The River by Starlight

by Ellen Notbohm

For fans of Paulette Jiles and Marisa del los Santos

Winner of 15 literary awards including IPBA Gold Medal, Sarton Women's Book Award, Western Writers of American Spur Award, Eric Hoffer Grand Prize Short List and First Runner-up Historical Fiction, American Book Fest Best Book Award for Legacy Fiction, Eric Hoffer Book Award Montaigne Medal finalist.

Based on true events, this sweeping novel weaves a timeless century-old story of passion, unimaginable loss, resilience, and redemption embodied in one woman’s tenacious quest for self-determination in the face of devastating misfortune and social injustice.

Annie Rushton leaves behind an unsettling past to join her brother on his Montana homestead and make a determined fresh start. There, sparks fly when she tangles with Adam Fielding, a visionary businessman-farmer determined to make his own way and answer to no one. Neither is looking for marriage, but they give in to their undeniable chemistry.

Annie and Adam's marriage brims with early promise and unanticipated passion, but their dream of having a child eludes them as a mysterious illness of mind and body plagues Annie's pregnancies. Amidst deepening economic adversity, natural disaster, and the onset of world war, their personal struggles collide with the societal mores of the day. Annie's shattering periods of black depression and violent outbursts exact a terrible price. The life the Fieldings have forged begins to unravel, and the only path ahead leads to unthinkable loss.

Gold medal - Independent Publisher Book Awards, Best Regional Fiction
Sarton Women's Book Award for Historical Fiction
Western Writers of American Spur Award, Best First Novel
Grand Prize Short List, Eric Hoffer Book Awards
American Book Fest Best Book Award, Legacy Fiction
First Runner-up for Historical Fiction, Eric Hoffer Book Awards
First place, Goethe Award for Historical Fiction, Chanticleer International
Finalist, National Indie Excellence Awards
Finalist, High Plains Book Awards
Finalist, Nancy Pearl Book Awards
Finalist, Chatelaine Awards, Chanticleer International
Finalist, Spur Awards, Best Traditional Novel
Finalist, Next Generation Indie Book Awards,
Finalist, Da Vinci Eye Award, Eric Hoffer Book Awards
Semifinalist, Somerset Awards, Chanticleer International
Powell's City of Books Staff Pick

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

353 pages, Paperback

First published May 8, 2018

About the author

Ellen Notbohm’s work touches millions in more than 25 languages. She is author of the acclaimed novel The River by Starlight, the nonfiction classic Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew, and numerous short fiction and nonfiction pieces appearing in literary journals, magazines, and anthologies in the US and abroad. Her books and short prose have won more than 40 awards worldwide.

Reviews

[Michelle Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully written book is a treasure. I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book, and I loved it. It was a delightful read that I looked forward to digging into each night. Notbohm masterfully weaves the story of Annie and Adam Fielding, two star-crossed people who come together in an attempt to bring forth life on an early 20th-century farm in Montana. Rich with beautiful prose stitched together with authentic, shimmering dialogue and a love story that leaves you aching, A River by Starlight is sure to stun. A wonderful debut novel!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie made the quilt for her future husband, for his eyes only.

There was a block with a sliver of chrome orange moon and a fabric with a chrome yellow shower of stars. The twilight sky was represented with a dark sapphire with a swirl of white dots and a cadet blue shot with white. At the bottom curved a river in green fabric. She called it River By Starlight.

In 1911 Annie Rushton had received a letter from her older brother Cal, inviting her to come to Montana where he had settled. At age 26, Annie was living with her mother after postpartum psychosis destroyed her marriage and separated her from her baby daughter.

Annie hopes that Montana will bring the freedom she craves and the new beginning she desperately needs. Annie travels light, only taking her ivory knitting needles, her Emily Dickinson inscribed "with everlasting love" by her ex-husband, and her grandmother's rose glass jar.

She never expected that Montana would bring a man who would claim her, body and soul, or imagine the ecstasy and the crippling pain and loss their love would endure, driving Annie to a desperate choice.

