“More a collection of vignettes, of literary portraits and sketches than stories proper (though there are a few of these, good ones), Child to the Waters carries within it the character of tradition -- not tradition remembered, but tradition lived, stark and yet with corners worn rounded by continuous and strenuous, though sentimental, use. There is something in Kibler's voice that reminds me strongly at times of Conrad Richter's Awakening Land trilogy, though with, of course, a strong taste of the South: slower, sweeter, but with the same raw deliberateness that shines through in any good portrayal of tradition lived. One of my favorite stories, "Singin' Billy, the Song Catcher", is about William Walker, an actual southern songwriter; but rather than telling us many specifics about Walker's life, Kibler shows us how there is music and rhythm -- not just metaphorical, but real -- in every part of the traditional life, even the most mundane. "Sídhe and Ingus" tells the story of a forbidden romance, whose family enmity is overcome by a sudden tragedy averted. "Fair Grace by the Eddying Pools" shows us a village plagued by famine and scarcity, until the supple and yielding character of a young weaving woman's devoted work suddenly provides a good supper. There are many others worth mentioning, too. Kibler is a very soft-spoken and gentle man, who I have spoken with for some short time. His writing is not the best I've ever read, but it has something special in it, something that is more than the sum of its words, and something that, in its understated way, stays with you a while. ”
Michael wrote this review Tuesday, September 29 2009.
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