Children of the Waters

by Carleen Brice

The author of the #1 Denver Post bestseller and Essence Book Club Pick Orange Mint and Honey explores the connection between love and race, and what it really means to be a family.
Trish Taylor’s white ancestry never got in the way of her love for her black ex-husband, or their mixed race son, Will. But when Trish’s marriage ends, she returns to her family’s Denver, Colorado home to find a sense of identity and connect to her past.
What she finds there shocks her to the very core: her mother and newborn sister were not killed in a car crash as she was told. In fact, her baby sister, Billie Cousins, is now a grown woman; her grandparents had put her up for adoption, unwilling to raise the child of a black man.
Billie, who had no idea she was adopted, wants nothing to do with Trish until a tragedy in Billie’s own family forces her to lean on her surprisingly supportive and sympathetic sister. Together they unravel age-old layers of secrets and resentments and navigate a path toward love, healing, and true reconciliation.

Genres: Fiction, African American, Book Club, Family, Novels

336 pages, Paperback

First published June 17, 2009

About the author

My debut novel Orange Mint and Honey aired on Lifetime as the NAACP Image Award-winning movie "Sins of the Mother" starring Jill Scott and Nicole Beharie. The novel won awards from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association and from the African American Literary Awards Show.

Of Orange Mint and Honey, Alicia Keys said, "“This is the reason I love to read. This book has so much character and a wealth of soul."

My second novel is Children of the Waters. Meg Waite Clayton, author of The Wednesday Sisters, said, "In Children of the Waters, Carleen Brice deftly explores issues of family, identity, and race with a wonderful abundance of humor, forgiveness, and grace. This moving story of two sisters separated by prejudice will open minds and touch hearts."

I'm currently working on a novel titled Calling Every Good Wish Home.

Reviews

[Antigo Martin-Delaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently finished reading this book for an upcoming bookclub meeting. I found her treatment of race, family and relationships interesting but somewhat flawed. I wish there was more exploration of the male, female relationships that underlined much of what took place in the story. it also gave a simplistic look at relationships between individuals who are adopted and their families (adopted and birth). But these are not the things that kept me from giving this book 5 stars. It was Brice's resolution of Billie's and Nick's relationship that really dissapointed me. She took the simple way out..."and they lived happily"...glossing over the lies and secrets between them. I wish she had been real about the pain and anger that lingers when trust is broken.

Even with these flaws I would recommend this book and author. I'm currently reading Brice's first novel "Orange Mint and Honey" and look forward to examining her character treatment juxsposed against those in "Children of the Water".

[Carleen]

An excerpt is available at www.carleenbrice.com.

[OOSA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foreseeable Future,

Trish Taylor has been finding puzzle pieces every place she goes. She'd like to believe it was a coincidence, but the fact that her grandmother loved to work puzzles has her wondering if maybe Nana is trying to connect with her from beyond the grave. Still settling back into Colorado, her hometown, after a divorce with a teenage son, Will, a house full of dogs and a job she loves working for people she hates, Trish is more than certain her imagination has gotten away from her.

Billie Cousins is going to have a baby. Excited, she immediately becomes concerned with how her man, Nick, will feel once he finds out. With the recent death of his dad, Nick has become more withdrawn from their relationship. A gentle soul, Billie believes that her ancestors help to guide her path. She refuses to believe that Nick will feel anything but joy about their impending delivery.

When Trish finally decides to put the pieces together, it quickly unravels and so does a life filled with untold truths. Her mother and sister didn`t die from a car wreck. What`s worse is her little sister didn`t die. When she learns the identity of her sister, she`s ready to charge right in and claim the family that she`s always longed for.

Unbeknownst to Billie, she`s adopted. While she often wondered why she didn't favor her parents, she was blessed with love and security. When her parents explain to her that she was not only adopted, but her mother was white, Billie's life hits a brick wall.

