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Go as a River
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Historical Fiction (2023)A sweeping, heart-stopping epic of a young woman's journey to becoming, set against the harsh beauty of mid-century Colorado
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.
So begins the mesmerizing story of split-second choices and courageous acts that propel Victoria away from the only home she has ever known and towards a reckoning with loss, hope and her own untapped strength.
Gathering all the pieces of her small and extraordinary existence, spinning through the eddies of desire, heartbreak and betrayal, she will arrive at a single rocky decision that will change her life forever.
Go as a River is a heart-wrenching coming-of-age story and a drama of enthralling power. Combining unforgettable characters and a breathtaking natural setting, it is a sweeping story of survival and becoming, of the deepest mysteries of love, truth and fate.
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.
So begins the mesmerizing story of split-second choices and courageous acts that propel Victoria away from the only home she has ever known and towards a reckoning with loss, hope and her own untapped strength.
Gathering all the pieces of her small and extraordinary existence, spinning through the eddies of desire, heartbreak and betrayal, she will arrive at a single rocky decision that will change her life forever.
Go as a River is a heart-wrenching coming-of-age story and a drama of enthralling power. Combining unforgettable characters and a breathtaking natural setting, it is a sweeping story of survival and becoming, of the deepest mysteries of love, truth and fate.
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 7, 2023
About the author
Shelley Read
3 books1,156 followersA Goodreads Choice Award Nominee and Amazon Editor's Pick Best Debut 2023, Shelley Read's debut novel, Go as a River, is an international bestseller that is being translated into over thirty languages and has been optioned for film by Mazur Kaplan in partnership with Fifth Season. She was a Senior Lecturer in English and Environmental Studies at Western Colorado University for nearly three decades, where she was a founder of the Environment & Sustainability major and the PRIME program for at-risk students. Shelley holds degrees in writing and literary studies from the University of Denver and Temple University’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing and is a regular contributor to Crested Butte Magazine and Gunnison Valley Journal. Shelley is a fifth-generation Coloradoan who lives with her family in the Elk Mountains of the Western Slope.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 10,919 reviews
January 1, 2023
First off I’d just like to say what a beautifully written novel this is. Something just drew me to this one, and I’m so glad it did.
It’s the 1940’s and teenager Victoria Nash is the only female in her household after the death of her mother. It’s a busy household of men ( there’s her Dad, brother, and a disabled uncle) all living on a successful peach farm in Iola, Colorado. Life consists of work and sleep and little else, that is until she heads into the village pulling a rickety wagon filled with late season peaches, and happens upon Wilson Moon, a drifter and Native American, displaced from his tribal land. Though their meeting is short, it ignites a spark within them both that will lead to both passion and danger. Victoria (Torie) believes Wil is the the most beautiful and caring soul that she’s ever met, but she’ll soon discover that racism is very much alive and well in her small community, and those who don’t fit the norm will face the consequences.
We follow Torie’s life over the course of decades, a life of passion, desire, heartbreak and betrayal - and what a stunning story it is. The beautiful but harsh landscape of mountains and forests surrounding her home (a place where Torie finds refuge after a tragedy) adds much to the storyline, and is almost a character in itself.
This is a beautifully descriptive novel, and here’s just one of the quotes that I loved - The landscapes of our youths create us, and we carry them within us, storied by all they gave and stole, in who we become.
The characters are wonderfully drawn, none more so than the strong and resilient Torie. The storyline is so many things, so many emotions, both good and bad, but most of all it’s beautiful in its telling. This is my first review of 2023, and what a stunning read to begin the year. Highly recommended!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Doubleday for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
It’s the 1940’s and teenager Victoria Nash is the only female in her household after the death of her mother. It’s a busy household of men ( there’s her Dad, brother, and a disabled uncle) all living on a successful peach farm in Iola, Colorado. Life consists of work and sleep and little else, that is until she heads into the village pulling a rickety wagon filled with late season peaches, and happens upon Wilson Moon, a drifter and Native American, displaced from his tribal land. Though their meeting is short, it ignites a spark within them both that will lead to both passion and danger. Victoria (Torie) believes Wil is the the most beautiful and caring soul that she’s ever met, but she’ll soon discover that racism is very much alive and well in her small community, and those who don’t fit the norm will face the consequences.
