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Eternal on the Water
From the day Cobb and Mary meet kayaking on Maine's Allagash River and fall deeply in love, the two approach life with the same sense of adventure they use to conquer the river's treacherous rapids. But rivers do not let go so easily...and neither does their love. So when Mary's life takes the cruelest turn, she vows to face those rough waters on her own terms and asks Cobb to promise, when the time comes, to help her return to their beloved river for one final journey.
Set against the rugged wilderness of Maine, the exotic islands of Indonesia, the sweeping panoramas of Yellowstone National Park, and the tranquil villages of rural New England, Eternal on the Water is at once heartbreaking and uplifting a timeless, beautifully rendered story of true love's power.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
55 people are currently reading
1918 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Monninger
40 books224 followersJoseph Monninger was an American writer and Professor of English at Plymouth State University. He lived in Warren, New Hampshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 511 reviews
January 28, 2010
This book grabbed my attention from page one and it never let go, not once.
I instantly loved Mary and Cobb, The Chungamunga Girls, Wally, Francis, Turtle Freddy, their parents. I even enjoyed all the smaller characters that were a part of Mary and Cobb's journey through their life together. I thought Joseph did a wonderful job telling Mary's story of living with Huntington's disease. I think the disease and it's effects were told with compassion by Joseph.
On top of the amazing love story, there was such beauty in nature. The Allagash River where the Chungamunga girls camp every year. By the end of the book, I longed to see this river. Indonesia where Turtle Freddy dedicates his life to preserving turtles. When they released some of the turtles into the wild, the image was so vivid, I swear I saw it happen. To Yellowstone to study the crows, brought back memories I had long forgotten of my travels there as a small child. The wolves at Yellowstone, how I would love to hear their night callings.
Not only did we get fantastic nature surroundings, we got wonderful animal stories intertwined throughout the book. I had such fun reading all the stories and myths Joseph included in the book. The added that little something extra that made the book just a tad more special.
This book made me laugh, it made me smile, it made me long to see the world, and it made me cry.
Mary and Cobb's story was a joyous and sorrow filled love story that is timeless and will stay with me for a long time. I don't normally give a rating to books in my reviews, it's not my thing, but for this one I am making an exception. 5 stars hands down. (B&N First Look Book club)
I instantly loved Mary and Cobb, The Chungamunga Girls, Wally, Francis, Turtle Freddy, their parents. I even enjoyed all the smaller characters that were a part of Mary and Cobb's journey through their life together. I thought Joseph did a wonderful job telling Mary's story of living with Huntington's disease. I think the disease and it's effects were told with compassion by Joseph.
On top of the amazing love story, there was such beauty in nature. The Allagash River where the Chungamunga girls camp every year. By the end of the book, I longed to see this river. Indonesia where Turtle Freddy dedicates his life to preserving turtles. When they released some of the turtles into the wild, the image was so vivid, I swear I saw it happen. To Yellowstone to study the crows, brought back memories I had long forgotten of my travels there as a small child. The wolves at Yellowstone, how I would love to hear their night callings.
Not only did we get fantastic nature surroundings, we got wonderful animal stories intertwined throughout the book. I had such fun reading all the stories and myths Joseph included in the book. The added that little something extra that made the book just a tad more special.
This book made me laugh, it made me smile, it made me long to see the world, and it made me cry.
Mary and Cobb's story was a joyous and sorrow filled love story that is timeless and will stay with me for a long time. I don't normally give a rating to books in my reviews, it's not my thing, but for this one I am making an exception. 5 stars hands down. (B&N First Look Book club)
December 30, 2010
I'm conflicted about this book. It was recommended by one reviewer as the one book she would want with her if she were "stranded on a desert island". On the one hand, it really is beautifully written. It takes place mostly with nature as the backdrop, and is told from the perspective of a Thoreau-loving professor (what's not to like there?) On the other hand, it's one of those "soul-mate" romances, complete with intimate scenes that most people find completely acceptable. but that I would rather were just left to the imagination. I will say this, though. Despite the fact that I have always inwardly sneered when someone describes an intimate scene as being "tastefully done", those in this book come as close to it as any I have ever happened across. But that still leaves the whole "soul-mate" thing. I have been accused (by my own kin) of not being very romantic. I guess I'm not. From what I've observed in the world, most couples have to work awfully hard for a strong relationship (at least after the initial syrupy phase). The couple in this story, Mary and Cobb, don't ever have to work at anything from the moment they meet. They do have their trials, though. I'm not spoiling anything by saying that Mary dies, because that is how the book begins. Another idea in the book that I take issue with (that again seems perfectly acceptable to many readers) is that ending a life that has lost some of its quality is preferable to enduring to the end and experiencing some of life's greatest lessons.
January 9, 2010
I really wanted to like this book. From the cover art to the title, to the short synopsis of the story, it seemed like it would be a wonderful experience. But, alas, I have to say that it was a chore to read, AND to finish.
The story just didn't live up to what I thought it would be. This is the story of Jonathan Cobb and Mary Fury, a woman who has Huntington's Disease. It's the story of their relationship and and the people around them as well as various descriptions relating to nature; crows and turtles, water, moose, woods etc.
The descriptions of anything to do with nature were very well done, and at some points I could close my eyes and feel the breeze, or smell the water. An interesting vehicle of the mythology and study of crows (corvids) was used to develop Mary's character.
It's just that all of the tools Monninger used were disjointed, and ill fitted. The time warp was also not believable. Mary and Cobb meet, they fall in love, they spend time on the river, they go to Indonesia, they get married, find a house, remodel it, save a teenager from suicide, return to teaching - all in a short period of time but in many pages of the book. Then (it seems) suddenly in fewer pages than saying hello, she declines, they call everyone together, everyone says good by and she ends her life. I also intensely disliked they use of literary quotes to make their "love" dialogue believable. I also intensely disliked the use of a "sick girls" club to thread together "eternal on the water" and Mary's love of crows, her disease, and finally her demise.
In the acknowledgments, Monninger hopes that his book "presents with accuracy, and with compassion the effects of Huntington's Disease". I learned absolutely nothing at all about the disease except that it is genetic and you die early and painfully.
I would advise Monninger to write what he knows - his intense love of Maine, the river, and nature that surrounds him. Ummmm, like his book "A Barn in New England, Making a Home on Three Acres". Leave the love stories and girls stories to someone else.
The story just didn't live up to what I thought it would be. This is the story of Jonathan Cobb and Mary Fury, a woman who has Huntington's Disease. It's the story of their relationship and and the people around them as well as various descriptions relating to nature; crows and turtles, water, moose, woods etc.
