As If I Were A River

by Amanda Saint

A NetGalley Top 10 Book of the Month and a Book Magnet Blog Top 20 Book of 2016

Do we live the lives we want to or the ones that just happen to us?

Kate's life is falling apart. Her husband has vanished without a trace - just like her mother did.

Laura's going to do something that's going to change her family's life forever - but she can't stop herself.

Una's keeping secrets - but for how much longer?

As If I Were A River tells the interconnected stories of these three women - the lies they tell, the secrets they keep, the love they feel.

Spanning generations and continents it's the story of a family finding it's way in a world that doesn't always do what they want it to.

"A compelling, intricate, psychological exploration of the lies we tell ourselves and the truths we run from. Beautiful." Angela Clarke, author of Follow Me

"I tore through the pages, compelled by the intrigue of the mysterious disappearance and the beautifully paced revelations of Kate's family secrets. An honest, compassionate portrayal of touchingly real characters and their familial relationships; the mistakes made, the regrets, the falling out, the falling apart, the forgiveness and the love." Jane Elmor, author of My Vintage Summer

"An emotionally powerful story of the impact of secrets and lies on the lives of three generations of women - a deeply satisfying and moving book, and a wonderful debut!" Sophie Duffy, author of Bright Stars

Genres: Fiction

228 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 11, 2016

About the author

Amanda Saint's debut novel, As If I Were A River, was longlisted for the Guardian Not the Booker Prize, selected as a NetGalley Top 10 Book of the Month and as Top 20 Book of 2016 by the Book Magnet blog. Her short stories appear in anthologies and literary magazines and have won, or been long and shortlisted for, various prizes. When she's not writing fiction, Amanda works as a freelance journalist writing about environmental sustainability. She also runs her own creative writing business, Retreat West, through which she runs writing retreats, courses and competitions, and an independent press, retreat West Books.

Find out more on her websites:
http://amandasaint.net
http://retreatwest.co.uk
http://retreatwestbooks.com

Reviews

[Ola · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was so bad! It hurts me how bad it was. I really didn't enjoy my time with this book, I forced myself to get to a half, and then I just was skimming the pages. There are great books waiting for me, so there was no point on focusing on this one.

What can I say? Book is split on Lauren's and Kate's chapters, and sometimes there is a chapter dedicated to Una showing her letters or diary entries. All the characters seem to always overreacting or underreacting, their dialogs are full of clichés and just seem fake. Some parts just made me cringe there we that bad. Laura at the beginning it portrayed as if she had a mentality of a 12 year old girl, but she's in fact 18 year old and just had to face a huge tragedy in her life. And I just feel annoyed with her. The same with Kate. I just was feeling annoyed. They way all the evens were shown did not make me feel for her at all. Some parts of dialogs are trying to convince us how much bad stuff happened to Kate, but it is not convincing. I'm sorry that I have to be convinced, but word created in the book does not look convincing, and not for a moment I felt bad for anyone, I was indifferent to it all.

Don't read this book. It's not worth your time.

And I now need to binge on a good book or else I go mad!

[Michelle Ryles · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is rare that I find a book outside of the thriller genre so compulsively addictive, but As If I Were a River was so beautifully written that I found it virtually impossible to put down. It is the story of three women whose stories flow together exquisitely as we untangle the threads of their lives throughout the book. Although there are three interwoven stories, they are not at all confusing and it all comes together perfectly in the end like a well followed recipe.

The story starts with Kate on the night that her husband, Jimmy, pops out to the corner shop for some cigarettes and never returns. Kate is understandably distraught at Jimmy’s disappearance and even more so when Jimmy’s family almost appear to be gloating that he has left her. Kate’s sister, Julie, returns from Japan to offer support as Kate’s life spirals dangerously out of control.

Between Kate’s chapters we learn about Laura. Laura appears to have led quite a sheltered life and one day meets Ken. Although she’s not quite 18, Ken takes her to the pub for a drink and there’s a really lovely moment when she doesn’t know what to order and gets her first taste of a pint of bitter, described in a way that made my beer-loving mouth water. As tragedy strikes, Laura has to grow up quickly and soon finds herself married with two children at the age of 20 and feeling like she has missed out on her life. Struggling to make sense of her life, Laura makes some decisions that have serious repercussions for herself and her whole family.

Finally, we are introduced to Una. Una is the oldest of the three ladies and holds the key to some surprising family secrets. Secrets that can provide answers for Kate and Julie and take them on a trip around the world to New Zealand, with an ending that brought a tear to my eye, confirming how emotionally invested I was in the characters.

As If I Were A River is an absolutely outstanding debut from Amanda Saint. It is written so beautifully that I couldn’t help but form an immensely strong emotional link to the characters as their journey unfolded. As If I Were A River is something so completely out of the ordinary that it warrants every single one of the five stars that I have awarded it.

I received this e-book from the publisher, Urbane Publications, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[The Book Review Café · Rating 4 out of 5]

As If I Were A River is a debut novel from Amanda Saint and one I found compelling to say the least. Each chapter is told from three woman’s perspectives, all three generations have their own story to tell, which all come together to form a thought provoking tale. Life changes for Kate when her husband Jimmy goes missing, as Kate struggles to cope with his disappearance, she also finds herself facing unresolved abandonment issues, as her mum left her when she was just a child and she never knew why. To face her future Kate first has to find out the secrets that surround her mothers sudden disappearance, and these secrets are drip fed to the reader chapter by chapter.

Through the first half of As If I were A River I didn’t particularly feel any emotion for Kate’s character, as I found her difficult to like, she appeared weak and self indulgent spending much of her time drunk or stoned. Although as the reader learns more about past events in Kate’s life it was easy to imagine why she would take this path, rather than deal with her problems head on. Interestingly all three generations of women appear weak when faced with difficult life choices, and you can’t help wondering what would have happened if they made different choices, as the consequences of their actions are shown to affect the next generation. As the story progressed my feelings towards Kate changed and I began to feel real empathy for her, as her life spiralled out of control.

If you are looking for a fast paced book then As If I Were A River may not be for you, as this is one of those books that slowly but surely presents the reader with the threads of a story and then brings them all together to form a fascinating read about families, deception and the way our lives can be shaped by past events. Amanda Saint has written a compelling book, and although the ending was very predictable it did keep me intrigued to the last page.

First published on my blog http://thebookreviewcafe.com

[Tammy Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Net Galley, Urbane Publishing and the author Amanda Saint for the ARC I received of this novel to read and review prior to publication.

This is the debut novel for this author, and although during the first third of the novel I found the writing, emotions and realism at times simplistic and vague, I also found that it was a straightforward telling of the story from the perspectives of the characters, and no flowery prose was needed to get the point across. No distraction from the basic truths, emotions and struggle happening here.

Kate, the youngest of the three generations of women, struggles through the unexplained disappearance of her husband, which is the catalyst for personal discovery. Finding the courage to question her assumptions and beliefs about her life and relationships with her family members in it, she takes a personal journey to discover the changed life she now lives.

With each chapter came a switch of perspective, these three generations of women and their interwoven histories, choices and actions made for a powerful story. Each chapter, and another piece of the story was laid out, making it compelling to continue reading and hard for me to put down. The writing and story just flowed, with no natural pause to lend to the desire to take a break from reading.

The catch phrase for the book says "when we discover the truth about others, we find ourselves..." and this couldn't be more apt. This story and the personal struggle of the main character were very real for me, and made this a very satisfying read.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

As If I Were A River left me with mixed feelings.

I feel like I should start by mentioning how the title seems to work so perfectly as a metaphor for what happens in As If I Were A River. I believe the story flows with ease, even though the path leads the reader through different torrents that seem to collide at some point. It’s disorientating at times, clear as crystal at others… and then there’s the ocean. The ending brings answers that open doors instead of closing.

I must confess that I didn’t find it to be an extraordinary read, but Amanda Saint seems to be quite skilled at captivating the reader. Kate’s frustration is contagious to the point that you start feeling frustrated towards her. The fact that the story is told by three different generations, Kate being the youngest, only makes it harder not to want to snap at her and tell her to get a grip. Everything seems so much easier, clearer, when you condensate different angles into one picture…

As If I Were A River is an emotional journey where the word missing seems to play an extremely relevant part. Someone gone missing, missing someone, missing the point, missing the chance… and then finding.

I will certainly be keeping an eye out for Amanda Saint. I think she’s finding her own literary flow.

P.S. The book is visually beautiful.

ARC provided by Urbane Publications via NetGalley.

[J.A. Ironside · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a different book than I would normally go for but that did not stop it being enjoyable, thought provoking and beautifully written. I saw a little of this in it's very early stages and was thrilled when I heard the author had got a publishing contract as I would get to read the rest. Love and loss are strong themes in this novel, and underpinning it all is the sense of interconnectedness we find in novels such as Isabel Allende's House of Spirits- our lives are not our own but spiral and twist and part, interconnecting and affecting each other. I agree with another reviewer that there were aspects of second and third tier characters I wanted to know more about but as a novel that was at least partially about secrets and ho they can both poison you and set you free, it made sense that some back stories were kept in the shade. This was a wonderful debut - one I expect I will get more from on a reread.

[Shirley Golden · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘As If I Were a River’ is the accomplished debut novel by Amanda Saint. It explores three generations of women: Una, Laura and Kate, mainly following the daughter, Laura’s, and granddaughter, Kate’s stories. The setting alternates between the 1970s and modern times, and this shift between eras is skilfully managed.

The narrative felt strongest for me when in Kate’s viewpoint, and it’s very much her journey that is central to the novel’s themes of loss and acceptance.

The style of writing is straight-forward, which leant power to the emotions. I felt very drawn into both Laura and Kate’s lives, and the short sections about the grandmother, Una, added a sense of intrigue.

This is a beautifully written novel that I’d happily recommend.

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

ABGN I received an electronic copy of this book from Amanda Saint and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, folks for sharing your work with me.

I had A bit of trouble getting into this novel, but once I made it over the hump, it was interesting and at times compelling. Kate is an interesting woman, complex and realistic. Amanda Saint has a writing style I appreciate, with a straightforward manner that carries the tale to us at a pace that keeps our attention. This story is complicated and told from alternate viewpoints, but is very easily followed after a rather rocky beginning.

[Barbara Rohde · Rating 4 out of 5]

One evening Kate's husband Jimmy goes down to the shop and never returns. What has happened to him? This mystery serves as the backdrop for a psychological exploration of grief, its consequences and an interrogation of close relationships. The mystery isn't the only thing that keeps us turning the pages as it becomes evident that Jimmy's disappearance is only a catalyst for Kate to resolve her relationships with her parents and her grandmother who holds the biggest secret of all. Abandonment and its life long ramifications is a key theme in this gripping book that I enjoyed very much as it demonstrates how one decision can affect generations.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I was gripped from start to finish, and found it very difficult to put down. It would normally take me a week or two to finish a book, picking it up and putting it down often. This book, I didn't want to put down, I needed to know what, how, who, why? I read it in two evenings. The writing flows with ease so is a joy to read. The story was real to me - believable. I found myself thinking about the characters, almost worrying for them. A book with a captivating beginning, an intriguingly great middle, and just the right ending. Loved it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely tale. There were times I thought it was veering into implausible mysteries, and I started to get worried, but then it came back around. This is a tale of mistakes made, through three generations of women. It's the tale of a woman who may just be falling apart, but is held together by her sister. It's the story of loving a sibling, or a father, or a grandmother, even when their choices have left you wounded.

Definitely recommend.

[Karen Barber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this.
Telling the stories of three different women-Una, Laura and Kate-we are invited to explore their feelings about key events in their lives. This is narrated in a very straightforward manner, but it took me some getting used to before I felt I'd worked out who was who and how they were related.
There was nothing particularly complex about the style of this. It was quite engaging, but not quite as much I'd hoped it would be be.

[Chauncey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice debut novel. Interesting story and concept of a river being a life and all the events and people like tributaries that make up a river. Got it. Just wish the story was more fluid and found the changes in narrator and points of view to be a hindrance to that.

Enjoyed the multi-generational aspect and the reflection on relationships and life. Saint’s style is straight forward and has a raw quality.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

[Kali Napier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poignant. I enjoyed the dual narrative points of view, and the intertwining of question and answer posed by each one. Questions such as what might compel someone to leave their loved ones, and how those behind cope.

[Tfalcone · Rating 3 out of 5]

What happens if your husband just disappears? Especially, if your mother did the same thing when you were growing up? Good character study.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

[Saarah Niña · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three journeys woven into one.
A book intended for serious people, the tale follows the lives of three women: Kate, Laura and Una. We are introduced to them as separate people, but as the tale develops we see the nature of their relationship.

We follow them, we see their lives as they spiral out of control - from their happier moments (falling in love) to their worst (losing someone). We see it all. As a reader this is what I most appreciated, Saint's characters are explored in depth, we are able to see more than what is at the surface. There were characters like Ken who I had a number of opinions about- all of which conflicted.. I can't say I loved any character. When you see someone at their worst, you require a sort of equilibrium with their good moments and I don't think that was the case for any of the characters. Though, I feel Laura came close, not earlier on whilst in her innocence and naivety, but later when she discovered her independence.

Speaking (or rather, writing) of Laura, I desired to know more about her, and her willingness to commit the all-important action seemed foolish since she had no actual plans in regard to using her 'new' or 'potential degree'.

In the same way, the secrets Kate discovers were a huge let down. We learn that maybe there's hope for her. The suspense built up by Una's letters was huge...but the result didn't fulfil its potential. I wished for scandal, but what we got was heroism. I simply can't see the prospect of a mother very much in love with her family giving them up.

Though this theme of loss (especially the loss of love is consistent throughout the novel, broadening on a range of other characters' experiences. This is another style of Saints' that I liked, she refused to keep any character on the sidelines. Only too often do we read books where there is a far more interesting character (than the protagonists) who are ignored or mentioned briefly. In spite of this, I did want to know what pushed Jimmy to be unfaithful to his wife, believe me I know (in huge detail) her bad traits, though I feel these fail to justify his actions satisfactorily. Oh well, like Kate, perhaps we will not find an explanation. Additionally, I'd have liked to know of Ken's childhood....I understand that the tale was not about him but the heart wants what it wants...

I recommend this to anyone looking for a long read, there is no humour or comedy. Though I do recall smiling at the American tourist looking for Elton John. We may be English but that doesn't mean we can give you the address to any other Englishman! I have not yet had this experience, but I've heard of it before.

I'm afraid the reasoning behind the title escapes me, I cannot connect the title to the tale told. Though, I do like the cover: it's very fitting. In the book we are given mere glimpses of the characters and it's up to us to connect the dots. And we also quickly begin to understand that there is no 'true' picture pf anyone. Our tales and memories can become distorted.

I received this novel through NetGalley.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Years ago, while working towards my undergraduate degree, one of my professors assigned the book The Women Who Broke All the Rules: How the Choices of a Generation Changed Our Lives, by Joan Avis, Ph.D. and Susan Evans Ed.D. That non-fiction novel held a variety of personal stories of women of the baby-boom era who challenged societal norms of growing up, getting married, and making babies, and went their own way. As I read Amanda Saint’s new novel, As If I Were A River, I was reminded of that book I was assigned so long ago and how it represented changing roles of women. To say that this was an outstanding novel would be an understatement!

Narrated by alternating characters, As If I Were A River tells the stories of Laura, Ken, Kate, Jules, and Una. Kate’s perspective is during present-day and begins with Kate’s husband going missing. Kate’s younger sister Jules comes to be with her sister and tries to offer support and guidance as her sister endures a downward spiral in reaction to her husband’s disappearance. Laura’s perspective is from her late teen years into adulthood, many years ago, and paints the picture of Laura’s whirlwind life changes and her later realizations that she wanted more out of life. Una does narrate a few chapters in the form of letters, but much of what we learn about Una comes from Laura’s chapters and perspectives from both her and Ken. I found myself both loving and hating several of the characters at different points in the novel, which honestly, is like real life. These characters go through the good and bad, make good decisions, and make poor decisions. Some topics and issues addressed throughout this novel include:

Family relationships and dynamics
Alcoholism
Desertion/Disappearance
Women’s roles
Parenting
Lies/Betrayal
And so much more!

Throughout this novel you find yourself relating to and empathizing with characters at one point, and at other times, you feel frustrated due to their personal decisions and actions. This is absolutely a book you will start and finish the same day because the author draws you in almost immediately. My only feedback that is not positive is the ending! Not trying to spoil anything for anyone, but when I came to the end I actually yelled out, “What?? No way that’s it!” I kept touching the screen on my iPad, thinking there had to be more pages and something was wrong, but alas, there were not. However, now that I’ve had more time to reflect on the novel, I’ve decided that OK, maybe that was the right time to wrap everything up…. I will just have to imagine in my mind what happened next, years later, etc! Regardless of the ending, I highly recommend this novel, especially to women that want to read something insightful and unique – it is a wonderful novel!



Disclaimer: I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a positive review.

[Thelastwordreview · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through 2016 we have seen some remarkable debut novels and As If I Were a River by Amanda Saint is one I am happy to add to the list of quite outstanding debuts.
One aspect of this novel is just how compelling read it turns out to be, when it arrived on my desk I have to admit I was not sure how the story would move, but I am delighted that it did land on my desk.

I like that every chapter was told by one of the three generations of women involved and each one really does just grab the reader’s attention. The story starts with Kate, and that one evening Jimmy her husband left to just go to the local shop to buy some cigarettes and failed to return. From this moment you feel like you are watching through a window helpless as Kate’s life goes out of control.

What Kate has to go through is quite startling as she now faces a similar abandonment scenario from when she was much younger as her mother also walked out on her. Kate now has to understand why her mother just left her to understand why Jimmy also walked out on her. Kate has not seen her mother for 25 years.

We then meet Laura and facing a tragic moment in her young life and now at the age of 20 has to cope with two children how Laura’s life just seems to have also abandoned her to pick up the pieces. Now facing some life changing decisions that will have profound consequences for herself and her family and the future.
The novel weaves its way from the 1970’s through to current day and we see how people cope in situations of one extreme of happiness to being left alone and then losing someone close in a tragic moment in their life. And add in secrets and lies and you have a recipe for a very dramatic story.
When we get to meet Una the grandmother and we soon understand that she is the key and some of information that leads a journey to the other side of the world for some and an emotional ending awaits.

The message that comes out of this story is that sometimes our past shapes our futures and how we handle situations that we find ourselves involved in. An emotional and tragic story that will move any reader. Saint’s writing allows the reader to become involved with the story and each reader will form their own opinion of the leading characters.

A beautiful story and an exceptional debut and I am now looking forward to seeing how Amanda Saint follows on for this.