We follow Torie’s life over the course of decades, a life of passion, desire, heartbreak and betrayal - and what a stunning story it is. The beautiful but harsh landscape of mountains and forests surrounding her home (a place where Torie finds refuge after a tragedy) adds much to the storyline, and is almost a character in itself.
This is a beautifully descriptive novel, and here’s just one of the quotes that I loved - The landscapes of our youths create us, and we carry them within us, storied by all they gave and stole, in who we become.
The characters are wonderfully drawn, none more so than the strong and resilient Torie. The storyline is so many things, so many emotions, both good and bad, but most of all it’s beautiful in its telling. This is my first review of 2023, and what a stunning read to begin the year. Highly recommended!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Doubleday for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
May 28, 2023
“There is a kind of sadness that transcends sadness, that runs like 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.”
In 1948, a chance meeting between seventeen-year-old Victoria “Torie” Nash meets a young man by the name of Wilson “Wil” Moon, a drifter of Native American descent triggers a sequence of events that changes Victoria's life forever. Victoria, the only female in her household, since her mother perished in a tragic car accident when she was twelve, was responsible for taking care of the household while her father and other men of the family and those in their employ worked their family’s peach farm in Iola, Colorado. Victoria is lonely and Wilson is kind and caring and makes her happy. She keeps her relationship with Wilson secret for good reason. But in a tragic turn of events, Victoria finds herself alone and fending for herself, knowing that neither her life will ever be the same again nor will she.
“Just as a single rainstorm can erode the banks and change the course of a river, so can a single circumstance of a girl’s life erase who she was before.”
The narrative follows Victoria over the next four decades as she builds a life for herself after enduring tragic loss and much more. Eventually, in the late 1950s, she leaves Iola when she accepts a buyout offer by the government as they plan to flood Iola and two neighboring towns to build the Blue Mesa Reservoir. She remembers Wil’s words and decides to “go as a river” and take life as it comes doing the best she can do. Her move to Paonia comes with its own set of challenges but Victoria leads a quiet life with dignity, with the memories of the places and the people she has left behind. Some wounds are deeper than others and some decisions, taken in moments of despair will haunt her throughout the years.
“Strength, I had learned, was like this littered forest floor, built of small triumphs and infinite blunders, sunny hours followed by sudden storms that tore it all down. We are one and all alike if for no other reason than the excruciating and beautiful way we grow piece by unpredictable piece, falling, pushing from the debris, rising again, and hoping for the best.”
Go as a River by Shelley Read is a stunningly beautiful novel. I honestly could not believe that this was the author’s debut novel. The beautiful prose and the vivid descriptions of the landscape and nature make for an immersive read. The story touches upon themes of discrimination, love, loss, motherhood, sacrifice, resilience, friendship and how one defines family and home. Each of the characters in this story is well-fleshed out. Strong and resilient, compassionate and kind, Victoria is a memorable character. I was completely invested in Victoria’s story, sharing her sorrows and pain, rejoicing in her triumphs and hoping that eventually, she would find some peace and happiness. The story is presented to us from the first-person PoV of Victoria in 1971 who recalls her past and the events that led to her being at the reservoir on that day. The narrative is well –structured and the relatively slower pace is perfect for the story. I’m glad the author chose to end the novel on a hopeful note but not too neatly tied up, which would have been unconvincing.
Overall, I found this to be a powerfully evocative story that will stay with me. I originally read this on loan from my library and loved it so much that I just had to order a personal copy. I decided on the UK edition for the beautiful cover!
