Wow, what a gem this debut is! This beautifully written and well crafted novel goes straight to the top of my list of favourites for the year. People have been calling it “the new Crawdads” (referring to a bestselling book by Delia Owens called Where the Crawdads Sing). I think there are some similarities but also some differences. Both books are hugely compelling and atmospheric, and feature strong resilient women.
I couldn’t put this book down but I also wanted to make notes and write down quotes–I finally gave up on that, there were just too many, and decided to just re-read it sometime. This debut would be an excellent book club choice with a lot to enjoy and discuss.
On a cool autumn day in 1948, Victoria Nash delivers late-season peaches from her family’s farm set amid the wild beauty of Colorado. As she heads into her village, a disheveled stranger stops to ask her the way. How she chooses to answer will unknowingly alter the course of both their young lives. Go As a River is a heart-wrenching coming-of-age story and a powerful drama. Combining unforgettable characters and a breathtaking natural setting, it is a sweeping story of survival, injustice, love, and perseverance.
Go as a river. A river flows forward, gathering pieces along the way. It is shaped by the landscape and weather, gaining strength and swiftness in gravity and spinning in rapids, pushing around bends and moving faithfully forward in the straights. So we all go. What a gorgeous metaphor to follow as this story flows as a river.
Joanne's Reading Blog 
I know I am one of the few who didn’t care for “Crawdads,” but I am intrigued by this book and it is on my list.
I am right there with you! I appreciated the writing and sense of place in the initial chapters of “Crawdads”, but there was significant eye-rolling toward the end.
It’s much more profound and literary than Crawdads I think, and though I can see why some people make comparisons with it because of the natural world descriptions and isolation of the main character, there are lots of significant differences as well.
Thank you for this compelling review. I will be adding this novel to my TBR, and bringing it to my book club as a recommended read!
As an aside, how is your knitting life going?
Thanks Cheryl. This book is a gem and though I can see how people make the comparison with Crawdads, I think there are significant differences too. My knitting is great, with multiple projects on the go at once as usual! 🙂 Many knitters suffer from “startitis” and I am not immune! Kristin and Miriam and I are doing a “Knit-Along” together which is fun, and I have lots of other small projects on the go as well, more portable ones to take along in the van! I just wish I could knit and read at the same time! 🙂
Yes! The dilemma is real. And therein lies the beauty of an audiobook. Although of course, the knitting needs to be at a stage where concentration can be divided. I’m currently working on a stretch of straight stockinette, and listening to The Covenant of Water. I highly recommend the audio version.
Wait what? You’re knitting again? That’s fantastic. Send me pics on Instagram. I’d love to see what you’re working on! I do listen to audio books while knitting and quilting, but only non-fiction. Fiction has to be read for me.
Thanks for the review Joanne. I will add it to my long list of books to read. I am not a knitter but I can crochet but haven’t picked up a crochet hook in years!
I know right, the struggle with a long TBR list is real! 🙂 Maybe you could get back into crochet. Have a look at Ravelry, it’s a great resource for finding patterns. And there are so many great yarns out there these days! Is there a yarn store near you in Edmonton?