My rating: 4/5
A heart-warming tale that amplifies the importance of family, love, and faith, Through the Waters by Embassie Susberry pulsates its brilliance into the chambers of the heart of the reader. Endearing characters and an inspiring plot make for a riveting novel.
“Sometimes, honey, we just have to believe God is good even when it really doesn’t seem like it. Even when things in life seem to fight that” (Tate, Through the Waters).
Set in 1961 in the fictional town of Tahatchee, Alabama, Through the Waters is told in first person narrative and centers on Cecelia ‘Sissy’ Little, who is also the point of view in the story. A well-educated local schoolteacher and innately integral woman, Sissy is presented with an implausible proposition by her brother Raymond, to marry his friend and work partner, Truitt Tate. The marriage is proposed to be used as a ploy to obtain significant information regarding a local brutal crime. Both Raymond and Tate are undercover FBI agents assigned to obtain substantial evidence concerning the crime. Sissy is stunned by the offer; due to the brewing resentment she holds towards Tate, who is her cousin’s handsome ex-fiancé. She presumes that he abruptly ended the relationship with her cousin a few years ago and abandoned her with a broken heart. Her decision is made with great risk, as it will profoundly impact their personal lives, faith, and reputations.
Author Embassie Susberry masterfully creates admirable characters, that effortlessly allows the reader to become invested in the story and series. Through the Waters is book one in the four book ‘Tate Family’ series. Set during the Civil Rights Movement in the South, Susberry proficiently depicts the Black cultural lifestyles during that period, which makes the story read authentically. It was a delight to see multiple characters who were believers in Christ, and exhibited their faith through prayers, Bible reading, and frequent church involvement. Ultimately, Susberry is an excellent writer who creates sublime stories. If you are interested in reading a page-turning novel, that illustrates community, a budding romance, and resilient faith, I highly recommend this.