“Imagine a town silent, forgotten, decomposing at the bottom of a lake that once was a river. If this makes you wonder whether the joys and pain of a place wash away as the floodwaters rise and swallow, I can tell you they do not. The landscapes of our youths create us, and we carry them within us, storied by all they gave and stole, in who we become.”
Note: I enjoy reading up on historical facts that inspire fiction whenever I come across something new. While reading up on the flooding of Iola after reading this novel, I came across an article from 2018. In 2018, The Blue Mesa Reservoir dried out during a severe drought, causing what remained of the long-submerged town of Iola to reemerge.
https://coloradosun.com/2018/12/10/io...
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In 1948, a chance meeting between seventeen-year-old Victoria “Torie” Nash meets a young man by the name of Wilson “Wil” Moon, a drifter of Native American descent triggers a sequence of events that changes Victoria's life forever. Victoria, the only female in her household, since her mother perished in a tragic car accident when she was twelve, was responsible for taking care of the household while her father and other men of the family and those in their employ worked their family’s peach farm in Iola, Colorado. Victoria is lonely and Wilson is kind and caring and makes her happy. She keeps her relationship with Wilson secret for good reason. But in a tragic turn of events, Victoria finds herself alone and fending for herself, knowing that neither her life will ever be the same again nor will she.
“Just as a single rainstorm can erode the banks and change the course of a river, so can a single circumstance of a girl’s life erase who she was before.”
The narrative follows Victoria over the next four decades as she builds a life for herself after enduring tragic loss and much more. Eventually, in the late 1950s, she leaves Iola when she accepts a buyout offer by the government as they plan to flood Iola and two neighboring towns to build the Blue Mesa Reservoir. She remembers Wil’s words and decides to “go as a river” and take life as it comes doing the best she can do. Her move to Paonia comes with its own set of challenges but Victoria leads a quiet life with dignity, with the memories of the places and the people she has left behind. Some wounds are deeper than others and some decisions, taken in moments of despair will haunt her throughout the years.
“Strength, I had learned, was like this littered forest floor, built of small triumphs and infinite blunders, sunny hours followed by sudden storms that tore it all down. We are one and all alike if for no other reason than the excruciating and beautiful way we grow piece by unpredictable piece, falling, pushing from the debris, rising again, and hoping for the best.”
Go as a River by Shelley Read is a stunningly beautiful novel. I honestly could not believe that this was the author’s debut novel. The beautiful prose and the vivid descriptions of the landscape and nature make for an immersive read. The story touches upon themes of discrimination, love, loss, motherhood, sacrifice, resilience, friendship and how one defines family and home. Each of the characters in this story is well-fleshed out. Strong and resilient, compassionate and kind, Victoria is a memorable character. I was completely invested in Victoria’s story, sharing her sorrows and pain, rejoicing in her triumphs and hoping that eventually, she would find some peace and happiness. The story is presented to us from the first-person PoV of Victoria in 1971 who recalls her past and the events that led to her being at the reservoir on that day. The narrative is well –structured and the relatively slower pace is perfect for the story. I’m glad the author chose to end the novel on a hopeful note but not too neatly tied up, which would have been unconvincing.
Overall, I found this to be a powerfully evocative story that will stay with me. I originally read this on loan from my library and loved it so much that I just had to order a personal copy. I decided on the UK edition for the beautiful cover!
“Imagine a town silent, forgotten, decomposing at the bottom of a lake that once was a river. If this makes you wonder whether the joys and pain of a place wash away as the floodwaters rise and swallow, I can tell you they do not. The landscapes of our youths create us, and we carry them within us, storied by all they gave and stole, in who we become.”
Note: I enjoy reading up on historical facts that inspire fiction whenever I come across something new. While reading up on the flooding of Iola after reading this novel, I came across an article from 2018. In 2018, The Blue Mesa Reservoir dried out during a severe drought, causing what remained of the long-submerged town of Iola to reemerge.
https://coloradosun.com/2018/12/10/io...