Ellen Notbohm's novel The River by Starlight is based on true events which she spent years researching. Notbohm wanted to give voice to the women, who a hundred years ago and with few resources, suffered mental health issues in a male-dominated health and justice system.

Annie is an amazing character, strong and feisty, quick-witted and quick-tempered. I loved the dialogue between the characters. Although Annie suffers many losses, she also is resilient and a survivor. The misunderstandings between men and women and the compromises they make ring true. The writing is gorgeous.

Readers will be swept back in time and won't soon forget the vivid characters.

I received a free book through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of "The River by Starlight" by Ellen Notbohm and I'm so glad I did. My goodness from the first chapter the author weaves a tale of love, tragic loss, heart-breaking details of life, along with a beautifully descriptive writing style that encompasses the story in a way that confides in the reader.

The details of the story are set in the early 1910's to 1940's as it trails the main character, Annie as she receives a letter from her brother Cal, to join him on his homestead in Montana to help care for him and the house. She accepts the offer and after settling in she meets her brother's boss, Adam Fielding. It was certainly not love at first sight, but in time Adam is taken by her strong character and proceeds to court her. Part of the author's charm shines through her descriptions of historical events and through her dialogue between characters. On one encounter with Adam, Annie describes a detail about Adam's horse and finds herself falling privy to his questioning conversation. "I see he's missing something," she says, and kicks herself for falling into yet another prickly conversation with him. Stuck now, like a hair in a biscuit." The author's style of writing had me laughing, rooting for the characters, and crying alongside all of the tragic loss and heartache.

Even with how beautifully written this story was, I was really impressed with the author's prose in writing about mental illness and postpartum depression, showing that it isn't pretty but it's REAL. It not only affects the individual struggling with it, but Ellen Notbohm shows how it affects others around them. Mental illness is still as subject that doesn't seem to get enough attention in today's world, let alone the time period in which this story takes place. I applaud the author for taking those risks and for writing a beautifully and heart-wrenching story that became, "The River of Starlight".

#TheRiverByStarlight #NetGalley

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so lucky to get an ARC of The River by Starlight. There is nothing I didn’t love about this book. Ellen Notbohm’s language is exquisite, a mixture of steel and silk—the narrative voice uncannily powerful and sure, yet tender. The story will grow tendrils around your heart, squeezing it until you can barely breathe. Notbohm’s deep research and love of her subject shine through on every page. On one hand, it is the story of one woman’s tragic and puzzling mental frailty, but more, it is a love story, and a heart-rending study of the forced redefining of family. Lively, trenchant dialogue and lyrical prose reveal the very soul of the unforgettable characters in this book. I recommend it to any reader with a heart

[Laurie Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't remember the last time I read a novel of such sweeping proportion of EMOTION (it will plummet you to the depths and then buoy you straight up again); TIME (it spans decades), and LANDSCAPE (the Big Sky country of Montana and Alberta). How the author was able to nail the details, including vernacular, of the homestead period boggles my mind. Further, this engaging tale is based on true events—amazing! I’m confident that this five-star read will captivate your heart as well. I loved THE RIVER BY STARLIGHT and highly recommend it.

[Brittney Corrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will tear your heart out and then piece it back together again. I was lucky enough to preview an ARC of The River by Starlight, and Ellen Notbohm is a master storyteller, intertwining gorgeous, lyrical language with painstakingly researched historical details as seamlessly as her characters intertwine their lives. By the end of the book, the characters felt like old friends, and I was ready to sit down at Annie's table to share tears and apple pie or to hang out with Adam and talk horses and seedlings. And though the story takes place a century ago, its themes of postpartum depression/psychosis and the remarkable ability of humans, especially women, to overcome astonishing adversity are still poignant and relevant today. The River by Starlight is a book for your head, your heart, and your whole being. It will make any reader feel, as Thoreau wrote, that "There is no other land; there is no other life but this.”

[Gilion Dumas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellen Notbohm’s new book, The River by Starlight, tells the story of a homesteading couple in Montana in the early 1900s struggling with the wife's recurring postpartum depression. The book was inspired by research into Ellen's own family history.