[Tracy Fells · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fast paced novel kept me reading to the end, as I had to know how the stories of Kate and Laura ended. The narrative sweeps between Laura and her daughter, Kate, interwoven with the letters of Una (Kate's grandmother). A story of three women.
I loved the young voice of Laura, who's life is tragically driven off course when she's only a teenager. Somehow later in life she's become estranged from daughter, Kate, and you are driven to keep reading and learn why.
Kate's life unravels when her husband simply vanishes after 'popping' out to the shop one evening. As Kate searches for him and the truth we see the impact on her health and sanity as she spirals into despair and self-loathing.
The prose is no-nonsense and sharp, not to everyone's taste perhaps, but compliments the theme and tone of this book.
I swept through this in two nights as I had to find out what had happened. Why Laura left her children behind and does Kate find somewhere of rebuilding her life without her husband?
Without giving too much away, the ending leaves us at critical point in the women's lives but with a glimmer of hope that they will both survive (well, I hope they do!).

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Urbane Publications and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of As If I Were A River, in exchange for an honest review.

As If I Were A River is the story of three generations of women - Una, Laura, and Kate - and how each one impacts the others' lives. The night that Kate's husband Jimmy disappears, she must reevaluate her feelings of abandonment and seek answers to her past as well as her present. Although her sister Jules is there to help, Kate spirals out of control. Will Kate ever be able to get closure as far as her mother and Jimmy are concerned, or will she self destruct?

The changing perspectives threw the book off balance, taking the focus away from Kate and the central story of her husband's disappearance. The plot did not flow all that well and the complete and total self destruction by Kate seemed to be out of place. It was hard to feel any sort of connection to any of the main characters and, in the end, As If I Were A River was just not all that compelling.

[Lolly K Dandeneau · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story lacks the flow and poetic writing I tend to lean towards, I felt like I was thrust into the story from the start. Nothing wrong with that, just not the style I fancy. With that said, the story itself is about secrets and family, self-discovery and how our choices effect others. It wasn't as mysterious as I thought, but more a story about internal conflict, relationship damage, how some step in when others disappear and why. Admittedly, because the story shifts I didn't find myself rooting for anyone but certainly I was able to get insight into each character's perspective. I did feel I was reading a novel aimed towards a younger audience and I can't explain why exactly. I think it was more the writing often seemed abrupt. But in all fairness, in literary fiction I am expecting sentences that tug at my emotions. I didn't feel rooted to anyone. The story is clear but I wanted to feel more invested.

[Cindy H. · Rating 2 out of 5]

As If I Were A River is a debut novel written by Amanda Saint. For me, the quality of writing and storytelling was not up to par. The story appeared very generic and the characters lacked dimension. The back and forth storytelling was jumbled and slow.

The story follows three generations of women; grandmother, daughter in law and granddaughter. Una is the grandmother who was left to raise Kate, her granddaughter. Laura is her daughter in law who disappeared when Kate was only nine years old. The scars of childhood effect Kate, as well as Laura and the other family members. This book contains many secrets but none were too tantalizing or very shocking. If this book was intended as thriller/ suspense, I think it failed to deliver. I was unable to connect to any of the characters and was glad when this novel ended. At less than 250 pages, this was a quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. I am sorry that I am unable to offer a more positive review.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing that grabbed me about this book is the interesting pictures on the front cover, and like the title and pictures, the book comes together like bits of a stream leading into a river. It did take me a little while to get into, partly because it is written from the point of view of different characters, but I thought the book got better and better the more I read.

It was an interesting storyline, the main character's husband goes to the shop one day and does not return, when she was a child, her mother disappeared without explanation too. As she tries to discover the whereabouts of her husband she begins to discover all of the secrets within her family that have been buried for years. I really couldn't guess where the plot was going and I thought it was written with a lot of emotion and feeling, I really enjoyed it.

