Der Fluss, der mich trägt

by Karen Harter

Samantha ist 17 Jahre alt, als sie ihr Elternhaus verlässt und ihrer großen Liebe folgt. Doch sieben Jahre später kehrt sie ernüchtert zurück: allein, mit einem Sohn und schwer krank. Zu ihrer großen Überraschung empfängt sie ihr Vater mit offenen Armen. Nach und nach erkennt sie, dass sie sich in dem Mann, den sie immer nur „den Richter“ genannt hat, nicht nur in dieser Hinsicht getäuscht hat. Beim Fliegenfischen am Fluss ihrer Kindheit beginnt Samantha, sich mit der Vergangenheit zu versöhnen und Vergebung zu finden. Doch ihre Krankheit schreitet erbarmungslos weiter fort – wenn nicht ein Wunder geschieht …

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Christian, Adult Fiction, Drama, Christian Fiction, Contemporary

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 21, 2006

Reviews

[Mark Souza · Rating 5 out of 5]

My wife brought this book home from a writer's conference and gushed about it. I read it afterward and was blown away. It's an incredibly well written and captivating story of redemption and forgiveness. Samantha Dodd is returning home to her parent's home with her illegitimate son, all their possessions packed in their car like vagabonds because she has no choice. She's dying. She has only a short time to mend fences with her stern, disapproving father, a retired judge.

It's hard to believe it was the author's first effort. My wife had become friends with the author, Karen Harter. Karen was suffering from pancreatic cancer at the time. I had heard she was researching her next novel at a university in Ellensburg Washington and was a fly fisher, as am I. Ellensburg is near one of my favorite streams, so I extended an offer to take her fishing. She was a truly delightful person, trusting and giving and full of exuberance. The sun was shining that day and it was unseasonably warm. The leaves on the trees glowed as if aflame. We talked writing. We talked about life. We talked about the underlying themes of her book. And we laughed. That was Karen's last fishing trip. She died a few months later. Sometimes life too closely mirrors art, or is it the other way around? She left behind a brilliant book and memories I'll always treasure.

Trust me on this, I would have loved this book even if I'd never met Karen. It's a great read I highly recommend.

[BookDigger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this novel. Definitely brought tears to my eyes at the end. Wonderful ending. Absolutely wonderful. This novel isn't a good as Autumn Blue by her, but it definitely was a great read. Enlightening, inspirational...

[Beth Peninger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up from the library shelf on a whim. I am sure glad I did! What a great story. The author did a superb job in telling a story within a story. You'll have to read it to know what I'm saying. Samantha returns to the home of her childhood after a lengthy stay away which produced a broken marriage and a son. She comes back out of desperation, is fearful of her welcome - or lack of it, and finds her family again. Karen Harter weaves the story together with grace, redemption, love, and forgiveness. In the end Samantha finds salvation in more ways than one.

[Hope Gunther · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't realize until 1/4 of the way through that this novel is anti-choice and quite religious. I was on a road trip without another book so I powered through. Predictable. Again, felt blindsided by the heavy-handed Bible-thumping...same publishing company used by Trump and Newt Gingrich....so there you are.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars ✨

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was well written by Karen Harter. She has written it in such a way that you form a prediction about what you think will happen, but something changes and it's not what you thought. You are able to "become" Samantha and really feel her emotional roller coaster ride. Keep a box of tissues handy, especially for the end. Very good book.

[Sharon Huether · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where Mercy Flows by Karen Harter. The author painted a scene in words at the beginning of the book to guide the reader to this heartfelt story. It could almost be true. The story deals with love, forgiveness from family and self forgiveness. It is a faith based book and gives many exaples of Christ's love for us. It was truly a wonderful book.

[Pam Engman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I loved how real the characters were. Choices result in consequences and she did a great job in helping the reader feel a part of understanding the characters. Definately hard to put it down. I was hooked the entire way. I laughed and cried. A definate good read

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the best, easy ways to relate to the Prodigal Son messages in the Bible, only this time in
a fictional modern day story, very touching. this would make a great movie.

[H S. A · Rating 3 out of 5]

14/2020📚

Where Mercy Flows : Karen Harter

This is my first time reading a novel by this writer. Intrigued by the brief description that I read, I started the book during this unprecedented restricted movement period.

A story about Samantha Dodd, who at seventeen years of age had left her family behind; for something that she called love. Now, at twenty four years old, with a five year old in tow, she returns to her family and her domineering father, the ‘Judge’ Dodd. Will Sam and her son be able to fix the bridge between them and her father?

I like the theme of the book, that is of family, of survival and of course most importantly, this book is about love. Something I would suggest to someone looking for a novel that’s somehow gripping and yet comforting. A great read for the weekend.

Personal rating : 3.8⭐️/5⭐️

[Tabatha Shipley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a remarkable first novel by a woman who writes like the poet she began as. This novel reads like a work of non-fiction; the characters were so real to me. I must admit the ending wasn't as shocking as it may have been to some people, I had it figured out quite a bit sooner than I like. That being said, the detail Ms. Harter wove into that ending was a work of art. I found myself rooting for Samantha to succeed through this entire book. I highly recommend this book for it's realism, which earned it 4 stars from this amateur reviewer.

[Barbara Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where Mercy Flows is probably one of the best books I have ever read. On a purely secular level, the characters and the setting were beautifully developed, and the plot was very suspenseful. On a spiritual level, however, the novel moves to a richer, more significant plane. Themes of the “prodigal daughter,” redemption, forgiveness, second chances, and sacrificial love are profoundly moving and deeply symbolic. This book will stay with me for a very long time.

[Teresa Littrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grab your box of Kleenex....I love stories where the main character is strong in her beliefs, rebellious,but ever so human. How do writers give such good clues as to what is going to happen?! I had to stop reading at one point.....Noooo..... that can’t happen.....saved the rest for the next day....and saw my strong rebellious character pull through!

[Mariel González · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hace muchos años que lo leí, pero si recuerdo un tanto la historia, me gustó mucho, creo que este libro fue un buen compañero en un momento que así lo necesité, si lo recomiendo, la historia es bonita y recuerdo haberlo leído rápido, me dejó de aprendizaje lo importante que es el perdón entre los familiares y el enfrentar los secretos familiares.

[Alejandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read. Weaves biblical element with relatable characters. Prodigal daughter, forgiveness and unconditional love of a father. One loose end for me was Rachel, appears as competition for the main character Sammy Dodd but never know what happens to / with her.

[Suzanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did predict the ending but what a masterful telling. I guessed it but it still hit me with its analogy of God's sacrificial love for us, even to the point of giving His life for ours, so we might live. <3

[LeAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Where Mercy Flows is a beautifully written story about family relationships, embracing life, forgiveness of yourself and others, and hope for the future. Fair warning, the end will bring tears to your eyes, so have some tissues handy.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

enjoyed the book even though I cried. shows how much love a family can have.

[Lynette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about a woman who has made bad choices in life, disappointing her father. But in the end, a father’s love for his daughter is all that matters.

[Tea & Elsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone with a very debilitating chronic illness, I found this book refreshing. I also loved that it was faith-filled, without being saccharine.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sacrifice, love, family, forgiveness, and peace. A beautiful story.

[Donna Hervieux · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book, have some tissues handy at the end.

[Molly]

3.5 maybe, read this aloud to my husband. Good premise, think I had a better twist.

[**Sognatrice di libri** · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una storia toccante dalla prima all'ultima pagina.

[Elly · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting modern take on the Prodigal Son

[Carmen Chérie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how, but I read it on one evening and finished it in the early morning hours. I couldn't stopp. The story was so interesting and I really liked the writing style. Sometimes life makes an unexpected turn.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Samantha is ill, broke, and alone except for her five year old son. Unable to work because of her illness, she feels she has no choice but to return to the home she ran away from years ago. She hates having to face her father, who she calls "the Judge" after his occupation, because she feels like she can never measure up to his expectations of her. Samantha finds that being back home is good for her however, and she also gets reacquainted with her mother, sister, and some old childhood friends. But will she ever find the acceptance she wants from her father?[return]This book focuses on Samantha's inner life and her struggle to survive and to find acceptance, though there is a mystery concerning the judge that lurks in the background. This is a good book for when you want to savor a slower paced story that will get you into someone's life and struggles.

[Robin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Though this is probably a very good work of fiction for an author's first book, I felt that the characters were flat. I did not "get to know" the protagonist's father(Judge Dodd) and could not understand why she felt the disconnect in their relationship- which is what the book's plot is based on. The little flashbacks of evidence provided are very quick and not thoroughly examined so that the reader can understand this hatred or distrust of her father figure. I think the author could have done a better job to explain that strife or make it more believable. The metaphors in the book are cliche and the ending is cheesy, but I suppose that is expected from christian fiction.

[Alyn]

Samantha Dodd left home when she was 17 to elope with her high school sweetheart. Somehow things did not work out and she is with a 5-year old boy, penniless, sick, making ends meet.

At first I think Sam's character was so pathetic, her knowing she was adopted, her father 'disowning' her, her husband abandoning her the day she gave birth to her son, her contracting a debilitating disease.

But I love the emotional way Harter wrote this book. It really is good, very heart warming, made me shed a few tears. Hard to think that this is the author's first book

[Annie Myers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out kind of weak in my opinion, but got better as it went along. I have to say, the ending blew me away. I had kind of figured out what was going to happen, although right up until it did, I was vascillating between two possibilities. But I didn't "get" the metaphor, if that's the right word, until the very end. It was one of those books that I found kind of slow going, but the ending made it worth sticking with.