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Where the River Ends
A powerfully emotional and beautifully written story of heartbreaking loss and undying love
He was a fishing guide and struggling artist from a south George trailer park. She was the beautiful only child of South Carolina’s most powerful senator. Yet once Doss Michaels and Abigail Grace Coleman met by accident, they each felt they’d found their true soul mate.
Ten years into their marriage, when Abbie faces a life-threatening illness, Doss battles it with her every step of the way. And when she makes a list of ten things she hopes to accomplish before she loses the fight for good, Doss is there, too, supporting her and making everything possible. Together they steal away in the middle of the night to embark upon a 130-mile trip down the St. Mary’s River—a voyage Doss promised Abbie in the early days of their courtship.
Where the River Ends chronicles their love-filled, tragedy-tinged journey and a bond that transcends all.
He was a fishing guide and struggling artist from a south George trailer park. She was the beautiful only child of South Carolina’s most powerful senator. Yet once Doss Michaels and Abigail Grace Coleman met by accident, they each felt they’d found their true soul mate.
Ten years into their marriage, when Abbie faces a life-threatening illness, Doss battles it with her every step of the way. And when she makes a list of ten things she hopes to accomplish before she loses the fight for good, Doss is there, too, supporting her and making everything possible. Together they steal away in the middle of the night to embark upon a 130-mile trip down the St. Mary’s River—a voyage Doss promised Abbie in the early days of their courtship.
Where the River Ends chronicles their love-filled, tragedy-tinged journey and a bond that transcends all.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
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10152 people want to read
About the author
Charles Martin
111 books9,407 followersCharles Martin is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author. He and his wife, Christy, live in Jacksonville, FL. Learn more at charlesmartinbooks.com; Instagram: @storiedcareer; X: @storiedcareer; Facebook: @Author.Charles.Martin
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,253 reviews
August 25, 2008
I have read a number of touching and beautiful love stories, but "Where The River Ends" is in a class all of its own. A friend of mine had recommended I try one of Charles Martin's books after finding out how much I love Nicholas Sparks. His style was similar but also distinct. I found myself marking page after page of quotes I didn't want to forget - but in reality, I'd quote the entire book here because the whole thing was so deeply moving. I found myself wiping tears away long after I turned the last page - this one will stay with me for a while.
The premise of the book is of a couple, deeply devoted to each other who face a battle with cancer. And together they're tested to walk out their vows down to the very last promise. Abbie, a Senator's daughter made herself a life as a famous model and her husband of 14 years Doss is an artist. Once Abbie is diagnosed with cancer she makes a list of ten things she would like to accomplish by the end of her life, but this list in no way overshadows their deep love or commitment to face future obstacles as one.
There is one quote from the book that I have to include here where Abbie is talking to Doss about his paintings:
"If you want to make great art, something that can reach beyond time and space, find someone who isn't [beautiful] and show them that they are. Paint the broken, the unlovely...and make them believe."
You can find many stories of individuals who have had to face cancer and disease alone, but this story stands out to me because it shows how to married people choose to fight this disease as one and the toll it takes on each of them.
Every element that makes a good story can be found within these pages; love, sorrow, fear, courage, weakness, strength, adventure, suspense and serenity. If I was asked today by anyone what book I would say is a must read, I would say this one. It has made me grateful for every precious moment I have to love and be loved by an amazing man.
Charles Martin made a lasting impression with me and places himself at the top of my favorite authors. I'm also excited to say that this Wednesday, he will be at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Green Hills doing a book signing!
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See more reviews at www.ismellbooks.blogspot.com
The premise of the book is of a couple, deeply devoted to each other who face a battle with cancer. And together they're tested to walk out their vows down to the very last promise. Abbie, a Senator's daughter made herself a life as a famous model and her husband of 14 years Doss is an artist. Once Abbie is diagnosed with cancer she makes a list of ten things she would like to accomplish by the end of her life, but this list in no way overshadows their deep love or commitment to face future obstacles as one.
There is one quote from the book that I have to include here where Abbie is talking to Doss about his paintings:
"If you want to make great art, something that can reach beyond time and space, find someone who isn't [beautiful] and show them that they are. Paint the broken, the unlovely...and make them believe."
You can find many stories of individuals who have had to face cancer and disease alone, but this story stands out to me because it shows how to married people choose to fight this disease as one and the toll it takes on each of them.
Every element that makes a good story can be found within these pages; love, sorrow, fear, courage, weakness, strength, adventure, suspense and serenity. If I was asked today by anyone what book I would say is a must read, I would say this one. It has made me grateful for every precious moment I have to love and be loved by an amazing man.
Charles Martin made a lasting impression with me and places himself at the top of my favorite authors. I'm also excited to say that this Wednesday, he will be at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Green Hills doing a book signing!
-------------------------------
See more reviews at www.ismellbooks.blogspot.com
September 7, 2012
When I finished the last page of this book, I closed my eyes and felt . . . complete. It’s not that he tied every tiny item up too perfectly, it’s just that my experience of the story was everything I needed as a reader. There is a wholeness at the end of the story. When you read about all the brokenness throughout, you feel it, and you’re filled with the longing and hope and struggles of the characters. So when Mr. Martin ends the story, he somehow managed to achieve wholeness in the midst of the broken. Does that make sense?
How does he do it?
Martin’s writing leaves me breathless at times, and stunned at others. This story traces the last days of a woman’s life and paints the portrait of a man who loved his wife with everything he had. Martin writes about men who act like real men should. They take responsibility for their actions, admit their flaws, and love sacrificially, while hitting rock bottom at times and making colossal mistakes at others. He writes male characters rooted in difficulty, who find hope in unlikely places.
I want to read stories about people mucking through the difficulties of life, who stick to their guns, stake their lives on what they think is important, and win or lose, come through the experience holding on to something true.
We see throughout this story, the love of a man for a woman. But what’s beautiful about the whole thing, is how she loves him back. I promise this does not give away the story.
While you might disagree on the surface, there is nothing boring about a married couple who loves each other, especially in Where the River Ends. Who says we need abject depravity for something to be interesting? Challenging? Beautiful? Seems like all the good movies/stories deal with relationships before the marriage and leading up to the wedding. But any good love story continues long after the wedding day. Why can’t we have more stories about “staying married?” Isn’t that what people dream of when they say “I Do” anyway?
Read Charles Martin. You won’t be disappointed.
How does he do it?
Martin’s writing leaves me breathless at times, and stunned at others. This story traces the last days of a woman’s life and paints the portrait of a man who loved his wife with everything he had. Martin writes about men who act like real men should. They take responsibility for their actions, admit their flaws, and love sacrificially, while hitting rock bottom at times and making colossal mistakes at others. He writes male characters rooted in difficulty, who find hope in unlikely places.
I want to read stories about people mucking through the difficulties of life, who stick to their guns, stake their lives on what they think is important, and win or lose, come through the experience holding on to something true.
We see throughout this story, the love of a man for a woman. But what’s beautiful about the whole thing, is how she loves him back. I promise this does not give away the story.
While you might disagree on the surface, there is nothing boring about a married couple who loves each other, especially in Where the River Ends. Who says we need abject depravity for something to be interesting? Challenging? Beautiful? Seems like all the good movies/stories deal with relationships before the marriage and leading up to the wedding. But any good love story continues long after the wedding day. Why can’t we have more stories about “staying married?” Isn’t that what people dream of when they say “I Do” anyway?
Read Charles Martin. You won’t be disappointed.
November 12, 2009
I just. Couldn't. Do it. I tried to read this book, but I couldn't. From the very cover, with its silly “Warning: This book will break your heart.” I doubted this book. The prose was overly conversational, with phrases like, “See that. That’s what I love about her.”
I don’t like this kind of writing. I don’t want someone ACTUALLY telling me a story, I want someone storytelling. The difference, for me, is simple. In one, I am consciously aware of the teller, and in the other the words disappear and it’s like I’m watching a movie just behind my eyes. It’s magic.
Also, the idea of the poor, slowly dying wife and her attentive, loving husband is very sweet, but unless the story picks up soon it’s also very boring, because I’m not old, married, or dying of cancer (thank the Fates). I have no “in” to this story.
So, maybe its fantastic for someone else—but I put it down 50 pages in. I read about 2 books a week, but that doesn't mean I'll read something that bores me.
I don’t like this kind of writing. I don’t want someone ACTUALLY telling me a story, I want someone storytelling. The difference, for me, is simple. In one, I am consciously aware of the teller, and in the other the words disappear and it’s like I’m watching a movie just behind my eyes. It’s magic.
Also, the idea of the poor, slowly dying wife and her attentive, loving husband is very sweet, but unless the story picks up soon it’s also very boring, because I’m not old, married, or dying of cancer (thank the Fates). I have no “in” to this story.
