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The River
Veronica Severance feels cut off from the world. Forced to move from the city to rural Oregon with her parents, she is haunted by loneliness and by the chilling sounds of the Santiam, the river that runs through her backyard.
Through the fog of isolation, Ronnie finds herself becoming close with Karen, a young girl who she babysits. But when she discovers Karen’s body on the banks of the Santiam, the victim of a supposed accident, Ronnie feels compelled to uncover the truth.
As she becomes increasingly obsessed with solving Karen’s death, Ronnie is led deeper and deeper into the woods surrounding the river and to the dark secret hidden within its midst.
The Riveris a darkly atmospheric story of murder, isolation, obsession and dark secrets that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.
Through the fog of isolation, Ronnie finds herself becoming close with Karen, a young girl who she babysits. But when she discovers Karen’s body on the banks of the Santiam, the victim of a supposed accident, Ronnie feels compelled to uncover the truth.
As she becomes increasingly obsessed with solving Karen’s death, Ronnie is led deeper and deeper into the woods surrounding the river and to the dark secret hidden within its midst.
The Riveris a darkly atmospheric story of murder, isolation, obsession and dark secrets that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 15, 2010
22 people are currently reading
796 people want to read
About the author
Mary Jane Beaufrand
5 books24 followersMary Jane Beaufrand lives in Seattle, WA with her husband, two children and a stubborn basset hound. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Bennington College.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
November 20, 2014
It's a good thing when teen books can't be pigeonholed, when they don't fit neatly into a particular genre, but I felt like this book incorporated so many different elements that none of them were ever fully developed. It started out well, with engaging writing and an interesting set up, but then it kept switching gears: Is it a bubbly romance? A problem novel about drug addiction? Or mental illness? Or grief? Or, as it is mainly billed, a mystery?
[Somewhat spoiler-y from this point.] As a mystery, I found it disappointing. The protagonist's "sleuthing" consists mainly of searching the banks of the river for clues. She trips and falls down and lo and behold, there's a clue right in front of her! (Note to smokers: Do not leave your empty packs of signature cigarettes in incriminating places.) Also, she is sleuthing around in an area where someone has been murdered despite repeated warnings from sensible people to be careful. I know that teens (and non-teens) do reckless things and that if they didn't, there would be very few adventures to read about, and I usually try to turn off my "you'll poke your eye out" response, especially when reading suspense. But, dude: There are multiple, capable law enforcement officers all around you. How about checking in with one of them?
So I tried to enjoy it as a problem novel instead, but was again frustrated. When the problems don't come up until about 3/4 of the way through the book, it's hard to get invested in them. Suddenly there's a best friend and then suddenly there are signs of addiction and then the book is over. There would have been room in the book to develop this--or any of the other side plots--more if there hadn't been as many additional characters or issues that came up but didn't prove to be consequential. There's cooking and running and dogs and the River As A Character and wanting to move back to Portland.
I'm not sure who to recommend the book to, but I do know not to go sleuthing without at least leaving a note that says, "Out looking for the secret meth lab that's been right under your noses all along. Don't worry--I've got my cell phone and I'll be sure to leave the ringer on."
[Somewhat spoiler-y from this point.] As a mystery, I found it disappointing. The protagonist's "sleuthing" consists mainly of searching the banks of the river for clues. She trips and falls down and lo and behold, there's a clue right in front of her! (Note to smokers: Do not leave your empty packs of signature cigarettes in incriminating places.) Also, she is sleuthing around in an area where someone has been murdered despite repeated warnings from sensible people to be careful. I know that teens (and non-teens) do reckless things and that if they didn't, there would be very few adventures to read about, and I usually try to turn off my "you'll poke your eye out" response, especially when reading suspense. But, dude: There are multiple, capable law enforcement officers all around you. How about checking in with one of them?
So I tried to enjoy it as a problem novel instead, but was again frustrated. When the problems don't come up until about 3/4 of the way through the book, it's hard to get invested in them. Suddenly there's a best friend and then suddenly there are signs of addiction and then the book is over. There would have been room in the book to develop this--or any of the other side plots--more if there hadn't been as many additional characters or issues that came up but didn't prove to be consequential. There's cooking and running and dogs and the River As A Character and wanting to move back to Portland.
I'm not sure who to recommend the book to, but I do know not to go sleuthing without at least leaving a note that says, "Out looking for the secret meth lab that's been right under your noses all along. Don't worry--I've got my cell phone and I'll be sure to leave the ringer on."
April 26, 2010
The River's strengths were its unique setting and the ambiguous feel of the story. Its weaknesses were the underdevelopment of the main characters, as well as the lackluster mystery.
Veronica Severance likes to run from her problems, but only because she has so many of them. She probably wouldn't have started running at all if she hadn't had to move from her cozy city apartment to a boring old hotel in rural Oregon. Yet, she feels compelled to run because it gives her solace and peace of mind. One day while running she meets Karen, an adventurous young girl who makes the transition into Oregon much easier for Ronnie. She never expects to find that same energetic young child dead a couple of years later - strewn aside by the mysterious river behind her house. Ronnie becomes obsessed with the river and is compelled to find out what exactly happened to Karen, even if it means she has to put her own life at risk.
The River had an eerie feel to it. I had to go to bed right after the scene where Ronnie finds Karen dead, and it's safe to say I couldn't sleep for at least an hour or so. It was bone chilling and very disturbing. I don't think I'll ever go swimming in a river at night alone, ever.
Despite the well-developed atmosphere of the story, it was difficult to connect with the characters. There were many stereotypes: angst-filled teenage girl traumatized by death, uncaring parents, guy that is at first menacing but then the knight in shining armor, etc. Also, the river mystery wasn't handled quite the right way - I thought there was going to be something absolutely shocking, or devastating, or even paranormal, but it never happened.
Eh. I wouldn't not recommend it, but I wouldn't exactly recommend it either. It was a fast, okay read - so if you're interested and have some free time, then pick up The River.
Veronica Severance likes to run from her problems, but only because she has so many of them. She probably wouldn't have started running at all if she hadn't had to move from her cozy city apartment to a boring old hotel in rural Oregon. Yet, she feels compelled to run because it gives her solace and peace of mind. One day while running she meets Karen, an adventurous young girl who makes the transition into Oregon much easier for Ronnie. She never expects to find that same energetic young child dead a couple of years later - strewn aside by the mysterious river behind her house. Ronnie becomes obsessed with the river and is compelled to find out what exactly happened to Karen, even if it means she has to put her own life at risk.
The River had an eerie feel to it. I had to go to bed right after the scene where Ronnie finds Karen dead, and it's safe to say I couldn't sleep for at least an hour or so. It was bone chilling and very disturbing. I don't think I'll ever go swimming in a river at night alone, ever.
Despite the well-developed atmosphere of the story, it was difficult to connect with the characters. There were many stereotypes: angst-filled teenage girl traumatized by death, uncaring parents, guy that is at first menacing but then the knight in shining armor, etc. Also, the river mystery wasn't handled quite the right way - I thought there was going to be something absolutely shocking, or devastating, or even paranormal, but it never happened.
Eh. I wouldn't not recommend it, but I wouldn't exactly recommend it either. It was a fast, okay read - so if you're interested and have some free time, then pick up The River.
October 7, 2024
This book was pretty okay. I don’t normally read books like this often, I liked the murder mystery aspect but I didn’t like the river spirit aspect. They didn’t really talk about it that much either. Plus we didn’t get like a 100 percent definite answer about how Karen died, it was more like you get the clues to how she died and you have to put it together yourself.
February 26, 2011
Good book; bad title. Although this would be a good one to hand to Twilight fans, it would be a tough sell due to the bland title. It's got romance, mystery, and a lovely Oregon setting described lyrically, but the title doesn't tell you any of this. Also there's a hint of Nancy Drew. Father is a lawyer; plucky girl finds a mystery.
In fact, I kind of think whoever marketed this book did the author a huge disservice. First the bland title and blurry mud-colored cover with some nasty-looking hair blowing across it. Then the jacket blurb: "Veronica Severance feels cut off from the world." Ack. If I hadn't had to read this for VSBA, I would have put it back on the shelf right there.
But if you take the plunge (pun intended), the first sentence is actually rather marvelous: "I suppose there are worse things than being soggy and dateless and shoveling bunny carcasses into a garbage bin on Valentine's Day, but if there are, I can't think of any."
Alternate title suggestions: Santiam River? Hoodoo? Blue Lupines? Thunderegg? La Llorona. Beer Jello. Guasacaca.
In my part of the world, The River is the mighty Mississippi, so I know from rivers. The Santiam is an actual character in this book, hauntingly personified by the invocation of La Llorona from Latino folklore. The mystery at the center of the story revolves around the river, and the river becomes the nemesis.
The Severance family runs an inn, and the mom is the chef whose philosophy involves judicious applications of situation-appropriate comfort food. I wouldn't recommend reading this if you're hungry. In fact, an appendix with recipes would not come amiss. Monster cookies!
Since this is the kind of story that would be spoiled by discussing the plot, I don't want to do that, but I would like to say that although I loved the prose style and even shed a tear at the end, I do think it needed a bit more foreshadowing and character development. There are only a couple of clumsy hints that all is not well in Hoodoo. (Dad: Ronnie. Be sure you take your cell phone and pepper spray when you go running.) It's almost unbelievable that--well, here's a spoiler--the protagonist did not notice her best friend was a meth addict. And the Brads kind of come out of nowhere. However, I did admire the way the author parceled out description in order not to overwhelm the reader, and I enjoyed the revealings.
