“You know,” George said, “when I look in the mirror in the morning I see a miserable old bastard looking back at me. Yet when I see you, I take great comfort, knowing how much progress I have left to make on that same path.”

 

Sunrise over the Tasman Bridge. Hobart. August 2021.

The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris

A terribly sad and decidedly still novel, this is not at all as I expected. I was pleasantly surprised by the light touch that Harris has applied to what is a brutal tale. Set in the south in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, I understood that the book would tackle issues of race and sexuality.

Before starting, I was prepared for either an affected and anachronistic (but largely 'worthy') book or one that embraced the usual machismo (with a queer twist). This is neither. It weaves twin narratives quite effortlessly in a quiet way. The weak but thoroughly decent George Walker is at the centre, who anchors the novel to allow the natural exploration of themes not usually found in such books.

Reminiscent of Sebastian Barry’s work, The Sweetness of Water is a lovely, lyrical novel. Moreover, Harris's fine writing achieves the complex interweaving of the grand and the intimate and explores what can be burdensome themes deftly at a personal level.

An awe-inspiring debut; I look forward to reading more from this author.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