifully Written Excellent Narration
Loved this - it will stay with me and I highly recommend it. Such a tender tale set in a harsh time in history.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Granny Banny
- 29-12-21
Lovely, heartrending story
Gentle lovely story beautifully narated. I can imagine a follow-up one day. Thank you
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Laura
- 05-02-23
Beautiful
This story really allows the reader to travel back to the time depicted with all its hope, and prejudice. You are completely immersed. It is so well written and beautifully crafted. The narrator brings it to life. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- kitty
- 12-08-23
Fantastic read... No spoilers
I highly recommend this book. It is voiced by a talented performer who draws you into the story. The story itself is wonderful it starts off a little sad but the ending is wonderful.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 30-03-22
Fantastic narrator
Really good story but it times felt it dragged. Wonderful narrator. Recommend this book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 26-02-22
Glad I stayed with it
A little put off by the alow start and strong accents, this built quite quickly into a really good story and the narration improved it further. Interesting slice of American history.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ninaminacat
- 25-10-21
Exceptionally good performance of an emotive novel
This astonishing debut novel is about so much more than the consequences of a small landholder offering two freedmen paid work on his land. It's about racism, yet also about love and human relationships and about individuals' perceptions of how well they can know someone else, the common ground which they share but equally the rift between them; it's also about courage and second chances; it can plumb the depths of despair, while also offering hope, and about holding on to personal ideals in the face of opposition; more concisely, it reveals so much about what it means to be a human being.
The characters are so well written (and so superbly performed by William DeMeritt) that I felt I knrw them personally, a fact which led to some heart stopping moments, since I was sufficiently invested in the protagonists to only wanted the best for them. It's only the ending over which I am torn; initially I found it somewhat unsatisfying but, on reflection, I began to wonder if it weren't a clever way of putting the reader in the same position as the characters.
I am sorry that this emotive novel, which captures both the characters and the historical setting so decisively, hasn't been included in the Man Booker Prize shortlist, though it was, of course, long- listed. I hope it will succeed further with another award - and I shall certainly be looking out for the future works of Nathan Harris.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- JAO
- 13-12-22
Reflective and Subtle
Thoroughly recommended this sensitive and educational book about racism, Southern defeat in the American Civil War, and the existence of decency among barbarians. The writing is not sweet or sentimental, but gripping and written with subtlety and feeling. The quality of the writing reminds me of Colson Whitehead’s “The Underground Railway”. Listen.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- SERA Bluefalcon
- 08-01-22
awesome debut novel
the narrative is preformed very well. bit the story is the very best part. as it should be with such a award winning novel.
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