My favorite character was the dog. As a huge Patrick O'Brian fan, I am especially fond of authors who get animal characters right. Petunia had a small but deliciously ironic supporting actress role.
I can see this as a successful movie with lots of pretty atmospheric scenic Northwest cinematography, a heroine with an actual personality, whoever is this year's teen sex god playing Keith, some quirky indy actress as Gretchen, and a handsome, brooding Tomas with a soul patch. Oh, and closeups of all that food like in "Julie and Julia." The recipes could be included in the DVD extras, like Adam Sandler's sandwich in "Spanglish." In a perfect world, the movie will happen--with the title changed--and they'll go back and repackage the book with some gorgeous cover photo from the movie, and then Mary Jane Beaufrand will earn enough money to write more good books like this one.
In fact, I kind of think whoever marketed this book did the author a huge disservice. First the bland title and blurry mud-colored cover with some nasty-looking hair blowing across it. Then the jacket blurb: "Veronica Severance feels cut off from the world." Ack. If I hadn't had to read this for VSBA, I would have put it back on the shelf right there.
But if you take the plunge (pun intended), the first sentence is actually rather marvelous: "I suppose there are worse things than being soggy and dateless and shoveling bunny carcasses into a garbage bin on Valentine's Day, but if there are, I can't think of any."
Alternate title suggestions: Santiam River? Hoodoo? Blue Lupines? Thunderegg? La Llorona. Beer Jello. Guasacaca.
In my part of the world, The River is the mighty Mississippi, so I know from rivers. The Santiam is an actual character in this book, hauntingly personified by the invocation of La Llorona from Latino folklore. The mystery at the center of the story revolves around the river, and the river becomes the nemesis.
The Severance family runs an inn, and the mom is the chef whose philosophy involves judicious applications of situation-appropriate comfort food. I wouldn't recommend reading this if you're hungry. In fact, an appendix with recipes would not come amiss. Monster cookies!
Since this is the kind of story that would be spoiled by discussing the plot, I don't want to do that, but I would like to say that although I loved the prose style and even shed a tear at the end, I do think it needed a bit more foreshadowing and character development. There are only a couple of clumsy hints that all is not well in Hoodoo. (Dad: Ronnie. Be sure you take your cell phone and pepper spray when you go running.) It's almost unbelievable that--well, here's a spoiler--the protagonist did not notice her best friend was a meth addict. And the Brads kind of come out of nowhere. However, I did admire the way the author parceled out description in order not to overwhelm the reader, and I enjoyed the revealings.
My favorite character was the dog. As a huge Patrick O'Brian fan, I am especially fond of authors who get animal characters right. Petunia had a small but deliciously ironic supporting actress role.
I can see this as a successful movie with lots of pretty atmospheric scenic Northwest cinematography, a heroine with an actual personality, whoever is this year's teen sex god playing Keith, some quirky indy actress as Gretchen, and a handsome, brooding Tomas with a soul patch. Oh, and closeups of all that food like in "Julie and Julia." The recipes could be included in the DVD extras, like Adam Sandler's sandwich in "Spanglish." In a perfect world, the movie will happen--with the title changed--and they'll go back and repackage the book with some gorgeous cover photo from the movie, and then Mary Jane Beaufrand will earn enough money to write more good books like this one.
October 16, 2014
OK so far.
That was disappointing.
“Oh no. Why is the author making this happen?”
That’s the basic sequence of my responses to this very frustrating novel.
There’s an interesting story here somewhere: a girl has drowned, and lots of things go missing: there’s a clear sense that the thief and the death are connected. Too bad the plot can’t disconnect itself from the writing. Too many omens, too many deep thoughts: every other paragraph offers a phrase such as, “I felt a kinship for all the generous souls in that room, with their woven memories and crocheted hats and their soft but firm grasps.” And “mom trying to shield me from it, but incapable of doing so. Her hands were too full. There just wasn’t any care left for me.” And “At that moment I would’ve snuggled up to the devil himself as long as he made me feel alive.” None of the passages – well maybe none but that last one - are awful in isolation. To get the full effect you have to read them all. I don’t recommend doing that.
After a few chapters of setup, Beaufrand begins the misty interludes. You can tell they’re interludes because they’re in all italics: nightmares, snatches of memory, that sort of stuff. Again, not bad in moderation, but they add heft to an already overburdened package.
Beaufrand even evokes deep meaning from what should be a fast and exciting “run from the bad guys” climax. Here’s how Veronica, the teen narrator, plots her escape after her head is bashed against a countertop in a mobile meth lab. “Look, Ronnie, just look. There are spaces between them. Silences that can be widened.” This time, by the way, the italics mean the river is talking to her. Painful enough, but not as painful as the absolute impossibility of the climactic events themselves. If this book had four stars left to dock, going into the final scenes, I would dock them. But Beaufrand was struggling to earn two.
I’m not certain I’ve complained enough here. Here’s two sidebars to the main plot that spike the ick factor. Ronnie viewed herself as a big sister/best friend to the drowned girl. And Ronnie is the one to find the girl in – The River – so she’s understandably devastated. Anyway, that same day, this guy in his 20s that Ronnie barely knows offers his condolences… with a light kiss on the lips. Who does that? A few days after that, Ronnie gets the hots for the boy his family has legally adopted. There are hints that somebody might see something wrong with that. Dad calls him “Son,” after all. But Ronnie’s in love, so it’s all good. Why why why? Why did I read far enough to find that out?
That was disappointing.
“Oh no. Why is the author making this happen?”
That’s the basic sequence of my responses to this very frustrating novel.
There’s an interesting story here somewhere: a girl has drowned, and lots of things go missing: there’s a clear sense that the thief and the death are connected. Too bad the plot can’t disconnect itself from the writing. Too many omens, too many deep thoughts: every other paragraph offers a phrase such as, “I felt a kinship for all the generous souls in that room, with their woven memories and crocheted hats and their soft but firm grasps.” And “mom trying to shield me from it, but incapable of doing so. Her hands were too full. There just wasn’t any care left for me.” And “At that moment I would’ve snuggled up to the devil himself as long as he made me feel alive.” None of the passages – well maybe none but that last one - are awful in isolation. To get the full effect you have to read them all. I don’t recommend doing that.
After a few chapters of setup, Beaufrand begins the misty interludes. You can tell they’re interludes because they’re in all italics: nightmares, snatches of memory, that sort of stuff. Again, not bad in moderation, but they add heft to an already overburdened package.
Beaufrand even evokes deep meaning from what should be a fast and exciting “run from the bad guys” climax. Here’s how Veronica, the teen narrator, plots her escape after her head is bashed against a countertop in a mobile meth lab. “Look, Ronnie, just look. There are spaces between them. Silences that can be widened.” This time, by the way, the italics mean the river is talking to her. Painful enough, but not as painful as the absolute impossibility of the climactic events themselves. If this book had four stars left to dock, going into the final scenes, I would dock them. But Beaufrand was struggling to earn two.
I’m not certain I’ve complained enough here. Here’s two sidebars to the main plot that spike the ick factor. Ronnie viewed herself as a big sister/best friend to the drowned girl. And Ronnie is the one to find the girl in – The River – so she’s understandably devastated. Anyway, that same day, this guy in his 20s that Ronnie barely knows offers his condolences… with a light kiss on the lips. Who does that? A few days after that, Ronnie gets the hots for the boy his family has legally adopted. There are hints that somebody might see something wrong with that. Dad calls him “Son,” after all. But Ronnie’s in love, so it’s all good. Why why why? Why did I read far enough to find that out?
March 21, 2018
Personal Response:
While I read my book, I feel like I was pushing myself to the finish. Personally, I do not like the style of writing this author composes. The plot does not seem very clear and understanding in my opinion. I am never sure as to what is really happening in the book and why. In terms of the plot, I think this author has put together a great plot line. In my opinion, I am just not a fan of the writing style. I rate this book a two out of five stars.
Plot Summary:
Veronica (Ronnie) feels alone and away from the world. She was forced by her parents to move to Oregon out into the country, opposite from the city lifestyle she is use to. She is left with the feeling of loneliness and the haunting sounds of the Santiam, the river that runs through her backyard. Ronnie finds herself becoming close with Karen, a young girl who she babysits. Karen seems to be the only person to keep Ronnie sane, along with the adrenaline she feels everyday from running. But when she discovers Karen's body on the edge of the Santiam, that bit of sanity that Karen was keeping inside of her soon diminishes. As she becomes more and more involved with solving Karen's death, Ronnie finds it her duty to find out what truly happened. Through this journey, she finds more out about this mysterious Santiam River.
Characterization:
At the beginning of this book, the author has the character of Ronnie not reveal much about herself. The name of Ronnie was not revealed until around the third chapter of the book. Until about the fifth chapter, Ronnie seems to be the type of person who is just going with life with not a care in the world. Then we meet the character of Karen. Ronnie cares so deeply about Karen which is truly emphasized when Ronnie comes about the body of Karen down by the river. From this moment on, the caring and determined side of Ronnie is revealed and she does not give up on finding out what truly happened to Karen.
During this story, the readers never truly meet Karen as a person. The readers are introduced to Karen through memories in which Ronnie is thinking. Through these memories, we find out that Karen is an outgoing, spontaneous young girl with a big heart. The times that Karen and Ronnie share together and how much of a great time they have together is a great example of this.
Recommendations:
I recommend this book for girls of the ages 14 and up. This book may be hard for girls under the age of 14 to understand. Also, this book contains the main characters who are almost all girls, so boys may not be as interested in this book.
While I read my book, I feel like I was pushing myself to the finish. Personally, I do not like the style of writing this author composes. The plot does not seem very clear and understanding in my opinion. I am never sure as to what is really happening in the book and why. In terms of the plot, I think this author has put together a great plot line. In my opinion, I am just not a fan of the writing style. I rate this book a two out of five stars.
Plot Summary:
Veronica (Ronnie) feels alone and away from the world. She was forced by her parents to move to Oregon out into the country, opposite from the city lifestyle she is use to. She is left with the feeling of loneliness and the haunting sounds of the Santiam, the river that runs through her backyard. Ronnie finds herself becoming close with Karen, a young girl who she babysits. Karen seems to be the only person to keep Ronnie sane, along with the adrenaline she feels everyday from running. But when she discovers Karen's body on the edge of the Santiam, that bit of sanity that Karen was keeping inside of her soon diminishes. As she becomes more and more involved with solving Karen's death, Ronnie finds it her duty to find out what truly happened. Through this journey, she finds more out about this mysterious Santiam River.
Characterization:
At the beginning of this book, the author has the character of Ronnie not reveal much about herself. The name of Ronnie was not revealed until around the third chapter of the book. Until about the fifth chapter, Ronnie seems to be the type of person who is just going with life with not a care in the world. Then we meet the character of Karen. Ronnie cares so deeply about Karen which is truly emphasized when Ronnie comes about the body of Karen down by the river. From this moment on, the caring and determined side of Ronnie is revealed and she does not give up on finding out what truly happened to Karen.
During this story, the readers never truly meet Karen as a person. The readers are introduced to Karen through memories in which Ronnie is thinking. Through these memories, we find out that Karen is an outgoing, spontaneous young girl with a big heart. The times that Karen and Ronnie share together and how much of a great time they have together is a great example of this.
Recommendations:
I recommend this book for girls of the ages 14 and up. This book may be hard for girls under the age of 14 to understand. Also, this book contains the main characters who are almost all girls, so boys may not be as interested in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2012
2.5 stars for a great beginning. This book was atmospheric and had some great mystery going. The river was speaking to her in her isolation in a new place, telling her to find out how her young friend was killed, and there were some other interesting characters. But then it devolved into a pedestrian story of law enforcement. I won't do any spoilers, but the final episode was not an epic plucky-heroine-to-the-rescue scene, but rather a teenager-makes-stupid-choices scene. When I feel almost compelled to shout at the author, "Seriously? You're going to have your protagonist do such an obviously stupid thing for no compelling reason?", then you know it's going downhill. So kudos for a great beginning and middle, but need to fix the ending. It almost seemed like it didn't belong with the book but was tacked on for teen education reasons.
May 12, 2011
I was totally sucked in by the book's first sentence: "I suppose there are worse things than being soggy and dateless and shoving bunny carcasses into a garbage bin on Valentine's Day, but if there are, I can't think of any."
And that was about the only thing of the book that kept my attention. You would think a book about murder, drugs and teenage love would be a winner, but I found the majority of the novel to be half-assed and mediocre at best. Beaufrand does a good job carrying through the motif of the river through out the entire book, but that's about all she carried off. The characters lack depth and Ronnie, the narrator is completely clueless, despite having moved from the "big bad city" of Portland to the country.
And that was about the only thing of the book that kept my attention. You would think a book about murder, drugs and teenage love would be a winner, but I found the majority of the novel to be half-assed and mediocre at best. Beaufrand does a good job carrying through the motif of the river through out the entire book, but that's about all she carried off. The characters lack depth and Ronnie, the narrator is completely clueless, despite having moved from the "big bad city" of Portland to the country.
April 13, 2016
The problem with most books that sound interesting is that as soon as you begin reading them they turn out to be boring, unfortunately the River is one of those sorts of books.
The plot was interesting and the characters actually felt somewhat real but the writing was so dull and the story so drawn out that I just couldn't make it past page 87. It didn't matter how much I wanted to know how it ended, I'd rather forever wonder what actually happened to Karen than to endure another 140 or so torturous pages.
The plot was interesting and the characters actually felt somewhat real but the writing was so dull and the story so drawn out that I just couldn't make it past page 87. It didn't matter how much I wanted to know how it ended, I'd rather forever wonder what actually happened to Karen than to endure another 140 or so torturous pages.
March 25, 2019
Personal Response:
I thought that this book was pretty good. I usually don’t like when a character has flashbacks of events that happened because they usually don’t make sense, but it fits perfectly into the context of this book. I also really liked how this is something that could really happen and how it's almost like it was based on a true story.
Plot Summary:
The River is about a quiet girl named Veronica who lived in Portland and liked to explore coffee shops and go to open stage gigs. Soon enough her life was interrupted because her father had agreed to foster a small family consisting of a mother, a young teenage boy, and a seven-year-old little girl. Keep in mind they live at the end of a dead-end road by the edge of a river. Veronica hates how and where she lives because of her chores and because she has a school full of country hicks. The one good thing that Veronica has is the talent of being a great runner, and being able to go for runs once in a while. One day she was for a run and came to the edge of the river and met a 10-year-old named Karen. She found out that Karen was actually her neighbor and her parents were looking for a babysitter, so Veronica decides to take on the job and start babysitting Karen. Veronica soon realizes that Karen is bringing out the best in the world for her and is showing her how to live. One day Karen ends up going missing, so Veronica volunteers to help look for her and ends up finding her floating in the river. Every night Veronica has troubles sleeping and always has nightmares about her going missing and being drowned, sometimes she even has flashbacks with Karen. Veronica thinks that Karen's death was not an accident and that it was on purpose and she was murdered. She spends a lot of time with a judge and an investigator, but never finds out what really happened.
Characterization:
Veronica starts out as a very quiet character that is very lonely and doesn't really have any friends at her high school. When she met the little girl Karen, it brought out the best in her and she was able to enjoy herself and be happy most of the time. When Karen went missing and she found her floating in the river Veronica became very depressed and she felt like she was the one to blame. Veronica was also very angry and confused. She eventually realized she had to accept the fact that Karen was gone and it wasn't her fault and there was nothing that she could have done to change it.
Recommendations:
I would definitely recommend this book to high school level readers it is most appropriate for high school students. I would also recommend this book to someone who likes to read about almost a mystery type of book. This book is an average lengthed book so it is a great read that isn't too long for someone to finish within a few weeks.
I thought that this book was pretty good. I usually don’t like when a character has flashbacks of events that happened because they usually don’t make sense, but it fits perfectly into the context of this book. I also really liked how this is something that could really happen and how it's almost like it was based on a true story.
Plot Summary:
The River is about a quiet girl named Veronica who lived in Portland and liked to explore coffee shops and go to open stage gigs. Soon enough her life was interrupted because her father had agreed to foster a small family consisting of a mother, a young teenage boy, and a seven-year-old little girl. Keep in mind they live at the end of a dead-end road by the edge of a river. Veronica hates how and where she lives because of her chores and because she has a school full of country hicks. The one good thing that Veronica has is the talent of being a great runner, and being able to go for runs once in a while. One day she was for a run and came to the edge of the river and met a 10-year-old named Karen. She found out that Karen was actually her neighbor and her parents were looking for a babysitter, so Veronica decides to take on the job and start babysitting Karen. Veronica soon realizes that Karen is bringing out the best in the world for her and is showing her how to live. One day Karen ends up going missing, so Veronica volunteers to help look for her and ends up finding her floating in the river. Every night Veronica has troubles sleeping and always has nightmares about her going missing and being drowned, sometimes she even has flashbacks with Karen. Veronica thinks that Karen's death was not an accident and that it was on purpose and she was murdered. She spends a lot of time with a judge and an investigator, but never finds out what really happened.
Characterization:
Veronica starts out as a very quiet character that is very lonely and doesn't really have any friends at her high school. When she met the little girl Karen, it brought out the best in her and she was able to enjoy herself and be happy most of the time. When Karen went missing and she found her floating in the river Veronica became very depressed and she felt like she was the one to blame. Veronica was also very angry and confused. She eventually realized she had to accept the fact that Karen was gone and it wasn't her fault and there was nothing that she could have done to change it.
Recommendations:
I would definitely recommend this book to high school level readers it is most appropriate for high school students. I would also recommend this book to someone who likes to read about almost a mystery type of book. This book is an average lengthed book so it is a great read that isn't too long for someone to finish within a few weeks.
May 27, 2017
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
When I saw the summary for the book, I was really intrigued and wanted to read it. Although I did end up liking the book in the end, I had a hard time connecting with Ronnie at the beginning.
One thing I liked about the book was how the killer was caught. I liked that there was quite a bit of action in catching the killer. I also really liked the setting of the story. The forest atmosphere, the river, and the little in/restaurant Ronnie's family owned. I also really liked the sweet, slow romance that built up in the story. It's definitely one I would have liked to see more of, but at the same time, I really like how the author ended the book because the ending made the romance all the more sweet.
That said, I really didn't like how much Ronnie complained throughout the book. Sure, I wouldn't like to have my life turned upside down, but sometimes that happens and you just have to learn to deal, something I don't really feel Ronnie did. Then, there were the numerous actions that just didn't add up. For one thing, Ronnie had a cell phone, but always forgot it was with her. For another, she just seemed very sheltered and clueless.
Overall, I enjoyed The River, but there were just some things that really bugged me.
When I saw the summary for the book, I was really intrigued and wanted to read it. Although I did end up liking the book in the end, I had a hard time connecting with Ronnie at the beginning.
