5 + + + + stars for The Water Dancer by Tai-Nehisi Coates. One of the first historical fiction books I read on slavery was Cane River and until this day there hasn’t been a book about slavery that I felt was as powerful as that. Now I must say that I have found its match in The Water Danced. Coates has written a very powerful, important novel on slavery, family loss and the Underground Railroad. My favorite books are ones in which I slow my reading down, absorb every word and hope that when it is over I can find another quality book to enjoy. The Water Dancer has many powerful messages. It incorporates, slavery, the separation and love of family and a little bit of fantasy to produce a very dramatic, powerful novel that will leave you emotionally drained. This MUST be added to your reading list. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC and for introducing me to a new outstanding author, Tai-Nehisi Coates. Out September 24, 2019.

I loved this book. It will be one of the most talked about of the year. Wonderful prose that makes you think and dream. Powerful, magical, real stuff.

The Water Dancer is a difficult book to write a review about. It has the makings of a classic novel. It is topical, beautifully written, and unlike any book I have ever read. But there was something in the story—the way it meandered, sometimes bringing particular scenes to what felt like dead ends. On one hand, I recommend this book because Ta-Nehisi Coates has a way of writing sentences that are unlike any other writer. Yet, on the other hand, it is a book that I was not left with any residual feelings. That is what I want from a book, to be haunted by the tale. The Water Dancer is so close to being a must-read, if only it was edited in such a way that I was caught up by the flow rather than swimming erratically in it.

A gorgeous, powerful novel. This story is beautifully written, and perfectly blends these powers Hiram finds with the complex and tragic world of slave-holding Virginia. I loved the characters, and the way that the plantations and cities were characters as well. I hope we see more novels from Coates.

The water dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates

This is a vivid and beautiful piece of artistry and I tip my hate to the author. I really loved the slave narrative and how it really shaped the whole book. It takes place, for the most part, in Virginia at a plantation called Lockless.
The story centres around Hiram , he remembers almost nothing of his mother and he is the black son of the plantation owner., fairly common back in those days. He also possesses a memory like you wouldn’t believe, and another talent that I won’t spoil because, believe me, you need to read this book. This story will captivate you and pull your right into a life of slave brutality, devastating losses and the death of ones self. The book is so powerfully written that I’m going to need a few days to digest what I read and then read the whole thing again. I know the author usually writes non-fiction but I had never heard of them before. I don’t read non-fiction either but I’m actually quite tempted to give this author a shot.

The slaves are aptly named the tasked, and they crave so much more than they have. They yearn for freedom, and to feel part of the world that has little care for them. Freedom comes from an unusual place, and a little magical realism is played here. The characters, really bring to the light the struggles and the heartaches that come from being so disenfranchised and low ranking in a world they don’t really understand.

I adored the pace of the novel. I never found it slow and I really was heart torn watching their stories unfold. If you love a little heartbreak in your novels and profound determination then this is the novel for you.

I give it 4.5 stars out of 5. I wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it was and I really am blown away by the imagination and realism that was bought to life in these pages. I have 4 words to say….. GO BUY IT NOW!

A beautifully written, important book. I had trouble getting into this at first and didn't love the mystical side of it, but I loved the historical aspect and feel that although it's a heavy read, it's a great one!

A riveting tale of legacy, memory, family, and the meaning of freedom. Coates masterfully weaves together multiple narratives and themes together in a genre-bending debut that reads as part historical fiction, part fantasy, and part memoir, with a touch of manga. The world of the story has been meticulously researched and presents as authentic as the world we currently behold around us.

Though the pace of the novel takes its time getting revved up, once the story is in full flow, this title does not want for action or entertainment. Undergirding the entire story is a complex dissection of the old America and slavery, replete with fresh perspectives on the major character types striving to both dismantle and uphold the institution. Coates's foray into fiction is strong, and his commentary on the humanity of Old American's of all types is thought-provoking.