Opened arms and ready to blend their lives together, Trish can't understand why Billie is so standoffish and unwilling to at least try. The more the two get to know one another they both learn tidbits about race, love, religion, relations and death. Can they learn to be sisters, despite the skin color, in the process?

`Children of the Waters' is an impressive read. It tackles race as well as religion present day. I'm quickly becoming a fan of Carleen Brice and would easily recommend this moving story to all.


Reviewed by: Crystal

[BAM who is Beth Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

ebook.

i really loved this book....probably because at the bottom of it all, the story was about family. and it seemed like a real family. the characters, the conversations, the situations...were so honest and unpretentious and raw.

the struggles of both trish and billie were expertly showcased...and it doesn't matter what color or race you are...if you read this book, you'll honestly feel the hurt that both characters have gone through. you empathize with each and every character, genuinely care for their well being and want to know how their stories end.

i am intrigued by the author's interview at the end of this ebook, and will definitely be visiting and actively participating in her website: http://welcomewhitefolks.blogspot.com/

[Kimberly Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a compelling story! I love Carleen Brice for her colorful way of writing makes me feel. She knows how to tell a great story and make you become one with her characters.

Billie Cousins knew there was something missing from her life. For as long as she could remember, there was always something "different" from her that stood out from the rest of her family.

It wasn't until her mother received an unknown visitor who turns the Cousin family upside down. But what this "visitor" held was the key to Billie's whole existence, as they learned about differences, loss, love and family.

This is a well told story with strong characters that are believable and you'll come to love and root for. Outstanding story. Carleen is definitely one of my favorite authors. Very enriching!

[Potassium · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of two half sisters, where one is white and the other is half black and half white. The biracial sister got put up for adoption as a kid because her grandparents didn't want to raise a brown kid. Now the sisters are in their 30s and they have just met.....

I think I liked this better than Orange Mint and Honey but I just couldn't help feeling that these characters could have been more "real." Instead they seemed a little stereotype-y to me. Anyway, it was also interesting to read from the perspective of a biracial person who "chose" to be black. As a biracial person who "chose" to be white for a long time, I started to wonder why we feel like we have to choose a side at all.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carleen Brice's sophomore novel weighs in with a stronger, more confident voice--she's certainly come into her own. "Children of the Waters" tells the story of two Denver women whose lives are woven together by secrets, lies and racism from years ago that are now shaping their futures. Religion, racial issues, relationships and
parenting styles all come into sharp focus as the characters learn to deal with their changing, and mingling, lives.

[Melanee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just finished reading "Orange Mint and Honey" and can say that I enjoyed that story better than this. Didn't really care about or for any of the characters and that's not usually Brice's style.

[Deon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very slow start

[Cheryl Durham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have fallen in love with this author. This is my 2nd read by this author and she doesn’t disappoint. This is our Book Club’s November read. She is to be applauded for the subject matters that she tackles. Living and life is difficult enough. Nevertheless, when your entire birth and existence is riddled with lies it makes it much more difficult. Race, religion, hurt and pain and other raw emotions are on display throughout this book. It is simply fantastic. You don’t get to choose your family......we get to write our own narratives.

Note: will write more after our Book Club meeting.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book sucked me in with it's complex and interesting characters. It addressed topics around relationship and race dynamics in an authentic way, that flowed through the story and also deepened my perspective outside of the book. Loved it!

[Yolanda Knight- Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book, this story was about two sisters one white and the other half blk.the biracial child was adopted because the grandparents didn’t want to raise a blk child.

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children of the Waters is an amazing read. Carleen Brice is unafraid to talk about tough subjects through her characters. The dialouge never feels forced, the conversations are genuine ones that people have with one another. The author does an excellent job in maintaing a neutral stance, Trish and Billie feel so differently about some things; faith, race and even family. But the author doesn't belittle either one of them, each of them is a strong, lovable and valid character. I especially admire how the author handles the issue of race, I thought that I would automatically be on Billie's side, since I'm half African American, I figured I could relate to her better on the race relations side of things. But I found myself agreeing with Trish about a lot of things too. I especially appreciated the look at racisim held by African Americans, Billie is light skinned and the envy of darker skinned African American women, including her own mother (who has very dark skin). The issue of colorism is still prevalent today and I was glad to see it addressed and I was pleased that Trish wasn't too understanding (or perhaps the better word is overeager, as in she was trying too hard to show that she understood black people) or clueless about this issue.