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May 15, 2024
Should be more like, “Please Go Away!”
My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw that this received a Kirkus star. The first 20 pages were enough to determine that this book is a train wreck.
First, we start tortuously off with instalove. Teenage Victoria follows a random stranger. Um what about stranger danger? Being worried about rape?
Shelley Read then glosses over the entire romance. She writes, “Wilson Moon became my lover.” Wait. What? No build up? No slowly unfolding, showing vulnerabilities and insecurities?
And we get some info dumps about the characters who are all either good or bad.
The prose is also cringy; it isn’t exciting, and it reads like a rough draft. The author seems to suck every last morsel from each plot device and with Victoria over explaining everything, the story isn’t just spoon-fed to readers but force-fed!
Everything in this book is so easy for Victoria, especially the sections related to Seymour Greeley and Inca. Have a big problem you only worried about 2 seconds ago? Don’t worry, it will be resolved without any effort in 3-2-1!
Last but certainly not least for this eye-roller of a book, no farm kid would ever act like Victoria. She shows up at a cabin completely unprepared. For crying aloud, she lives on a peach farm and tells us ad nauseum how she is the matriarch of the family now and is responsible for all of the chores that entails. If anyone in the world would know how to can a gazillion peaches, she would!
Precious Victoria tells readers that she is also responsible for planting the garden each year, but she can’t even tell when the ground is frozen?!?!?!
Then, we have darling Victoria claiming that she thought she was dying when she got her period. Oh please! Was this trope borrowed from Dr. Quinn? Victoria talks about watching the birth of a farm animal. How did she think this animal came into being? Immaculate conception? The first time she saw a dog wearing underwear in the house, she would have asked, “What’s that?”
If someone read A Little House on the Prairie, he/she would know more than Victoria!
I’m a farm kid. Girl, please!
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent):
Electronic Text - $0.99 from Amazon (after $2 in e-credits)
Audiobook – $84.99 per year through Everand
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My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw that this received a Kirkus star. The first 20 pages were enough to determine that this book is a train wreck.
First, we start tortuously off with instalove. Teenage Victoria follows a random stranger. Um what about stranger danger? Being worried about rape?
Shelley Read then glosses over the entire romance. She writes, “Wilson Moon became my lover.” Wait. What? No build up? No slowly unfolding, showing vulnerabilities and insecurities?
And we get some info dumps about the characters who are all either good or bad.
The prose is also cringy; it isn’t exciting, and it reads like a rough draft. The author seems to suck every last morsel from each plot device and with Victoria over explaining everything, the story isn’t just spoon-fed to readers but force-fed!
Everything in this book is so easy for Victoria, especially the sections related to Seymour Greeley and Inca. Have a big problem you only worried about 2 seconds ago? Don’t worry, it will be resolved without any effort in 3-2-1!
Last but certainly not least for this eye-roller of a book, no farm kid would ever act like Victoria. She shows up at a cabin completely unprepared. For crying aloud, she lives on a peach farm and tells us ad nauseum how she is the matriarch of the family now and is responsible for all of the chores that entails. If anyone in the world would know how to can a gazillion peaches, she would!
Precious Victoria tells readers that she is also responsible for planting the garden each year, but she can’t even tell when the ground is frozen?!?!?!
Then, we have darling Victoria claiming that she thought she was dying when she got her period. Oh please! Was this trope borrowed from Dr. Quinn? Victoria talks about watching the birth of a farm animal. How did she think this animal came into being? Immaculate conception? The first time she saw a dog wearing underwear in the house, she would have asked, “What’s that?”
If someone read A Little House on the Prairie, he/she would know more than Victoria!
I’m a farm kid. Girl, please!
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent):
Electronic Text - $0.99 from Amazon (after $2 in e-credits)
Audiobook – $84.99 per year through Everand
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March 14, 2023
Some rivers flow quietly, softly, gently. Others are a bit more frantic with the need to get to a destination, splashing, cajoling, moving swiftly. But Both always moving forward.
