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The Shaping of Water
As ideals and dreams founder on the rocks of political realities three couples search for ways to keep hope alive.
The rising waters of a vast man-made lake in Africa irrevocably alter the destinies of the men and women connected to it and to each other. Built to generate power and maintain colonial control it creates a new world even as it drowns a way of life and a unique environment in the Zambezi Valley. Milimo and his mother Natombi are moved from the valley to face hunger in the resettlement areas but Margaret and Charles remain committed to the project. They love the lake and buy a ramshackle holiday cottage on its shore.
The lake however lies on unpredictable political and geological fault lines. Free-thinking Marielise, Margaret's niece, and her lover Jo, use the cottage as a respite from their commitment to the war against Apartheid.
For their friends Manda and Nick, damaged lovers, the lake and the cottage brings beauty and fear. A secret that connects them all is known by Father Patrick a missionary who worked in the Zambezi valley before its shaping by water.
Evocative of time, place and character, this is a riveting novel about change and adaptation. It is a eye-opening read that is both gritty and poignant.
The rising waters of a vast man-made lake in Africa irrevocably alter the destinies of the men and women connected to it and to each other. Built to generate power and maintain colonial control it creates a new world even as it drowns a way of life and a unique environment in the Zambezi Valley. Milimo and his mother Natombi are moved from the valley to face hunger in the resettlement areas but Margaret and Charles remain committed to the project. They love the lake and buy a ramshackle holiday cottage on its shore.
The lake however lies on unpredictable political and geological fault lines. Free-thinking Marielise, Margaret's niece, and her lover Jo, use the cottage as a respite from their commitment to the war against Apartheid.
For their friends Manda and Nick, damaged lovers, the lake and the cottage brings beauty and fear. A secret that connects them all is known by Father Patrick a missionary who worked in the Zambezi valley before its shaping by water.
Evocative of time, place and character, this is a riveting novel about change and adaptation. It is a eye-opening read that is both gritty and poignant.
345 pages, Paperback
First published December 9, 2013
About the author
Ruth Hartley
17 books8 followersArtist, Activist, Author: Storyteller
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I write and paint because I am a storyteller. I have always made stories, though at times I’ve been lost for direction, identity and method. I paint to explore and share ideas and feelings.
I have lived and worked in several countries. In my art and my writing, I draw on my own stories and those of the fascinating and extraordinary people I've met.
Through my four remarkable children and my grandchildren, I am connected to other generations and enriched by different cultures and ways of being. My stories explore connections, conflict, creativity and communication.
For a brief bio with a timeline, see the About page of my website: https://ruthhartley.com/ruth-hartley/
---------------------------
I write and paint because I am a storyteller. I have always made stories, though at times I’ve been lost for direction, identity and method. I paint to explore and share ideas and feelings.
I have lived and worked in several countries. In my art and my writing, I draw on my own stories and those of the fascinating and extraordinary people I've met.
Through my four remarkable children and my grandchildren, I am connected to other generations and enriched by different cultures and ways of being. My stories explore connections, conflict, creativity and communication.
For a brief bio with a timeline, see the About page of my website: https://ruthhartley.com/ruth-hartley/
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 17, 2014
Ruth Hartley has produced a novel that covers a period in modern history that’s remembered for brutality and injustice. With our ability to reflect on those past events, there could be a sense of impending doom. Instead, the author has created an air of change – you could almost smell it in the air.
The story is told through the experiences of a number of women, all connected to the region of the Zambezi Valley and the man-made lake that shapes the water. Through their lives we witness the birth of new states and new regimes.
A common thread, violence and change aside, was the struggle to develop and nurture the earth – for gardens and for food. The determination to turn a patch of dust into something full of life and life-giving seemed a metaphor for the struggles in this land.
Whilst I wasn’t necessarily drawn to Charles and Margaret – the two main characters, I did feel the others were carefully crafted and complete. In particular, Jo and Marielise had a passion for their country and each other. That passion leapt from the pages. Perhaps the staidness of Charles and Margaret was a deliberate contrast?
With her wealth of knowledge, the author has created a piece of work that is immensely detailed. At first I was a little baffled by the movement of time – back and forth. But I decided to go with the flow, enjoy each chapter and accept that I would eventually find my place in time.
The book contains so much factual information that there were times when I found it a struggle to fathom the details. But this is a complex subject and perhaps it shouldn’t be an easy read – although occasionally I found the facts were being shared in a heavy-handed manner. This is the challenge of writing a novel based on such an involved topic but on balance, the author got it about right.
A little polish would have made this novel really sparkle, but it's still a gem.
Edited 17th May: I've thought long and hard about this wonderful book and feel I've been a little harsh with my four stars - so I'm delighted to 'up' my review to five stars. Yes, a little polish is needed here and there - but it is one of the best books I've read this year.
The story is told through the experiences of a number of women, all connected to the region of the Zambezi Valley and the man-made lake that shapes the water. Through their lives we witness the birth of new states and new regimes.
A common thread, violence and change aside, was the struggle to develop and nurture the earth – for gardens and for food. The determination to turn a patch of dust into something full of life and life-giving seemed a metaphor for the struggles in this land.
Whilst I wasn’t necessarily drawn to Charles and Margaret – the two main characters, I did feel the others were carefully crafted and complete. In particular, Jo and Marielise had a passion for their country and each other. That passion leapt from the pages. Perhaps the staidness of Charles and Margaret was a deliberate contrast?
With her wealth of knowledge, the author has created a piece of work that is immensely detailed. At first I was a little baffled by the movement of time – back and forth. But I decided to go with the flow, enjoy each chapter and accept that I would eventually find my place in time.
The book contains so much factual information that there were times when I found it a struggle to fathom the details. But this is a complex subject and perhaps it shouldn’t be an easy read – although occasionally I found the facts were being shared in a heavy-handed manner. This is the challenge of writing a novel based on such an involved topic but on balance, the author got it about right.
A little polish would have made this novel really sparkle, but it's still a gem.
Edited 17th May: I've thought long and hard about this wonderful book and feel I've been a little harsh with my four stars - so I'm delighted to 'up' my review to five stars. Yes, a little polish is needed here and there - but it is one of the best books I've read this year.
September 27, 2019
I found The Shaping of Water to be a fairly average piece of work. I didn’t warm to the characters, found the unchronological timeline at the start very confusing and felt the author told rather than showed the incredibly important events described.
It was however a novel which educated me on African history, which is primarily why I kept on reading.
It was however a novel which educated me on African history, which is primarily why I kept on reading.
April 7, 2023
I enjoyed this book mostly because it shared some interesting facts regarding Kariba Dam. I loved the perspective and the story. I found it particularly engaging as I could relate to the feelings, locations, and by living in Zambia, can see the cultural views. A good read!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews