A review by speculativebecky
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates

5.0

The Water Dancer is the story of a young enslaved man named Hiram with a mysterious gift connected to his missing memories of his mother. I won’t say any more about the plot because the way it unfolds is worth experiencing fresh. I read some complaints about this book that the various elements didn’t work together, or that Coates’ nonfiction is better, but for me this was a pretty much perfect book. It’s a compelling read which juxtaposes a striking portrayal of the horror of American slavery with resistance infused with breathtaking magic. I absolutely loved the voice of Hiram’s narration, his reflections on how he viewed the world at nineteen and layers of insight realized in looking back were special notes throughout.⁣⁣