The beauty of this novel was in Coates' exploration of the emotional toll of bondage and the price an enslaved person pays while denying themselves for the sake of their survival. He only lightly touched on the most brutal aspects of slavery, just to remind us of how harsh realities could be, focusing the majority of his efforts on showing the nuance in the resistance fighting. His break down of why white people fight in the resistance vs. black people might be the best thing I've read all year. I've not been able to pick up another book, this one is still on me much like a cloak. My visual review is on my instagram! @BlkEmilyDickinson

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B1thIZgAeI9/?hl=en

Ta-Nehisi Coates' first novel does not disappoint. It is a work of historical fiction and fantasy, focusing on Hiram Walker, a slave on a tobacco plantation in Virginia. Hiram's journey leads him to become an agent for the Underground, where he eventually uses his magical ability of "Conduction" - as well as his intelligence and skills of forgery and penmanship - to help enslaved people escape to freedom. This book started out a bit slow for me, but I stuck with it, and I am so glad I did. The characters are all beautifully drawn, the historical detail and setting very convincing, and the emotional impact is significant. I was in tears as I finished this book. It really was an impressive novel, and I plan to read it again soon. I'll definitely be recommending it to all of our patrons when it arrives in our library. I also plan to order this on audio.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review

If you've never experienced the beautiful magic of Ta-Nehisi Coates' writing, it's time to add him to your TBR. In his first steps into fiction, Coates brings us the tale of Hiram(Hi) Walker, a slave on a Virginia plantation in the mid-1800's. With little to no memory of his mother and the property of his white father, the owner of the plantation, Hiram soon finds himself called to the big house to serve his half brother Maynard. As the boys grow, an incident will occur that will show Hiram his true inheritance and set him on a path towards freedom.

I read this one at a fairly slow pace. A choice I made on purpose because of the seriousness of the subject matter. Coates shows the brutality of slavery, the dehumanizing nature in which people were "Tasked" and if they misbehaved or tried to escape were sold and sent "Natchez way."

A novel that I eagerly anticipated and one which I hope many will pick up and join the conversation.


Goodreads review published 02/09/19
Publication Date 24/09/19

What an amazing debut novel for Ta-Nehisis Coates! I did little else while reading this. A unique telling of slavery and the Underground Railroad that captures the imagination, grabs your heart, steals your breath and kidnaps your emotions. Loved it! I anticipate a bestseller status for the beautifully imagined and elegantly written novel.

This was a heavy book, and the one that I spent the longest time reading in quite awhile. I had a hard time getting through it.

The story centered around Hiram, a slave in Virginia and his experiences trying to become free. There’s a bit of a magical realism to this story.

There’s really a lot to unpack with this and I feel like I probably didn’t pick up all of the themes presented. I’ve never read this author before but I’m curious to see his other work.

I think this is an important novel, and I’m sure one that will be talked about for quite awhile. It’s not a light read, plan on taking some time with it. Many thanks to Netgalley and One World for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hiram Walker is a young man who is a descendant of a family with the very special talent of “conduction”. Hiram is unable to remember much about his mother, outside of what he is told, and is fathered by the master of the plantation his family is confined to. When Hiram makes the decision to run for his freedom, he is met with many challenges, ones that are expected of a Black man trying to make his way north, but also understanding who he is and how to hone his powers that lie within.

This is a story that is multifaceted in its approach to fantasy in the time of slavery in America, but is at the same time targeted in educating the reader about many atrocities that occurred during this time in history which includes rape, medical/scientific experimentation and the separation of black families for profit.

So pleased with Ta-Nehisi’s embarking into fiction, while still staying true in educating the masses!

I already knew, from reading his nonfiction, that Ta-Nehisi Coates was a genius, but now I know that his brilliance extends to fiction too. This book was amazing. It was a bit of a slow starter for me, and at first I thought it was maybe also too mystical for my taste, but by the end I didn’t even care anymore, because the whole thing was so perfect and compelling. The story, the people, the relationships, the philosophy. The underpinnings of connection and family and what it means to have agency. The tightly written plot and the astounding complexity and growth of the people. The commentary on slavery and society and justice. I’ve read plenty of historical fiction about slavery, but nothing like this. I can’t even put into words how illuminating this book was. I loved it so much. Everyone should read it.

