Spoiler-Free Blog
If you enjoyed the themes of nature, survivalism, and mid-century Americana in Where the Crawdads Sing and The Great Alone, then Go as a River is the next book for you.
Please note: I received this advanced reader copy from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
What’s it about?
In rural Colorado from the 1940s to the 1970s, we follow a young girl as she navigates becoming a woman, suffers a horrendous loss at the hands of those she trusted, then flees for safety.
This introspective debut was at times gut-wrenching, inspiring, wholesome, and tragic while still being hopeful.
It’s a story about life and motherhood; it’s about families being torn apart and patched back together in a very humanly messy way.
The narration style has a reflective quality to it. I could just imagine a wise older woman regaling me with the tale of her life, telling of her mistakes and flaws and tragic missed opportunities as well as the lessons she learned. The main character’s losses were horrendous, and I felt them deep to my core. But watching her get back up, keep going, keep trying was inspiring. I felt myself rooting for her to find a safe haven.
Time passes significantly in this story, which is unique. Sometimes entire years would pass in the summary of a paragraph. I really felt this enunciated the sometimes humdrum nature of life. That even though we can suffer great loss, time just keeps on going around us. One day we pick our head up, and suddenly we’re years older.
Also – never in my life have I wanted to taste a peach so badly.
Should you read it?
I highly recommend Go as a River to readers who enjoy books that make them feel a variety of emotions. If you like a story to take you the deepest, darkest places and then lift you back up with hope – this is the book for you.
Mark your calendars: This one releases on February 28, 2023!
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One response to “Go as a River: Tragic and inspiring”
Can’t wait to read it!!!! I read the other two & loved them.