Svěžest vody – Harris Nathan (2023)

Synopsis At the end of the war between the North and the South, African American brothers Prentiss and Landry, freed by the declaration of equality for all people, seek refuge on the farm of George Walker and his wife Isabelle. The Walkers, devastated by the loss of their only son in the war, hire the brothers to work on their farm, hoping that this unexpected friendship will ease their grief. Meanwhile, Prentiss and Landry plan to save money for a trip north to reunite with their mother, who was sold when they were still boys. Parallel to their story unfolds a forbidden romance between two Confederate soldiers. The young men, who have recently returned from the war to the town of Old Ox, meet in the woods. When their secret is revealed, the ensuing chaos, including a murder, fatally impacts the entire community. As a result of the turmoil, Isabelle becomes an unlikely leader, offering a healing vision for the country and for the newly freed residents of Old Ox. The novel became an overnight sensation with critics and readers, winning the Ernest J. Gaines Award and becoming a finalist for the Tennessee Williams Prize for Fiction. Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama recommended it in their book suggestions.