One thing I liked about the book was how the killer was caught. I liked that there was quite a bit of action in catching the killer. I also really liked the setting of the story. The forest atmosphere, the river, and the little in/restaurant Ronnie's family owned. I also really liked the sweet, slow romance that built up in the story. It's definitely one I would have liked to see more of, but at the same time, I really like how the author ended the book because the ending made the romance all the more sweet.
That said, I really didn't like how much Ronnie complained throughout the book. Sure, I wouldn't like to have my life turned upside down, but sometimes that happens and you just have to learn to deal, something I don't really feel Ronnie did. Then, there were the numerous actions that just didn't add up. For one thing, Ronnie had a cell phone, but always forgot it was with her. For another, she just seemed very sheltered and clueless.
Overall, I enjoyed The River, but there were just some things that really bugged me.
July 21, 2017
Für so düstere Themen hat es erstaunlicherweise stark an Tiefe gefehlt.
January 20, 2010
COPIED FROM MY BLOG: MADELEINEREX.COM (FORMATTING WAS LOST)
Review Sent to Little Brown:
A plaguing tale of secret agendas and jarring realities, THE RIVER is certain to draw you in and envelope you in its treacherous waters. While not remarkably unlike much YA literature out there, it is unique in that it’s driven by atmosphere and the disturbing natural qualities of rural Oregon, which may appear harmless at first until they begin to remind you that even mellow currents and plopping raindrops can be witness to horrific acts. Though not a favorite, it was worth the read simply to be engrossed in the world of THE RIVER.
Review:
As I said, the review above is the one I emailed to the publishers, and I've decided to write a more thorough review here.
I began reading The River in December, determined to read and review it before it was published. As I always am, I was wary to begin. I had no idea whether the reading would be worth my while, and, as I tend to, I gave it the benefit of the doubt. I began and dunked my head beneath the waters of The River.
The River is a story set in Oregon. The main character, a sixteen year old girl named Ronnie (nickname for Veronica), is in the midst of adapting to life outside busy Portland. Her parents, much to her disapproval, decided to move out to Hoodoo to fix-up and maintain an old bed and breakfast that was left to her mom years before. Ronnie, artistic and troubled, finds a friend in a little girl named Karen - whose parents sell kids... of the goat variety. When Karen's body winds up in the nearby river, Ronnie's attention is caught, and she becomes engrossed in discovering what really happened to her buddy.
I can assure you, the finding of the Karen is horrific. I was in complete shock throughout the scene, and I guarantee anyone else who reads The River will be, too. Luckily, instead of completely disgusting me and enticing me to toss the book away, the gruesome death drove me forward through the book. All I wanted was for the truth to be discovered.
Ronnie acts just as the classic teenager in YA books. She's all angst-y and semi-mope-y. Her best friend is her iPod and she has a crush on the "coolest" boy at Hoodoo High, home of the most ridiculous mascot ever. I liked her enough to want her to "win" in the end, but I can't say she was very unique or fascinating. There was nothing spectacular about the way she went about things, and many times I found that I was unraveling the mystery a lot faster than she was - which shouldn't have been the case, as the book is in first person.
I mentioned in my other review that "... [The River:] is unique in that it’s driven by atmosphere...", which is a major focal point of the book. I loved and admire the way Ms. Beaufrand wove so much of the environment into the story. Occasionally, there are italicized flashbacks, when Ronnie reflects on something she did with Karen or that Karen said, and we are able to familiarize with the poor kid. Karen herself was such a little explorer that we have multiple opportunities to "walk through the setting".
I did not like the multiple unveilings of the bad side of teenage nature. I know it's a pet-peeve of mine, but I honestly can't help but dislike it when books portray teenagers as a single being when it comes to interests and morals. For the record: We are not all the same. There were multiple scenes that made me uncomfortable. Of course, I made excuses at times, decent ones, too, because there are teens out there that are similar to the few portrayed in the book. I suppose I usually search for books that either make me fall in love with one or more of the characters, or books that have characters that I can look up to. This book had neither. Luckily, one of the more “wrong” characters came around in the end, and I like to see people evolve.
I have to commend Mary Jane Beaufrand for her ability to freak me out a bit. I can't say I was scared out of my wits, but I was certainly disturbed. She kind of worried and picked at you without your even noticing it, funnily enough.
Overall, I thought The River was okay, and I do believe there will be people out there who absolutely love it. I'm sure that as I work the Library Assistant job at school, I'll see this book being checked out!
THANKS, LITTLE BROWN, FOR THE ARC!
Review Sent to Little Brown:
A plaguing tale of secret agendas and jarring realities, THE RIVER is certain to draw you in and envelope you in its treacherous waters. While not remarkably unlike much YA literature out there, it is unique in that it’s driven by atmosphere and the disturbing natural qualities of rural Oregon, which may appear harmless at first until they begin to remind you that even mellow currents and plopping raindrops can be witness to horrific acts. Though not a favorite, it was worth the read simply to be engrossed in the world of THE RIVER.
Review:
As I said, the review above is the one I emailed to the publishers, and I've decided to write a more thorough review here.
I began reading The River in December, determined to read and review it before it was published. As I always am, I was wary to begin. I had no idea whether the reading would be worth my while, and, as I tend to, I gave it the benefit of the doubt. I began and dunked my head beneath the waters of The River.
The River is a story set in Oregon. The main character, a sixteen year old girl named Ronnie (nickname for Veronica), is in the midst of adapting to life outside busy Portland. Her parents, much to her disapproval, decided to move out to Hoodoo to fix-up and maintain an old bed and breakfast that was left to her mom years before. Ronnie, artistic and troubled, finds a friend in a little girl named Karen - whose parents sell kids... of the goat variety. When Karen's body winds up in the nearby river, Ronnie's attention is caught, and she becomes engrossed in discovering what really happened to her buddy.
I can assure you, the finding of the Karen is horrific. I was in complete shock throughout the scene, and I guarantee anyone else who reads The River will be, too. Luckily, instead of completely disgusting me and enticing me to toss the book away, the gruesome death drove me forward through the book. All I wanted was for the truth to be discovered.
Ronnie acts just as the classic teenager in YA books. She's all angst-y and semi-mope-y. Her best friend is her iPod and she has a crush on the "coolest" boy at Hoodoo High, home of the most ridiculous mascot ever. I liked her enough to want her to "win" in the end, but I can't say she was very unique or fascinating. There was nothing spectacular about the way she went about things, and many times I found that I was unraveling the mystery a lot faster than she was - which shouldn't have been the case, as the book is in first person.
I mentioned in my other review that "... [The River:] is unique in that it’s driven by atmosphere...", which is a major focal point of the book. I loved and admire the way Ms. Beaufrand wove so much of the environment into the story. Occasionally, there are italicized flashbacks, when Ronnie reflects on something she did with Karen or that Karen said, and we are able to familiarize with the poor kid. Karen herself was such a little explorer that we have multiple opportunities to "walk through the setting".
I did not like the multiple unveilings of the bad side of teenage nature. I know it's a pet-peeve of mine, but I honestly can't help but dislike it when books portray teenagers as a single being when it comes to interests and morals. For the record: We are not all the same. There were multiple scenes that made me uncomfortable. Of course, I made excuses at times, decent ones, too, because there are teens out there that are similar to the few portrayed in the book. I suppose I usually search for books that either make me fall in love with one or more of the characters, or books that have characters that I can look up to. This book had neither. Luckily, one of the more “wrong” characters came around in the end, and I like to see people evolve.
I have to commend Mary Jane Beaufrand for her ability to freak me out a bit. I can't say I was scared out of my wits, but I was certainly disturbed. She kind of worried and picked at you without your even noticing it, funnily enough.
Overall, I thought The River was okay, and I do believe there will be people out there who absolutely love it. I'm sure that as I work the Library Assistant job at school, I'll see this book being checked out!
THANKS, LITTLE BROWN, FOR THE ARC!
January 31, 2017
Personal Response:
I really enjoyed this book because it contained many different plot twists, and the book seemed to really keep my interest throughout the whole period of reading it. Although it took me quite a while to read this book, I still found it interesting enough that the plot and action taking place stuck in my mind. I really enjoyed that the main character is very relatable to people in the real world and that it was not completely cliche.
Plot Summary:
Veronica, mainly known as Ronnie, struggled with her family's move away from Portland. Ronnie became close with a young girl, Karen, whom she babysat for along with the rest of the kids in Karen's family. While on a run, Ronnie ends up going by the river and finds Karen's body. Ronnie seems to struggle with the fact that Karen was dead for quite a while. A boy that lives with Ronnie's family, Tomas, suggests that the two of them go and look around by the river to see if they could find any evidence of Karen's death being murder. Eventually, in school Ronnie's crush Keith Spady convinces Gretchen, Ronnie's friend, to have a party. At the party, Ronnie finds Gretchen unconscious because of drugs that Keith had given her. She is then taken to the hospital to detox. Ronnie also finds out about an investigation taking place because of a meth lab. Ronnie goes exploring and finds a mobile home. Keith is there and tries to catch her as she runs away. He eventually takes her down and brings her back to the mobile home. Keith's step-dad and another boy from Ronnie's school are there, and Ronnie realizes this is the cause of the meth, Karen's death, and Gretchen's involvement. As she tries to escape again, she gets shot by Keith, and they both end up in the river where Karen was found. Ronnie gets pulled out by Tomas, and help is called.
