<P><b> Sprung from the pages of The New Testament, <i>Living Water</i> is a gripping and lyrical portrayal of a young women's search for identity set against the strict social confines of the time. This extraordinary first novel brings to life one of the most mysterious and intriguing characters in the Bible &ndash; the woman at the well. </b> </P><P> In a village torn apart by senseless violence, a young girl struggles to mute her passion for life to survive the harsh social restrictions of her people. Catapulted into a series of abusive marriages, she soon becomes a woman unrecognisable from the little girl she once was. After her fifth husband is found bloody and beaten, she emerges amid the scandal and accusations to try and reclaim her life. In the tradition of <i>Their Eyes Are Watching God, The Color Purple</i> and <i>Paradise</i>, Obery Hendricks uses both fine detail and broad strokes to crisply depict this period of early history. And in doing so, this sophisticated literary debut delivers a universal tale of liberation and reconciliation, love and faith.</P><P> </b></b></P>