The descriptions of anything to do with nature were very well done, and at some points I could close my eyes and feel the breeze, or smell the water. An interesting vehicle of the mythology and study of crows (corvids) was used to develop Mary's character.
It's just that all of the tools Monninger used were disjointed, and ill fitted. The time warp was also not believable. Mary and Cobb meet, they fall in love, they spend time on the river, they go to Indonesia, they get married, find a house, remodel it, save a teenager from suicide, return to teaching - all in a short period of time but in many pages of the book. Then (it seems) suddenly in fewer pages than saying hello, she declines, they call everyone together, everyone says good by and she ends her life. I also intensely disliked they use of literary quotes to make their "love" dialogue believable. I also intensely disliked the use of a "sick girls" club to thread together "eternal on the water" and Mary's love of crows, her disease, and finally her demise.
In the acknowledgments, Monninger hopes that his book "presents with accuracy, and with compassion the effects of Huntington's Disease". I learned absolutely nothing at all about the disease except that it is genetic and you die early and painfully.
I would advise Monninger to write what he knows - his intense love of Maine, the river, and nature that surrounds him. Ummmm, like his book "A Barn in New England, Making a Home on Three Acres". Leave the love stories and girls stories to someone else.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2011
There was much to love about this book – especially if you are a fan of heavy, thought-provoking fiction with vivid sensory detail. A love story at its core, this novel is narrated by a nature-loving teacher named Cobb and is steeped in scientific study of the natural sciences (just the right amount to keep the reader reading and to lend credibility to the various environmental themes).
Rooted in science and sprinkled with folklore, the novel spoke to my own environmentally sensitive side, featuring corvid research (crows and ravens) and even turtle conservation. But ultimately, Eternal on the Water is the story of a remarkable woman, Mary, facing an incurable neurodegenerative disease and the way the couple, together, navigates those difficult waters (figuratively and literally through their kayaking adventures).
The book is not an easy read because it deals with loss in so many ways – loss of a loved one, loss of choice that is forced by the hand of disease, loss of physical control. But it is also uplifting in so many ways, taking the reader to the beautiful backdrops of Maine and New Hampshire; Monninger is a master of describing physical settings, and his writing is poetic and lovely.
This is a story that will stay with me for a very long time, as it explores the dilemmas and moral decisions faced by people with progressive illness and the spouses who love them. In the end, the clear message is that “life is for the living,” as Cobb recounts of Mary’s approach to every day. The story provided a powerful reminder to live every moment without regret, and to live fully.
Rooted in science and sprinkled with folklore, the novel spoke to my own environmentally sensitive side, featuring corvid research (crows and ravens) and even turtle conservation. But ultimately, Eternal on the Water is the story of a remarkable woman, Mary, facing an incurable neurodegenerative disease and the way the couple, together, navigates those difficult waters (figuratively and literally through their kayaking adventures).
The book is not an easy read because it deals with loss in so many ways – loss of a loved one, loss of choice that is forced by the hand of disease, loss of physical control. But it is also uplifting in so many ways, taking the reader to the beautiful backdrops of Maine and New Hampshire; Monninger is a master of describing physical settings, and his writing is poetic and lovely.
This is a story that will stay with me for a very long time, as it explores the dilemmas and moral decisions faced by people with progressive illness and the spouses who love them. In the end, the clear message is that “life is for the living,” as Cobb recounts of Mary’s approach to every day. The story provided a powerful reminder to live every moment without regret, and to live fully.
December 19, 2021
i hated this book. it was sooooo sentimental and contrived. although meant to be a romance, it was very plot-driven. the author had to keep trotting out new characters to keep the story moving (cause he had no talent to sustain the romance) - including a smart black kid from the projects. oh god. here comes the great white hope to make it all better... vomit.
everyone liked everyone immediately. no actual depth to people's relationships with each other. the author did exactly what a bad writer does: tells you what a great person that guy is, or how important this girl is, or how deep their relationship goes... tells you, instead of shows you through actual plot.
at the end, all these supposedly important people gather to see mary off, and everyone tears up (again!)
ok (full disclosure), i cried when i was supposed to... but you'd had to be a machine not to! that doesn't automatically mean it was a good book. why is her tragedy one that draws everyone in? if she comes from a foundation that helps sick and dying children, why didn't we witness her participating in someone else's farewell?
and lastly, who still buys into the romanticism of a slow, graceful death? pale ladies swooning with the consumption. lord, give me a break. and someone write a REAL story of watching someone you love die. of course, that would never sell.
everyone liked everyone immediately. no actual depth to people's relationships with each other. the author did exactly what a bad writer does: tells you what a great person that guy is, or how important this girl is, or how deep their relationship goes... tells you, instead of shows you through actual plot.
at the end, all these supposedly important people gather to see mary off, and everyone tears up (again!)
ok (full disclosure), i cried when i was supposed to... but you'd had to be a machine not to! that doesn't automatically mean it was a good book. why is her tragedy one that draws everyone in? if she comes from a foundation that helps sick and dying children, why didn't we witness her participating in someone else's farewell?
and lastly, who still buys into the romanticism of a slow, graceful death? pale ladies swooning with the consumption. lord, give me a break. and someone write a REAL story of watching someone you love die. of course, that would never sell.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2011
Blech. It definitely kept my interest but not in a rewarding way. Sickeningly sweet and hard to swallow. Dancing bears and magic girl scouts. Not to mention perfect, loving family-members and a brilliant lad from the projects who plays the piccolo. Give me a break.
December 15, 2017
“A touching love story immersed in the beautiful simplicity of nature and life lived in the present moment.” –Lisa Genova
June 13, 2010
Eternal on the Water was painfully beautiful. Joseph Monninger is an sublime writer. The book flowed even though nothing overly exciting happened. I stayed interested and tuned in through the whole book.
Jonathan Cobb and Mary Fury were lovable characters. I don't think there was a single character in this book that didn't immediately have a personality you couldn't relate to. Jonathan and Mary's Yeti love was one in a billion. Their journey together was heart-wrenching, joyous and enchanting. Reading this was almost as a life lesson, but not in a cliche way. I have to admit I was tearful at the end. It's rare that a book brings such strong emotions from me but this hit the spot. I don't recommend this for the faint-hearted. As you can tell from the synopsis it's not going to be an easy ending. Would I recommend this to everyone who is young, old, sci-fi readers, non-fiction readers etc, ABSOLUTELY!
Ok so now on to one bad thing... I did have one problem but I can't really talk about it with-out spoiling it. So I wont! Even with one vice it's a worth while read!