Characterization:
Veronica Severance is a teenage girl whose life was turned upside down when she moved to a new town away from her home. She enjoys running, and competes on the track team. After finding Karen's body, she struggles with the idea of her friend being gone. She had a crush on Keith in the beginning, but after finding out the truth, she realized that what she wanted was right in front of her, Tomas. After being shot, she had a vision of Karen which had helped her accept it more.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to teenage girls in high school because some of the content it for more mature readers, and is more for girls because of the characters and bits of romance. I gave this book a four out of five stars because it was very original and was very intriguing.
I really enjoyed this book because it contained many different plot twists, and the book seemed to really keep my interest throughout the whole period of reading it. Although it took me quite a while to read this book, I still found it interesting enough that the plot and action taking place stuck in my mind. I really enjoyed that the main character is very relatable to people in the real world and that it was not completely cliche.
Plot Summary:
Veronica, mainly known as Ronnie, struggled with her family's move away from Portland. Ronnie became close with a young girl, Karen, whom she babysat for along with the rest of the kids in Karen's family. While on a run, Ronnie ends up going by the river and finds Karen's body. Ronnie seems to struggle with the fact that Karen was dead for quite a while. A boy that lives with Ronnie's family, Tomas, suggests that the two of them go and look around by the river to see if they could find any evidence of Karen's death being murder. Eventually, in school Ronnie's crush Keith Spady convinces Gretchen, Ronnie's friend, to have a party. At the party, Ronnie finds Gretchen unconscious because of drugs that Keith had given her. She is then taken to the hospital to detox. Ronnie also finds out about an investigation taking place because of a meth lab. Ronnie goes exploring and finds a mobile home. Keith is there and tries to catch her as she runs away. He eventually takes her down and brings her back to the mobile home. Keith's step-dad and another boy from Ronnie's school are there, and Ronnie realizes this is the cause of the meth, Karen's death, and Gretchen's involvement. As she tries to escape again, she gets shot by Keith, and they both end up in the river where Karen was found. Ronnie gets pulled out by Tomas, and help is called.
Characterization:
Veronica Severance is a teenage girl whose life was turned upside down when she moved to a new town away from her home. She enjoys running, and competes on the track team. After finding Karen's body, she struggles with the idea of her friend being gone. She had a crush on Keith in the beginning, but after finding out the truth, she realized that what she wanted was right in front of her, Tomas. After being shot, she had a vision of Karen which had helped her accept it more.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to teenage girls in high school because some of the content it for more mature readers, and is more for girls because of the characters and bits of romance. I gave this book a four out of five stars because it was very original and was very intriguing.
June 18, 2014
The River starts off rather dramatically and with an instant hook that reels you in full of intrigue. After that however, it kind of trickles off and slows down the pace for a little while until it picks back up again towards the end. I did not really know what to expect when I picked up this book and although it was slow in the middle, my attention was always held. I had no problem finding out more about Ronnie and her life seeing as it made her whole and rounded. That being said, I can see why some readers may be disappointed with the pacing in The River, especially the slower middle section.
The good thing about all of this is that I didn't really know what to expect the entire time. When the big reveal was made at the end I was kind of surprised just because I had no idea where the author was planning on taking her plot and characters. The summary led me to believe a lot of things that weren't included in this novel but I guess that's the chance you take when you pick up a book. The summary is there to capture your attention after all and this one is very effective in doing that. Not to mention the cover is quite captivating as well.
Even though there was a lack of suspense, I still enjoyed The River. The writing is very good and well executed and I grew to like the characters also, especially Ronnie and Tomas. I also liked that we learned a good deal about Ronnie's life, past and present. A lot of novels that have a mysterious plot at times focus more on that than the characters filling the pages. I think the author did a great job of forming Ronnie's world and filling it with believable and pleasing characters.
I did like this book and I read it rather quickly which is always a good sign. Again, the only thing I find The River lacked was the suspense that the summary spoke of.
The good thing about all of this is that I didn't really know what to expect the entire time. When the big reveal was made at the end I was kind of surprised just because I had no idea where the author was planning on taking her plot and characters. The summary led me to believe a lot of things that weren't included in this novel but I guess that's the chance you take when you pick up a book. The summary is there to capture your attention after all and this one is very effective in doing that. Not to mention the cover is quite captivating as well.
Even though there was a lack of suspense, I still enjoyed The River. The writing is very good and well executed and I grew to like the characters also, especially Ronnie and Tomas. I also liked that we learned a good deal about Ronnie's life, past and present. A lot of novels that have a mysterious plot at times focus more on that than the characters filling the pages. I think the author did a great job of forming Ronnie's world and filling it with believable and pleasing characters.
I did like this book and I read it rather quickly which is always a good sign. Again, the only thing I find The River lacked was the suspense that the summary spoke of.
February 15, 2010
I just finished an ARC of "The River" by Mary Jane Beaufrand, which is being released to bookstores as I speak. There were a lot of things I liked about the book and a few I didn't. However, I think this would be an easy sell for teens - and those who pick it up will like it.
The opening of the book is a little misleading in that the reader has only a few subtle clues (like the fact that the river behind their inn sounds angry) that this will be a mystery. The focus begins with the main character, teen Veronica Severance (Ronnie), missing "home,"as she and her family have just moved from life in the city of Portland to a more rural part of Oregon, where they is running an inn. The opening is light and sarcastic. I liked that it slowly dawns on the reader that there is going to be much more to this story than fluff. The "much more" begins when Ronnie is on her usual Saturday morning run and the neighbor, Mr. Armstrong, asks her is she's seen Karen, the little girl that Ronnie has grown quite attached to. While running, Ronnie catches a glimpse of something blue floating in the river. It turns out to be Karen. It soon becomes clear that Karen's death was not an accident.
Beaufrand's writing is smooth - an easy, fast read. I felt many times, however, that certain scenes needed more flushing out. Things happened too quickly. She didn't give the reader enough time to think things through, as is necessary in a mystery. This is what builds suspense. In this way, I also felt that some of the characters could have been more fully developed. I loved the story and the characters - I just wanted more of them.
Recommended!
The opening of the book is a little misleading in that the reader has only a few subtle clues (like the fact that the river behind their inn sounds angry) that this will be a mystery. The focus begins with the main character, teen Veronica Severance (Ronnie), missing "home,"as she and her family have just moved from life in the city of Portland to a more rural part of Oregon, where they is running an inn. The opening is light and sarcastic. I liked that it slowly dawns on the reader that there is going to be much more to this story than fluff. The "much more" begins when Ronnie is on her usual Saturday morning run and the neighbor, Mr. Armstrong, asks her is she's seen Karen, the little girl that Ronnie has grown quite attached to. While running, Ronnie catches a glimpse of something blue floating in the river. It turns out to be Karen. It soon becomes clear that Karen's death was not an accident.
Beaufrand's writing is smooth - an easy, fast read. I felt many times, however, that certain scenes needed more flushing out. Things happened too quickly. She didn't give the reader enough time to think things through, as is necessary in a mystery. This is what builds suspense. In this way, I also felt that some of the characters could have been more fully developed. I loved the story and the characters - I just wanted more of them.
Recommended!
April 12, 2012
Review: It was a decent book. The plot surrounding Karen death was good which kind of make sad because the book was way too short…if the characters were more developed and the side ‘plots lines too.”
The book was a very quick read…started last night and I was done this afternoon…the story felt rush, since the characters were bot developed you couldn’t feel any kinship.
I really feel like Tomas has epic possibilities, you get glimpse of him, he could have been the most fantastic character and his relationship with Ronnie could have been really heart stopping and yes glimpses is all you get.
It seems that the authors wanted to concentrate uniquely around the death of Karen but the interactions between the characters are essential too…the back stories of the characters, you can’t just give glimpses without explaining anything…it only makes the reader frustrated.
Again I say it was sad because the whole reason of the death and the “bad guys” etc could have make this book a great read.
In conclusion: Story full of promises but the quasi non-existent development of characters along with the pertinacity of the author to concentrate on one aspect of the story only make this book falls short.
Stars 2/5
The book was a very quick read…started last night and I was done this afternoon…the story felt rush, since the characters were bot developed you couldn’t feel any kinship.
I really feel like Tomas has epic possibilities, you get glimpse of him, he could have been the most fantastic character and his relationship with Ronnie could have been really heart stopping and yes glimpses is all you get.
It seems that the authors wanted to concentrate uniquely around the death of Karen but the interactions between the characters are essential too…the back stories of the characters, you can’t just give glimpses without explaining anything…it only makes the reader frustrated.
Again I say it was sad because the whole reason of the death and the “bad guys” etc could have make this book a great read.
In conclusion: Story full of promises but the quasi non-existent development of characters along with the pertinacity of the author to concentrate on one aspect of the story only make this book falls short.
Stars 2/5
September 2, 2016
Pros:
-Petunia: Dog. Enough said.
Cons:
-Plot: What a mess. It was all over the place. It was supposed to be a mystery and it started out that way, but then it diverged into whatever it became halfway through. Not to mention the fact that the plot it did have was not fascinating at all and slow.
-Characters: Veronica was so stupid that when bad things happened to her I literally did not care at all. Tomás was okay but that's it. It's worth mentioning that I didn't even know who half these characters were for the longest time. And they had some ridiculous names like Ranger Dave and Evil Brad and Good Brad. I wish I were kidding.
-Writing: For all the cons about the characters and plot that made this book a struggle, the writing wasn't even that good.
-Petunia: Dog. Enough said.
Cons:
-Plot: What a mess. It was all over the place. It was supposed to be a mystery and it started out that way, but then it diverged into whatever it became halfway through. Not to mention the fact that the plot it did have was not fascinating at all and slow.
