The River

by Craig A Smith

The River is a life-spanning epic novel about death and new beginnings. There’s a saying, beloved of Scottish “Whit’s fur ye will no’ go by ye.” Seemingly embracing this maxim, Lachlan McCormack lives his life as aimless as a piece of driftwood, but somehow gets to where he always wanted to be – where the river meets the sea.

The novel is a love story, both to his childhood sweetheart, and to Scotland, and follows Lachlan’s journey through seven decades of the nation’s political, sporting and cultural history (and disappointments). Along the way, it appears that only death has the power to propel him onward, and the novel revisits the seven significant deaths that have shaped him and mapped his journey. It explores the cyclical nature of life, love, happiness, and Scotland’s ongoing struggle with its place in the world.

313 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2025

Reviews

[Lynsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The River’ by Craig A Smith is a coming-of-age novel with a difference. It highlights how life, like a river, can meander around a bit but ultimately get you where you are going. It is also a mirror that reflects its setting - locale but also cultural and political discourses. I thoroughly enjoyed it! This is the first book of the author’s which I have read but it certainly won't be the last.

I am a great proponent of Scottish literature, especially those that feature the working class and let the readers immerse themselves in their lives and stories. This is one of those books. Lachlan is a character that I loved from the get-go and despite some difficult situations he manages to radiate hope. Spanning 75 years we see Lachlan’s life as he deals with seven notable deaths. Some are deeply personal and some are culturally significant but each shapes and moulds him into the person we see at the end of his life.

Lachlan’s life is a reflection of how Scots and Scotland see their place in the world. His family goes from a secure and happy home at the start to an era where it became harder for workers to find employment due to the deindustrialised of Scotland. It follows the rise of nationalism in Scottish politics but it also shows how people become interconnected. I loved Lachlan and Morag’s story and both were interesting and complex characters.

This was a compelling read and I flew through it. I did manage to drop it in the bath though. Oops at least it was a dunk in Scottish water! It was a profound read and one I thoroughly enjoyed.

Let me know if you pick this one up!

[Fatguyreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

The River is a beautifully written coming of age tale with a message that life is somewhat of a metaphor for a river. As we meander our way through life, we take twists and turns, might come to a dead end or two, but we'll get there in the end.

We follow Lachlan in this quite profound and powerful homage to his childhood, his life ( spanning some 75 years ), and to his love of Scotland.

I won't give too much away about the story, but will say that death plays a large part in this story, as Lachlan navigates his way through 7 notable deaths. Some of the deaths are personal to him, others culturally significant, but all effect him in different ways, and shape him into the person he becomes.

So all in all, I throughly enjoyed this read. It's compelling, thought-provoking and heartfelt, but also sad in parts.

It's a wonderfully evocative read, with great descriptive writing and I really felt connected to Lachlan on a deep level.

5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.

[Angi Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful story tells the story of Lachlan. From early childhood through adulthood.
His life seems to be a series of unfortunate events and shows how circumstances can change the direction of a life in one go. If you’re not brave enough to follow through on what you want the way it goes can be vastly different from anything you said as a child.
It is so much more than that, though. It shows the changing climate of politics in Scotland and how people went from feeling unnoticed in their own country to ensuring they were, and should be noticed.
I liked Lachlan. He’s a character that anyone could know. We all have hopes and dreams, wishes and aspirations. Things we wished we’d done or not. Lachlan is the everyman that is so relatable. Even when you’re yelling at him to take the chance you want him to.
I loved this book and hope to read a lot more from Craig A. Smith.
With thanks to Anne Cater, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.

[Naturalbri (Bri Wignall) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The chance to read a Scottish based book is starting to shine a bit, giving us a chance to enjoy our home and a brilliant read at the same time.
This book does have a wee focus on death, but rather than see a dark book that has lots of triggers. Instead look at what this book offers. Throughout the book, we get to see just how death can change you. How it can mould you into a new perspective or take on life, or even take life in a new direction entirely. There are also time when we learn from them by just feeling them and letting them run their course.
This book also looks at Scotland as both the stunning places it is and the beautiful history and culture we have to offer. It is such a stunning book and really in a fantastic read.

[Gemma Jenkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was instantly hooked, I read 3/4 of the book in one sitting. Coming from East Lothian myself, and having visited most of the places mentioned, it was easy to imagine the scenes described.

I loved the connection between Lachlan and Morag and just knew they were destined to be together. Even after all the years spent apart, she was his forever person.

The story covers a lot of delicate matters in a very real and caring way. It was beautiful written, well paced, and kept you intrigued to know what happens. The book does cover a lot of real political matters throughout the book.

I'd recommend this book and am looking forward to reading more by Craig.

[Emma Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

💚 Blurb-
The River is a life-spanning epic novel about death and new beginnings. There's a saying, beloved of Scottish grannies: "Whit's fur ye will no' go by ye". Seemingly embracing this maxim, Lachlan McCormack lives his life as aimless as a piece of driftwood, but somehow gets to where he always wanted to be - where the river meets the sea.
The novel is a love story, both to his childhood sweetheart, and to Scotland, and follows Lachlan's journey through seven decades of the nation's political, sporting and cultural history (and disappointments). Along the way, it appears that only death has the power to propel him onward, and the novel revisits the seven significant deaths that have shaped him and mapped his journey. It explores the cyclical nature of life, love, happiness, and Scotland's ongoing struggle with its place in the world.
🩵 Review -
This was such a beautifully written novel. I was hooked from the very first page and kept reading until the end as I wanted to know what happened. Even though there are some sensitive subjects, they were handled with care. The story was easy to follow, had good pacing and a great cast of characters. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to Random Things Tours, the publisher and author, Craig A Smith for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.