In 1949 rural Colorado, Tori has experienced forbidden love, the ugliness of racism and much tragedy.
Her journey is a weighted one of loss. Having gotten pregnant and making the ultimate sacrifice of giving up her starving child so he can survive.
This story is a heavy read. Laden with personal loss to environmental devastation. It will suck the oxygen out of you and slowly breathe it back.
A phenomenal debut.
5⭐️
In 1949 rural Colorado, Tori has experienced forbidden love, the ugliness of racism and much tragedy.
Her journey is a weighted one of loss. Having gotten pregnant and making the ultimate sacrifice of giving up her starving child so he can survive.
This story is a heavy read. Laden with personal loss to environmental devastation. It will suck the oxygen out of you and slowly breathe it back.
A phenomenal debut.
5⭐️
June 23, 2023
This writing . I almost ended this review right there.
If I had, I wouldn’t have said how deeply affecting the narrative tone is. Nor would I have said how beautifully immersive the setting is with the descriptions of this peach farm in Colorado, the nearby river, the forest . I would have been remiss if I hadn’t said more about this extraordinary character, Victoria Nash, who from age 12 gracefully bears the burdens of loss and grief while dutifully carrying out the responsibilities expected from such a young age . I wouldn’t have said how emotionally evocative the young love, though a “forbidden” love between two lonely characters grasped my heart . I wouldn’t have said how beautifully and skillfully Read has woven together all of the things reflected here - the ugliness of racism, perfect love, the depth of friendship, the perseverance to preserve the family legacy when it seemed impossible, and that a mother’s love knew no bounds . I wouldn’t have said what an impressive debut novel this is . It wouldn’t have been fair to Read not to say how affecting this story is so I had to say more than this writing. One of my favorites of the year.
I received a copy of this book from Spiegel & Grau through
Edelweiss.
If I had, I wouldn’t have said how deeply affecting the narrative tone is. Nor would I have said how beautifully immersive the setting is with the descriptions of this peach farm in Colorado, the nearby river, the forest . I would have been remiss if I hadn’t said more about this extraordinary character, Victoria Nash, who from age 12 gracefully bears the burdens of loss and grief while dutifully carrying out the responsibilities expected from such a young age . I wouldn’t have said how emotionally evocative the young love, though a “forbidden” love between two lonely characters grasped my heart . I wouldn’t have said how beautifully and skillfully Read has woven together all of the things reflected here - the ugliness of racism, perfect love, the depth of friendship, the perseverance to preserve the family legacy when it seemed impossible, and that a mother’s love knew no bounds . I wouldn’t have said what an impressive debut novel this is . It wouldn’t have been fair to Read not to say how affecting this story is so I had to say more than this writing. One of my favorites of the year.
I received a copy of this book from Spiegel & Grau through
Edelweiss.
July 27, 2023
What did I do wrong? Did I read a different book as everyone else? I see five star reviews for this everywhere and I just feel like I must have done something wrong. It was fine. I mean it was slow. Like glacially slow. And it covered so much time that I never felt like we got any character depth so I felt so disconnected from anyone in the book. I don't know, I was mostly kinda bored. The end was beautiful, I will say that. Maybe it was the audio. Probably this is a must-read-with-your-eyes type of situation. I think books that are real one-with-nature-and-the-land are just not for me. I just don't feel it. Also, I felt so much anxiety. It reminded me a bit of The Great Alone where I just knew trouble was around every corner and I was so scared for her and then the payoff for the anxiety I felt was just not there. I feel so sad that I felt this way. Maybe I need a reread now that I know where its going and I don't have to feel scared at every turn.
This review is a whole paragraph of me trying to justify why I felt the way I felt but the fact is simple...it was just an ok book for me.
This review is a whole paragraph of me trying to justify why I felt the way I felt but the fact is simple...it was just an ok book for me.