Jonathan Cobb and Mary Fury were lovable characters. I don't think there was a single character in this book that didn't immediately have a personality you couldn't relate to. Jonathan and Mary's Yeti love was one in a billion. Their journey together was heart-wrenching, joyous and enchanting. Reading this was almost as a life lesson, but not in a cliche way. I have to admit I was tearful at the end. It's rare that a book brings such strong emotions from me but this hit the spot. I don't recommend this for the faint-hearted. As you can tell from the synopsis it's not going to be an easy ending. Would I recommend this to everyone who is young, old, sci-fi readers, non-fiction readers etc, ABSOLUTELY!
Ok so now on to one bad thing... I did have one problem but I can't really talk about it with-out spoiling it. So I wont! Even with one vice it's a worth while read!
September 28, 2024
My wife read Eternal on the Water while I was writing FORTUNATE SON. I often stopped and watched, marveling at how the story touched and captivated her. A furrowed brow. A raised eyebrow. A sad smile. Tears that fell down her cheek and off her chin—too engrossed in the experience to brush them away. The author had my wife completely in his grip. It was horrible. Almost adulterous. If you are a writer, never allow this Joseph Monninger novel into your home. It's bad for your writing morale.
A year later, I decided to read it. The author is also from Northern New England. I recognized the places. The characters were familiar. And, against my will, I fell in love with this wonderfully sad and beautiful story. And I didn't care about brushing my tears away either.
This is a heartfelt and joyfully sad novel. It is human—and, often, desperately funny. His writing is sublime. But, if I'm honest, I still kinda hate this book and its author for setting the bar so damn high.
A year later, I decided to read it. The author is also from Northern New England. I recognized the places. The characters were familiar. And, against my will, I fell in love with this wonderfully sad and beautiful story. And I didn't care about brushing my tears away either.
This is a heartfelt and joyfully sad novel. It is human—and, often, desperately funny. His writing is sublime. But, if I'm honest, I still kinda hate this book and its author for setting the bar so damn high.
April 13, 2013
There are no fast paced dramatic scenes in this book and every page turned slowly--because I didn't want to leave such beautiful scenes. The conversations between characters, the descriptions of nature's magic, all so lyrical and flowing. I adored every character in this book--not just Cobb and Mary, but their family members and friends as well. I felt like Googling these people, finding them, meeting them somehow...amazing. There are no words to describe the love story between Cobb and Mary and the love story between the two of them and their loved ones.
I was reading a borrowed copy of this book and ordered my own copy after reading just a few pages--this one deserves my shelf space without a doubt.
I was reading a borrowed copy of this book and ordered my own copy after reading just a few pages--this one deserves my shelf space without a doubt.
December 26, 2019
Loved this book!
January 26, 2010
"You don't value a fire any less because someday it will go out." pg. 152
From the beginning of this book, we know that Mary will die. But this is not a book about her death. It is a book about living each day to its fullest - celebrating your life. It is also a book that will introduce you to Huntington's Disease.
Mary and Cobb, both educators, meet as each prepares for a trip on the Allagash River. Cobb is a first-timer, here to research Thoreau. Mary is back for a regular trip. The connection they feel is immediate and intense. It is truly love at first sight. As they journey down the Allagash, Mary educates Cobb about her study of Corvids (crows and ravens) and relates much of the mythology around them. He also meets the Chungamunga girls, of which Mary is a part. Each girl is threatened with a life-ending disease, but given the opportunity of spending some extended time on the Allagash. It is a moving journey. How many of them want to know they are on limited time, and how many want to live life without that clock ticking?
Then, Mary and Cobb come together in Indonesia. Here we meet Turtle Freddy and read of his work to save the sea turtles. The descriptions of people, places, and animals is breathtaking and realistic.
There are many interesting characters in this book, (Francis, Annie & John, Wally, Joan, Myrtle, etc.) each writing a part of Mary's story. Come, take a journey with them down the Allagash, to Indonesia, to New England, and the West Coast. This story will make you think about living each moment fully and completely.
From the beginning of this book, we know that Mary will die. But this is not a book about her death. It is a book about living each day to its fullest - celebrating your life. It is also a book that will introduce you to Huntington's Disease.
Mary and Cobb, both educators, meet as each prepares for a trip on the Allagash River. Cobb is a first-timer, here to research Thoreau. Mary is back for a regular trip. The connection they feel is immediate and intense. It is truly love at first sight. As they journey down the Allagash, Mary educates Cobb about her study of Corvids (crows and ravens) and relates much of the mythology around them. He also meets the Chungamunga girls, of which Mary is a part. Each girl is threatened with a life-ending disease, but given the opportunity of spending some extended time on the Allagash. It is a moving journey. How many of them want to know they are on limited time, and how many want to live life without that clock ticking?
Then, Mary and Cobb come together in Indonesia. Here we meet Turtle Freddy and read of his work to save the sea turtles. The descriptions of people, places, and animals is breathtaking and realistic.
There are many interesting characters in this book, (Francis, Annie & John, Wally, Joan, Myrtle, etc.) each writing a part of Mary's story. Come, take a journey with them down the Allagash, to Indonesia, to New England, and the West Coast. This story will make you think about living each moment fully and completely.
January 28, 2010
"Eternal on the Water", by Joseph Monninger, is destined to become a classic in it's own rite. It is a beautiful story of love and desire to live life to the fullest.
Monninger takes the New England rustic area and gives us a look through the eyes of Mary and Cobb, as they find each other fall in love and live life to it's fullest. There's no looking back as these two show that life can be great, if only we allow it to be. The story initially takes place on the Allagash River in Maine, where Mary is set to visit some old and new friends, the Chungamunga Girls, while Cobb is living the life of Thoreau. The two meet and are forever tied to each other. If you don't believe in Love at first sight, this story may just change your mind.
This story also has a wonderful cast of supporting roles, and as you read, you may find yourself falling in love with each of them. Mary and Cobb are meant be be together, and you see that right from the start.
Once you start reading the story, you won't want to put the book down. It is that good. Bravo Joseph, you have a great eye and way of telling a story. Thank you so much.
Monninger takes the New England rustic area and gives us a look through the eyes of Mary and Cobb, as they find each other fall in love and live life to it's fullest. There's no looking back as these two show that life can be great, if only we allow it to be. The story initially takes place on the Allagash River in Maine, where Mary is set to visit some old and new friends, the Chungamunga Girls, while Cobb is living the life of Thoreau. The two meet and are forever tied to each other. If you don't believe in Love at first sight, this story may just change your mind.
This story also has a wonderful cast of supporting roles, and as you read, you may find yourself falling in love with each of them. Mary and Cobb are meant be be together, and you see that right from the start.