Coates, while a difficult read, always comes through with his storytelling. I've loved reading his Black Panther run and this blows it out of the water. Great read.

Very good book. Not purchasing because it won't fit in our middle school collection. Good for large high school collections.

This was a little rough to read at times. The story flowed nicely and the following of one character made it that much more powerful. I'm having a hard time writing a complete review but I've recommended this to people on twitter.

This is Coates' first work of fiction and I think it will easily enter the ranks of classic literature. It follows Hiram, the son of a plantation owner and an enslaved woman. When his mother dies, Hiram is gifted with a mysterious power that both haunts and saves his life on numerous occasions. This attracts the attention of the underground, who witness Hiram's power and want him to use it to free enslaved individuals. As a result, Hiram experiences the freedom of the North and the last of Southern aggression. However, Hiram is drawn to his roots and he cannot forget the dying plantation in Virginia and the family he left behind.

The story is hard to classify because it contains elements of historical fiction with fantasy and even some alternative history as it progresses. I would recommend reading it without any expectations. Coates also has a very unique style of writing, which weaves mysticism and an omniscient narrative into the story. It's well-written and different than any other book written about slavery and its effect. This book was hard for me to review because while objectively I understand that it's a masterful piece of literature, I personally did not really get into the story or the characters. However, I think this is a VERY important book to read in the current political and social climate.

Ta-Nehisi Coates understands something big and he understands it better than anyone else right now. This book led me on a journey up and down the landscape of American slavery with a narrative that feels like the Book of Exodus meets, well, Ta-Nehisi Coates. That may be a dumb way of putting it, but that’s my attempt to give the sense of the scope of this novel. In four hundred pages I have laughed, I have cried, I have been educated, and I have been enlightened. Ta-Nehisi writes with wisdom about wisdom, he writes with liberation about liberation, and he writes with an honesty that can only come from a sublime, even spiritual, understanding of the psychologies of the white man and the black man in America. There is so much to be gleaned from this surprising and engaging narrative, I would be disappointed in myself if I don't re-read this within a year of its publication.

Thanks to the Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of “The Water Dancer” by Ta-Nehisi Coates. I was invested in Hiram Walker’s life, his dedication to loved ones and friends, his quest for freedom, and his struggle to understand an inherited gift of conduction from page 1 to the end of the novel. Hiram, the son of a white plantation owner and a slave mother, lived on a plantation, Lockless, in Virginia. Hiram had a keen memory but possessed vague memories of a mother sold to another plantation owner when he was a child; there is a unique link between these memories, water, and conduction. Initially, Hiram was destined to a life of servitude caring for his irresponsible, self-absorbed white half-brother Maynard, but a twist of fate intervened. Hiram encounters characters from the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman, slave snatchers, abolitionists, sell-outs, and freed blacks through his repeated travels from Virginia to Philadelphia. Throughout the novel, Hiram tries to understand, control and access the power of Conduction.

Mr. Coates uses lyrical and creative language, and slaves are called “Tasked”; the landowners, “Quality”; and the poor whites, “the Low.” His use of the term conduction to show an affinity of slaves to water intrigued me, especially when they were shipped from Africa, transported to plantations, and attempted escapes to freedom. He used Conduction as a mystical device to transport individuals from one place to another. The mysticism did not bother me since I read “Exit West,” and the author used this device to transport refugees from one country to another by mystical doors in their quest for a better life. I appreciated the fact that Hiram never lost his humility and love for others throughout his journey. I felt I had a deeper understanding of why some slaves jumped overboard during the Middle Passage after reading “The Water Dancer.” I never thought about it from an “African” spiritual perspective.

I applaud Mr. Coates for writing this book. It is a thought-provoking and challenging book to read. I plan to purchase this book in September and recommend it to my colleagues and book club members.