The Sweetness of Water

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism, antigay bias, and graphic violence.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Compare and contrast The Sweetness of Water with classic novels set during the Civil War or the Reconstruction Era, such as Stephen Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage and Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind. How does Harris’s novel offer a distinct perspective and bring underrepresented voices into the conversation about this time period?

2. How does this story resemble and stand out from other novels about newly emancipated individuals, like The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate and Carolina Built by Kianna Alexander? How do these authors use the historical fiction genre to confront the past, and how do their works differ in themes and tone?

3. The novel’s ending mingles tragedy, suspense, and hope through George’s death, Caleb’s vague letter, and Isabelle’s new mission for the farm. Did you find this a satisfying resolution to the work’s themes and character arcs? Why or why not?