-Characters: Veronica was so stupid that when bad things happened to her I literally did not care at all. Tomás was okay but that's it. It's worth mentioning that I didn't even know who half these characters were for the longest time. And they had some ridiculous names like Ranger Dave and Evil Brad and Good Brad. I wish I were kidding.
-Writing: For all the cons about the characters and plot that made this book a struggle, the writing wasn't even that good.
May 22, 2010
I just couldn't get into this book. I didn't really get to know the characters. I couldn't tell you the first thing about Veronica, or Ronnie as she's called, except that she likes running. The pace was always changing: at first it was boring, then things picked up and they were happening too fast. The plot reminded me of The Body Finder, even though no one has any supernatural abilities in this book. The story was just okay for me, plus there were quite a few typos.
July 18, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. Not only is it located in my home state of Oregon but the descriptions of the scenery made me want to visit!
The main character is interesting and I love the way she grows and matures in the story. It's a mystery that is fairly predictable, but I still really enjoyed it.
The main character is interesting and I love the way she grows and matures in the story. It's a mystery that is fairly predictable, but I still really enjoyed it.
March 4, 2010
Ok, so it wasn't the worst book I've ever read...but let's just say that I'm glad I read it before I decided to buy it for the library. Not enough by way of character development or plot. Of course, I've come across far worse--just wasn't that much to it.
November 19, 2015
I really thought this was just going to be a quick, throw away book. Thankfully I was wrong. I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. It was an easy, fast read, but still a good story. Nothing super fantastic, but good.
January 5, 2016
very very good. i love it.
August 7, 2018
Veronica, kurz Ronnie genannt, zog mit ihren Eltern in einen kleinen ländlichen Ort, um der Großstadt Portland zu entfliehen. Sie führen fortan eine kleine Pension, in der Ronnies Vater sich erholen, ihre Mutter ihrer Back- und Kochleidenschaft frönen kann und Ronnie, die muss sich mit der Tatsache abfinden. Sie wäre viel lieber in der Großstadt geblieben. Doch dann lernte sie Karen kennen. Ein kleines Mädchen, die sie in die fantastische Welt der Natur entführt, mit der sie Kieselsteine übers Wasser hüpfen lässt, auf Spurensuche geht etc. Bis zu jenem grausigen Tag: Ronnie findet Karen tot im Wasser. War es ein Unfall oder war es gar Mord? Dann findet sie auch noch ihre Freundin Gretchen im Drogenrausch im Badezimmer. Ronnie macht sich auf die Suche nach Antworten und merkt gar nicht, dass sie sich in Lebensgefahr begibt bis man auch ihr nach dem Leben trachtet.
Rezension:
Dieser Jugendthriller ist eine gute Mischung aus Thriller, Liebesroman und wie aus dem realen Leben wie man sie in Großstädten und aus dem TV kennt. Es geht um verschiedene Menschen und unterschiedliche Lebensumstände und besonders auch darum, wie schnell man „abrutschen“ kann, wenn man mit den falschen Leuten befreundet ist.
Von den Charakteren gefielen mir Ronnie und Karen am Besten. Ronnie mit ihrer städtischen Angst, da sie die Natur in dieser Art so noch nie erlebt hatte, und ihrem Willen und ihrem Mut alles aufzuklären. Das hat mich sehr beeindruckt. Und Karen, der kleine kindliche Wirbelwind, der alles sieht, erlebt, anfasst, beobachtet und irgendwie nie still stehen kann. Karen ist wirklich sehr gut in den Rückblicken beschrieben worden, so dass man ein sehr gutes Bild von ihr erhalten hat. Tomàs fand ich auch witzig, besonders als er unter seinen starken Schmerzmedikamenten endlich seine Schüchternheit ablegte. Hier musste ich besonders breit schmunzeln.
Der Verlust der kleinen besten Freundin Karen wird sehr gut mit Hilfe des „Fluss-Geistes“ beschrieben und wie eisern Ronnie versuchte, den Mord aufzudecken. Dies wurde sehr spannend geschildert, so dass ich besonders gegen Ende das Buch gar nicht mehr bei Seite legen konnte. Da gibt es verschiedene kleine Hinweise, ein zugelaufener verwundeter Hund, Diebstahl, Drogenmissbrauch uvm. bis es letztendlich zum Showdown führt.
Aber auch die Liebe kommt in diesem Buch nicht zu kurz. Denn Ronnie ist heimlich tierisch verknallt in Keith. Allerdings warnt Gretchen Ronnie immer wieder vor ihm. Und da ist auch noch Tomàs, der wie ein großer Bruder für sie ist und vielleicht auch mehr?! Lasst euch einfach überraschen und lest dieses Buch!!!
Ich finde „Dunkle Wasser“ ist ein gelungenes Werk aus Action, Krimi, Thriller, Liebe und einer riesigen Portion Realität, die einem zeigt, wie hart das Leben sein kann, wenn man es mit den falschen Leuten zu tun bekommt. Es ist eine tolle spannungsgeladene und auch witzige Geschichte in einem angenehmen Schreibstil und schönen Beschreibungen. Das Ende hätte von mir aus gern noch etwas ausführlicher sein können. Ich hätte zu gern gewusst, wie die Gerichtsverhandlung ausgegangen ist und wie es in Sachen Liebe weitergeht…
Diesem spannenden Buch gebe ich 4 von 5 Punkten und freue mich auf weitere Bücher der Autorin Mary Jane Beaufrand.
Rezension:
Dieser Jugendthriller ist eine gute Mischung aus Thriller, Liebesroman und wie aus dem realen Leben wie man sie in Großstädten und aus dem TV kennt. Es geht um verschiedene Menschen und unterschiedliche Lebensumstände und besonders auch darum, wie schnell man „abrutschen“ kann, wenn man mit den falschen Leuten befreundet ist.
Von den Charakteren gefielen mir Ronnie und Karen am Besten. Ronnie mit ihrer städtischen Angst, da sie die Natur in dieser Art so noch nie erlebt hatte, und ihrem Willen und ihrem Mut alles aufzuklären. Das hat mich sehr beeindruckt. Und Karen, der kleine kindliche Wirbelwind, der alles sieht, erlebt, anfasst, beobachtet und irgendwie nie still stehen kann. Karen ist wirklich sehr gut in den Rückblicken beschrieben worden, so dass man ein sehr gutes Bild von ihr erhalten hat. Tomàs fand ich auch witzig, besonders als er unter seinen starken Schmerzmedikamenten endlich seine Schüchternheit ablegte. Hier musste ich besonders breit schmunzeln.
Der Verlust der kleinen besten Freundin Karen wird sehr gut mit Hilfe des „Fluss-Geistes“ beschrieben und wie eisern Ronnie versuchte, den Mord aufzudecken. Dies wurde sehr spannend geschildert, so dass ich besonders gegen Ende das Buch gar nicht mehr bei Seite legen konnte. Da gibt es verschiedene kleine Hinweise, ein zugelaufener verwundeter Hund, Diebstahl, Drogenmissbrauch uvm. bis es letztendlich zum Showdown führt.
Aber auch die Liebe kommt in diesem Buch nicht zu kurz. Denn Ronnie ist heimlich tierisch verknallt in Keith. Allerdings warnt Gretchen Ronnie immer wieder vor ihm. Und da ist auch noch Tomàs, der wie ein großer Bruder für sie ist und vielleicht auch mehr?! Lasst euch einfach überraschen und lest dieses Buch!!!
Ich finde „Dunkle Wasser“ ist ein gelungenes Werk aus Action, Krimi, Thriller, Liebe und einer riesigen Portion Realität, die einem zeigt, wie hart das Leben sein kann, wenn man es mit den falschen Leuten zu tun bekommt. Es ist eine tolle spannungsgeladene und auch witzige Geschichte in einem angenehmen Schreibstil und schönen Beschreibungen. Das Ende hätte von mir aus gern noch etwas ausführlicher sein können. Ich hätte zu gern gewusst, wie die Gerichtsverhandlung ausgegangen ist und wie es in Sachen Liebe weitergeht…
Diesem spannenden Buch gebe ich 4 von 5 Punkten und freue mich auf weitere Bücher der Autorin Mary Jane Beaufrand.
October 25, 2014
Abderrahmane Azmi
10/10/14
English 8~3
The River (Review #1)
Throughout the beginning of the novel, Veronica and her family were always celebrating and enjoying their life despite their poverty. To add, Ranger Dave, the most intimate friend of Veronica's father, was savaged and new to this world in a quite strange way. For instance, the novelty to this world is displayed when Veronica's mother was always sitting with Dave and fed him like a child of five years old; the savagery appears when Dave licks the food sauce left in his sticky fingers. Moreover, the place where the family is located is rural Oregon that is full of hipsters and is infectiously polluted. To clarify, an example of hipsters is because all the citizens are meth-addicts, wear baggy clothes and never cut their hair nor trim their facial hair, the pollution is conveyed when Veronica stated that all the city people come to the rural area and throw all their left trash including existent three-legged dogs and usable objects. The readers enjoy grasping the poverty that Veronica and her family are coping with and also enjoy grasping why the celebration is being undertaken to battle depression.
Before rural Oregon, the Severances (Veronica's family) were living at a place where being autonomous is not necessarily required. To support that, the Severances were living at comfy Portland. All of a sudden, they were moved to Inn's patchwork at rural Oregon that held the criteria of autonomy, responsibility and bona fide hard work. In a cold morning, Karen, Ronnie's neighbourhood friend, the one that opened Ronnie's eyes to nature, the one that was Karen's guide and made her strongly grasp the meaning of life, was wanted by her parents as they speculated that she could be lost in the woods. In order to find her, Karen's parents trusted Ronnie to go get Karen with three smart dogs, a German shepherd, a terrier and a golden retriever, as they went, they suddenly spotted Karen's body and from the exodus of her pulse, the extreme coldness of her body and lastly her immobility, they presumed that that lovely Karen passed away.
