cc_shelflove's review
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
To date, I’ve read quite a few historical novels surrounding slavery and the civil rights movement. Up there with Take My Hand, this may be one of the most gripping, cruel, and powerful accounts of racism I’ve encountered. When the “white lady,” Miss Katherine St. James, turns up on the black side of Ricksville, Mississippi, all hell breaks loose. A young girl named Ella becomes increasingly curious about Miss St. James’s intentions. While Ella is snooping, the two form a highly unexpected bond. There is a lot I can say about Miss St. James’s past, but I think it is best to go into this one blind. Nkrumah did such an amazing job with this novel, including pieces of true American history such as the story of three civil rights workers who were killed by the KKK in 1964. A book I will not easily forget, and it was a debut?! Wow.
“On the way home from Nate’s, I thought about what I had heard. I wondered why some people hated black people so much when they had gotten so much out of them. Worked them to the bone in slavery and yet called them lazy. That didn’t make sense.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Sexual violence, Slavery, Cursing, Racial slurs, Murder, Sexual content, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Racism, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, and Mental illness
Moderate: Blood, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
Minor: Self harm, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content
readingwithtrey's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Wade in the Water is a coming of age debut told through dual story lines and POVs. One story is that of Katherine St. James, a white woman who grew up in the Jim Crow south. The other is the story of Ella, a Black girl struggling to find her way in 1980s Mississippi. When their lives intertwine, they both find more than they bargained for.
Wow, you guys, this one was TOUGH. I have so many conflicting emotions. My heart broke for Ella. The odds were stacked against her from birth, and I just really wanted to jump in the book and hold her so tight. Her chapters made me cry so many tears.
I honestly don’t know where to start with Katherine St. James. Her chapters made me sick to my stomach and were so hard to get through. She did give me hope that someone with so much hate can actually be somewhat rehabilitated. This is where the book lost a star for me. I won’t discredit the work she was doing, but I felt that her growth was lacking and kind of left unfinished. Her conscience was basically fighting for its life, but the hate instilled in her by her father was still evident even after her “changing.”
I do think this was an excellent debut and should be required reading. It’s a great conversation starter and would be a great book club pick!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Murder, Death, Racism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Rape
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