Go as a River

Sweet and touching story delicately woven through history.

A moving coming-of-age story. For lovers of historical and literary fiction

Loved the book about southwest Colorado and the historical fiction at that time!!!

“Go As a River” by Shelley Read Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Go As a River” is a historical fiction set against the backdrop of rural 1940s Colorado. In this novel, the author transports the readers to Iola, a real town that was intentionally flooded by the government to create a reservoir. This novel could be a slow-read for some of the readers but I found it intriguing from page one. I just couldn’t let go of the protagonist, Victoria Nash. I found myself compelled to stay with her through her tough journey that was both devastating and hopeful. She had so much to share about her life in Iola: her childhood, her family, love, loss and her survival amid the breathtaking beauty of nature. And I don’t want these characters to fade from my memory… Victoria Nash, Wilson Moon, Ruby-Alice Akers, Cal, Seth and Zelda. They all feel incredibly real and deeply human. Talking about the narration… This book feels like poetry. It’s immensely rich with depictions of nature, landscapes and seasons which can be a delightful read for nature enthusiasts. Shelley Read’s writing really struck me as beautifully introspective and contemplative. It completely drew me in and I ended up loving every bit of her debut. Highly recommended for folks who’re into the genre “fiction and literature”. Jotting down a couple of my favorite lines here: 🌲 “There is a kind of sadness that transcends sadness, that runs like a hot syrup into every crevice of your being, beginning in the heart then oozing into your very cells and bloodstream, so that nothing- not earth or sky or even your own palm- ever looks the same. This is the sadness that changes everything.” 🌲 “The giant holes left behind on the orchard were like open wounds. I worried that the land felt the pain of extraction, a bloodless, quiet suffering of ripped soil and displaced rock and root, just as it would feel the final gasp for breath when the floodwaters rose. But if these mountains have taught me anything, it’s that the land endures, riding out human folly when it must, reclaiming itself when it is able, and moving on.” 🌲 “Try as we might to convince ourselves otherwise, the moments of our becoming cannot be carefully plucked like the ripest and most satisfying peach from the bough. In the endless stumble towards ourselves, we harvest the crop we are given.” I shall stop typing now. Enjoy!

Wow, what a beautiful book! A tragic tale of love and loss, with a hopeful and heartwarming ending. Gorgeous writing. Would highly recommend.