Troubled Waters
by Mary Annaïse Heglar
Narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt
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Pub Date May 07 2024 | Archive Date Jun 07 2024
HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse
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Description
In this intimate portrait of two generations, a granddaughter and a grandmother come to terms with what it means to be family, Black women, and alive in a world on fire.
The world is burning—and Corrine will do anything to put out the flames. After her brother died aboard an oil boat on the Mississippi River in 2013, Corrine awakened to the realities of climate change and its perpetrators. Now, a year later, she finds herself trapped in a lonely cycle of mourning both her brother and the very planet she stands on. She’s convinced that in order to save her future, she has to make sure that her brother’s life meant something. But in the act of honoring her brother’s spirit, she resurrects family ghosts she knows little about—ghosts her grandmother Cora knows intimately.
The world is burning—but it always has been. Cora’s ghosts have followed her from her days as a child integrating schools in 1950s Nashville to her new life as a mother, grandmother, and teacher in Mississippi. As a child of the civil rights movement, she’s done her best to keep those specters away from her granddaughter. She faced those demons, she reasons to herself, so that Corinne would never know they existed.
When Corrine’s plan to stage a dramatic act of resistance peels back the scabs of her family wounds and puts her safety in jeopardy, both grandmother and granddaughter must bring their unspoken secrets into the light to find a path to healing. Their world hangs in the balance as past and future meet in the present moment.
In heartfelt, lyrical prose, Mary Annaïse Heglar weaves an unforgettable story of the climate crisis, Black resistance, and the enduring power of family.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Audiobook, Unabridged |
| ISBN | 9781400248131 |
| PRICE | |
| DURATION | 9 Hours, 18 Minutes, 27 Seconds |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Deonka K, Reviewer
Oh my this book had me emotional for so many reasons 😭! This was really good book . Just to know that some of family members had to endure some of the most terrible things known to mankind . It just breaks my heart. I feel like book highlights the difference in generations of blk people and how things may seem like they are better but also still the same just different situations. Prepare yourself to feel every emotion while reading this book ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Kaysi C, Reviewer
Definitely loved every minute of this story.
The narrator's voice was so beautiful
The fact that the author incorporated her family into the story was top tier. This alone added so much depth to the story
A beautifully heartbreaking but inspiring story. I will be adding this to my trophy shelf!
Alex G, Reviewer
Bravo! I absolutely loved everything about this book especially the themes of grief, maternal relationships, and of course climate change.
Isabel D, Reviewer
“Troubled Waters" is a powerful narrative that intertwines the lives of a granddaughter and grandmother, exploring their struggles with racial and environmental justice across generations.
Heglar’s meticulous background research (and thoughtfully added personal experiences) made this book fit a branch of historical fiction I love. As a climate scientist, I often find themes of climate change and climate justice hard to successfully portray in a story without it feeling like a topic thrown in sans purpose to the overall narrative. That is not the case here; the clear but often overlooked connections between climate and society provided profound depth to Corrine’s story. I appreciated how "Troubled Waters" linked topics of generational trauma, grief, activism, family, and healing, showcasing the enduring strength and resilience of Black women against a backdrop of societal and environmental turmoil.
Joniece Abbott-Pratt’s narration brings the characters to life with incredible personality and vibrancy, I loved her storytelling. Highly recommend.
Jamie C, Reviewer
You have to read this! Or rather listen. First off the narration is perfection. It is everything! She could read me the phone book from 1989 and I would listen.
This story completely swept me away. I am always thinking about climate change, so I completely got Corrine's perspective. I want her to succeed. I felt for her.
And Cora went through some seriously painful stuff. She wants her grandbaby to not get hurt. I got her too!
I loved the relationships between the characters. I also loved the science and the history. It was all clearly well researched. I could not get enough of this book.
Thania S, Reviewer
Troubled Waters dives deep into the intertwined journeys of Corrine and her grandmother Cora, as they navigate personal grief and confront the imminent threat of climate change. Corrine’s quest for justice after her brother’s tragic death on an oil boat, leads her to become an activist, while Cora’s past as a civil rights activist adds layers of complexity to their family’s history.
In Troubled Waters, Heglar highlights the interconnectedness between individual lives and the broader issues facing our planet. Different decades, different fights and types of activism, but the same lasting power of love, resilience, and intergenerational wisdom.
The author's "After the Word," where she reflects on her own family history, is powerful and touching and adds to the story’s impact.
Thank you @bibliolifestyle, @harpermusebooks, and HarperCollins Focus for the opportunity to experience this powerful narrative.
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