The Waters: A Novel By Bonnie Jo Campbell

Selected by the TODAY Show's #ReadWithJenna Book Club and featured in Oprah Daily and Roxane Gay’s newsletter, Bonnie Jo Campbell's 2024 novel promises a mesmerizing journey. Set in Whiteheart, Michigan, the narrative unfolds on an island in the Great Massasauga Swamp known as “The Waters.” Hermine “Herself” Zook, a revered herbalist, heals generations of local women with potent tonics, instilling both fear and awe. However, her estranged daughter, Rose Thorn, abandons her own daughter, the curious and longing Dorothy “Donkey” Zook, to grow up untamed.

Donkey, seeking truths in the landscape and her math books, remains oblivious to the family secrets, passionate love, and impending upheavals. The simmering rage in Whiteheart threatens to erupt, dividing the community. Rose Thorn becomes the precarious bridge across troubled waters.

In this rural noir masterpiece, Campbell, known for her precision and ruthless observation of the physical world, crafts a tale that serves as an antidote to the dark facets of masculinity.

The novel celebrates the resilience of nature and explores the delicate balance between the brutality and sweetness of rural life. Against the backdrop of secrets and simmering tensions, the story navigates the complexities of family, love, and community, promising readers a poignant and powerful exploration of the soul of a small town and the exceptional women who shape its destiny.