Maternal mental health rarely appears in historical fiction, which makes this book a particularly interesting historical novel. The frontier setting also creates space around the topic to examine it without today’s expectations or pre-conceived ideas about solutions. Just how would a woman and her partner deal with postpartum psychosis, given the general ignorance and social stigma surrounding women’s mental health issues in the early 20th century, not to mention the gender-biased laws of the day?

Notbohm does a good job of telling both Annie and Adam’s stories authentically. Annie is the main player, but Adam’s grief and desperation also ring true.

[Dianah (onourpath) · Rating 3 out of 5]

With much more heft and substance than I first thought it would contain, The River By Starlight is the story of one woman's life. Annie Rushton follows her brother to a farm in Montana in 1911, and works there with him to eke out some kind of existence from the ground. Having already suffered the worst of blows in her young life, Annie is a strong and capable woman. Yet there's a hidden thread of horror that she carries within her, and it will come to mark and complicate the entirety of her life. Really well done, don't miss this personal account based on the true life stories of real people.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolute gem of a novel! Hard scrabble young individuals Annie and Adam set the stars on fire, and make a living on the challenging Montana frontier. Fantastic character development, and while the plot twists and turns in ways that don't always have the stars aligning, the feelings and experiences feel authentic and powerful.
Fans of Paulette Jiles and Charles Franzier take note!

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notbohm’s debut novel is based on true events, but it’s her magical storytelling that brings Annie and Adam Fielding to life. Annie meets Adam when she joins her brother in early twentieth-century Montana, escaping the shame that she has felt ever since her divorce. Annie’s odd behavior and emotional pain following the birth of her daughter led her husband to take the child and leave her, afraid for their daughter’s safety, and she looks forward to a new life in Montana. The joy Annie and Adam find together quickly dissipates with their attempts to have children, leaving Annie physically battered and experiencing wild mood swings and uncontrollable rages. Lives in upheaval, their marriage falls apart, and Annie soon experiences the isolation and abandonment suffered by women living with mental illness a century ago. The novel probes sensitively at the gender disparity of the time, particularly in the treatment of women enduring mental-health difficulties. With intimate and poetic language reminiscent of Paulette Jiles and Marisa de los Santos, Notbohm demonstrates that loss and fragility often exist alongside strength and bliss.
First published Booklist online April 18, 2018

[Shawnee Bernstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written story of love, loss, and resurrection. Although the technology and landscape are different, Annie (and Adam) -- the protagonist(s), faced many of the same problems both in work and marriage that couples face today which makes their tale all the more riveting. Annie's journey is both heart wrenching and uplifting, a true testament to the power of a mother's love, determination, and perseverance in the face of potentially disastrous uncertainty. Ellen does a phenomenal job bridging the pains of the past with the present though this well-crafted, well-paced, narrative that explores pregnancy, motherhood, mental illness, gender roles and social stigma.

[Nancy Chadwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a page turner! Notbohm's masterful writing keeps you wanting to know more of Annie and Adam, their lives separate and their lives together. With detailed, provocative scenes, I got to see her characters in-depth, rooting for Annie when she faced hardships of body and indescribable illness of mind. Annie's tenacity is inspirational despite her many devastating losses. Notbohm's talent in writing powerful fiction is well worth your investment in reading The River by Starlight. Highly recommended!

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I too fell instantly in love with my advanced reader copy of "River by Starlight." You won't find a more powerful, page-turning read -- whether it's for the quality of the writing, the meticulous attention to historical detail, the inspiration you'll gain from its protagonists, or the astounding story itself (which I'm told is based on true events). Pre-order it. Make room in your schedule to read it as soon as it hits the shelves. You won't be sorry!

[Talia Kyrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read 10-25 books per month, and I haven’t cried that hard (for a book, my own life, a movie, anything) in a long time. This book is like the Notebook, but for real adults. Think twice before reading if you’ve ever lost a pregnancy or a child, I have never read a more realistic portrayal of the emotions involved.