Once you start reading the story, you won't want to put the book down. It is that good. Bravo Joseph, you have a great eye and way of telling a story. Thank you so much.
November 18, 2010
In this universe, on this planet, in this country, in this state, in this county, beside this river everything came together for Mary and Cobb to meet, and fall deeply in love, Yeti love. Their story is simply and beautifully told. Love, friendship, nature and teaching are central in their lives. The distractions and extraneous contraptions of modern life don't seem to enter their world or at least don't appear to dominate them. They live a Thoreausian existence. The only thing marring this perfect romance is Mary's Huntington's disease.
This story had me smiling through my tears. I loved Mary's corny knock-knock jokes. I loved how Cobb could see the beauty in a woman wearing a Mad Bomber cap. I desperately want to watch Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman in All That Heaven Allows again, one of Mary's favorite movies! The folklore and mythology in the tales Mary told Cobb about the crows and bears was fascinating. The tale Cobb told officer Sarah about Mary, their love story, seems destined to become its own folklore. Chungamunga girls will be sitting around their campfires years from now telling the story of a couple whose love was eternal on the water.
This story had me smiling through my tears. I loved Mary's corny knock-knock jokes. I loved how Cobb could see the beauty in a woman wearing a Mad Bomber cap. I desperately want to watch Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman in All That Heaven Allows again, one of Mary's favorite movies! The folklore and mythology in the tales Mary told Cobb about the crows and bears was fascinating. The tale Cobb told officer Sarah about Mary, their love story, seems destined to become its own folklore. Chungamunga girls will be sitting around their campfires years from now telling the story of a couple whose love was eternal on the water.
March 15, 2012
I love love stories and this one is wonderful! And sad, and uplifting, and hearbreaking, and amazingly well written. I find it easy to read a story where characters are truly kind, interesting and thoughtful people who face challenges most of us would not have to face.
From the start we know that Mary dies. The story then begins with Cobb and Mary meeting as they each begin journeys by canoe on the Allagash River in Maine. She is a scientist studying crows, he a teacher in an elite, private school in New Hampshire. Cobb is on a leave from his school to personally experience Walden Pond and research Thoreau's activities there. "'Hurry gradually' was my motto." Mary was on the river to give talks on corvids - crows and ravens - to the Chungamunga girls. Young girls who take a journey on this 93 mile river leaving all modern electronic devices and amenities behind to experience nature.
They fall in love and share adventures in Indonesia, Yellowstone National Park and of course make their home in New Hampshire. They share their lives and experiences with family, friends and students until Mary's final journey on the river they so loved.
From the start we know that Mary dies. The story then begins with Cobb and Mary meeting as they each begin journeys by canoe on the Allagash River in Maine. She is a scientist studying crows, he a teacher in an elite, private school in New Hampshire. Cobb is on a leave from his school to personally experience Walden Pond and research Thoreau's activities there. "'Hurry gradually' was my motto." Mary was on the river to give talks on corvids - crows and ravens - to the Chungamunga girls. Young girls who take a journey on this 93 mile river leaving all modern electronic devices and amenities behind to experience nature.
They fall in love and share adventures in Indonesia, Yellowstone National Park and of course make their home in New Hampshire. They share their lives and experiences with family, friends and students until Mary's final journey on the river they so loved.
July 8, 2015
I wanted to like this. I mean, a Thoreau lover and teacher on sabbatical retracing Thoreau's historic kayak journey along the Allagash Waterway. This should have held me for the entire book. Many of the descriptions are lovely and I felt as if I were on the water in my own world. However, despite some colorful characters and wonderful myths, I just wasn't engaged enough to finish the book. Saccharin...yes. Maybe that was it. The people were just a little too perfect for me. I chose to not complete the main character's decline from a debilitating disease. Too many other books by the side of my bed...
July 16, 2012
Very good book. I actually liked having the ending first, for a change. I was able to focus on the story itself. Mary was such a courageous lady, probably more so, since she knew the final chapter, so she wanted to grab all she could of life. She was fanciful, yet wise beyond her years. The characters were all colorful and the subplots like the Chungamunga girls and the Thoreau pilgrimage all added to the interest. Loved it!
Don't know if I would want to know when my life was to end or not, but this book certainly gives you something to think about.
Don't know if I would want to know when my life was to end or not, but this book certainly gives you something to think about.
May 24, 2021
This was a fiction book that read more like a memoir of sorts - I had to stop and remind myself more than once that it wasn't a true story! The sensory details are phenomenal and truly capture nature in all its glory, and the characters are people you instantly like. (If anything, this is what shows the book to really be fiction - it's not possible to have that many amazing people without any major flaws!) I loved how well and seamlessly science and literature and fables were interwoven within the story thanks to Mary and Cobb both being teachers, and I thought the timeline was really well done - starting with the end, investing heavily in their beginning, and then showing a few key moments moving forward until focusing on the end again. It's an emotional ending, even knowing it's coming, which shows how easy it is to be invested in the characters and to care for them.
October 18, 2017
The author has talent and he drew me into the story. I believe I would read another book by this author because the potential is there. This particular story rubbed me the wrong way with its fairy-tale romance, the atheistic, mother-nature view of life and the promotion of basically euthanasia when life becomes difficult. What's admirable about a heroine who basically checks out.
It would have been a better story, in my opinion, with some real life struggles.
It would have been a better story, in my opinion, with some real life struggles.
November 10, 2018
This book was written with so much style and craft! What a truly amazing job of writing. I didn't like what I'd call the 'New Age' stuff, or whatever you choose to call it. I'm not into crows creating the night and the day and all that. But the love story was solid, the friendships were true, and the disease of the main character was heartbreaking. Having lived with a teen who had terminal cancer, I could understand the way Mary felt and how she chose to live her life. Really beautifully crafted book. I enjoyed it.
August 22, 2017
I liked this book, but I didn't LOVE this book. It did make me cry 😢
August 3, 2018
Very sad but I loved it and loved all of the characters.
March 8, 2010
Eternal on the Water is the story of two people falling in love after meeting unexpectedly on the bank of the Allagash River the evening before they planned to kayak down the river. There is a connection, a bond between Jonathan Cobb and Mary Fury the moment they meet which they cannot ignore. So strong is their connection that a couple they have dinner with a day later thinks they have been together for years. But this is more than a love story. It is a story about truth and consequences, about freedom and beliefs, about commitment, loyalty and beauty.
A short time after they meet, Mary tells Cobb (she calls Jonathan Cobb by his last name) a startling secret and one that would make some men run as fast as their legs can carry them. Cobb asks some questions for clarification and to settle his thoughts and emotions. He also agrees to some of Mary's long-term difficult and painful but necessary (for her), plans. But he stays right by her side. He couldn't walk away from Mary even if he wanted to because now that he's met her he cannot imagine his life without her. Mary's secret troubles Cobb because of it's possible impact on their future. Cobb, like Mary, decides to make the best of everyday they have together.
The characters make this story. Cobb serves as the narrator. We learn quite a bit about Mary and Cobb's life with Mary but as much about Cobb. Mary and Cobb are kind, loving, like-able people. Mary has always loved the outdoors and nature. She grew up to become a scientist and a teacher with nature as her laboratory and corvids her life blood. She's been fascinated by them, and crows in particular, since she was young. She studies corvids and researches their life and world. Mary is honest and charming with a quirky sense of humor. Her enthusiasm for life and her active imagination make every day a new adventure with her. Her love for Cobb is clear as is his love for her. It's as if their life started anew the day they met.
Cobb, a teacher at a prep school is more reserved than Mary with a tendency to sit-back, watch and observe. When they first meet, Cobb is on sabbatical from school and is researching and following Thoreau's trip down the Allagash and his travels in Maine.
Cobb shares Mary's love of the outdoors and the simple life beckons both. Over the course of the novel, they teach each other life-long lessons as well as little things about each other, other people and the world.
Nature is more than a backdrop in this story, it serves as a major character. Mary and Cobb spend more time outdoors than in enjoying it's bounty. The great outdoors is beautiful, honest and open, without pretension or airs. It teaches Cobb and Mary about life and shows them how to cope during the difficult times, how to ride out the pain and how to celebrate the joy and beauty of their life. The Allagash River, where Mary and Cobb meet, is their favorite body of water. It exemplifies the ups and downs of their life together, the joys and sorrows, the struggles they encounter as well as the many happy days they have together. Mary and Cobb set up their home in the heart of quaint New England and marvel at the passing of the seasons. They travel to the beaches of Indonesia and strengthen their bond in the warmth of the sun's rays and the calm, sparkling, blue water. They spend many days enjoying the rugged beauty of Yellowstone National Park while Mary studies the crows and they learn about wolves. And the rugged beauty of Maine, their second home, is part of them. It was there in the beginning and will be their in the end.
Joseph Monninger has written a beautiful story that still swirls in and out of my thoughts more than 10 days after I finished reading it. This book begins with the ending to the story which I found a little disconcerting, at first, but the positive, jubilant bend of the tale draws you in, only occasionally reminding you of the coming ending. Eternal on the Water is filled with symbolism that enhances Mary and Cobb's story. There are several mythological tales and folklore which underscores the lessons this story offers the readers. I think for those of us interested in hearing it, this story teaches us about life and love and how to live joyfully. I expect parts of this story will be with me forever. Eternal on the Water is a touching, compassionate love story and a captivating story about living and enjoying a life of simplicity and beauty.
A short time after they meet, Mary tells Cobb (she calls Jonathan Cobb by his last name) a startling secret and one that would make some men run as fast as their legs can carry them. Cobb asks some questions for clarification and to settle his thoughts and emotions. He also agrees to some of Mary's long-term difficult and painful but necessary (for her), plans. But he stays right by her side. He couldn't walk away from Mary even if he wanted to because now that he's met her he cannot imagine his life without her. Mary's secret troubles Cobb because of it's possible impact on their future. Cobb, like Mary, decides to make the best of everyday they have together.
The characters make this story. Cobb serves as the narrator. We learn quite a bit about Mary and Cobb's life with Mary but as much about Cobb. Mary and Cobb are kind, loving, like-able people. Mary has always loved the outdoors and nature. She grew up to become a scientist and a teacher with nature as her laboratory and corvids her life blood. She's been fascinated by them, and crows in particular, since she was young. She studies corvids and researches their life and world. Mary is honest and charming with a quirky sense of humor. Her enthusiasm for life and her active imagination make every day a new adventure with her. Her love for Cobb is clear as is his love for her. It's as if their life started anew the day they met.
Cobb, a teacher at a prep school is more reserved than Mary with a tendency to sit-back, watch and observe. When they first meet, Cobb is on sabbatical from school and is researching and following Thoreau's trip down the Allagash and his travels in Maine.
Cobb shares Mary's love of the outdoors and the simple life beckons both. Over the course of the novel, they teach each other life-long lessons as well as little things about each other, other people and the world.
Nature is more than a backdrop in this story, it serves as a major character. Mary and Cobb spend more time outdoors than in enjoying it's bounty. The great outdoors is beautiful, honest and open, without pretension or airs. It teaches Cobb and Mary about life and shows them how to cope during the difficult times, how to ride out the pain and how to celebrate the joy and beauty of their life. The Allagash River, where Mary and Cobb meet, is their favorite body of water. It exemplifies the ups and downs of their life together, the joys and sorrows, the struggles they encounter as well as the many happy days they have together. Mary and Cobb set up their home in the heart of quaint New England and marvel at the passing of the seasons. They travel to the beaches of Indonesia and strengthen their bond in the warmth of the sun's rays and the calm, sparkling, blue water. They spend many days enjoying the rugged beauty of Yellowstone National Park while Mary studies the crows and they learn about wolves. And the rugged beauty of Maine, their second home, is part of them. It was there in the beginning and will be their in the end.
Joseph Monninger has written a beautiful story that still swirls in and out of my thoughts more than 10 days after I finished reading it. This book begins with the ending to the story which I found a little disconcerting, at first, but the positive, jubilant bend of the tale draws you in, only occasionally reminding you of the coming ending. Eternal on the Water is filled with symbolism that enhances Mary and Cobb's story. There are several mythological tales and folklore which underscores the lessons this story offers the readers. I think for those of us interested in hearing it, this story teaches us about life and love and how to live joyfully. I expect parts of this story will be with me forever. Eternal on the Water is a touching, compassionate love story and a captivating story about living and enjoying a life of simplicity and beauty.
September 15, 2024
this is a bittersweet read that feels like walking in the woods on a cool morning and growing old with the person you love. it is a story that lives on the back of its dialogue and the simplicity of its ideas. there's nothing particularly special or unique about it, but it is the exact kind of thing you need if you've just come back from fucking around in nature and are longing to go back. its soul reminds me of some childhood favorites like anne of green gables, but grown-up, in that there's never much action, but you are invited to live a life alongside the characters. i did ugly cry at the ending, but i think i just needed an excuse to ugly cry!
July 18, 2011
While this is not a book I might have picked up to read on my own, it was recommended by another mama friend who also does not have time to read, so we only share the cream of the crop with one another.
This is a love story with an expiration date...I hope that's not too much of a spoiler.
What I liked about this book: Mary, one of the main characters, is a biologist, specializing in crows, ravens and other birds from the family Corvidae. Natural history *and* mythology of these birds is interwoven into the story, and Mary herself is a memorable character because of her passion for these creatures in all of their forms and manifestations in the wilderness and in various cultures. I also enjoyed the tales of the Chungamunga girls, a camp/kayak experience for a very specific population of girls that brought me back to my days attending girl scout camp and going on 7-day backpacking and canoe trips in the wild north of Michigan. I felt homesick for our own Camp Linden as I read the sections of the book dedicated to the girls' adventures in the book. I liked Mary and cared for her and liked her family as well. I would like to have known the character before she became a Chungamunga girl and find out if she was always so perfect or if her personality resulted from her experiences and her predicament...
and that leads in to what I did not like about the book: while she was certainly a likeable and unique character, somehow she is too perfect, her interactions with everyone are too perfect, and the other characters (other than her brother, who is in one section of the book) are unidimensional and as a result, she lacks dimension. The foreshadowing in the beginning of the book and the entire narrative is akin to an over-produced Lifetime Network for Women movie, or a Jodi Picoult book - actually the writing was very similar to Jodi's - create an entirely likeable character, create a perfectly perfect narrative around the character's life with some perfectly perfect quirks, using some decent writing skill, except for one (literally) fatal flaw and use that flaw to create tension in the novel. Step two is to tell the story in a way that foreshadows the tension in the beginning and then tie it all up neatly in a bow at the end. This book is not in the same genre as Picoult, as it is mainly a romantic story. The writing is good but somehow not that memorable. Oh, and the love scenes made me feel all squirmy and after the first few (yes there are more than just a few, I just hopped over them). There are some memorable quotes from the book and some interchanges between the characters that were poignant but somehow not balanced.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a fast read for an airplane ride or a beach read, or to someone who likes Nicholas Sparks (I've never read his books, but this is what I think they must be like from various descriptions of "The Notebook" and from the chunks of the movie version of "Nights in Rodanthe" I've caught here and there while trying to find a movie to watch.) While it lacks dimension, I do believe that the author was trying to tell the story through his characters, and succeeded in this.
This is a love story with an expiration date...I hope that's not too much of a spoiler.
What I liked about this book: Mary, one of the main characters, is a biologist, specializing in crows, ravens and other birds from the family Corvidae. Natural history *and* mythology of these birds is interwoven into the story, and Mary herself is a memorable character because of her passion for these creatures in all of their forms and manifestations in the wilderness and in various cultures. I also enjoyed the tales of the Chungamunga girls, a camp/kayak experience for a very specific population of girls that brought me back to my days attending girl scout camp and going on 7-day backpacking and canoe trips in the wild north of Michigan. I felt homesick for our own Camp Linden as I read the sections of the book dedicated to the girls' adventures in the book. I liked Mary and cared for her and liked her family as well. I would like to have known the character before she became a Chungamunga girl and find out if she was always so perfect or if her personality resulted from her experiences and her predicament...
and that leads in to what I did not like about the book: while she was certainly a likeable and unique character, somehow she is too perfect, her interactions with everyone are too perfect, and the other characters (other than her brother, who is in one section of the book) are unidimensional and as a result, she lacks dimension. The foreshadowing in the beginning of the book and the entire narrative is akin to an over-produced Lifetime Network for Women movie, or a Jodi Picoult book - actually the writing was very similar to Jodi's - create an entirely likeable character, create a perfectly perfect narrative around the character's life with some perfectly perfect quirks, using some decent writing skill, except for one (literally) fatal flaw and use that flaw to create tension in the novel. Step two is to tell the story in a way that foreshadows the tension in the beginning and then tie it all up neatly in a bow at the end. This book is not in the same genre as Picoult, as it is mainly a romantic story. The writing is good but somehow not that memorable. Oh, and the love scenes made me feel all squirmy and after the first few (yes there are more than just a few, I just hopped over them). There are some memorable quotes from the book and some interchanges between the characters that were poignant but somehow not balanced.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a fast read for an airplane ride or a beach read, or to someone who likes Nicholas Sparks (I've never read his books, but this is what I think they must be like from various descriptions of "The Notebook" and from the chunks of the movie version of "Nights in Rodanthe" I've caught here and there while trying to find a movie to watch.) While it lacks dimension, I do believe that the author was trying to tell the story through his characters, and succeeded in this.
Read
September 30, 2011Monninger knew what he was doing. There are so many risks the author took in crafting this novel. The death of Mary Fury, right at the very first sentence, is just one. Another is the fact that this is an unabashed love story between two very lovely people—aren’t love stories the most difficult things to write, and to execute well? You’re either deemed too fantastical, or too girl-pornish (augh), or too sickly sweet.
But the risks paid off. Eternal on the Water is a lovely book, a love story. Yes, nature and the good ol’ outdoors play a big role, but I liked it, given how much I uphold the values of my sedentary lifestyle. Yes, the novel is tragic, but it still leaves you with a smile on your face. I was rewarded by well-written characters—Cobb and Mary are people I want to be friends with. They’re quirky, and they’ve got good hearts, and the dialogue between the two had me grinning. It’s charming—and I came away with an extensive repertoire of terrible knock-knock jokes, thanks to Mary.
I started it one day, and when I flipped the last page hours later, I could do nothing but smile (and, yes, sigh a little). I can’t stress enough how happy I am that I spent those hours in the company of Monninger’s creation. I couldn’t bear to pause long enough to take notes. I was absorbed, I fell in love with the characters as they fell in love with each other. From that night when we are told—as everyone finds out—that Mary Fury’s body had been found, Jonathan Cobb tells his story. Not so much about how Mary died, how both of them suffered through the pain—more on how they fell in love with each other, and why it was so right. Why it’s perfectly okay to love despite knowing the bleakness of the future. There’s no Oh we will love now because shit’s going to hit the fan. The love is constant, the tragedy nearly incidental. Meaning, these people will love each other, no matter what comes their way, and they do. And I’m glad for that.
Does this novel have flaws? Of course it does. But I didn’t mind. In fact, I don’t think I remember them anymore. There might be many that would disagree with the character’s decisions. But I don’t care. I really don’t. I was swept into the story, and days later, having had time to think about it, I still don’t care. I don’t necessarily agree with how Cobb and Mary resolved things, but me agreeing or not never became relevant—because this is their story, I believed this was their story.
I read this at a good time, I am aware of that. Some of my cynicism had been scraped off when I got to this book, and I know that helped a lot: that I was willing to believe that ordinary people could be made extraordinary because of love, that I didn’t scoff when Cobb and Mary said something particularly sweet. I’m getting soft, aren’t I?
"In a universe, in a continent, in a country, in a state, in a county, on a river, in a small yellow boat," Mary says. That’s what the odds were, that a love like this could even exist. And I believe her.
But the risks paid off. Eternal on the Water is a lovely book, a love story. Yes, nature and the good ol’ outdoors play a big role, but I liked it, given how much I uphold the values of my sedentary lifestyle. Yes, the novel is tragic, but it still leaves you with a smile on your face. I was rewarded by well-written characters—Cobb and Mary are people I want to be friends with. They’re quirky, and they’ve got good hearts, and the dialogue between the two had me grinning. It’s charming—and I came away with an extensive repertoire of terrible knock-knock jokes, thanks to Mary.
I started it one day, and when I flipped the last page hours later, I could do nothing but smile (and, yes, sigh a little). I can’t stress enough how happy I am that I spent those hours in the company of Monninger’s creation. I couldn’t bear to pause long enough to take notes. I was absorbed, I fell in love with the characters as they fell in love with each other. From that night when we are told—as everyone finds out—that Mary Fury’s body had been found, Jonathan Cobb tells his story. Not so much about how Mary died, how both of them suffered through the pain—more on how they fell in love with each other, and why it was so right. Why it’s perfectly okay to love despite knowing the bleakness of the future. There’s no Oh we will love now because shit’s going to hit the fan. The love is constant, the tragedy nearly incidental. Meaning, these people will love each other, no matter what comes their way, and they do. And I’m glad for that.
Does this novel have flaws? Of course it does. But I didn’t mind. In fact, I don’t think I remember them anymore. There might be many that would disagree with the character’s decisions. But I don’t care. I really don’t. I was swept into the story, and days later, having had time to think about it, I still don’t care. I don’t necessarily agree with how Cobb and Mary resolved things, but me agreeing or not never became relevant—because this is their story, I believed this was their story.
I read this at a good time, I am aware of that. Some of my cynicism had been scraped off when I got to this book, and I know that helped a lot: that I was willing to believe that ordinary people could be made extraordinary because of love, that I didn’t scoff when Cobb and Mary said something particularly sweet. I’m getting soft, aren’t I?
"In a universe, in a continent, in a country, in a state, in a county, on a river, in a small yellow boat," Mary says. That’s what the odds were, that a love like this could even exist. And I believe her.
February 6, 2010
Eternal on the Water is a beautiful, graceful, sad, whimsical, funny, joyful story and I absolutely fell in love with it. As I came to the last few chapters I read slower and slower not just because I knew I'd cry buckets at the ending but because I wanted to savour the feelings this story evoked. It's a book about 'Yeti' love, about life and really living it.
"... Yeti love. You never expect to see it, but you've heard it's out there and it might just be a legend. But you keep looking for it anyway."
"You don't value a fire any less because someday it will go out."
I don't want to give too much away because this is truly a book you have to experience yourself to appreciate its beauty. Joseph Monninger begins Eternal on the Water with the ending but I can tell you that knowing the ending and seeing the ending play out, are two very different things. Mary and Cobb felt real to me, more than characters in a book, and when you're emotionally invested & connected taking the journey with them is so much more than just ... knowing. This story reinforces my belief in the well known quote "it's the journey that matters, not the destination."
Monninger's storytelling is a gift, the vivid imagery, the beautiful descriptions of nature, the quirky myths & tales of bears and crows, put you right in the moment. I don't even like crows and yet I found myself captivated by Mary's enthusiasm and love for corvids (crows & ravens.) This story would not be what it is without the Chungamunga girls, and even though I can't explain their significance without giving away spoilers, they play an integral part, both heartwarming and heartwrenching. I'm sure each person reading Eternal on the Water will take something different from the seamless blend of laughter, tears, joy, and sadness and I'm sure my review can't possibly do this story justice, so please read it yourself and decide.
Eternal on the Water touched my heart and the story has stayed with me long after the last page was turned. It invites you to believe in love at first sight, it inspires you to celebrate life, to value each and every moment, to live each day to the fullest and find joy in the simple things. It's one of those special stories you want everyone to love, just as much as you do.
"... Yeti love. You never expect to see it, but you've heard it's out there and it might just be a legend. But you keep looking for it anyway."
"You don't value a fire any less because someday it will go out."
I don't want to give too much away because this is truly a book you have to experience yourself to appreciate its beauty. Joseph Monninger begins Eternal on the Water with the ending but I can tell you that knowing the ending and seeing the ending play out, are two very different things. Mary and Cobb felt real to me, more than characters in a book, and when you're emotionally invested & connected taking the journey with them is so much more than just ... knowing. This story reinforces my belief in the well known quote "it's the journey that matters, not the destination."
Monninger's storytelling is a gift, the vivid imagery, the beautiful descriptions of nature, the quirky myths & tales of bears and crows, put you right in the moment. I don't even like crows and yet I found myself captivated by Mary's enthusiasm and love for corvids (crows & ravens.) This story would not be what it is without the Chungamunga girls, and even though I can't explain their significance without giving away spoilers, they play an integral part, both heartwarming and heartwrenching. I'm sure each person reading Eternal on the Water will take something different from the seamless blend of laughter, tears, joy, and sadness and I'm sure my review can't possibly do this story justice, so please read it yourself and decide.
Eternal on the Water touched my heart and the story has stayed with me long after the last page was turned. It invites you to believe in love at first sight, it inspires you to celebrate life, to value each and every moment, to live each day to the fullest and find joy in the simple things. It's one of those special stories you want everyone to love, just as much as you do.
February 6, 2014
I’m finding it very hard to write a review of this novel. On the one hand it is about things I have no experience of not being a camper or a person who would ever kayak down a river, but I enjoyed reading about it. The story starts on the banks of the Allagash River were Jonathan Cobb and Mary Fury meet and fall in love. Yes, this is a love story. Love of nature as well as the love story between Cobb and Mary. It starts with the finding of Mary’s body which had been washed downstream. Told from Jonathan’s point of view, it reads like a memoir even though this is a novel. From the finding of the body, the story goes back as Johnathan Cobb explains how they met and tells their story to Sarah one of those at the Round Pond Ranger station.
Mary is a larger than life character who has a passion for crows and anything to do with them. Scattered throughout the novel are lots of myths and stories about crows. It is also peppered with knock knock jokes which Mary has a passion for. They are on the whole pretty lame and yet somehow you can’t help smiling. Mary is such an engaging and full of life character. This is a book not so much about her death, but her way of living each day to the full and of drawing others into her orbit. There are times when I laughed in this book and times when I cried. The story stars in Maine but wanders through Indonesia and Yellowstone National Park with encounters with bears, turtles and wolves as well as crows.
Though I do not agree with voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide, as a piece of fiction this story works. While I enjoyed it as I read it and laughed and cried along with the characters, my concern is that it tends to make the way Mary dies seem courageous and. Despite that I am still going to give this novel four stars. The writing is beautiful and I did enjoy the love story and the journey of Mary and Cobb, which meanders around like the river where they story starts and which features so much in the novel.
It was the cover of this novel that initially drew me to an author I have not read before.
Mary is a larger than life character who has a passion for crows and anything to do with them. Scattered throughout the novel are lots of myths and stories about crows. It is also peppered with knock knock jokes which Mary has a passion for. They are on the whole pretty lame and yet somehow you can’t help smiling. Mary is such an engaging and full of life character. This is a book not so much about her death, but her way of living each day to the full and of drawing others into her orbit. There are times when I laughed in this book and times when I cried. The story stars in Maine but wanders through Indonesia and Yellowstone National Park with encounters with bears, turtles and wolves as well as crows.
Though I do not agree with voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide, as a piece of fiction this story works. While I enjoyed it as I read it and laughed and cried along with the characters, my concern is that it tends to make the way Mary dies seem courageous and. Despite that I am still going to give this novel four stars. The writing is beautiful and I did enjoy the love story and the journey of Mary and Cobb, which meanders around like the river where they story starts and which features so much in the novel.
It was the cover of this novel that initially drew me to an author I have not read before.
March 17, 2023
I bought this book during a thrift store trip and honestly I will be forever thankful that I came across this book. The writing of this book is so beautiful and changed my view on the world in so many ways.
“The Raven promises me I will return back to sticks and dirt, and I believe him. But until then I am a human being and that is something to be. I stand on my feet and I look at the stars and I feel the seasons. If you work at it long enough, I promise you that it will be enough for you, Francis. This world, every day, it’s enough.”
“We are alive, the wolves said. And the world is beautiful.”
I read this book a few weeks after reading No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai and Mary’s entire character really brought me back to the reality of how incredibly lucky we are to be human, she is easily one of my favorite female characters and is a character everyone should know.
Despite how much praise I have for this book it’s a 3.5 star read for me because I simply felt like it was way too long. I think this book would have been a phenomenal 5/5 book if it was at least 200 pages shorter. Joseph Monninger develops their love and characters incredibly well, but just keeps going on… and on. We are introduced into this book with a cliffhanger and that cliffhanger constantly weighed on my mind while I read the book. I felt like I was half way through and Mary and Cobb were already in love and knew of the inevitable and then Monninger spent another 200 pages playing around with that.
I think I wanted this book to be a little more like Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman where they fall in love, love, and then lose it. It was a quick read that left it’s mark. Eternal on the water left the same kind of mark on me, but a story too long for it’s own good. Less is more with these kind of stories.
“The Raven promises me I will return back to sticks and dirt, and I believe him. But until then I am a human being and that is something to be. I stand on my feet and I look at the stars and I feel the seasons. If you work at it long enough, I promise you that it will be enough for you, Francis. This world, every day, it’s enough.”
“We are alive, the wolves said. And the world is beautiful.”
I read this book a few weeks after reading No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai and Mary’s entire character really brought me back to the reality of how incredibly lucky we are to be human, she is easily one of my favorite female characters and is a character everyone should know.
Despite how much praise I have for this book it’s a 3.5 star read for me because I simply felt like it was way too long. I think this book would have been a phenomenal 5/5 book if it was at least 200 pages shorter. Joseph Monninger develops their love and characters incredibly well, but just keeps going on… and on. We are introduced into this book with a cliffhanger and that cliffhanger constantly weighed on my mind while I read the book. I felt like I was half way through and Mary and Cobb were already in love and knew of the inevitable and then Monninger spent another 200 pages playing around with that.
I think I wanted this book to be a little more like Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman where they fall in love, love, and then lose it. It was a quick read that left it’s mark. Eternal on the water left the same kind of mark on me, but a story too long for it’s own good. Less is more with these kind of stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2010
This book shines a light on true love and the courage necessary to face life and death.
It is a beautiful but tragic tale, described as a love story by the author. For me, it was more than that. It was a journey about survival, about facing life threatening challenges, about dealing with impending doom. The author's writing style is very easy to read. With a spare use of words, he paints really sharp and often extremely descriptive images. I felt as if I was in the setting and knew the characters. You will absolutely grow to love them. Their personalities jumped off the page and I enjoyed meeting them, half hoping that I would find people in my own life who resembled them, people who could be satisfied with the simple things, people who did not need the social climbing atmosphere of our current society which screams out more, give me more, at every opportunity.
The book opens with the death of one of the main characters and then works backward in time. The injection of humor into the telling of the tale makes the tragedy and the plight of the characters easier to handle. You will travel with the lovers on a nostalgic trip back in time, reliving their adventures, sharing their fears and joys, facing their sorrows and trials.
The book is divided into four parts. The first and last were the most poignant, for me, and also the most interesting and well written. The middle two sections sometimes seemed wordy and redundant. Overall, though, the story grabs at your heartstrings right from the get go and will hold them until the end. The story will touch you deeply so keep a box of tissues nearby.
It is a beautiful but tragic tale, described as a love story by the author. For me, it was more than that. It was a journey about survival, about facing life threatening challenges, about dealing with impending doom. The author's writing style is very easy to read. With a spare use of words, he paints really sharp and often extremely descriptive images. I felt as if I was in the setting and knew the characters. You will absolutely grow to love them. Their personalities jumped off the page and I enjoyed meeting them, half hoping that I would find people in my own life who resembled them, people who could be satisfied with the simple things, people who did not need the social climbing atmosphere of our current society which screams out more, give me more, at every opportunity.
The book opens with the death of one of the main characters and then works backward in time. The injection of humor into the telling of the tale makes the tragedy and the plight of the characters easier to handle. You will travel with the lovers on a nostalgic trip back in time, reliving their adventures, sharing their fears and joys, facing their sorrows and trials.
The book is divided into four parts. The first and last were the most poignant, for me, and also the most interesting and well written. The middle two sections sometimes seemed wordy and redundant. Overall, though, the story grabs at your heartstrings right from the get go and will hold them until the end. The story will touch you deeply so keep a box of tissues nearby.
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