What do readers think of The Waters by Bonnie Jo Campbell? Write your own review.

This is a book that is not an easy read, but it is a very worthwhile one! It is beautifully written, strangely addictive and incredibly intense. This intensity though is what keeps you interested and sometimes on your seat as the story of three generations of women who either live or grew up on an island surrounded by a community that loves, fears and is strangely ambivalent about them unfolds. Hermine "Herself" Zook is the matriarch of a family of three daughters (Primrose (who lives in California and practices law),

Molly (who is a nurse in the community) and Rose Thorn (who is beautiful, lazy and struggles to …more understand herself)) and granddaughter, Dorothy "Donkey," a precocious 11-year-old when we meet her. Herself is a healer and maker of herbal potions craved by the women (and men who are not quite as open about this) but at the same time the legends, lore and suspicion that surrounds Herself makes her fearsome and strange. Herself married Wild Will Zook but she kicked him out at one point after he built her a big house off the island. The mysteries surrounding Wild Will and the origins of Donkey underpin the story as does the winsome but toxic love between Titus Clay, Jr. and Rose Thorn, which to the community represents a kind of fairy tale, perfect love that seems to inspire the community, resonate within the story line.

Donkey plays a pivotal role as she is the linchpin between Herself, Rose Thorn and Titus. There are many moments that are funny, compelling, but triumphant too. But, it is nature and the love of nature and animals (the two donkey Astrid and Triumph, the cow, Deliah, Ozma, the pet dog, and the Massasauga rattlesnake Donkey believes is her "sister") that underlie the telling of the story of these strong, compelling women. Moreover, this is a book about relationships: man to nature, woman to man, siblings to parents, friends to family, community to the world.

There is so much about the nature of the story - secrets, truths that must be exposed, acceptance of responsibilities, etc. - that if revealed in this review would give the story away. There is realness to this story that is unique - the characters all have such huge flaws that at times you just want to slap them and say "wake up, you're being stupid" - but isn't that what happens in real life?

There were moments when I had to stop reading too because the intensity could overwhelm me but persevering got to me to place of intense satisfaction when I was done reading. Suffice it to say, I’m glad I read this book. Highly recommend. (less)

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 …more do not want to leave and a book that you do not want to end. (less)

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.

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 …more 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. (less)

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 …more for a beautiful world inhabited by tough, beautiful and complicated women! (less)

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.

On an island in the Great Massasauga Swamp, an area known as “The Waters” to the residents of nearby Whiteheart, Michigan, herbalist and eccentric Hermine “Herself” Zook has healed the local women of their ailments for generations. As stubborn as her tonics are powerful, Herself inspires reverence and fear in the people of Whiteheart, and even in her own three estranged daughters. The youngest, the beautiful, inscrutable, and lazy Rose Thorn, has left her own daughter, eleven-year-old Dorothy “Donkey” Zook, to grow up wild.

Donkey spends her days searching for truths in the lush landscape and in her math books, …more waiting for her wayward mother and longing for a father, unaware that family secrets, passionate love, and violent men will flood through the swamp and upend her idyllic childhood. Rage simmers below the surface of this divided community, and those on both sides of the divide have closed their doors against the enemy. The only bridge across the waters is Rose Thorn.

With a “ruthless and precise eye for the details of the physical world” (Jane Smiley, New York Times Book Review), Bonnie Jo Campbell presents an elegant antidote to the dark side of masculinity, celebrating the resilience of nature and the brutality and sweetness of rural life. (less)

"The Water" by Bonnie Jo Campbell, and let me tell you, it's a powerful and raw collection of stories. Campbell's writing style really draws you in and captures the essence of the characters and their experiences. "The Water" explores themes of resilience, survival, and the human connection to nature. Each story is filled with vivid imagery and emotional depth, making it a truly immersive read. Campbell's ability to portray the complexities of human relationships and the struggles people face is truly impressive. If you enjoy thought-provoking and beautifully written stories, I definitely recommend giving "The Water" a read.