The Heiress of Water

This is a love story, a bit of a mystery, and a journey of the soul. The opening is a little slow and bumpy but the book picks up momentum as the story unfolds with a plot that is both intricate and satisfying, a little like a good Spanish telenovela (and I mean this in the nicest way!). You just want to keep turning the page, and Barron delivers the surprises. Alma's parallel between the sea and immortality gains lyricism as her metaphor gains depth and detail with the unfolding story, setting this story firmly in the genre of spiritual fiction. The ending is both beautiful and emotional revealing the unusual sophistication of this debut writer. Especially interesting is how the author gets into the mind of a catatonic patient struggling to regain consciousness, adding another dimension to this layered tale. There are many beautiful images, romantic scenes, and emotional explosions in this story. All in all it is very satisfying.

"The Heiress of Water" is a fabulous book, and I am so happy that it's my first venture into fiction in a very long time! After obsessing on politics, political satire, and biographies for many months, this book provided a fabulous segue into reading about the trials and tribulations of other countries' volatility and unrest. I will read anything that Sandra Rodriguez Barron puts her name to!

Even though I couldn't wait to see what happened next, I kept rereading sentences because I wanted to savor the beauty of Rodriguez Barron's prose.

What an incredible start for first time novelist Sandra Rodriguez Barron. This book kept me intrigued from beginning to end----I couldn't put it down. Great read for book clubs. Eagerly awaiting Ms. Barron's next novel.

Excellent! I could not put the book down. It was engaging, interesting and well written. Definitely one of the best books I have ever read. Memorable. I recommended it to all my friends. Superb choice for book clubs!!