So, maybe its fantastic for someone else—but I put it down 50 pages in. I read about 2 books a week, but that doesn't mean I'll read something that bores me.
November 2, 2009
Where the River Ends
by Charles Martin
This review contains some minor spoilers that all become evident early in the novel. There are some short passages and details presented, but I do not recommend reading the novel. If you plan to read it, this review is not for you.
Where the River Ends by Charles Martin is annoyingly frustrating. The novel has so much potential. First, it is an actual novel with a beginning, middle, and end. It has a story to tell and a point to convey while telling it. There are characters who develop and grow and evolve throughout the 371 pages. There are moments of joy and tenderness and tragedy and fear. Where the River Ends is complete and whole and finished.
It is a beautifully constructed story. I have never read any of Martin's other works, but it is evident he is skilled at building scenery and background. I'd never heard of the St. Marys River before reading the novel, but I feel like I know it now. If I was to ride a canoe down the river tomorrow, I am fairly certain I would be able to point out certain landmarks and features. Martin's writing put me there. He knows what he's doing. Except for the plot.
Since legalities were very much in my mind throughout my reading of the novel, let me begin my criticisms by saying, These are the facts, and they are indisputable:
* Abbie's father is the most powerful politician in South Carolina. He was a two-term governor who has since become a four-term Senator. The Senator hates Doss. Hates Doss. He refused to allow Abbie and Doss to marry; because of his influence, she had to blackmail a judge into marrying them.
* After Abbie and Doss were married, the Senator did not speak a word to him for two full years. In fact, Doss was not even allowed to attend family functions.
* The Senator has arranged for home hospice care for Abbie and wants her to spend her final days at home with her family, meaning him and her step-mother.
* The central portion of the plot centers around a trip undertaken by Doss Michaels and his dying wife, Abbie. The trip, along the entire length of the St. Marys River via canoe, is a recreation of Doss and Abbie's honeymoon and a fulfillment of a promise Doss made to Abbie sometime after her cancer diagnosis. The trip is Abbie's idea; Doss does not think she can make it, but she insists on making the journey, "all the way from Moniac."
* Traversing the entire St. Marys is grueling and dangerous. The first few miles are very thin and shallow. There is very little paddling; most of the time is spent pushing, pulling, and carrying the canoe.
* The trip begins just after the Doss and Abbie receive the news that she is out of medical options and that, at best, she has a few weeks left to live.
* Given Abbie's state of health, she requires a great deal of medication, mostly comprised of controlled narcotics for pain. The only ways to obtain enough of the medication to last the duration of trip down the river are a doctor writing a prescription for an illegal amount or for Doss to steal them.
* Before leaving for Moniac, Abbie writes a letter to her father. By the time he receives it, they are well on their way.
Let's look at these facts in conjunction with each other. Abbie is adamant that Doss take her on this trip along the St. Marys. My interpretation of the exchange between the two of them is that she guilts him into making the trip. She is a dying end-stage cancer patient. Abbie is so close to death that on the fifth page of Chapter One, Doss referring to her father, Senator Coleman, tells his wife, "He's sending over a team of people in the morning to…'collect you.'" Her life is at its end, but before she expires, she wants to make this trip, a reenactment of their honeymoon. That's fine, except for the fact that Senator Coleman wants her home. The Senator is the most powerful man in South Carolina, which means that Doss and Abbie can't just leave. They have to sneak out of town so as not to be noticed, not to be seen, not to be found. Neither Abbie nor Doss expect her to survive the two-week journey down the river. Her doctor said she had, "A week. Maybe two." In other words, they both know that the end of the journey would find Doss Michaels a widower of a woman who'd been missing for a couple of weeks.
Oh, I left out one indisputable fact. There are exactly five characters in the novel we know are not White. First, we meet the man responsible for Doss and Abbie meeting. As Doss walked through a park on his way home one night, he came across a man attacking a woman. The text describing the man states, "He looked like the guy in The Green Mile, only meaner." A little later, we learn the man is six feet and ten inches tall. The valiant Doss jumps on the man and gets himself beaten up in order to defend the defenseless woman. Of course she had to fall in love with him.
Next, we are introduced to Mr. Jake, the one-eyed man who taught "Miss Abbie" how to dance when she was a little girl. Except as an attempt to show that the rich and powerful of Charleston are not the racists outsiders think them to be, I can think of no reason for Mr. Jake or Doss' meeting him to be included in the story.
Then we get to Rosalia. Rosalia seems to have been a cook, maid, and nanny for the Colemans when Abbie was a little girl. According to Abbie, "She would comb my hair and tell me I was pretty long before I knew the meaning of the word." She, too was scarred. "Rosalia fled her country when I was just a baby," Abbie tells us. "But not before a man with a machete got a hold of her." Thanks to that man with the machete, Rosalia has no left breast. Rosalia's purpose is for Abbie to help Doss realize that beauty can be found anywhere, even where it seems to be nonexistent. Here's the exchange (it made me sick):
Doss did as he was told, and his portrait made Abbie cry and give him their first kiss. How lovely.
The final two non-White individuals are two men who shared a jail cell with Doss. Ellswood Maxwell Lamont Augustus III, a crystal meth addict, and a drug dealer with a voice like James Earl Jones. Fine, upstanding individuals these two were.
Abbie is very much what my wife would call a Mary Sue. She's not just the Senator's daughter; she is also a celebrity in her own right. As Doss' college friend James AKA Mr. Exposition #1 put it, Abbie was, "…the spokeswoman for one of the major cosmetics lines in the country—who also happens to have been voted by the New York Times as one of the hundred most beautiful faces in the United States—whose face, by the way, made the cover of three of the most highly read prime-time magazines in the country…" And she became the most sought after interior designer in the American South.
Abbie's perfect. Absolutely perfect. She doesn't do anything for herself; it's all for everyone else, especially Doss. She even made him into a great artist. After their wedding, she planned and paid for a year-long trip around the world so she could show him and teach him about all the great artists in the world. In Doss' words:
How sweet.
Doss, on the other hand, is poor. Dirt poor. Grew up in a trailer park with his single mom and her alcoholic abusive boyfriend poor. Had no relatives to care for him after his mother died, so he just hung around the trailer park until he earned an art scholarship to college poor. He had no friends in high places, only one powerful enemy. In a case of his word against anyone's, John Doe was a clear favorite.
We already know that Abbie is dying, but it becomes clear very early on that either Doss must die, too, or he must go to jail. Otherwise the novel would lose all claims of realism. She was famous. Her father was rich, famous, and powerful. Abbie's disappearance would be a national news story, and her father would be out for blood. Right off the bat we have kidnapping and either manslaughter or murder. Add Abbie's medication, which Doss acquired by convincing her doctor to give him the combination to the controlled substances safe and then breaking into the office where the narcotics were kept, and you can include grand larceny, breaking and entering, and possession of a controlled substance in the list of crimes to be charged against Doss. The St. Marys River establishes much of the border between Georgia and Florida—since Abbie and Doss lived in Charleston, South Carolina, he crossed state lines to commit every single one of those crimes. Both Abbie and Doss know this, yet she insists it is a journey they must make.
They know it won't end well. They know they are setting Doss up to take the fall for some serious charges. Before they ever get in the water, Doss goes to buy some supplies from a former boss, and says, "It'd be better—for me—if you'd wait a week or so to run my card." They knew. And I get that is supposed to show their love and commitment to each other. But what loving woman would willingly and knowingly send her husband to jail unnecessarily just to satisfy a dying wish? I'd hate to be married to that woman.
Did I mention that the trip begins as Hurricane Annie is making her way toward the southeastern coast of the United States? That does not deter Abbie and Doss. Once they've started, they cannot turn back. Not when her disappearance becomes the top story in the nation. Not when Senator Coleman holds a press conference in front of his house begging Doss to bring Abigail Grace back home. Not when a crew of bandits rob the Michaels of their supplies. Not when that same crew catches up to them later and tries to gang rape Abbie (they were rescued by a defrocked priest turned crop duster who happened to be flying by). . Oh no, they cannot quit, even on Abbie's death-canoe. Annie's remnants flood the river and all of the surrounding areas, and the closer they get to the Atlantic Ocean, the more violent and unpredictable the current becomes. Five miles from the end of the St. Marys River, the current flips the canoe over, leaving Abbie and Doss washed ashore with no transportation. Abbie says to Doss, "Have you ever broken a promise to me?...Then don't start now." Doss, ever the obedient husband, finds a drifting log, hauls his dying wife on top, grabs a hold himself, and off they go again.