February 24, 2024
“Flowing forward against obstacles was not my whole story. For, like the river, I had also gathered along the way all the tiny pieces connecting me to everything else, and doing this had delivered me here”
While some of the storyline and events in the book felt less plausible, I was able to overlook them with this haunting but sad human story of love, survival, courage, family, and impossible choices.
The beauty of the book was to be found in the natural landscape and the writing, but most of all within the character of the central female character, Victoria.
A very memorable read.
The Plot
“Just as a single rainstorm can erode the banks and change the course of a river, so can a single circumstance of a girl’s life erase who she was before.”,
and this ‘single circumstance’ was when Torie met Wilson Moon, a native American that was to become her first love and enduring soulmate.
Rejected by society, Wil was forbidden to have any relationships, work and a life in this mid Colorado town, lola. Not to be dissuaded by the prejudice to be found in others, Torie embarks on an adventure that can only end in tragedy.
Review and Comments
This wonderful book is brimming with themes that draws the reader in from the beginning and holds you there to the final moments - hopeful, willing, and anxious about the life that should have been.
A coming of age story? – Yes, but with themes of motherhood, survival, nature, abandonment, murder, and racism, the tides of time force the young Torie to accept those things she cannot change but also gives her the courage to take fate into her own hands and in search of her son.
Moving and evocative. Both heart-warming and heart wrenching. A beauty of a book. Sentimental but not gushing with over dramatic scenes either.
A joy to read.
While some of the storyline and events in the book felt less plausible, I was able to overlook them with this haunting but sad human story of love, survival, courage, family, and impossible choices.
The beauty of the book was to be found in the natural landscape and the writing, but most of all within the character of the central female character, Victoria.
A very memorable read.
The Plot
“Just as a single rainstorm can erode the banks and change the course of a river, so can a single circumstance of a girl’s life erase who she was before.”,
and this ‘single circumstance’ was when Torie met Wilson Moon, a native American that was to become her first love and enduring soulmate.
Rejected by society, Wil was forbidden to have any relationships, work and a life in this mid Colorado town, lola. Not to be dissuaded by the prejudice to be found in others, Torie embarks on an adventure that can only end in tragedy.
Review and Comments
This wonderful book is brimming with themes that draws the reader in from the beginning and holds you there to the final moments - hopeful, willing, and anxious about the life that should have been.
A coming of age story? – Yes, but with themes of motherhood, survival, nature, abandonment, murder, and racism, the tides of time force the young Torie to accept those things she cannot change but also gives her the courage to take fate into her own hands and in search of her son.
Moving and evocative. Both heart-warming and heart wrenching. A beauty of a book. Sentimental but not gushing with over dramatic scenes either.
A joy to read.
March 27, 2023
5 stars!
2023 Favourites List!
Beautiful captivating words. Heartbreaking and heartwarming. Endearing, resilient, unforgettable characters. Vivid, palpable atmosphere. Thought provoking, life changing decisions.
Victoria Nash becomes the homemaker after losing her mother at a young age. She takes on all domestic duties within the household of her father, brother and uncle on top of her farming responsibilities. Farming is the only way of life she knows and she loves it. One day, when she is seventeen, she notices a new boy walking the streets of her small town and she is drawn to him. Meeting him begins a new part of her life that leaves her forever changed…
Motherhood. Death. Loneliness. Abuse. Longing. Racism. Love. Resiliency. Self acceptance. These are a few of the heavy themes explored within these beautifully written pages. The prose was pause-worthy. I often stopped to process the mesmerizing words I was reading. Many sentences jumped off the page, landing deeply in my heart. I was a captive audience from start to finish.
This won’t be for everyone, as it’s a quiet, descriptive and slow moving story. However, the audience it is intended for (me!) will surely find themselves hugging this exquisite story and thinking of it long after finishing the final sentence.
