Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin

The back cover:

"Thank goodness you're such a plain child. You'll have to rely on your wits."

So went the words of Grandma Bebe. And for all of my growing-up years, I scoffed at the beauty of my sister and what I saw as her meaningless existence. But my wits hadn't served me well in this instance, for here I was, in jail. And while I could have seen it as carrying on the family tradition (for Grandma Bebe landed in jail for her support of Prohibition), the truth is, my reasons for being here would probably break her heart.

So how did I end up becoming a criminal? I've been pondering that question all night. Perhaps the best way to search for an answer is to start at the very beginning.

Once again Lynn Austin has written a great historical novel.  Though Waters Roar covers the span of four generations and each is magically woven into the next.  Harriet (the plain child referred to above), her mother Lucy, grandmother Bebe, and great grandmother Hannah overcome circumstances and become strong women and fight against different social injustices.  Each character is distinct and the emotions, attitudes, and actions greatly vary in how they respond to situations.

Though I initially struggled to follow the characters (because it jumps from year to year), I quickly was brought into the story and could not put it down.  It begins with Harriet in jail pondering over the irony of how she got there.  As she thinks back over her past, she recalls not only her past, but also the stories that have been told to her.  It all relates to how this young woman found herself in a jail cell.


This book is well worth the many late nights I had when I could not put it down.  I do recommend it!

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I received this book to review.  My review reflects my own opinions.  Thank you Bethany House Publishers.