It could be very inspiring. But it's too ridiculous to be taken seriously. A warning on the book's cover says, "This book will break your heart." I don't see how. This book stirred zero emotional response within me except for the anger at how stupid and racist and classist the author seems to be. This story is not real enough, not human enough, to elicit emotional responses from people who have been through the gauntlet themselves. In fact, reading this novel prompted me to log onto Twitter and mockingly ask, "Has there ever been a work of fiction that handled cancer even remotely realistically?" Martin threw just about every cancer cliché I know into this one.
After losing her breasts to her cancer, Abbie tries to convince Doss to get a girlfriend. The night before driving to Moniac to begin the trek down the river, Abbie gives Doss a list of women he should consider marrying after she dies.
Doss is the only man to accompany his wife to the chemotherapy sessions. Other husbands start off going, but eventually they all leave their wives. All except Doss. Of course this leads to a screaming fight with Abbie screaming at Doss to not divorce her. It's not real. Yes, some men leave, but most do not. Even if they aren't great, most stay. Going overboard to emphasize a point only renders that point ineffective.
At one point, Heather, a woman whose husband is in treatment for cancer, throws herself at Doss. Dying for any type of physical affection, she tricks Doss into a drunken night on the town and tried to entice him into her room by undressing down to her thong while walking down the hall as Doss watches from the elevator. Doss, ever the faithful husband, the only cancer husband to not leave his wife, ignores Heather. Yet, he forgets to lock his door, which leads to him stepping out of the shower to find a naked Heather lying in the bed at the exact moment Senator Coleman barges into the room. And of course Heather confessed her betrayal—and Doss' fidelity—to Abbie. "We had a good cry over it," says Abbie. "She said you were everything she'd ever wanted in a husband." Everything, indeed.
How exactly was this story supposed to make people emote?
Furthermore, Martin's prose is very self-righteous. His disdain for certain groups of people comes across effortlessly, and is written in such a way that makes it hard to believe these feelings are held only by the character, Doss, and not shared by the author. In addition to a long riff about people who follow the church of NASCAR, there was his description of the three men who attacked them: Limpy, Troll and Coal Miner. Or his describing young men smoking on the riverbank as "wannabe rappers." Martin comes off to me as very anti-blue collar. Sure Doss Michaels was poor, but he was a brilliant artist. In this way, Doss is presented as a poor aristocrat, but an aristocrat nonetheless.
Where the River Ends is supposed to be a story of undying love, but the plot does not demonstrate that. The central plot, itself, is not a demonstration of love. You cannot read this novel and come away believing the wonderful Abbie loved her husband—not if you understand the concept of love. The entire plot is an exposition on Abbie's selfishness. Sure, she played the, "you should get a girlfriend," card and helped him to find the self-confidence and motivation he needed to succeed as an artist, but she put Doss into the position of committing felony crimes to fulfill her dying wish. We are told that the trip down the St. Marys was a gift from her to him, that it was her way of giving Doss' heart back to him; but she gave him no way out of the trouble the trip caused. Her dying wish created a situation where he needed a miracle to avoid life in prison at best and the death penalty at worst. That's what her dying wish did. That is the situation created by her final act of love toward him, her final "anniversary present" for him.
Martin loses it completely with the ending. Remember what I said about knowing very early in the novel that Doss would end up either dead or in jail or else Where the River Ends would lost all claims on realism? Well…it wouldn't be right for the first 95% of the novel to be completely wrong and then for it to end well, right? Exactly.
By riding the log, Abbie and Doss did manage to make it to the end of the St. Marys. On the shore there is where she died. A day later, Doss is arraigned. The judge AKA Mr. Exposition #2 tells us that Doss is charged with all of the following: kidnapping, breaking and entering, trespassing, larceny, grand larceny, possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, assault, battery of an officer, illegal administration of a drug, and first degree murder. As most of the crimes took place on the river separating Georgia and Florida, jurisdiction was an issue. At Senator Coleman's request, Florida, a capital punishment state, was chosen. A few days later, however, the Senator received and read Abbie's letter, and his entire viewpoint on Doss has changed. "You gave Abbie what I never did. You gave her yourself," he says. All was forgiven; everything was changed. All charges dropped except for the narcotics offenses. Probation and community service. Just like that. What about the Senator finding the naked woman in Doss' room while Abbie was in treatment, you ask? The defrocked priest, to whom Doss had confessed, somehow visits the Senator and tells him everything that had happened.
Senator Coleman and Doss become buddies and live happily ever after.
Cancer has been in my life for a long time, and it will continue to be in my life. It is a seemingly inescapable truth. My mother died from cancer. My wife is a cancer survivor. My mother-in-law is fighting cancer. I have spent the better part of my adult life helping to make cancer drugs. One has to work pretty hard to create a story about a woman slowly dying of cancer that does not make me emote. With Where the River Ends, Charles Martin was that one.
This review contains some minor spoilers that all become evident early in the novel. There are some short passages and details presented, but I do not recommend reading the novel. If you plan to read it, this review is not for you.
Where the River Ends by Charles Martin is annoyingly frustrating. The novel has so much potential. First, it is an actual novel with a beginning, middle, and end. It has a story to tell and a point to convey while telling it. There are characters who develop and grow and evolve throughout the 371 pages. There are moments of joy and tenderness and tragedy and fear. Where the River Ends is complete and whole and finished.
It is a beautifully constructed story. I have never read any of Martin's other works, but it is evident he is skilled at building scenery and background. I'd never heard of the St. Marys River before reading the novel, but I feel like I know it now. If I was to ride a canoe down the river tomorrow, I am fairly certain I would be able to point out certain landmarks and features. Martin's writing put me there. He knows what he's doing. Except for the plot.
Since legalities were very much in my mind throughout my reading of the novel, let me begin my criticisms by saying, These are the facts, and they are indisputable:
* Abbie's father is the most powerful politician in South Carolina. He was a two-term governor who has since become a four-term Senator. The Senator hates Doss. Hates Doss. He refused to allow Abbie and Doss to marry; because of his influence, she had to blackmail a judge into marrying them.
* After Abbie and Doss were married, the Senator did not speak a word to him for two full years. In fact, Doss was not even allowed to attend family functions.
* The Senator has arranged for home hospice care for Abbie and wants her to spend her final days at home with her family, meaning him and her step-mother.
* The central portion of the plot centers around a trip undertaken by Doss Michaels and his dying wife, Abbie. The trip, along the entire length of the St. Marys River via canoe, is a recreation of Doss and Abbie's honeymoon and a fulfillment of a promise Doss made to Abbie sometime after her cancer diagnosis. The trip is Abbie's idea; Doss does not think she can make it, but she insists on making the journey, "all the way from Moniac."
* Traversing the entire St. Marys is grueling and dangerous. The first few miles are very thin and shallow. There is very little paddling; most of the time is spent pushing, pulling, and carrying the canoe.
* The trip begins just after the Doss and Abbie receive the news that she is out of medical options and that, at best, she has a few weeks left to live.
* Given Abbie's state of health, she requires a great deal of medication, mostly comprised of controlled narcotics for pain. The only ways to obtain enough of the medication to last the duration of trip down the river are a doctor writing a prescription for an illegal amount or for Doss to steal them.
* Before leaving for Moniac, Abbie writes a letter to her father. By the time he receives it, they are well on their way.
Let's look at these facts in conjunction with each other. Abbie is adamant that Doss take her on this trip along the St. Marys. My interpretation of the exchange between the two of them is that she guilts him into making the trip. She is a dying end-stage cancer patient. Abbie is so close to death that on the fifth page of Chapter One, Doss referring to her father, Senator Coleman, tells his wife, "He's sending over a team of people in the morning to…'collect you.'" Her life is at its end, but before she expires, she wants to make this trip, a reenactment of their honeymoon. That's fine, except for the fact that Senator Coleman wants her home. The Senator is the most powerful man in South Carolina, which means that Doss and Abbie can't just leave. They have to sneak out of town so as not to be noticed, not to be seen, not to be found. Neither Abbie nor Doss expect her to survive the two-week journey down the river. Her doctor said she had, "A week. Maybe two." In other words, they both know that the end of the journey would find Doss Michaels a widower of a woman who'd been missing for a couple of weeks.
Oh, I left out one indisputable fact. There are exactly five characters in the novel we know are not White. First, we meet the man responsible for Doss and Abbie meeting. As Doss walked through a park on his way home one night, he came across a man attacking a woman. The text describing the man states, "He looked like the guy in The Green Mile, only meaner." A little later, we learn the man is six feet and ten inches tall. The valiant Doss jumps on the man and gets himself beaten up in order to defend the defenseless woman. Of course she had to fall in love with him.
Next, we are introduced to Mr. Jake, the one-eyed man who taught "Miss Abbie" how to dance when she was a little girl. Except as an attempt to show that the rich and powerful of Charleston are not the racists outsiders think them to be, I can think of no reason for Mr. Jake or Doss' meeting him to be included in the story.
Then we get to Rosalia. Rosalia seems to have been a cook, maid, and nanny for the Colemans when Abbie was a little girl. According to Abbie, "She would comb my hair and tell me I was pretty long before I knew the meaning of the word." She, too was scarred. "Rosalia fled her country when I was just a baby," Abbie tells us. "But not before a man with a machete got a hold of her." Thanks to that man with the machete, Rosalia has no left breast. Rosalia's purpose is for Abbie to help Doss realize that beauty can be found anywhere, even where it seems to be nonexistent. Here's the exchange (it made me sick):
"Look through here and show her what she's always wanted to see." She slid her hand into mine. "Show her that she's beautiful beyond measure."
I stared at the horror staring back at me. "How?"
Her breath was warm on my ear. "Search what you see and find the one thing that makes you want to look again."
Doss did as he was told, and his portrait made Abbie cry and give him their first kiss. How lovely.
The final two non-White individuals are two men who shared a jail cell with Doss. Ellswood Maxwell Lamont Augustus III, a crystal meth addict, and a drug dealer with a voice like James Earl Jones. Fine, upstanding individuals these two were.
Abbie is very much what my wife would call a Mary Sue. She's not just the Senator's daughter; she is also a celebrity in her own right. As Doss' college friend James AKA Mr. Exposition #1 put it, Abbie was, "…the spokeswoman for one of the major cosmetics lines in the country—who also happens to have been voted by the New York Times as one of the hundred most beautiful faces in the United States—whose face, by the way, made the cover of three of the most highly read prime-time magazines in the country…" And she became the most sought after interior designer in the American South.
Abbie's perfect. Absolutely perfect. She doesn't do anything for herself; it's all for everyone else, especially Doss. She even made him into a great artist. After their wedding, she planned and paid for a year-long trip around the world so she could show him and teach him about all the great artists in the world. In Doss' words:
I remember leaving the hall where David stands. Walking out, we walked by all the friezes he created. Nothing but huge chunks of granite with these forms of half-people climbing out of the rocks. It's like they're breaking free. Escaping. And when I walk back down that hallway in my mind, I realize that Abbie had done that for me.
She led me to her river, and I drank deeply.
We returned home and I discovered that Abbie had given me a gift I had not anticipated. I stood before my easel and found that I saw beauty in the not-so-beautiful, even in the grotesque. What she had birthed with Rosalia, she had now shaped and matured.
And how about this exchange while the young couple shopped for wedding rings:
"Doss, I don't need a diamond."
"Abbie, every girl deserves a diamond."
"Well, then, I'll just keep this one until that day comes. And when it does, I'll wear them both."
How sweet.
Doss, on the other hand, is poor. Dirt poor. Grew up in a trailer park with his single mom and her alcoholic abusive boyfriend poor. Had no relatives to care for him after his mother died, so he just hung around the trailer park until he earned an art scholarship to college poor. He had no friends in high places, only one powerful enemy. In a case of his word against anyone's, John Doe was a clear favorite.
We already know that Abbie is dying, but it becomes clear very early on that either Doss must die, too, or he must go to jail. Otherwise the novel would lose all claims of realism. She was famous. Her father was rich, famous, and powerful. Abbie's disappearance would be a national news story, and her father would be out for blood. Right off the bat we have kidnapping and either manslaughter or murder. Add Abbie's medication, which Doss acquired by convincing her doctor to give him the combination to the controlled substances safe and then breaking into the office where the narcotics were kept, and you can include grand larceny, breaking and entering, and possession of a controlled substance in the list of crimes to be charged against Doss. The St. Marys River establishes much of the border between Georgia and Florida—since Abbie and Doss lived in Charleston, South Carolina, he crossed state lines to commit every single one of those crimes. Both Abbie and Doss know this, yet she insists it is a journey they must make.
They know it won't end well. They know they are setting Doss up to take the fall for some serious charges. Before they ever get in the water, Doss goes to buy some supplies from a former boss, and says, "It'd be better—for me—if you'd wait a week or so to run my card." They knew. And I get that is supposed to show their love and commitment to each other. But what loving woman would willingly and knowingly send her husband to jail unnecessarily just to satisfy a dying wish? I'd hate to be married to that woman.
Did I mention that the trip begins as Hurricane Annie is making her way toward the southeastern coast of the United States? That does not deter Abbie and Doss. Once they've started, they cannot turn back. Not when her disappearance becomes the top story in the nation. Not when Senator Coleman holds a press conference in front of his house begging Doss to bring Abigail Grace back home. Not when a crew of bandits rob the Michaels of their supplies. Not when that same crew catches up to them later and tries to gang rape Abbie (they were rescued by a defrocked priest turned crop duster who happened to be flying by). . Oh no, they cannot quit, even on Abbie's death-canoe. Annie's remnants flood the river and all of the surrounding areas, and the closer they get to the Atlantic Ocean, the more violent and unpredictable the current becomes. Five miles from the end of the St. Marys River, the current flips the canoe over, leaving Abbie and Doss washed ashore with no transportation. Abbie says to Doss, "Have you ever broken a promise to me?...Then don't start now." Doss, ever the obedient husband, finds a drifting log, hauls his dying wife on top, grabs a hold himself, and off they go again.
It could be very inspiring. But it's too ridiculous to be taken seriously. A warning on the book's cover says, "This book will break your heart." I don't see how. This book stirred zero emotional response within me except for the anger at how stupid and racist and classist the author seems to be. This story is not real enough, not human enough, to elicit emotional responses from people who have been through the gauntlet themselves. In fact, reading this novel prompted me to log onto Twitter and mockingly ask, "Has there ever been a work of fiction that handled cancer even remotely realistically?" Martin threw just about every cancer cliché I know into this one.
After losing her breasts to her cancer, Abbie tries to convince Doss to get a girlfriend. The night before driving to Moniac to begin the trek down the river, Abbie gives Doss a list of women he should consider marrying after she dies.
Doss is the only man to accompany his wife to the chemotherapy sessions. Other husbands start off going, but eventually they all leave their wives. All except Doss. Of course this leads to a screaming fight with Abbie screaming at Doss to not divorce her. It's not real. Yes, some men leave, but most do not. Even if they aren't great, most stay. Going overboard to emphasize a point only renders that point ineffective.
At one point, Heather, a woman whose husband is in treatment for cancer, throws herself at Doss. Dying for any type of physical affection, she tricks Doss into a drunken night on the town and tried to entice him into her room by undressing down to her thong while walking down the hall as Doss watches from the elevator. Doss, ever the faithful husband, the only cancer husband to not leave his wife, ignores Heather. Yet, he forgets to lock his door, which leads to him stepping out of the shower to find a naked Heather lying in the bed at the exact moment Senator Coleman barges into the room. And of course Heather confessed her betrayal—and Doss' fidelity—to Abbie. "We had a good cry over it," says Abbie. "She said you were everything she'd ever wanted in a husband." Everything, indeed.
How exactly was this story supposed to make people emote?
Furthermore, Martin's prose is very self-righteous. His disdain for certain groups of people comes across effortlessly, and is written in such a way that makes it hard to believe these feelings are held only by the character, Doss, and not shared by the author. In addition to a long riff about people who follow the church of NASCAR, there was his description of the three men who attacked them: Limpy, Troll and Coal Miner. Or his describing young men smoking on the riverbank as "wannabe rappers." Martin comes off to me as very anti-blue collar. Sure Doss Michaels was poor, but he was a brilliant artist. In this way, Doss is presented as a poor aristocrat, but an aristocrat nonetheless.
Where the River Ends is supposed to be a story of undying love, but the plot does not demonstrate that. The central plot, itself, is not a demonstration of love. You cannot read this novel and come away believing the wonderful Abbie loved her husband—not if you understand the concept of love. The entire plot is an exposition on Abbie's selfishness. Sure, she played the, "you should get a girlfriend," card and helped him to find the self-confidence and motivation he needed to succeed as an artist, but she put Doss into the position of committing felony crimes to fulfill her dying wish. We are told that the trip down the St. Marys was a gift from her to him, that it was her way of giving Doss' heart back to him; but she gave him no way out of the trouble the trip caused. Her dying wish created a situation where he needed a miracle to avoid life in prison at best and the death penalty at worst. That's what her dying wish did. That is the situation created by her final act of love toward him, her final "anniversary present" for him.
Martin loses it completely with the ending. Remember what I said about knowing very early in the novel that Doss would end up either dead or in jail or else Where the River Ends would lost all claims on realism? Well…it wouldn't be right for the first 95% of the novel to be completely wrong and then for it to end well, right? Exactly.
By riding the log, Abbie and Doss did manage to make it to the end of the St. Marys. On the shore there is where she died. A day later, Doss is arraigned. The judge AKA Mr. Exposition #2 tells us that Doss is charged with all of the following: kidnapping, breaking and entering, trespassing, larceny, grand larceny, possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, assault, battery of an officer, illegal administration of a drug, and first degree murder. As most of the crimes took place on the river separating Georgia and Florida, jurisdiction was an issue. At Senator Coleman's request, Florida, a capital punishment state, was chosen. A few days later, however, the Senator received and read Abbie's letter, and his entire viewpoint on Doss has changed. "You gave Abbie what I never did. You gave her yourself," he says. All was forgiven; everything was changed. All charges dropped except for the narcotics offenses. Probation and community service. Just like that. What about the Senator finding the naked woman in Doss' room while Abbie was in treatment, you ask? The defrocked priest, to whom Doss had confessed, somehow visits the Senator and tells him everything that had happened.
Senator Coleman and Doss become buddies and live happily ever after.
Cancer has been in my life for a long time, and it will continue to be in my life. It is a seemingly inescapable truth. My mother died from cancer. My wife is a cancer survivor. My mother-in-law is fighting cancer. I have spent the better part of my adult life helping to make cancer drugs. One has to work pretty hard to create a story about a woman slowly dying of cancer that does not make me emote. With Where the River Ends, Charles Martin was that one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2021
The beauty and sadness of simply being human, oh how I love thee. And boy, how much do I hate you too..
Want to read
March 21, 2012Where the River Ends' cover warns you, "This book will break your heart." It did, in a way...but not the way Charles Martin or his editors/publishers intended. I've read Mr. Martin's writings before, and, in my opinion, they were well-written, emotionally charged dramas about people overcoming tragic circumstances. However, all those were published by Thomas Nelson, a Christian publisher; Where the River Ends was not, and its content makes me wonder whether Mr. Martin is truly a Christian, or just writing "inspirational" fiction to make a quick buck. The first half of the novel involves descriptions of a nude painting as "art," illegal obtaining of prescription medication, discussion about one woman being "good in bed" and another one who "looks like a goddess naked" thanks to plastic surgery, at least one profanity, and possibly other inappropriate content that I'm not thinking of at the moment. After that, I couldn't read any more of it; it seems that Mr. Martin has compromised his faith in the writing of this secular work. I've seen this kind of thing before; contemporary Christian musician Susan Ashton "crossed over" to the world of secular music with an album that had an immodest cover photo and zero mention of the Almighty within the lyrics. I thought authors were above that kind of thing; guess I was wrong.
July 27, 2012
Great author and storyteller - I have read all his books and one of my favorite authors! "Charles makes the characters come alive! Awesome! "
January 16, 2024
"Iubitori ai povestilor de dragoste, pregatiti-va sa varsati un 'rau' de lacrimi."
Daca as avea posibilitatea sa-i dau mai multe stele, as face-o... dar nu pot oferi decât 5... pe care le merita cu prisosinta.
Este cea mai frumoasa carte pe care am citit-o in ultimul timp! ❤️❤️❤️
Nu stiu ce as putea sa spun ca sa ma apropii macar de ceea ce simt acum cand am terminat-o de citit... orice as spune, parca e prea putin.
Cartea este absolut minunata.
Povestea de dragoste este sublima. Metaforele folosite de autor sunt exact ce trebuie, astfel incat cititorul sa devina parte din poveste.
Personajele sunt bine creionate si sensibile. Nu stiu, totul este pur si simplu perfect.
Desi, pe parcursul calatoriei lor, li se pun o gramada de piedici, raman o echipa, iar el... doamne, el este asa cum si-ar dori orice femeie sa fie barbatul de langa ea.
Nu sunt in stare sa spun mai mult, pentru ca sunt inca sub imperiul emotiilor, lacrimile abia mi se usuca pe obraji si nu stiu ce sa spun. Poate voi reveni alta data cu completari, dar ce pot sa spun este ca romanul asta este de citit si pus la loc de cinste.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
O carte de zece, fara discutii. Recomand.
Daca as avea posibilitatea sa-i dau mai multe stele, as face-o... dar nu pot oferi decât 5... pe care le merita cu prisosinta.
Este cea mai frumoasa carte pe care am citit-o in ultimul timp! ❤️❤️❤️
Nu stiu ce as putea sa spun ca sa ma apropii macar de ceea ce simt acum cand am terminat-o de citit... orice as spune, parca e prea putin.
Cartea este absolut minunata.
Povestea de dragoste este sublima. Metaforele folosite de autor sunt exact ce trebuie, astfel incat cititorul sa devina parte din poveste.
Personajele sunt bine creionate si sensibile. Nu stiu, totul este pur si simplu perfect.
Desi, pe parcursul calatoriei lor, li se pun o gramada de piedici, raman o echipa, iar el... doamne, el este asa cum si-ar dori orice femeie sa fie barbatul de langa ea.
Nu sunt in stare sa spun mai mult, pentru ca sunt inca sub imperiul emotiilor, lacrimile abia mi se usuca pe obraji si nu stiu ce sa spun. Poate voi reveni alta data cu completari, dar ce pot sa spun este ca romanul asta este de citit si pus la loc de cinste.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
O carte de zece, fara discutii. Recomand.
September 21, 2019
Great love story! Also a look at what it's like living (at times just existing) while struggling through chemo, radiation, and a host of other things that come along with a diagnosis of cancer. A bit of an eye opener since it's not something, thankfully, that I know much about. It was encouraging to see that, in the end, "cancer only steals what you give it." "There are worse things than dying . . . like . . . living dead." The main characters chose hope and lived life as fully as they could with the time that was left for them to share on earth. Christians should definitely do the same because we have a sure hope in Jesus Christ!
May 18, 2022
Gostei muito de ler este livro. Inicialmente, a capa deixou-me um pouco apreensiva, quer pela temática, quer por me parecer um romance um pouco lamechas. Mas não, com efeito, acaba por surpreender.
Vão-se intercalando narrativas passadas e presentes. No passado, temos a forma como Doss e Abigail, de mundos sociais muito distintos, se conheceram, como se começaram a relacionar, como parecia tudo tão perfeito, mesmo que o pai dela nunca tenha aceitado as origens humildes do genro. Depois, temos a fase de descoberta, por parte de Abigail, de um cancro, a vivência da doença até ao presente (algumas das descrições são duras de tão realistas). Apesar da doença, Abigail é uma pessoa encantadora, com força de vontade, espírito de resiliência e um sentido de humor muito peculiar.
No presente, temos Abigail e Doss a viverem uma série de aventuras, algumas bastante perigosas, de forma a que Abigail consiga cumprir a sua lista de coisas a fazer antes de morrer.
É muito difícil falar deste livro sem deixar antever um pouco da história, mas posso garantir que é um livro que comove, que nos faz sorrir, que revolta, que mexe com os nossos sentimentos. Por isso, aconselho a leitura. Saliento, ainda, o facto de Doss ser pintor, acreditando que, quem gosta de arte, gostará certamente das referências que vão surgindo ao longo da narrativa.
Saliento algumas gralhas que, mais uma vez, não sei como uma editora como a Porto Editora deixa passar e que maculam uma leitura que poderia ser excelente. Saliento, ainda, um erro da tradutora, que não suporto. De uma vez por todas, nós não desfolhamos livros, folheamo-los, se não os livros ficariam sem folhas. Desfolhar que se desfolhe, por exemplo, o milho!
Vão-se intercalando narrativas passadas e presentes. No passado, temos a forma como Doss e Abigail, de mundos sociais muito distintos, se conheceram, como se começaram a relacionar, como parecia tudo tão perfeito, mesmo que o pai dela nunca tenha aceitado as origens humildes do genro. Depois, temos a fase de descoberta, por parte de Abigail, de um cancro, a vivência da doença até ao presente (algumas das descrições são duras de tão realistas). Apesar da doença, Abigail é uma pessoa encantadora, com força de vontade, espírito de resiliência e um sentido de humor muito peculiar.
No presente, temos Abigail e Doss a viverem uma série de aventuras, algumas bastante perigosas, de forma a que Abigail consiga cumprir a sua lista de coisas a fazer antes de morrer.
É muito difícil falar deste livro sem deixar antever um pouco da história, mas posso garantir que é um livro que comove, que nos faz sorrir, que revolta, que mexe com os nossos sentimentos. Por isso, aconselho a leitura. Saliento, ainda, o facto de Doss ser pintor, acreditando que, quem gosta de arte, gostará certamente das referências que vão surgindo ao longo da narrativa.
Saliento algumas gralhas que, mais uma vez, não sei como uma editora como a Porto Editora deixa passar e que maculam uma leitura que poderia ser excelente. Saliento, ainda, um erro da tradutora, que não suporto. De uma vez por todas, nós não desfolhamos livros, folheamo-los, se não os livros ficariam sem folhas. Desfolhar que se desfolhe, por exemplo, o milho!
January 21, 2023
Maybe reading another Charles Martin immediately after When Crickets Cry wasn’t the best idea. This book was vastly less emotional and engaging. I was often extremely bored and didn’t connect to the present story (chapters alternate from the present to the years prior describing how the met, married, and the cancer journey) until about 2/3 through. On the front of the book is a ticker that says ‘prepare to cry’ … there were no tears from me and I’m a weepy woman 🤪
Content warnings: this book walked the line with many mature topics and illustrations. Nothing explicit but not for Christian teens. Examples include: body descriptions within a marital context, nude portraits for art school, nudist colony on the river, woman tempting a man to commit adultery, violent attack by 4 men. There was no foul language.
Content warnings: this book walked the line with many mature topics and illustrations. Nothing explicit but not for Christian teens. Examples include: body descriptions within a marital context, nude portraits for art school, nudist colony on the river, woman tempting a man to commit adultery, violent attack by 4 men. There was no foul language.
July 28, 2015
“Os tratamentos são o pior. Eles retalham-nos até ao nosso âmago, despojam-nos de tudo e deixam-nos com memórias fugazes. Abbie tentara durante muito tempo agarrar-se à vida mas, tal como a água, ela escapara-se por entre os dedos.”
Uma linda história de amor comovente, emotiva, dramática, delicada e trágica que nos toca o coração e ninguém consegue ficar indiferente a esta narrativa.
O autor é possuidor de uma escrita directa, clara, simples, prática, realista, pontuada e envolvente.
A leitura é perturbadora, tocante, triste e dramática e faz-nos pensar que não somos nada na vida quando a doença nos bate à porta.
Abbie Coleman depara-se com uma doença terminal, mas vai ter a seu lado o marido Doss Michaels que vai fazer tudo o que estiver ao seu alcance para poder realizar os últimos sonhos da mulher.
Um livro que nos leva facilmente às lágrimas, numa luta desesperada pela sobrevivência, Abbie durante quatro anos percorreu uma dura batalha, mas o cancro foi mais forte e levou-a para longe de Doss
A narrativa é-nos descrita pelo próprio personagem, alternado a narração entre o passado e o presente, deixando-nos com um nó na garganta e a alma pequenina perante as adversidades da vida.
Uma lição de vida e uma mensagem de esperança, não deixe para amanhã o que pode fazer hoje. O passado já passou e o futuro a Deus pertence.
Os personagens vão encontrar perante um rio sinuoso, uma viagem cheia de adversidades que há que superar para poder realizar as últimas dez vontades de Abbie antes de morrer.
Este livro é uma mistura de sentimentos, emoções, angústias com os quais por vezes é difícil de lidar.
Uma leitura triste e comovente de um amor incondicional numa luta desesperada até ao limite contra a morte, e de quem não consegue fazer nada para por termo à doença da pessoa amada e que sabe que só há um fim!
Um livro que reflecte a realidade das experiências da maior doença que afecta a população, uma verdade difícil de aceitar para o doente e para quem está junto a ele.
O autor prendeu-me pela sua escrita e envolveu-me na história desde a primeira à última página. Um autor que recomendo sem reservas.
Uma linda história de amor comovente, emotiva, dramática, delicada e trágica que nos toca o coração e ninguém consegue ficar indiferente a esta narrativa.
O autor é possuidor de uma escrita directa, clara, simples, prática, realista, pontuada e envolvente.
A leitura é perturbadora, tocante, triste e dramática e faz-nos pensar que não somos nada na vida quando a doença nos bate à porta.
Abbie Coleman depara-se com uma doença terminal, mas vai ter a seu lado o marido Doss Michaels que vai fazer tudo o que estiver ao seu alcance para poder realizar os últimos sonhos da mulher.
Um livro que nos leva facilmente às lágrimas, numa luta desesperada pela sobrevivência, Abbie durante quatro anos percorreu uma dura batalha, mas o cancro foi mais forte e levou-a para longe de Doss
A narrativa é-nos descrita pelo próprio personagem, alternado a narração entre o passado e o presente, deixando-nos com um nó na garganta e a alma pequenina perante as adversidades da vida.
Uma lição de vida e uma mensagem de esperança, não deixe para amanhã o que pode fazer hoje. O passado já passou e o futuro a Deus pertence.
Os personagens vão encontrar perante um rio sinuoso, uma viagem cheia de adversidades que há que superar para poder realizar as últimas dez vontades de Abbie antes de morrer.
Este livro é uma mistura de sentimentos, emoções, angústias com os quais por vezes é difícil de lidar.
Uma leitura triste e comovente de um amor incondicional numa luta desesperada até ao limite contra a morte, e de quem não consegue fazer nada para por termo à doença da pessoa amada e que sabe que só há um fim!
Um livro que reflecte a realidade das experiências da maior doença que afecta a população, uma verdade difícil de aceitar para o doente e para quem está junto a ele.
O autor prendeu-me pela sua escrita e envolveu-me na história desde a primeira à última página. Um autor que recomendo sem reservas.
July 28, 2015
*Spoilers*
Where the River Ends. This book was in the "recommended" section at the library. I wanted to put this book down several times, because I felt like it was moving so slowly (and simply). By reading the description, it's easy for a reader to understand where the book is going - that is not the book's appeal, though.
Charles Martin, the author, tells a story about Doss and Abbie. Abbie is dying of cancer and has 10 or so wishes before her death, many of them as simple as "swimming with dolphins". The most challenging wish, though, requires her husband to take her down the river in canoe (which requires him removing her from hospice first). In this trip, she hopes to teach him and instill confidence in his art and inner self. They have a sweet, flirtatious romantic relationship. It is the cookie cutter pre-death, magical story.
Martin alternates between the past, when Doss and Abbie first met, to the current time, as they are paddling down the river. The past scenes, including when Abbie is first diagnosed with cancer, are touching and fun. I really felt a connection to what the author was saying even though I haven't experienced cancer in my own life. The current passages, however, were laden with extraneous detail. So much so, that I found myself wanting to skip full pages. Scenic detail is tough. I appreciate when it's done in a way that enhances the story - John Steinbeck is great at this - but not when the details seem unrelated. I felt like this book was very slow, at times, and not in an enriching way.
I also felt like some of the love scenes were forced. They didn't seem genuine to me.
In the last few chapters, however, when Abbie is dying, the writing touched me. I felt like the characters' story mattered, and I was glad I had finished the book. I struggled between a two or three star rating for this one, just because of how many times I wanted to put it down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2018
This is like reading chic lit written by a man ("dude lit"?). The book really drags and is very predictable. The wife, who is dying of cancer, is perfect in every way, a high achiever and super model. The husband is an artist who his wife believed in, who captures the emotion in his paintings, and is also an expert river guide. The story from the past, where they meet, marry, find out she has cancer, etc., is filled with small talk which is just too cutesy. She has two weeks to live, can barely sit up, so they take one last trip together, and it has to be a canoe trip down a water moccasin filled river with lots of obstacles so he has to portage her and the boat much of the time. You can pretty much guess how the book ends since they are both perfect people and know how to see a little sarcastic humor in their situation. This book had so many 5 star ratings I wanted to read it, and now I can't figure out why so many stars.
August 28, 2008
Charles Martin writes stories about broken men, searching for redemption and healing and the people who love them.
In his sixth novel, "Where the River Ends," we meet Doss Michael, an artist who outpunted his coverage when he met, courted and married the daughter of a powerful South Carolina senator, Abby Coleman. The story is told in alternating chapters, examing their courtship, marriage and life together and their final journey together down the St. Mary's River. Ten years into the marriage, Abby finds she has a devestating form of cancer, one that is eating her up inside. She's made a list of ten things she wants to experience before she dies and Doss sets out to make them those dreams a reality.
The list isn't a gradoise list, but a list of achievable goals such as skinny dipping or the trip down the river that had such an influence on her husband growing up.
However, the trip isn't what her father wants. After four years of estrangement and refusal to deal with Abby's choice of Doss as a husband, the senator want Abby in hospice to extend her life. Doss and Abby disagree and set out on the journey.
The alternating story from the Doss's early life to the current trip works to propel the plot forward and keep the reader interested, all the while keeping the story from becoming too bleak or overwhelming depressing. Martin does a remarkable job of setting the story to follow the expected path, but also throwing in some unexpected curves along the way. At one point, art student Doss needs someone to model nude in order to finish up his degree program. Upon meeting Abby and saving her from an assault, one could assume the direction this story could head. Instead, Martin toys with that assumption and gives the reader a richer story because of it.
And even though we have an idea where this story can and must end (Abby's death), her passing along isn't the central point of this story. It's about the story of Doss, his journey and the shared life he had with Abby. While the ending will create a lump in your threat, Martin wisely allows a few glimmers of hope and healing in the final chapters to keep the ending from being overwhelmingly grim.
In his sixth novel, "Where the River Ends," we meet Doss Michael, an artist who outpunted his coverage when he met, courted and married the daughter of a powerful South Carolina senator, Abby Coleman. The story is told in alternating chapters, examing their courtship, marriage and life together and their final journey together down the St. Mary's River. Ten years into the marriage, Abby finds she has a devestating form of cancer, one that is eating her up inside. She's made a list of ten things she wants to experience before she dies and Doss sets out to make them those dreams a reality.
The list isn't a gradoise list, but a list of achievable goals such as skinny dipping or the trip down the river that had such an influence on her husband growing up.
However, the trip isn't what her father wants. After four years of estrangement and refusal to deal with Abby's choice of Doss as a husband, the senator want Abby in hospice to extend her life. Doss and Abby disagree and set out on the journey.
The alternating story from the Doss's early life to the current trip works to propel the plot forward and keep the reader interested, all the while keeping the story from becoming too bleak or overwhelming depressing. Martin does a remarkable job of setting the story to follow the expected path, but also throwing in some unexpected curves along the way. At one point, art student Doss needs someone to model nude in order to finish up his degree program. Upon meeting Abby and saving her from an assault, one could assume the direction this story could head. Instead, Martin toys with that assumption and gives the reader a richer story because of it.
And even though we have an idea where this story can and must end (Abby's death), her passing along isn't the central point of this story. It's about the story of Doss, his journey and the shared life he had with Abby. While the ending will create a lump in your threat, Martin wisely allows a few glimmers of hope and healing in the final chapters to keep the ending from being overwhelmingly grim.
August 2, 2012
This beautiful story, written by Charles Martin is about love, commitment, sacrifice and what it really means to be totally responsible for another human being. Doss Michaels (a painter who gives new meaning to the term 'starving artist') meets Abigail Grace Coleman, the daughter of a senator from South Carolina when he literally saves her life when she is attacked and nearly raped. Their love story is just about perfect.... until the day Abbie is diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. This is when the story stops being a kind of fairy tale and becomes the stuff of real life.
Realizing that their time together is short, Abbie creates a list of the things she wants to do. The thing she ultimately chooses is to embark on a journey... a 130 mile journey which is real and symbolic..in a canoe on the St. Mary's River. Their trip is arduous and full of obstacles... unpredictable weather, a worsening in Abbie's physical condition and even a group of men who rob them of most of their possessions... but still they persevere and they push on. Doss promised Abbie that they would get to the end of the river.. the point at which they can watch it empty into the ocean. Despite all of the obstacles Doss never gave up. He kept that promise to his wife.
I felt this story, although somewhat predictable in places , was a wonderfully written metaphor for life's journey. We all face obstacles on our journey and the trip is never smooth but if we're very lucky, we find someone special to share that journey with... someone who is as committed to it as we are.
Yes, this story is somewhat cliched but Mr. Martin's characters are so true-to-life that I couldn't help but become emotionally invested in what happened to them. I couldn't help but cheer them on to the end of the river. Realistically, although Doss' and Abbie's story couldn't have ended any other way than it did, I still found myself hoping for just one more day for them to be together. Any story which can reach out and pull me in in such a way that I really care about what happens tot he characters is a great one.. cliched.. or not!
Realizing that their time together is short, Abbie creates a list of the things she wants to do. The thing she ultimately chooses is to embark on a journey... a 130 mile journey which is real and symbolic..in a canoe on the St. Mary's River. Their trip is arduous and full of obstacles... unpredictable weather, a worsening in Abbie's physical condition and even a group of men who rob them of most of their possessions... but still they persevere and they push on. Doss promised Abbie that they would get to the end of the river.. the point at which they can watch it empty into the ocean. Despite all of the obstacles Doss never gave up. He kept that promise to his wife.
I felt this story, although somewhat predictable in places , was a wonderfully written metaphor for life's journey. We all face obstacles on our journey and the trip is never smooth but if we're very lucky, we find someone special to share that journey with... someone who is as committed to it as we are.
Yes, this story is somewhat cliched but Mr. Martin's characters are so true-to-life that I couldn't help but become emotionally invested in what happened to them. I couldn't help but cheer them on to the end of the river. Realistically, although Doss' and Abbie's story couldn't have ended any other way than it did, I still found myself hoping for just one more day for them to be together. Any story which can reach out and pull me in in such a way that I really care about what happens tot he characters is a great one.. cliched.. or not!
December 30, 2017
E foarte greu să îți aduni cuvintele și să vorbești despre La capătul râului. Mie cartea aceasta mi-a lăsat un mare gol în suflet, mi-a făcut piele de găină și mi-a stors lacrimi, dar și zâmbete pe alocuri. O carte atât de simplă și de frumos scrisă, plină de profunzime, care transmite atât de mult... Charles Martin este cu siguranță un scriitor deosebit și sper ca anul ce vine să trec pe listă toate romanele sale. Povestea lui Doss și a lui Abbie este pe cât de specială, pe atât de tristă. Abbie a fost o femeie minunată, conștientă de frumusețea și de puterea ei de a face bine, de a aduce o schimbare. Cred că ea l-a făcut pe Doss să devină bărbatul care este la final, ea l-a făcut să se descopere pe sine și, cel mai important, să împartă cu ceilalți comoara din inima lui. Tot ea este cea care îl face pe tatăl ei să își deschidă, în sfârșit, sufletul, chiar dacă poate părea prea târziu, după pierderea soției și a fiicei sale. Însă niciodată nu e prea târziu. Am plâns cu și pentru Abbie, am admirat-o și compătimit-o, m-am simțit revoltată și m-am întrebat cum permite Dumnezeu să i se întâmple atâta rău unei persoane atât de bune? Abbie însă nu s-a revoltat, și-a acceptat soarta, mai mult, a trăit din plin fiecare clipă cu și în folosul ființei iubite. Ultima lor călătorie împreună s-a sfârșit la capătul râului și a fost plină atât de bine, cât și de rău, de sănătate și de boală, de bogăție și sărăcie ...până când moartea i-a despărțit. O poveste de dragoste superbă, fără să fie tragică, fără clișee, între doi oameni simpli, care s-au descoperit unul pe celălalt și au luptat unul alături de celălalt. O recomand!
"Doss, viața e un lung șir de întâlniri și despărțiri. Asta ...e o despărțire. Dar nu e ultima noastră întâlnire."
"Hei, parcă ziceai că vrei să-mi dai ceva, îți amintești? Un cadou de ziua mea.
Ți l-am dat deja.
Bine, dar ....
Mă lovi ușor în piept. Va fi acolo când o să ai nevoie de el. "
"Doss, viața e un lung șir de întâlniri și despărțiri. Asta ...e o despărțire. Dar nu e ultima noastră întâlnire."
"Hei, parcă ziceai că vrei să-mi dai ceva, îți amintești? Un cadou de ziua mea.
Ți l-am dat deja.
Bine, dar ....
Mă lovi ușor în piept. Va fi acolo când o să ai nevoie de el. "
January 6, 2021
This book had some 3 star moments but really lost its mind the last fifty pages or so. A love story, Doss and Abbie are married 10 years when she is diagnosed with breast cancer. After a grueling, awful 4 years of treatment there is only hospice left. That is when they embark on a river canoeing trip to try to complete Abbie’s bucket list.
It is insane. I get dying on your own terms but spending your last days lying in the bottom of a canoe while your husband basically pulls it and paddles all day every day does not seem like an enriching experience. And miraculously many of the things on her list magically appear along their route. A man who has a plane to fly her in. Wow.
Terrible, terrible things happen a la Deliverance and Abbie’s physical abilities vary drastically day to day. I found it wildly unrealistic. He has to carry her everywhere but she stood in the river to fish for four hours and danced to a dozen songs one evening, just a no go for me.
Depicted as a last gift from Abbie to Doss this trip is guaranteed to send him to jail, he has to steal narcotics to pack for the trip and administer them along the way. And we know she is going to die so throw in a charge of murder of the euthanasia variety. So what a lovely gift.
Also, so many descriptions of the river, it’s water flow, the banks, the contents, boring! And her father, don’t even want to think about his behavior. Do not recommend.
It is insane. I get dying on your own terms but spending your last days lying in the bottom of a canoe while your husband basically pulls it and paddles all day every day does not seem like an enriching experience. And miraculously many of the things on her list magically appear along their route. A man who has a plane to fly her in. Wow.
Terrible, terrible things happen a la Deliverance and Abbie’s physical abilities vary drastically day to day. I found it wildly unrealistic. He has to carry her everywhere but she stood in the river to fish for four hours and danced to a dozen songs one evening, just a no go for me.
Depicted as a last gift from Abbie to Doss this trip is guaranteed to send him to jail, he has to steal narcotics to pack for the trip and administer them along the way. And we know she is going to die so throw in a charge of murder of the euthanasia variety. So what a lovely gift.
Also, so many descriptions of the river, it’s water flow, the banks, the contents, boring! And her father, don’t even want to think about his behavior. Do not recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2021
This was one of the first Charles Martin books I ever read over 10 years ago. I remember it being good but sad which is why it has taken me so long to pick it back up. But like any Charles Martin book, he has such an amazing way with words and can weave hope into pretty much any situation, without taking away from the heart of the tough issues. Definitely have the Kleenex handy for this one...
June 24, 2019
This book was wayyyyy too long, with a ridiculous amount of detail and side stories. Even so, I found that when my first 21-day time limit from the library had expired, I had to renew it so I could find out how their love story ended.
More than far fetched.
More than far fetched.
June 7, 2010
I need to stop reading Charles Martin -- he's so good at describing my home state that I want to move back! Enjoyed this book though.
June 12, 2016
Nothing earth shattering, I did like it but it was more of an "okay book".
July 21, 2019
Thought-provoking. Review to follow.
October 7, 2019
Well. More of the same see the mountains between us, meaning emotional, love death and the journey
October 18, 2024
This book definitely tugs at the heartstrings. To love someone so wholly and unselfishly is a blessing, and I can only imagine the pain of watching your other half be consumed by cancer. To never be ready for the end, but to see it coming all along.
Where The River Ends follows the story of Doss and Abbie with beautiful parallels between the past and present, as well as the awe and unpredictability of life. Their journey is told along the River as they face bends in the road and powerful currents all while savoring the journey together. Your heart beats and breaks along with them.
I would definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a good cry. Or as a reminder that the people we hold dearly breathe life into us long after they are gone ❤️
Where The River Ends follows the story of Doss and Abbie with beautiful parallels between the past and present, as well as the awe and unpredictability of life. Their journey is told along the River as they face bends in the road and powerful currents all while savoring the journey together. Your heart beats and breaks along with them.
I would definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a good cry. Or as a reminder that the people we hold dearly breathe life into us long after they are gone ❤️
April 18, 2023
another book by charles martin that i’m crying through the last 20 pages. tragic story about a man’s steadfast love for his wife through cancer.
December 16, 2022
Glad I trudged through this. Easily could put it down in the beginning. Almost gave up but it kept slowly pulling me in.
June 1, 2024
Charles Martin never disappoints. Another good book. I has read it years ago but enjoyed it just as much the second time.
Read
June 5, 2025Com muita pena minha, vou interromper esta leitura na página 85. Até agora senti-me apenas aborrecida e sem vontade de saber mais. Tenho ideia de também não ter achado a escrita muito fluida no anteiror livro que li deste autor, mas desta vez nem consigo focar-me na história, tal é a seca das descrições que tenho apanhado.
December 25, 2014
MAGNÍFICO. LÉANLO AHORA.
En serio, genial. Este libro me ha encantado absolutamente. Te atrapa desde la primera página, debes saber cómo es la historia pasada y como continúa la presente. Excelente forma de juntarlas, por cierto. No es un romance barato, por favor; es mucho más que eso. Creo que puedo decir que es una historia acerca de la belleza: la belleza del amor, del arte, de la naturaleza y del alma. Lo he leído con pausa, así para disfrutar cada detalle, y ha valido la pena.
Los personajes me han fascinado, no los idealiza, eso me gusta. Abby me pareció un poco rara pero es realmente fascinante, una mujer valiente, pero sensible a la vez; ver las cosas como las ve es refrescante. Muy real también, con altos y bajos como cualquiera, pero muy luchadora. Doss parece un perdedor, de verdad, pero es en ese ver más allá donde su esencia tiene sentido; una historia difícil pero bonita. Tiene todos los matices (ok, me decepcioné de él en una parte, pero luego entendí que es parte del todo), pero su mayor mérito siempre será salir a la superficie. Su resistencia es increíble, pero si sigue adelante es porque no son las fuerzas físicas las que lo empujan. Los personajes secundarios son de lo más pintorescos, odias a unos 4, pero otros dan gusto.
Charleston es todo un personaje, quién pensaría que pudiera ser una ciudad así tan fascinante; ya quiero ir algún día.
Ha sido increíble la manera en que hablaba acerca del río, creo que abre un poquito la ventana para comprender a los apasionados de la naturaleza. El mensaje está claro: El río es como la vida. Te sorprende, siempre cambia, te desafía, te arrastra, te ayuda, te retrasa, te trae personas buenas y malas (y súper extrañas), te presenta escenarios distintos y te pone mil obstáculos de prueba; te protege y te pone en peligro. Te voltea la canoa, te hunde en un remolino y te saca a la superficie. Te da puede dar todo y quitártelo también. Me ENCANTA. Como describe todo es algo maravilloso, te hace sentir realmente ahí y hace parecer a Estados Unidos un lugar más curioso de lo que lo pintan. Todo el trayecto desde Moniac hasta Cedar Point es alucinante. Y Okeefenokee es la palabra más graciosa que he oído en mucho tiempo.
Y el cáncer. Creo que nunca lo había imaginado así, o tal vez no me di tiempo para pensarlo... Es realmente devastador y todo lo que conlleva... realmente cómo culpar a los que abandonan (ya sea pacientes o familia). Pero que los personajes fueran de los que luchan hasta el final es muy motivador y lindo =') Doss que se queda con su esposa a pesar de todo. Es HERMOSO.
En fin, la historia me ha gustado de verdad, te llega al alma y te deja una sensación bonita: Paz.
En serio, genial. Este libro me ha encantado absolutamente. Te atrapa desde la primera página, debes saber cómo es la historia pasada y como continúa la presente. Excelente forma de juntarlas, por cierto. No es un romance barato, por favor; es mucho más que eso. Creo que puedo decir que es una historia acerca de la belleza: la belleza del amor, del arte, de la naturaleza y del alma. Lo he leído con pausa, así para disfrutar cada detalle, y ha valido la pena.
Los personajes me han fascinado, no los idealiza, eso me gusta. Abby me pareció un poco rara pero es realmente fascinante, una mujer valiente, pero sensible a la vez; ver las cosas como las ve es refrescante. Muy real también, con altos y bajos como cualquiera, pero muy luchadora. Doss parece un perdedor, de verdad, pero es en ese ver más allá donde su esencia tiene sentido; una historia difícil pero bonita. Tiene todos los matices (ok, me decepcioné de él en una parte, pero luego entendí que es parte del todo), pero su mayor mérito siempre será salir a la superficie. Su resistencia es increíble, pero si sigue adelante es porque no son las fuerzas físicas las que lo empujan. Los personajes secundarios son de lo más pintorescos, odias a unos 4, pero otros dan gusto.
Charleston es todo un personaje, quién pensaría que pudiera ser una ciudad así tan fascinante; ya quiero ir algún día.
Ha sido increíble la manera en que hablaba acerca del río, creo que abre un poquito la ventana para comprender a los apasionados de la naturaleza. El mensaje está claro: El río es como la vida. Te sorprende, siempre cambia, te desafía, te arrastra, te ayuda, te retrasa, te trae personas buenas y malas (y súper extrañas), te presenta escenarios distintos y te pone mil obstáculos de prueba; te protege y te pone en peligro. Te voltea la canoa, te hunde en un remolino y te saca a la superficie. Te da puede dar todo y quitártelo también. Me ENCANTA. Como describe todo es algo maravilloso, te hace sentir realmente ahí y hace parecer a Estados Unidos un lugar más curioso de lo que lo pintan. Todo el trayecto desde Moniac hasta Cedar Point es alucinante. Y Okeefenokee es la palabra más graciosa que he oído en mucho tiempo.
Y el cáncer. Creo que nunca lo había imaginado así, o tal vez no me di tiempo para pensarlo... Es realmente devastador y todo lo que conlleva... realmente cómo culpar a los que abandonan (ya sea pacientes o familia). Pero que los personajes fueran de los que luchan hasta el final es muy motivador y lindo =') Doss que se queda con su esposa a pesar de todo. Es HERMOSO.
En fin, la historia me ha gustado de verdad, te llega al alma y te deja una sensación bonita: Paz.
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