Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile (recovering from an arm injury; on a short review-writing break)'s Reviews > Go as a River

“There is a kind of sadness that transcends sadness, that runs like hot syrup into every crevice of your being, beginning in the heart then oozing into your very cells and bloodstream, so that nothing— not earth or sky or even your own palm— ever looks the same. This is the sadness that changes everything.”

In 1948, a chance meeting between seventeen-year-old Victoria “Torie” Nash meets a young man by the name of Wilson “Wil” Moon, a drifter of Native American descent triggers a sequence of events that changes Victoria's life forever. Victoria, the only female in her household, since her mother perished in a tragic car accident when she was twelve, was responsible for taking care of the household while her father and other men of the family and those in their employ worked their family’s peach farm in Iola, Colorado. Victoria is lonely and Wilson is kind and caring and makes her happy. She keeps her relationship with Wilson secret for good reason. But in a tragic turn of events, Victoria finds herself alone and fending for herself, knowing that neither her life will ever be the same again nor will she.

“Just as a single rainstorm can erode the banks and change the course of a river, so can a single circumstance of a girl’s life erase who she was before.”

The narrative follows Victoria over the next four decades as she builds a life for herself after enduring tragic loss and much more. Eventually, in the late 1950s, she leaves Iola when she accepts a buyout offer by the government as they plan to flood Iola and two neighboring towns to build the Blue Mesa Reservoir. She remembers Wil’s words and decides to “go as a river” and take life as it comes doing the best she can do. Her move to Paonia comes with its own set of challenges but Victoria leads a quiet life with dignity, with the memories of the places and the people she has left behind. Some wounds are deeper than others and some decisions, taken in moments of despair will haunt her throughout the years.

“Strength, I had learned, was like this littered forest floor, built of small triumphs and infinite blunders, sunny hours followed by sudden storms that tore it all down. We are one and all alike if for no other reason than the excruciating and beautiful way we grow piece by unpredictable piece, falling, pushing from the debris, rising again, and hoping for the best.”

Go as a River by Shelley Read is a stunningly beautiful novel. I honestly could not believe that this was the author’s debut novel. The beautiful prose and the vivid descriptions of the landscape and nature make for an immersive read. The story touches upon themes of discrimination, love, loss, motherhood, sacrifice, resilience, friendship and how one defines family and home. Each of the characters in this story is well-fleshed out. Strong and resilient, compassionate and kind, Victoria is a memorable character. I was completely invested in Victoria’s story, sharing her sorrows and pain, rejoicing in her triumphs and hoping that eventually, she would find some peace and happiness. The story is presented to us from the first-person PoV of Victoria in 1971 who recalls her past and the events that led to her being at the reservoir on that day. The narrative is well –structured and the relatively slower pace is perfect for the story. I’m glad the author chose to end the novel on a hopeful note but not too neatly tied up, which would have been unconvincing.

Overall, I found this to be a powerfully evocative story that will stay with me. I originally read this on loan from my library and loved it so much that I just had to order a personal copy. I decided on the UK edition for the beautiful cover!

“Imagine a town silent, forgotten, decomposing at the bottom of a lake that once was a river. If this makes you wonder whether the joys and pain of a place wash away as the floodwaters rise and swallow, I can tell you they do not. The landscapes of our youths create us, and we carry them within us, storied by all they gave and stole, in who we become.”

Note: I enjoy reading up on historical facts that inspire fiction whenever I come across something new. While reading up on the flooding of Iola after reading this novel, I came across an article from 2018. In 2018, The Blue Mesa Reservoir dried out during a severe drought, causing what remained of the long-submerged town of Iola to reemerge.

https://coloradosun.com/2018/12/10/io...


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