The Sweetness of Water

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 BOOKER PRIZE AND SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 DYLAN THOMAS
PRIZE

A TIMES BEST PAPERBACK 2022, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 2021, OPRAH BOOK CLUB
PICK AND BARACK OBAMA SELECTION

'A fine, lyrical novel, impressive in its complex interweaving of the grand
and the intimate, of the personal and political' Observer

Landry and Prentiss are two brothers born into slavery, finally freed as the
American Civil War draws to its bitter close. Cast into the world without a
penny to their names, their only hope is to find work in a society that still
views them with nothing but intolerance.

Farmer George Walker and his wife Isabelle are reeling from a loss that has
shaken them to their core. After a chance encounter, they agree to employ the
brothers on their land, and slowly the tentative bonds of trust begin to
blossom between the strangers.

But this sanctuary survives on a knife's edge, and it isn't long before a
tragedy causes the inhabitants of the nearby town to turn their suspicion onto
these new friendships, with devastating consequences.

'[A] highly accomplished debut' Sunday Times

Readers have been swept away by The Sweetness of Water:

'Such a powerful, magnificent book; I urge you to read it. The comparisons
with Colson Whitehead are justified' *****

'A staggering debut and a story that stays with you' *****

'Thought-provoking and moving . . . a gripping and compelling novel that
exposes flaws, mixed emotions and imperfect relationships, and yet it holds on
with determination and hope. It fully deserves a 5-star rating' *****

'Outstanding . . . A book that deserves widespread recognition and a wide
audience' *****