Book cover of River

Book description

"A magnificent novel."—The New Yorker

"This is a book to relish."—The Guardian

A woman moves to a London suburb near the River Lea, without knowing quite why or for how long. Over a series of long, solitary walks she reminisces about the rivers she has encountered during her life, from…

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Why read it?

1 author picked River as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Like Milkman above, this was my favorite book the year I read it, and I plan to re-read it soon. It’s a quietly intense and lonely story, in first person, with an unnamed female narrator whose “family” is the community she lives in by a river in England.

She rarely deals directly with these people, though her interactions are generally described in retrospect, and, in a way, her constant observation and evaluation of her surroundings make the urban/industrial landscape part of her family, too.

Urban landscapes have been an important part of my life, too; they have shaped much of…

From Richard's list on family beyond blood ties.

If you love River...

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The Rosewood Penny by J.S. Fields,

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On a small, isolated island, in a reclusive forest, lives bandit leader Marani and her brother Jacks. With their outlaw band they rob from the rich to feed themselves, raiding carriages and dodging the occasional vindictive…

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