I don't know what to say about this book other than the fact that it's a must-read. I loved reading about Billie and Trish seperately, I was sucked right into their life's drama. But what I loved even more was when their stories intersected. Sure at times I was upset with some of the characters (ahem Nick, Will, Trish), but it was a good kind of upset. I truly came to care about these characters and I was sad to finish this book and not know that everyone got a happily ever after.

Sidenote: It took me such a long time to read this book not because it didn't hold my interest (it lead to some late school nights reading) but because of school and review copies that needed to be reviewed first.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Children of the Waters was a little disappointing to me. It was still a good read. But, I guess I expected something different. Trish is White, and has a biracial son named Will. She was raised by her very strict and sometimes cruel grandparents. Her mother and baby sister are killed in a car accident (or so she thinks). In the beginning of the book she keeps finding jigsaw puzzle pieces. Her late grandmother loved puzzles. It's a message from the beyond, of course. Her grandmother honestly had misgivings about the way things went. Trish finds out her baby sister actually lived. But, her father was Black. So her grandparents did not want to raise her. She finds her younger sister (Billie) but it's not a warm family reunion. Billie's character was not that likeable to me. Sure, finding out you are half White, the parents you grew up thinking were yours biologically are not, and all of a sudden there is a sister you never knew existed suddenly showing up literally on your doorstep is a lot to deal with. Especially if you just found out you are pregnant (with lupus) and your live in boyfriend is not only unhappy but pulling away.But Billie seemed to blame Trish for everything. Racism included. She was disdainful at Trish's ignorance on certain topics relating to Black history. I understand misplaced and misdirected anger but her character went beyond. It alternated between the two women. I still want to read the authors other works. I just hope they are not as frustrating to read.

[AuthorsOnTourLive! · Rating 5 out of 5]

We met Carleen Brice when she visited the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver. You can listen to her talk about "Children of the Waters" here: http://www.authorsontourlive.com/?p=448

About this podcast:
Colorado author and former Tattered Cover staff member Carleen Brice was recently named 2008 “Breakout Author of the Year” by The African American Literary Awards Show for her debut novel "Orange Mint and Honey," which was also a selection of the Essence Book Club. Brice reads from and discusses her second novel "Children of the Waters." “I was exhausted and singing the blues the hour I began Carleen Brice’s new novel, 'Children of the Waters.' Five hours later, I’d finished this fresh, free-rein novel about mothers’ secrets and children’s sorrows and was shouting ‘Hurray!’” - Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of "The Deep End of the Ocean"

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I previously read Orange Mint & Honey by Carleen Brice so I thought I would try her second book. I think I liked it more! Carleen Brice is a Denver author and sets her books in Denver so it's fun to know exactly where she is referencing. This book is about a troubled young woman that we don't really get to know. She has one child Trish and leaves Trish with her parents to raise. She then comes home pregnant again - this time by a black man. She dies from a heroin overdose. The grandparents flat out admit they do not want to raise a black child and put the baby up for adoption. Fast forward 30 odd years and due to a twist of fate the two sisters end up meeting each other. I love the characters, they seem so real. I laughed and I cried in this book. Good read.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second Brice book that I've read, and I must say that I love her writing and how she develops her characters. They are people that I seem to know. I also connect with the spiritual elements of this story, especially as it relates to emotional healing. The correlations in the names Wilhemina, Billie and Will are striking. The way she uses Nana to play a role in her healing is phenomenal!

Brice's story is a great one -- not just because of the story line; not just because of the characters, but just because it is. In essence, it's not anything scientific, it's just that I like it. Enough said!