[Joel Glick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story full of wisdom

I love how vividly this novel transported me to another place, time and set of communities. Superbly written, with unusual depth and insight into our oh so human struggles and resilience. Now, to mourn that this book has ended.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking but beautifully written book. I really felt for the characters and sometimes found myself holding my breath. This is a story of love and survival.

[C.P. Lesley]

When Annie Rushton heads west to keep house for her older brother on his Montana homestead, she expects to leave marriage and motherhood behind her. After all, the husband she walked out on at twenty, after the birth of their daughter sent her into a spiral of panic and depression, has divorced her and forbidden contact with their baby, citing fears for his own and the child’s safety. In 1911, a record like that should keep most men at bay.

Adam Fielding also has no interest in marriage, but he’s drawn to Annie from the start, despite the frequent clashes of will between them. When her older brother sells them the homestead and skips town, Annie and Adam settle into a partnership that is as economically successful as it is romantic. But fate intervenes to prevent them from having a child, and with each disaster the return of Annie’s depression drives her farther apart from the husband she loves. In a world that understands psychological conditions as lapses in morality, the judgment passed on Annie is harsh and unyielding. Yet somehow she manages to hold on to hope.

Ellen Notbohm’s thought-provoking and beautifully written debut novel, The River by Starlight, dives into the depths of family life and individual psychosis and uncovers a cast of complex and compelling characters that will keep you entranced to the last page.

Interview with Ellen Notbohm at New Books in Historical Fiction.

[Barbara Ridley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite! I loved this book: beautiful, stunning prose on every page; complex, well-drawn characters; suspenseful plot; and a compelling tale transporting the reader to rural Montana in the early twentieth century. Annie is a wonderful protagonist, a powerful, strong-willed woman who suffers from severe postpartum psychosis, with tragic consequences. A poignant novel, with extraordinary emotional depth, tough to read in some places, but Annie's resilience carries her through. Full of fascinating historical details without being over-burdened by the author's extensive research, this novel offers insights into the stigma of mental illness, which still has resonance today. A stunning debut!

[Heather Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I started this and couldn’t put it down but then life happened. But I kept seeing that book in my busyness and genuinely wanted to get back to it. This is a one or two sitting book. Every paragraph a punch and then relief and then punch. And the hits are deep and personal. This whole book is so personal.

[Ann Creel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is courageous writing by an author unafraid of tackling tough issues. Notbohm doesn't patronize the reader and instead tells a full story that can be dark at times but is so worth telling. You won't forget this one for a while. Highly recommended.

[Claire Fullerton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every well-wrought sentence in The River by Starlight is as beautiful as the Henry David Thoreau inspired title. Author Ellen Notbohm has penned a breathlessly epic, masterful story set in early 1900’s Montana in language so lyrically elevated you’ll want to commit much of it to memory but will have to get back to it later—you’ll be too busy turning the pages.
The River by Starlight is a starkly humanistic story. It’s an historical novel intimately and engagingly written in present tense concerning the sweeping life story of dark-haired and diminutive Annie Rushton, whose young marriage is permanently marred by what might be the time’s inchoate perceptions of post-partum depression. There are repercussions to Annie’s malady that propel her to leave everything behind in her home state of Iowa and hop a train to join her bachelor brother in the wilds of homesteading Montana, where she risks starting a new life. Shouldering her heartbreak, Annie applies her headstrong, fierce independence to helping her brother prosper, so when charismatic businessman Adam Fielding, a colleague of her brother’s, enters her life, theirs is a relationship forged on mutual ambition, but as the years wear on, they become two desperate souls unwittingly tossed by the unpredictable storms of life.
Life’s choices come into play, in The River by Starlight. Though Annie and Adam begin with hope and the best intentions, there is only so much one can weather in hope’s defeat by repetitious wounds that won’t heal. Through the years, communication errors and individual judgement calls are made that usher in divergent aims, and all the while is the roiling concern of Annie’s mercurial sanity.
Resiliency, perseverance, love of one’s children, and where to appropriately place one’s pledge are threads that weave the tapestry of this thoroughly realized story, whose themes, I believe, are timeless and universal.
The River by Starlight is a book for the ages. In my mind, it stands with the classics. The novel’s voice and three-part pacing are seamlessly crafted; its tone and mood are deep and oftentimes heart wrenching, so much so that the reader can’t help but be lured by emotional investment in characters so viscerally drawn they come to life on the pages.
The River by Starlight is for those discerning readers who demand excellence in language, craft, and story. It is a plausible, finely researched, resonant book ultimately about the taming of the spirit, set in tumultuous, untamed times.