Veronica is feeling better after Karen's death and is helping everyone with their needs. Lately, readers feel like Veronica is embodying Karen in a way. To back that, Karen was offering Ronnie guidance in the actions Ronnie took and also was protecting and healing her from physical and emotional pains, the embodiment is visualized by the reader when Veronica saves the girl that was crying because she fell on her head that was full of blood. Along with that, Veronica first thought that the river was crying as it is an extremely significant "character" in this novel. The river plays the role of signaling any incident in process and also alleviates Ronnie's occasional mundane boredom. The death of Karen did not hinder Veronica but instead encouraged her to be a better, and yet more humane person that helps other people with their needs.
Abderrahmane Azmi
17/10/14
English 8~3
The Severances are thriving with there café and hard work, thus, they are no longer depressed but satisfied. Meanwhile, the Armstrongs (Karen's family) are constantly "offering" Veronica the job of babysitting the Armstrong kids (Karen's siblings). Veronica seems hesitent and desires to not offend or sadden the Armstrongs by refusing the job. The savagery and wildness in the rural area continually grows. The people there are stinky, wear coon-skin clothes and full of useless quarry during their pointless combats. The Severance family is thriving and satisfied unlike other families which is the opportunity for Veronica to chill out and forget about Karen.
Ronnie happens to have always rescued Karen, therefore, it is kind of impossible to totally neglect Karen. In addition, Ronnie pretends Karen is always by her side and perceives her as an existent human being. For instance, when Ronnie and Ranger Dave were walking around talking about Karen's death and speculated on the possible causes, Ronnie was talking to Karen's dead body. During the novel, bravery was always a theme because "Sacagawea" was a brave indian woman and this term was frequently mentioned during the story. The bravery and the remembrance of Karen won't have a surcease.
While the story goes on and incrementally develops, inhuman characters form and perform huge roles. To specify, the river is a connective passageway of water and in it lay secrets and other people's trust. "The river changes, Ronnie," Ranger Dave said. "You can't trust it.", this is what Ranger Dave advised Ronnie because the river can be untrustworthy from time to time. Readers can feel that Veronica is rarely encircled by people and rarely feels emotionally warm. To support that, when the sheriffs came to ask her questions, Veronica said she felt encircled like wearing a jacket which exposes the rarity of people spoilling her and offering her gifts. The inhuman characters don't matter anymore because the sheriffs and other comforting people enter Ronnie's life.
Abderrahmane Azmi
22/10/14
English 8~3
Sometimes when a person dies, the person's entourage take no time to realize and accept the person's death. Veronica and Ranger Dave are intimate friends now and specifically get close to each other during the lengthy and fatiguing pursuit of Karen's cause of death. To elucidate, Ronnie and Dave promenade through the woods and momentarily hug each other back and forth, showing intimacy. The Armstrongs are suspecting things indirectly and are being panicky about their daughter. In all of a sudden, Karen's parents spot an ambulance and show acceptance of their daughter's death in one split second. Death is sometimes carelessly handled.
Dishonesty and economization thematically represent "The River" as a novel. Due to the penury of the characters in this novel, things are getting lethal and deadly. Tiny, a brewer, neglected the fact that dirt was blending in with the beer that he made, later fraudulently sold and made unmerited money. Readers later realize that the underhand society is the source of many unfortunate deaths. According to the indirect speculations committed by the Armstrongs, a crime may have occurred. When Veronica Severance and Ranger Dave found Karen Armstrong's deceased body, someone may have thoroughly ransacked it at first and then ruthlessly murdered Karen Armstrong. Dishonesty is the major issue of this world's abortion in every step or potential activity this world will perform.
The progressive errors one makes lead to a problem which leads to general failure in life. Ranger Dave's subordinate vehicle, the SUV is one heck of a car because was never cleansed before. The proof of the dirtiness is shown when Karen couldn't support staying in the car because of the fact that is was mud-stained and the difficulty of inhaling oxygen was another cause. Another "error" by Ranger Dave in terms of his smeary car was progressively committed. The other "error" was that the exterior of the smeared vehicle was full of vomit, the progressive errors made by Ranger Dave result in an unorthodox convention of everyone having a neglected, dirty car. Failure is committed by problems that came from errors. (The steps to failure, recounted backwards.)
10/10/14
English 8~3
The River (Review #1)
Throughout the beginning of the novel, Veronica and her family were always celebrating and enjoying their life despite their poverty. To add, Ranger Dave, the most intimate friend of Veronica's father, was savaged and new to this world in a quite strange way. For instance, the novelty to this world is displayed when Veronica's mother was always sitting with Dave and fed him like a child of five years old; the savagery appears when Dave licks the food sauce left in his sticky fingers. Moreover, the place where the family is located is rural Oregon that is full of hipsters and is infectiously polluted. To clarify, an example of hipsters is because all the citizens are meth-addicts, wear baggy clothes and never cut their hair nor trim their facial hair, the pollution is conveyed when Veronica stated that all the city people come to the rural area and throw all their left trash including existent three-legged dogs and usable objects. The readers enjoy grasping the poverty that Veronica and her family are coping with and also enjoy grasping why the celebration is being undertaken to battle depression.
Before rural Oregon, the Severances (Veronica's family) were living at a place where being autonomous is not necessarily required. To support that, the Severances were living at comfy Portland. All of a sudden, they were moved to Inn's patchwork at rural Oregon that held the criteria of autonomy, responsibility and bona fide hard work. In a cold morning, Karen, Ronnie's neighbourhood friend, the one that opened Ronnie's eyes to nature, the one that was Karen's guide and made her strongly grasp the meaning of life, was wanted by her parents as they speculated that she could be lost in the woods. In order to find her, Karen's parents trusted Ronnie to go get Karen with three smart dogs, a German shepherd, a terrier and a golden retriever, as they went, they suddenly spotted Karen's body and from the exodus of her pulse, the extreme coldness of her body and lastly her immobility, they presumed that that lovely Karen passed away.
Veronica is feeling better after Karen's death and is helping everyone with their needs. Lately, readers feel like Veronica is embodying Karen in a way. To back that, Karen was offering Ronnie guidance in the actions Ronnie took and also was protecting and healing her from physical and emotional pains, the embodiment is visualized by the reader when Veronica saves the girl that was crying because she fell on her head that was full of blood. Along with that, Veronica first thought that the river was crying as it is an extremely significant "character" in this novel. The river plays the role of signaling any incident in process and also alleviates Ronnie's occasional mundane boredom. The death of Karen did not hinder Veronica but instead encouraged her to be a better, and yet more humane person that helps other people with their needs.
Abderrahmane Azmi
17/10/14
English 8~3
The Severances are thriving with there café and hard work, thus, they are no longer depressed but satisfied. Meanwhile, the Armstrongs (Karen's family) are constantly "offering" Veronica the job of babysitting the Armstrong kids (Karen's siblings). Veronica seems hesitent and desires to not offend or sadden the Armstrongs by refusing the job. The savagery and wildness in the rural area continually grows. The people there are stinky, wear coon-skin clothes and full of useless quarry during their pointless combats. The Severance family is thriving and satisfied unlike other families which is the opportunity for Veronica to chill out and forget about Karen.
Ronnie happens to have always rescued Karen, therefore, it is kind of impossible to totally neglect Karen. In addition, Ronnie pretends Karen is always by her side and perceives her as an existent human being. For instance, when Ronnie and Ranger Dave were walking around talking about Karen's death and speculated on the possible causes, Ronnie was talking to Karen's dead body. During the novel, bravery was always a theme because "Sacagawea" was a brave indian woman and this term was frequently mentioned during the story. The bravery and the remembrance of Karen won't have a surcease.
While the story goes on and incrementally develops, inhuman characters form and perform huge roles. To specify, the river is a connective passageway of water and in it lay secrets and other people's trust. "The river changes, Ronnie," Ranger Dave said. "You can't trust it.", this is what Ranger Dave advised Ronnie because the river can be untrustworthy from time to time. Readers can feel that Veronica is rarely encircled by people and rarely feels emotionally warm. To support that, when the sheriffs came to ask her questions, Veronica said she felt encircled like wearing a jacket which exposes the rarity of people spoilling her and offering her gifts. The inhuman characters don't matter anymore because the sheriffs and other comforting people enter Ronnie's life.
Abderrahmane Azmi
22/10/14
English 8~3
Sometimes when a person dies, the person's entourage take no time to realize and accept the person's death. Veronica and Ranger Dave are intimate friends now and specifically get close to each other during the lengthy and fatiguing pursuit of Karen's cause of death. To elucidate, Ronnie and Dave promenade through the woods and momentarily hug each other back and forth, showing intimacy. The Armstrongs are suspecting things indirectly and are being panicky about their daughter. In all of a sudden, Karen's parents spot an ambulance and show acceptance of their daughter's death in one split second. Death is sometimes carelessly handled.
Dishonesty and economization thematically represent "The River" as a novel. Due to the penury of the characters in this novel, things are getting lethal and deadly. Tiny, a brewer, neglected the fact that dirt was blending in with the beer that he made, later fraudulently sold and made unmerited money. Readers later realize that the underhand society is the source of many unfortunate deaths. According to the indirect speculations committed by the Armstrongs, a crime may have occurred. When Veronica Severance and Ranger Dave found Karen Armstrong's deceased body, someone may have thoroughly ransacked it at first and then ruthlessly murdered Karen Armstrong. Dishonesty is the major issue of this world's abortion in every step or potential activity this world will perform.
