Hiram Walker was born and raised on a plantation in Virginia, in many ways no different than the countless others throughout the South. His mother was one of “the Tasked” (read: slaves), sold away during hard times when Hiram was only nine years old. His father, a member of “the Quality” (read: rich, powerful, white), the owner of the estate to which Hiram is bound. Heritage brings no privilege for Hiram, however. Regardless of how much he may wish to be part of the family, he is left adrift, devoid even of the simple memories of his mother. Years later, after nearly drowning and miraculously escaping death, Hiram decides to attempt another escape: this time from a life of oppression. Thus begins a journey which entwines him with the powerful force of the Underground (read: Railroad) while also revealing the magical power that flows through his bloodline.
The Water Dancer is Coates’ first published foray into the world of the novelist, undoubtedly proving that his talents are not just limited to non-fiction. The beauty of his writing in this book is genuinely impressive, immersive in a way that suggests a depth of experience and wisdom in the craft. With emphasis on telling a genuine story from the perspective of “the Tasked,” Coates has taken a unique approach to an oft written-about subject. Clearly labelling that the tale of the white owner has been told time and time again, Coates adopts the lens of the slaves deliberately and masterfully. The prose reads like a hauntingly beautiful interior monologue or personal journal juxtaposed with the everyday journey through the living hell of slavery. Each sentence is dense with meaning, best read slowly and with care, down to the precision of the language used. Coates makes deliberate word choices in order to communicate meaning throughout this tale, such as substituting the common labels of “slaves” and “slave owners” for new terms such as “the Tasked” and “the Quality.” Doing so expands the pre-existing meaning of the old language, removing common assumptions and leaving the reader open to be influenced by Coates, to view his characters through a different lens.
Coates also skilfully makes use of dichotomies throughout, pairing disparate concepts to emphasise his themes. He examines the life of “the Tasked” at both the individual and family level, weaving a very personal tale of families then emphasising how they are repeatedly torn apart. Hiram is faced with the unique situation of having a great intellect and superior memory, yet having no clear recall of his mother. How can one be so powerful and yet powerless at the same time? Perhaps this echoes the lives of “the Tasked,” who are looked down upon and treated absolutely inhumanely, yet possess the skills that “the Quality” depend upon to keep the plantations running – and furthermore, possess the power and strength to bolster themselves through the unthinkable, looking forward to a day when they will walk free. Coates also deftly conveys the complexity systems of oppression, demonstrating both the physical and mental control inherent in the practice of slavery. Hiram struggles with new opportunities as they are presented to him, particularly in contrast with the familiarity of the life that he has always known on the plantation. When presented with freedom, he hesitates to fully move forward and embrace it, showing that he remains bound even in ways that are not visible to the naked eye.
The Water Dancer inevitably draws to mind Colson Whitehead’s National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Underground Railroad, not just because of the subject matter but also due to the way this subject is handled. Just as Whitehead takes history and twists it by making the Railroad a physical construct, so does Coates use magical realism as a mechanism of the Underground in his novel. This added layer, both fantastical and yet highly symbolic, elevates the novel, creating a profound reading experience. The subject matter is quite obviously heavy and the writing is sharp, evoking great feeling throughout the novel. As such, much like Whitehead’s other recent novel The Nickel Boys, one must pace themselves through this read due to the weight it carries. The time and attention required, however, is undoubtedly multiplied in what this novel gives back to the reader.
Ta-Nehisi Coates is the author of the 2015 National Book Award winner Between The World And Me. He is also the author of the bestselling books The Beautiful Struggle and We Were Eight Years in Power. Coates is currently a writer in residence at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, as well as the author of the Marvel comics The Black Panther and Captain America. The Water Dancer, a selection for Oprah’s Book Club, is his first fiction novel to be published.
The Water Dancer is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers. Sincere thanks to One World Books and NetGalley for the gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Young Hiram Walker was born into bondage. When his mother was sold away, Hiram was robbed of all memory of her—but was gifted with a mysterious power. Years later, when Hiram almost drowns in a river, that same power saves his life. This brush with death births an urgency in Hiram and a daring scheme: to escape from the only home he’s ever known.
So begins an unexpected journey that takes Hiram from the corrupt grandeur of Virginia’s proud plantations to desperate guerrilla cells in the wilderness, from the coffin of the deep South to dangerously utopic movements in the North. Even as he’s enlisted in the underground war between slavers and the enslaved, Hiram’s resolve to rescue the family he left behind endures.