[Jacqueline Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story examines the way three women have coped with life. Their lives intertwined, each of them have suffered events that make their lives take difficult turns. Told from three POV's the story flows brilliantly and the voices are skillfully different. I realised towards the end of the novel that the author has cleverly allowed the reader to see a great deal of each woman's life, but out of order, so the secrets revealed are reflected in both the actions and the motivations.
A great read which covers the ups and downs of life in equal, fascinating measures.

[Wendy Greenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in a day from which my conclusions are implicit. It was a thought provoking layered family story that skilfully seep into each other. The three generational voices throw the reader into the individuals very convincingly and the details which mark all our lives are so well drawn in that their significance neither jars nor makes you wonder why they are there.
My huge disappointment which overwhelmed the 99% great stuff, was the ending. Felt imposed to create a conclusion rather than the natural segues in the rest of the novel

[Abigayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fantastic debut from Amanda Saint. As If I Were a River is a well written book that keeps you guessing to the end. I heard the first chapter read by the author at a literary event, and instantly needed to purchase the book to know what happened next. The characters are well formed and believable, they suck you into their world and you find that you need to know more about them. I thoroughly enjoyed reading his book and would highly recommend it to all my friends and family (and often do!).

[B.A. Steadman · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first glance this appears to be a straightforward story about a woman whose husband goes missing, but her subsequent breakdown reveals the emotional fallout of a woman who feels herself abandoned by everyone she has loved. Saint deals sensitively with family secrets and turmoil as Kate learns the truth. I enjoyed the three interlinked narrators. It's a satisfying read, and has an optimistic ending. Well done to the author on such an assured debut.

[Bookworldliness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three generations, three women, three secrets, AS IF I WERE A RIVER by AMANDA SAINT, is a women fiction with secrets that age back to many years.

The tale starts with the disappearance of Kate’s husband. During search for her husband, she comes across many family secrets. Her mother and grandmother both have their own secrets that have build a world of lies around everyone in their family. She spirals down a dark path which seems to be her doom. With help from her sister and sheer willpower he rekindles and ends her relationship with many people as she comes to terms with her husband’s disappearance.

The story is narrated from Kate, her mother and grandmother’s point of view. In a male dominating society, with women being typecast as catty, AS IF I WERE A RIVER, is a breath of fresh air which shows women in power and being supportive of other women. This is a story of women being each other’s anchor. The story also mirrors the accepted behavior; and women’s place in the society as care taker, and how far women have come to overcome that.

Amanda saint has written this book in a way that depicts three different secrets that hold readers’ interest till the end. The most commendable feature of her writing is that she has written realistic characters of different generations in such a way that the readers feel a connection with them. Readers can empathize with the characters and the predicament that they go through as the story unfolds. The secrets are distinct in nature, yet they come together in the end to complete the circle of life.
Rest of the info is available on my blog:
https://bookworldliness.wordpress.com/

[Giselle Delsol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ordered this novel as it was selected as a NetGalley Top 10 Book of the Month, longlisted for the Guardian Not the Booker Prize, and chosen as a Top 20 Book of 2016 by the Book Magnet Blog. Surely a book with those credentials must have something up its sleeve?

The answer is a resounding YES! The beauty of this book lies in the intensity of the emotional interactions between the three protagonists: women of three generations sharing a common story. As with all relationships, no-one experiences life events in quite the same way. What is one woman’s truth is not necessarily another’s.

I won’t go into the plot as many reviews here already have, but I feel that it’s important to point out the finesse of the voice. Each chapter, written in the first person, is titled with the name of the character. After a few chapters the reader doesn’t need the title, as the characters are instantly recognisable by their words, thoughts and actions. Another finesse lies in the personal relationships. As with any family, this one has its share of happiness, but decisions taken over the years lead to painful loss and misunderstandings.

As if I were a River is an intense novel that doesn’t coddle the reader. Human emotions are raw and messy, and this story paints that vividly. Some families are more messed up than others; this book explores that very well.

I purchased this book from The Retreat West Books site, all opinions are mine.

[victoria mcalister · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
el final de jimmy demasiado predecible