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There are currently 16 member reviews
for The Waters
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Alyce T. (San Antonio, TX)
Outstanding Book
Bonnie Jo Campbell has produced a masterpiece. I feel that The Waters will become a classic. The author's style of writing resembles Ernest Hemingway. The detail is engrossing not bogging. The story plot about a family on an island in Michigan that allows no men involves you in all aspects. Hermine "Herself" is a strong woman who has raised 3 daughters while being the healer for the adjoining town. Primrose, Maryrose and Rose Thorn are all loveable in different ways. I wish there was a higher rating than a 5. When I finished The Waters, I went to Chapter 1 and reread the first 50 pages again. It is a family you do not want to leave and a book that you do not want to end.
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Ann H. (Boulder, CO)
The Waters
What a great book! The author's descriptions of The Waters location and nearby village "Whiteheart" were so good you could almost picture yourself there - visiting Rose Cottage and Boneset Table. The complex family dynamics were powerful yet it was apparent all three daughters and granddaughter were loved by the elder Hermine "Herself" Zook, the local herbalist. A variety of themes were played out in the book - value of natural remedies, effects of pollution on the environment as well as incest and rape. Book clubs would have a lot to discuss with this book.
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Lloyde N. (Olympia, WA)
Rural Noir
I took on reading this book as a challenge, as I did not understand what the term "Rural Noir" meant. Basically, it means "Southern Crime Fiction". So, I have read the Los Angeles Crime Noir fiction of James Elroy, which is difficult to read because of it's graphic portrayal of crime, but if you hang in there you will be scuffed a bit, but rewarded for your diligence of a story well told. This book has strong female characters, firstly in "Herself" the heroine of the story, and her three daughters and her granddaughter Donkey. There's lots to like here, but I would get bogged down in some of the detail, and where the book was headed. An excellent slow, but not fast read. Well worth your time, and your reading time will be rewarded with a strong story line, and delving into part of the culture and pace of a section of the United States many readers know little of.
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Stephanie S. (Driftwood, TX)
Wow
Wow! I loved this book!! If I didn't have dogs that needed walking, I might have finished the second half in one sitting. As in so many good books, the Island and the Waters (the swampland around the island) were important characters in the story. The author's descriptions of the setting were so beautiful and so complete that I felt them come alive.
The women in the story reminded me of the women in Toni Morrison's 'Song of Solomon', strong, independent, and non-conforming. I was rooting for all of them, even when they were clearly in conflict with each other.
I would recommend this book to everyone. Get ready for a beautiful world inhabited by tough, beautiful and complicated women!
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Cheryl R. (Jeannette, PA)
The Waters
As I began to read, I didn't know if I'd be able to keep all the characters straight. But the story soon settled into a story of generations. A story of moms, daughters, and granddaughters. The tale of family joy, grief, and secrets unfolded with unexpected twists and turns. At first it seems like a story of women; but read closely. The story of the men of the town is woven in and gets stronger throughout the book. All the characters I thought I'd confuse came to life in this story of generations and relationships.
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Beverly J. (Waldorf, MD)
Swamps and Secrets
Fierce women, an atmospheric setting, weighty secrets, simmering rage, and magnificent storytelling are the necessary ingredients for noirish storylines.
Campbell's setting is an off-the-grid island in Michigan's Great Massasanga Swamp, "The Waters," and is home to the aging Hermine "Herself" Zook who has provided solace and solutions to women in the surrounding hardscrabble male-dominated communities.
The outside world starts to close in, and traditions and boundaries unravel, threatening long held explosive secrets to endanger not only a way of life but families and relationships.
This touching enchanting story is buoyed up by the endearing, often quirky, characters which will have readers turning pages until the very end.
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Debra F. (Cudjoe Key, FL)
Beware The Waters
A bit slow in the beginning. I really enjoyed the setting & the characters.
It is set in the swampy area of Michigan. A healer of sorts & her granddaughter live in an old cottage, with a dog, donkeys and chickens. Donkey is more comfortable around the donkeys, which gave her her name, & the chickens than people. Hermine/Herself take care of the people with folk medicine & 'herbs'. So many things occur throughout the book & it takes a while for things to start to come together & make sense, but it is worth the wait. Part dark fairy tale, part coming of age & adventure.
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