[Kathryn Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

The River by Starlight by Ellen Notbohm is a rare and exquisite book. At once quite poignant and personal yet exploring universal human conditions, the story of Annie and Adam will deeply touch the reader leaving them reflecting on the meaning of love, life, hardship and renewal. I was immediately caught up in the characters and the language of the story, and while absorbed in each new situation and wanting to continue forward with this quickly moving tale, I wanted to savor the beauty of the prose and the insights provided by the author. The story, while set in the early 1900’s, remains timely and left me reflecting upon not only the characters, but on family struggles, reconciliation, and the importance of forgiveness in every aspect of our lives. A deeply moving and empowering read which I would highly recommend to all. I received an ARC from the author and will be forever grateful for her generosity!

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the book opens Annie is caring for her dying mother. A mother who never really cared all that much for Annie. But Annie feels she needs to stay ’til her mother passes. She does learn that there had been a time where she could have escaped from her unpleasant living arrangement but her mother kept the opportunity from her – Annie’s brother has a homestead in Montana and he invited her to come live with him. He knows that she needs a place to start over.

Finally, Annie can head to Montana for her new life. She slowly settles into life and is finding a remnant of peace and then her brother drops a bombshell on her. He will sell out his homestead to Annie and his friend, Adam, a man from the town who works in a shop but who comes from farming stock. He and Annie have been flirting around each other, but with this offer they would have to get married. Both have secrets from their past; Annie shares hers but tells Adam she does not need to know his.

They do marry and as well as things go in the beginning is as bad as things go after Annie has a baby for what neither one of them understand is that Annie suffers from post partum psychosis. Because in this time there was no understanding, nor a definition for this condition. As much as Annie longs for a child before one arrives she does not begin to comprehend why she wants to harm the child after it is born.

Adam has his own fears as he saw his mother bury several of his siblings during hard seasons and he knows what it did to her. He does now feel though that he wants to be a father. To take that chance. So these two, with their fears and problems embark on a life together.

This is a rich and complicated tale full of heartache, love and yes, redemption. Annie is a marvelous character. She cannot fathom what overcomes her when she has children and there was no help for women with post partum issues in these days. She was a woman of strong character and a bit ahead of her time but there was nowhere to turn for help. Women who didn’t conform to what men considered appropriate behavior were often put into institutions.

Men were not encouraged to discuss their feelings – particularly in the West where the “cowboy up” attitude is still somewhat prevalent today. So this tale of two damaged individuals trying to make a life together certainly makes for some compelling reading. Life is not easy on a homestead in the West and I’m not going to spoil the detailed plot. Just know that if you pick this book up you will not be able to put it back down until you finish. And it will occupy your thoughts for days after you finish.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

See even more book reviews at: www.lifeofafemalebibliophile.com

The River by Starlight reads as literary fiction, but is set in the early 20th Century. The story follows Annie, a divorce who moves to a new place to get a fresh start. There she meets up with her brother Cal and reconnects with him. Through living with her brother, Annie tries to create a new future for herself while also developing a close bond with Adam, a neighboring farmer.

Annie is frazzled as she is constantly haunted by her past and the mistakes she's made. She has a hard time letting go, but is trying to move on the best she can. Adam is a new ray of hope for Annie. Adam is a hard-worker and a good man, but he has many underlying trust issues which will come into play during their relationship. Their marriage starts out as happy, but as time passes and their insecurities come to light things change. On top of that, but as time passes tragedies occur that test their relationship and puts a strain on everything.