[Lisa Cornetti · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finishing this book, I’m pulled in two different directions. The content, characters and storyline were phenomenal. The writing style, however, left much to be desired. The author was able to delve deep into a “very real, life-like situation” that I could totally see happening—two sisters, separated at birth because of the color of their skin, reconnecting in a way that helped both of them grow and heal. Trish and Billie learned about life, love, family and coping skills from each other, and slowly fostered a great relationship. The ending was great—the story came full-circle in an ironic way, reminding you that life has a way of working things out.

[Wilhelmina Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Carleen Brice's first novel, Orange Mint and Honey , so I was a little afraid that her second novel might not be as rewarding a read. I shouldn't have worried. Brice has written another book that accomplishes several important goals: it is accessible and enjoyable for a broad reading audience, it tells a great story, it is beautifully written, and it provides much food for thought. I read it straight through - couldn't put it down. Another winner.

[Shelley Shockley]

Wow! Brice takes the subject of separated at birth to a whole new level. Again, her characters are written so vividly and her use of description and dialogue truly draws the reader into the story. As you read Children of the Waters you become a member of the family, or a close personal friend rooting for a good resolution.
The story lines are neatly packaged and work so well together! This is a must read.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carleen Brice sensitively captures the complexity and ambivalence of two sisters' relationship. Trish, the white mother of a biracial son, learns that she has a younger sister whom her grandparents had told her was dead; Billie, also biracial, was given up for adoption because the grandparents did not want to "raise a black man's child" after their daughter, mother to both Trish and Billie, was killed in an automobile accident. Ms. Brice, a Denver native, sets the story in her hometown.

[Karla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the characters of Billie and Trisha were well-drawn. You could find yourself sympathizing with their situations and getting frustrated when they were too pig-headed to see their own shortcomings. I did wonder about their respective birth fathers. Neither woman seemed to dwell on that missing piece of their family puzzle. It stood out since fatherhood was such an integral part of the story.

[Therese Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children of the Waters was not only well written, it was illuminating. I see Children of the Waters as full-bodied “Issues Fiction,” with authentic discussions about interracial relationships, and similarities and differences that go beyond skin color-including the inner workings of family, the effect of long-buried secrets, and the importance of acceptance and reconciliation. Bravo!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this - thought it might even be better than Oranges... I'm so impressed with how Carleen Brice tackles such tough subjects and shines fresh light on old problems - and all while writing a great great story and fabulous characters. The only thing I felt was that the back cover copy gave too much of the story away and I would advise my friends not to read it.

[Jenny]

I received this book as a Goodreads' giveway. I was really excited about reading this novel, but was disappointed with the strong language contained therein. I find the f-word offensive and could not get past chapter 4, because of the peppered profanity. I will put this book on paperbackswap.com, where several requests await. :-(

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm torn about this book. While the story sucked me in and I had to finish it, I didn't love it. The ending tied all the loose strings a little too neatly, and it came way too quickly.

The other problem I had came from the way the author dealt with race, which was a major theme of the book. I forget that some people still think in terms of color.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have another one of Carleen's books on our list for book club (Orange Mint & Honey), and we are trying to contact her to visit our group. This book was very good: I think she touched on a very real subject that we may not know who all of our 'family' are, but she did not pursue that vein of discussion. Her acknowledging it was profound to me. I thought she wrote a very good book.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An addictive, compelling read. There are some flaws (mostly the author's simplicity in resolving some situations) but they are overcome by the unique and important subject matter itself. In this day and age, we need more books like this that explore interracial relationships of all kinds. Enjoy the modern day setting as well.

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Contemporary fiction—two sisters who had not known of each other's existence reconnect and struggle to forge a connection. My favorite part was its accurate, matter-of-fact, nonsentimental portrayal of living with a chronic illness.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I cried a few times, and called my family right after to tell them how much I loved them. This was a warm, delicate exploration of what it means to be a family, in the broadest sense of the word. I thought it was beautiful.