The Narrow of the River

by Karen Desrosiers

430 pages, Paperback

Published March 27, 2026

Reviews

[Bookaddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well-researched historical fiction novel tells the tale of Louis Hebert and Marie Rollet Hebert as they set off in 1617 for New France/Quebec at the behest of Samuel de Champlain where they will settle with their young children and brave the elements and other harrowing experiences to begin setting down roots and doing the never ending hard work required to build a colony. I was captivated by the story of the Heberts and learning about how Quebec came to be founded and established.

TW for pregnancy loss

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative story about the founding of Quebec. The author had obviously done substantial research in terms of the historical events that powered the narrative; but has also imbued the characters with personalities that managed to enliven the account beyond just a dry restating of the facts. My grandfather and his family journeyed from Trois Rivieres to the USA, and so I was pleased to get this small window onto the French Canadian experience, little of which had been known to me.