“They are both weaned on the religion of society, of slavery, which holds that for no particularly good reason one of them will live in the palace, while the other will be condemned to the dungeon.”

I really enjoyed the story of this book. However, I did feel like it moved very slowly. I felt myself skimming through some pages, but I found many phenomenal quotes and I did enjoy the book. Thank you for the opportunity to read!

A beautifully written totally absorbing novel,a novel of literary fiction of magic realism.This novel drew me in kept me turning the pages Avery special original novel.#netgalley#randomhouse,

This is a magical realism, narrative novel set in the waning years of Antebellum Virginia: when tobacco plantations were no longer fertile and rich slave-owners had to start selling off their property...humans, inanimate objects, and animals.

The protagonist is the slave son of the master. How Hiram is left without his mother on the plantation is not revealed until the very end of the story. Lots of things happen in between, including escapes, recapture, crossing paths with Harriet Tubman, secret identities and agendas revealed.

It was interesting reading this right after reading the ADC of "Stolen," which was about the Reverse Underground Railroad that snatched free blacks from the north and sold them into slavery in the south. I was honestly ambivalent when reading this story, until about two-thirds of the way through when I was ALL in and could hardly breathe.

Recommended for fans of fantastic historical fiction.

I was so excited when I learned that Ta-Nehisi Coates was writing a fiction book, and this did not disappoint. The writing and characters were so strong, and the world he built so fully described, that I didn’t even mind that the magical elements turned out to be more like metaphors than actual logical plot points.

This was a different sort of novel for me to read, but I enjoyed it. It was deep and highly moving. Both the storyline and characters were interesting and keep me hooked. I highly recommend!

Ta-Nehisi Coates writes beautifully — we know this much. Whether crafting a personal essay or a graphic novel adventure, Coates is a powerhouse.

The Water Dancer is an effective mingling of history, tragedy, reality, and mythic possibility. Coates crafts a character and universe that reflects concerns and questions about the planet we live on.

The best fiction causes us to respond to the painful truths that surround us. The Water Dancer is among the best of fiction.

I really wanted to like this, because I like Coates, but I found it too confusing. I didn't finish it.