Children of the Waters is the story of two sisters separated by racism at its finest. One sister, Trish, is raised by her white grandparents after her mothers death. The other sister, Billie, is adopted by a Black family and unknown to Trish until years after her grandmother passes but begins to speak to her in a unique way. Billie has never known she was adopted and Trish was told her sister and mother were both dead. When Trish discovers Billie, she finds her to work through the truth of their separation and to, hopefully, develop the type of familial relationship she never had with her grandparents.

With well developed characters and writing just right in tone and pace, Brice has really tackled the issue of race in a no nonsense manner. Everyone clearly and boldly states their ideas on the subject. Even Trish does not shy away from her thoughts on race. But sometimes, I wonder could her opinion be afforded to her by white privilege. It's easy to say to heck with skin color when it never adversely affects you. But it was still nice to see that characterization was fair and not the "strong Black woman" v. the "wimpy white woman." Not just race/ism but colorism (light skin v. dark skin) is examined as well. There is also much debate on religion that could be unsettling to those of a certain faith but is resolved intelligently in the end. Meanwhile, there is a strong reverence for ancestral spirits.  The good pacing is in regard to the relationship of Billie and Trish. It's not some magical reunion with these two sisters accepting each other immediately (at least not on Billie's end). And last, but not least, no Black men are vilified, though one's intentions are still questionable.

This novel will leave you mulling over the idea of a post-racial America, what it means to be of mixed race/ethnicity, and the definition of family. Can American society ever move beyond skin color?

Stay tuned for an interview with Carleen Brice.