Sweetwater

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book. I've read other titles by Henry, and her prose here is simply amazing. She doesn't just tell the story, she *inhabits* it. The mood, the tone, the pacing--all of it is spot on. But this is not an easy book to read--Elijah both makes some terrible decisions and has some pretty terrible stuff done to him. It's a five star read for me because the beautiful prose made this like watching a Deadwood episode--uncomfortable but in a really, really splendid way. However, some readers may not like the Grady/Harlan triangle competing for Elijah and easily triggered readers may have difficulty with some of things Elijah suffers. They might prefer trying one of Henry's great, lighter titles. For the rest of us, the Deadwood and Breaking Bad and Shameless fans and lovers of dark, unpredictable heroes, this book is simply a gem.

This is the third of Lisa Henry's books I've read this year and I find that I love her writing, but was starting to despair that perhaps we just didn't share tastes in stories. Fair enough, everyone's preferences differ. But this book changed my mind. I really enjoyed it. It's gritty, but still provides the reader a glimpse at a possible HEA (without ever tripping over into sickeningly sweetness, which I have no stomach for).

Yes, some parts of it—ok, the whole first half—were really uncomfortable to read. Even as I understood what drew Elijah back to Harlan, I hated seeing him go. Hated seeing him endure and, not only kick himself, but elicit others to do it for him. I hated it, felt indignant on his behalf. I understood it, but I hated it.

Actually, now that I think on it, that was my relationship with a lot of this story. I understood things, even as I didn't like them. That can't be easy for an author to balance. For example, I disliked that a lot of the times Elijah really did come across as the simpleton we're told again and again that he isn't. But I also understood that what Elijah was, wasn't simple, but emotionally isolated and inexperienced. It's not the same thing. And it physically hurt my heart to watch him grieve, but I understood the need for it.

Then there was Grady, oh Grady. He was marvellous. Yes, his is a bit of an insta-love, but it's explained well enough to feel believable. This is mostly because, though he was instantly attracted, he took no immediate action toward Elijah. I really enjoyed seeing him 'gentle' the skittish boy.

One final thing I'd like to mention is Henry's writing. I'm not sure how to explain that it strikes just the right tone for the story told. It feels a little removed from itself, if that makes sense, and occasionally is clipped bare of extraneous prose. It feels right for a story told predominantly from the vantage of a partially deaf character, who can never quite be part of polite conversation, and therefor society.

I'm calling this a raging success and can't wait to get my hands on some more of Lisa Henry's work.