The writing flows smoothly, but the first quarter of the novel is so dry that I had a hard time getting invested in the story and characters. Everything moved a bit too slowly. Throughout the book the readers get an intimate pov of Annie hardships, it absolutely heartbreaking all of the horrific things she goes through and you empathize with her struggles. Almost everything is stripped away from her and you wonder if she's ever achieve some kind of piece.

Among the many themes discussed in this book I never felt that it was overwhelming and they're carefully woven into the text. Notbohm touches on gender double standards of that era (where women's actions have harsher repercussions), abandonment, grief, and mental illness.

I can tell that Notbohm did her research in this book, carefully detailed. wonderful novel about love loss and heartbreak. It was difficult to read at times but has many important narratives. For a debut novel this is magnificent. I would love to read more from this author in the future.

Trigger warnings: death, mentions of suicide, violence

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Cheryle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for the High Plains Book Awards program sponsored by Billings Public Library for the fiction category. The program highlights quality books that highlight regional content. I loved the book for all of the themes it had running through it as well as the fantastic writing. This is a book that should be on everyone's reading list. It is just as relevant as anything published today even though the setting is early 1900's.

Based on true events, this sweeping novel weaves a timeless century-old story of passion, unimaginable loss, resilience, and redemption embodied in one woman’s tenacious quest for self-determination in the face of devastating misfortune and social injustice.

"Her brother’s letter touched a match to the wick of Annie’s doused dreams. Dream enough for her, to stroll the length of a town without the abortive glances, the stilted greetings, the wider berth given her on the sidewalk. . ."

Annie Rushton leaves behind an unsettling past to join her brother on his Montana homestead and make a determined fresh start. There, sparks fly when she tangles with Adam Fielding, a visionary businessman-farmer determined to make his own way and answer to no one. Neither is looking for marriage, but they give in to their undeniable chemistry.

Annie and Adam's marriage brims with early promise and unanticipated passion, but their dream of having a child eludes them as a mysterious illness of mind and body plagues Annie's pregnancies. Amidst deepening economic adversity, natural disaster, and the onset of world war, their personal struggles collide with the societal mores of the day. Annie's shattering periods of black depression and violent outbursts exact a terrible price. The life the Fieldings have forged begins to unravel, and the only path ahead leads to unthinkable loss.

GOLD MEDAL - Independent Publisher Book Awards, Best Regional Fiction

[Denice Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes we just don’t know how strong we are. And then, sometimes we do.
Annie Rushton was living in Iowa with her parents after her marriage collapsed. She had a good husband and a new baby and deep, black post partum depression that debilitated her to the point she had to give both of them up to survive herself. Now she lives with stares and whispers as she walks down the street because who gives up their family for themselves? When her parents’ death frees her of their care she accepts her brother’s offer to come live with him in Montana. She couldn’t pack her bags fast enough and she set off to start fresh.
Annie loves Montana, she loves everything about it, especially her freedom.
Adam Fielding shows up and Annie is taken with his idea of financial freedom, of his industriousness that matches her own, his new ideas and she’s willing to let herself fall for him and the life he offers. But Annie is still haunted or rather plagued with the past depression and her body responds with many miscarriages, which only makes matters worse. The couples’ businesses falter and eventually their marriage.
But it takes a strong person to survive what Annie endures and she continues to put one foot in front of the other, convincing those around her she has worth as a person and is given chances.
In the end I did not think this was what we call “chick lit.” All the elements are there – young woman, young man, love, etc., but this was a really smart story, a story with a future, a story that, in parts, surprised me and it’s based on true events. As they say, truth is stranger than fiction and there is no denying the spirit within us that strives to survive.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