The progressive errors one makes lead to a problem which leads to general failure in life. Ranger Dave's subordinate vehicle, the SUV is one heck of a car because was never cleansed before. The proof of the dirtiness is shown when Karen couldn't support staying in the car because of the fact that is was mud-stained and the difficulty of inhaling oxygen was another cause. Another "error" by Ranger Dave in terms of his smeary car was progressively committed. The other "error" was that the exterior of the smeared vehicle was full of vomit, the progressive errors made by Ranger Dave result in an unorthodox convention of everyone having a neglected, dirty car. Failure is committed by problems that came from errors. (The steps to failure, recounted backwards.)
May 30, 2014
Veronica Severance (Ronnie) is forced to give up her big city life and trade in for the wide open spaces of a small town in Oregon. She is in a constant struggle with loneliness and resentment to her parents, especially her mom. She watches her mom cater to everyone but her, “this is your fault. We shouldn’t be here at all. You picked what was best for Dad over what was best for me and I’ll never forgive you for it” (53). Ronnie finds herself running every day as if she is running to escape, like setting a caged animal free she is running for her freedom only to return to the quiet town with the river that surrounds it. The chilling river runs through Ronnie’s backyard and throughout the town managing to convince everyone its danger ‘the river changes...you can’t trust it...the river should be illegal”(35, 42). Her loneliness is kept at bay with the friendship of the adventurous and spirited neighbor Karen, a ten year old full of life curiosity that would eventually lead to her demise. Through her many youthful adventures she challenges Ronnie, ultimately provoking her comfort zone. Although Ronnie is older Karen effortlessly assumes the leadership position to Ronnie even though Karen looked up to and respected her as a role model.
While on her daily run, Ronnie finds a pale, delicate body that is without breath at the riverbank...Karen. Throughout the book Ronnie tries to find the murderer who killed Karen even though everyone else in town believes her death was an accident, her life taken by the river that can’t be trusted. Her eyes began to open seeing new sides to her crush, her best friend, and the brothers, "good and bad Brad" that are staying at her resort. While searching for clues to find the cold hearted monster Ronnie discovers many other dirty secrets like her best friends drug addiction, her adopted brother's love for her, her crush's questionable and suspicious manipulations. Though her journey evokes dangerous circumstances she discovers her future guardian, a stray and abused mastiff, who would unknowingly save her life. She is forced to take in the dog and learn responsibility although she gains so much more in the that the dog is the only living thing she is able to trust and talk to. In the climax Ronnie finds a boat by the river and paddles across with only her companion and guardian, she quickly realizes this hidden area was her dogs home of abuse and neglect but this side of the river is home to even greater monstrous acts. After being spotted by the familiar crush on the porch of a camouflaged mobile home she is brought inside to confront two other familiar faces. Who really murdered Karen? Will the dog betray Ronnie on the verge of solving the murder? Will Ronnie even survive?
I really enjoyed reading this book because of the suspense and the edge of your seat feeling it brought while reading. This book was one of my favorite books I have ever read because of the strong and suspenseful plot. The plot was very well organized and was a clean suspense unlike recent books I have read that have a good plot that is distorted by unnecessary vulgarities that distract the plot rather than strengthening it. The author is a great writer being she can write an intriguing book without adding cuss words and inappropriate content. Though I enjoyed the book I felt the characters were a little underdeveloped like Ronnie’s best friend Gretchen. The author could have elaborated on her alleged best friend Gretchen, instead of her part vague which I felt did affect the strength of the plot. When I began reading I did not believe I was going to get into the book “ I suppose there are worse things being soggy and dateless and shoveling bunny carcasses”(1). I also found it hard to sleep after going to bed right after the murder of Karen “ what I gripped was cold and sickenly squishy...the scalp on the side of her head flapped, her hair opening and closing like a trapdoor”(19-20). After getting past the beginning I found it impossible to put the book down and found it even harder to find a good stopping point so I can do things.
Although I really enjoyed this book I could see why you might not want to read it, as there was drug references “a dollar bill unfurling in white residue” and also little sexual references, the worst reference was when it referred to used condoms on the floor, alluding to sexual content without offering further description. I was also frustrated with Ronnie and her self absorption failing to see the people around her and what was really going on.
On a scale from 1-5, 1 being a book to give to your dog to chew and 5 being an old lady doing a happy dance, I would rate this book a 4 simply because I wish the ending was better. Though the end closed all the questions I wish it would of been more intriguing and instead of ****SPOILER Ronnie and Tomas walking into the court as a couple it would have been more in depth about their relationship and why they were going to court. Also, the ending was very disappointing because it came to an abrupt end, the author had us reach a climax and then just stopped, which is why my rating is a 4 and not a 5.
While reading The River it kept me making connections with The Deadly Sister. Although The River was a cleaner and more appropriate suspense novel, they both had a similar but different plot. In The River Ronnie was trying to search for the murderer of the one she was close to, where as in The Deadly Sister Abby was trying to cover up her murder of the one she was close to by framing her little sister. Also, both characters found a dead body while following their passion and escape...running.
The River was a book I would recommend to young adults and adults, definitely high school level and above only because of the sexual and drug content yet it is a thriller that is also an easy read. Also, I would recommend this book to people who want a really good book that they cannot put down. If you enjoy movies or tv shows that involve murder investigations like SVU Law and Order, or CSI, I think you also would enjoy The River because it too creates suspense.
While on her daily run, Ronnie finds a pale, delicate body that is without breath at the riverbank...Karen. Throughout the book Ronnie tries to find the murderer who killed Karen even though everyone else in town believes her death was an accident, her life taken by the river that can’t be trusted. Her eyes began to open seeing new sides to her crush, her best friend, and the brothers, "good and bad Brad" that are staying at her resort. While searching for clues to find the cold hearted monster Ronnie discovers many other dirty secrets like her best friends drug addiction, her adopted brother's love for her, her crush's questionable and suspicious manipulations. Though her journey evokes dangerous circumstances she discovers her future guardian, a stray and abused mastiff, who would unknowingly save her life. She is forced to take in the dog and learn responsibility although she gains so much more in the that the dog is the only living thing she is able to trust and talk to. In the climax Ronnie finds a boat by the river and paddles across with only her companion and guardian, she quickly realizes this hidden area was her dogs home of abuse and neglect but this side of the river is home to even greater monstrous acts. After being spotted by the familiar crush on the porch of a camouflaged mobile home she is brought inside to confront two other familiar faces. Who really murdered Karen? Will the dog betray Ronnie on the verge of solving the murder? Will Ronnie even survive?
I really enjoyed reading this book because of the suspense and the edge of your seat feeling it brought while reading. This book was one of my favorite books I have ever read because of the strong and suspenseful plot. The plot was very well organized and was a clean suspense unlike recent books I have read that have a good plot that is distorted by unnecessary vulgarities that distract the plot rather than strengthening it. The author is a great writer being she can write an intriguing book without adding cuss words and inappropriate content. Though I enjoyed the book I felt the characters were a little underdeveloped like Ronnie’s best friend Gretchen. The author could have elaborated on her alleged best friend Gretchen, instead of her part vague which I felt did affect the strength of the plot. When I began reading I did not believe I was going to get into the book “ I suppose there are worse things being soggy and dateless and shoveling bunny carcasses”(1). I also found it hard to sleep after going to bed right after the murder of Karen “ what I gripped was cold and sickenly squishy...the scalp on the side of her head flapped, her hair opening and closing like a trapdoor”(19-20). After getting past the beginning I found it impossible to put the book down and found it even harder to find a good stopping point so I can do things.
Although I really enjoyed this book I could see why you might not want to read it, as there was drug references “a dollar bill unfurling in white residue” and also little sexual references, the worst reference was when it referred to used condoms on the floor, alluding to sexual content without offering further description. I was also frustrated with Ronnie and her self absorption failing to see the people around her and what was really going on.
On a scale from 1-5, 1 being a book to give to your dog to chew and 5 being an old lady doing a happy dance, I would rate this book a 4 simply because I wish the ending was better. Though the end closed all the questions I wish it would of been more intriguing and instead of ****SPOILER Ronnie and Tomas walking into the court as a couple it would have been more in depth about their relationship and why they were going to court. Also, the ending was very disappointing because it came to an abrupt end, the author had us reach a climax and then just stopped, which is why my rating is a 4 and not a 5.
While reading The River it kept me making connections with The Deadly Sister. Although The River was a cleaner and more appropriate suspense novel, they both had a similar but different plot. In The River Ronnie was trying to search for the murderer of the one she was close to, where as in The Deadly Sister Abby was trying to cover up her murder of the one she was close to by framing her little sister. Also, both characters found a dead body while following their passion and escape...running.
The River was a book I would recommend to young adults and adults, definitely high school level and above only because of the sexual and drug content yet it is a thriller that is also an easy read. Also, I would recommend this book to people who want a really good book that they cannot put down. If you enjoy movies or tv shows that involve murder investigations like SVU Law and Order, or CSI, I think you also would enjoy The River because it too creates suspense.
August 12, 2017
Picked this as a short quick read and thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked the way the author introduced her characters and how she slowly developed them and the story. Once it turned suspenseful I couldn't put it down.
March 3, 2017
Dreadful. The blurb reads far better than the book. Emphatically not recommended.
October 7, 2017
I would not recommend this book.
May 18, 2018
Not bad. Although although all the action happens very fast at the end
Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews