Play Book Tag discussion

Jack and Wynn are college best friends. They have been planning a peaceful summer trip, canoeing, camping and fishing down the Maskwa River, a remote stretch of rivers and lakes across a rough Canadian landscape.

The fully developed main characters are entirely credible. Jack is tough and gritty, raised on a ranch in Colorado, still struggling with his mother’s accidental death. Wynn is from Vermont, also tough but he has a tendency to see the best in everyone. But they are both just carefree college boys who are largely unprepared for the events that await them on what was supposed to be a trip full of fishing and stargazing.

After a few days they catch a whiff of smoke in the air. They quickly realize that there’s a massive wildfire headed their way, and they are days away from the canoe pullout. However, the biggest danger isn’t from Mother Nature, but rather from their fellow river travelers: Pierre and his injured wife Maia, and the “Texans,” two rowdy men with bourbon, guns, and an outboard motor.

Heller is good at tension, and his writing is terse and tight. Short, lyrical paragraphs are packed with action and keep the story moving along. The most compelling parts of the story aren’t necessarily the rapids or the high-risk moves but rather the quiet moments where Wynn and Jack talk, fish and bond over their love of literature.

I absolutely loved this book and had to force myself to slow down. I've been thinking about these characters since I finished it. I loved Heller’s The Dog Stars and plan to read his other books as soon as possible. If you are a fan of William Kent Krueger's standalone novels, I recommend you give "The River" a look.

Thank you for the review - this sounds like a book I would enjoy!

Great review and glad you liked it. I read a few years ago and remember also liking it. I looked up my review, which ended with, “There is an old saying that you can’t put your foot in the same river twice, and boy isn’t that the truth after I think thru this book.”

I loved this one. Very nice review, Lynda.

Peter Heller seems to be one of those where his books inspire love or hate reactions for me, but I really enjoyed this one.