The River by Starlight is a tale told in the early 1900s to the mid 1900s. It tells of the hardships of people that lived during that time, dealing with mental illness, whooping cough, financial hardship, farming ups and downs, and marriage between two volatile people.
Analiese Rushton lives in Iowa, but longs to leave and live with her brother, Cal, in Montana. Analiese (Annie) is a divorcee, with a young daughter who lives with Annie's ex-husband and his new wife. Annie regrets that she gave up her daughter, but she was unable to care for the child, as Annie suffered with severe postpartum depression.
When Annie moves to Montana, she meets Adam Fielding. There is an immediate spark between them, but Annie is nervous about her past. Adam courts her and after she tells him of her past trouble, they marry. Adam is extremely jealous of anyone who shows interest in Annie. Their marriage has its ups and downs, and soon comes to a heartbreaking point.
When Annie is sent away, Adam doesn't know what to do, nor how to handle things. Through a series of incidents, including financial troubles, they are farther and farther from each other.
This story tells of the story of Annie and Adam, their heartbreak, their sorrows, their triumphs, and the lives they lived.
The story is loosely based on real people.
It is heartbreaking and hopeful, at the same time. It deals with the issues of mental illness and how they were handled in the beginning of the 20th century.
#TheRiverByStarlight #EllenNotbohm

[Signe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is technically and aesthetically a well written book by Oregon author Ellen Notbohm. For many this would be a 5 star book, however this is primarily an eros type love story which is not a personal interest of this reader.

We follow the main character from her young adulthood to her death of age related illness. The character lives and dies without seeming to develop in any significant way. There is no sense of anything beyond the mundane existence of this world, as if at once this world is the only thing that exists and it is of utmost importance, then finally of no importance at all as a life is extinguished.

The main character is understandably disappointed in the eros type love as the nature of it is not in common interest and sacrificial love but rather in an ideal which views the other more as object. No one can forever sustain another's idealized version of themselves. Though the main characters do start out with common vision on which to ground their lives, virtue is never developed in either of them.

Some other themes are of motherhood, of losing a child through divorce, of losing children through miscarriage and disease, and the difficulties of post-partum depression compounded by loss. There is abandonment, betrayal, and small town petty jealousies. There is passionate violent outbursts and settling on relations that provide material security conducive to child rearing, all the while in adulterous relationship.

If you like this type of emotionally driven scenes and relationship focused turbulence this book may well suit.

[Tammy Pasterick · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can a story filled with so much loss and tragedy inspire hope? The love story of Annie and Adam Fielding does just that, taking readers on an unforgettable, emotional journey. I enjoyed watching Annie and Adam's business partnership evolve into a passionate and loving marriage, but couldn't shake the fear that history would repeat itself if Annie were to become pregnant. Postpartum depression and psychosis are at the heart of this story, and Ellen Notbohm handles these fragile subjects with great care.

Annie's pregnancies are simply devastating—they impact her physical and mental health as well as the health of her marriage. Notbohm's vivid descriptions of Annie's miscarriages and subsequent depression and psychosis are so powerful and raw, it's impossible not to be moved to tears. Adam's grief and hopelessness are also explored with great compassion, reminding readers that pregnancy loss is one that is shared—and one that can eat away at the foundations of a marriage.

Also noteworthy are the lovely descriptions of Montana's fertile farmland, the brutally cold winters, and the cruelty of Mother Nature. This is an important book that sheds much needed light on a topic that is often swept under the rug. The River by Starlight took my breath away.

[Eileen Brill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cannot-put-down read for me! It is not a love story, but there are stories of love within. It is not a thriller, yet there is so much suspense and action. It is historical fiction at its best: A well-written novel which can make a character from long ago seem contemporary simply by focusing on the human condition and the often-messiness of living. Instead of feeling separated by decades or centuries, I am brought closer to a protagonist and get a visceral sense of their emotions. In the case of Annie, I loved her complexity and fallibility and the way she scrutinized herself and those around her with a mixture of acceptance and cynicism. Ellen Notbohm writes with such artistry that fights and conflicts read as beautifully as scenes of love-making and tenderness. And, speaking of the latter, she turns what could otherwise be a subtle, insignificant gesture, such as touching one’s face or moving through a room, into a bold statement of a character’s insecurities and frustrations. I also was impressed with Notbohm’s ability to portray both female and male characters with such realism, adjusting dialogue and descriptions of facial expression and body language for each with finesse.