I cried. I cringed. I longed for the characters to find answers in their endless searching. Every part of my being was invested in every page that unfolded in this story. A true masterpiece!
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy! Easily made my 2023 Favourites List!
2023 Favourites List!
Beautiful captivating words. Heartbreaking and heartwarming. Endearing, resilient, unforgettable characters. Vivid, palpable atmosphere. Thought provoking, life changing decisions.
Victoria Nash becomes the homemaker after losing her mother at a young age. She takes on all domestic duties within the household of her father, brother and uncle on top of her farming responsibilities. Farming is the only way of life she knows and she loves it. One day, when she is seventeen, she notices a new boy walking the streets of her small town and she is drawn to him. Meeting him begins a new part of her life that leaves her forever changed…
Motherhood. Death. Loneliness. Abuse. Longing. Racism. Love. Resiliency. Self acceptance. These are a few of the heavy themes explored within these beautifully written pages. The prose was pause-worthy. I often stopped to process the mesmerizing words I was reading. Many sentences jumped off the page, landing deeply in my heart. I was a captive audience from start to finish.
This won’t be for everyone, as it’s a quiet, descriptive and slow moving story. However, the audience it is intended for (me!) will surely find themselves hugging this exquisite story and thinking of it long after finishing the final sentence.
I cried. I cringed. I longed for the characters to find answers in their endless searching. Every part of my being was invested in every page that unfolded in this story. A true masterpiece!
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy! Easily made my 2023 Favourites List!
August 11, 2023
Go as a River by Shelley Read is a Historical Fiction Story with a Different Feel to It!
The past five years, seventeen-year-old Victoria Nash has been relegated to running the household on her family's peach ranch after her mother's untimely death. As the only living female in her family, this responsibility is expected, without question.
Victoria doesn't have time to dream of a life outside the family ranch. This changes when she meets Wilson Moon, a stranger passing through town. She's attracted to his kindness, his unique looks, and believes they're meant to be together.
The love they share is risky but the lessons Wilson teaches Victoria about the flow of the river will sustain her through her hardships, ease the pain of her losses, and guide her to find her niche in life.
Go as a River is a Historical Fiction story that has a different feel to it. It's a woman's story, but there's so much more. The four decades of the 20th century it's set in, the small rural Colorado community and location, the tedious and arduous pace of ranch-life, and the images the author's writing creates and stirs in my head are ones I couldn't stop thinking about.
It's hard to believe Go as a River is a debut novel. The writing is beautifully picturesque, despite a flicker of purple-prose in the beginning chapters that softens as the story progresses. The characters are well-developed and diverse, the setting is so well-described that you visualize the rugged terrain of the mountains, feel the heat of the sun, and smell the ripeness of the warm peaches the author writes about so lovingly.
Topics of racism and prejudice are depicted as harsh as the landscape of the Colorado wilderness and coalesce to feel as deep and frigid as the Gunnison River. Victoria is both resilient and brave and as her memory intently holds Wilson's words "Go as a river", she knows she is meant to always move forward with her life to find a better way.
The audiobook narrator, Cynthia Farrell, does a fine job with her narration, never skipping a beat with character voicing, and giving life and believability to the main character, Victoria.
Historical Fiction is not a genre I read often as most feel so similar, but after discovering, and listening to this one, I'll definitely look for more. I highly recommend Go as a River to those who love Historical Fiction and to readers, like me, who prefer HF that feels a little different!
4.5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, OrangeSky Audio, and Shelley Read for an ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
The past five years, seventeen-year-old Victoria Nash has been relegated to running the household on her family's peach ranch after her mother's untimely death. As the only living female in her family, this responsibility is expected, without question.
Victoria doesn't have time to dream of a life outside the family ranch. This changes when she meets Wilson Moon, a stranger passing through town. She's attracted to his kindness, his unique looks, and believes they're meant to be together.
The love they share is risky but the lessons Wilson teaches Victoria about the flow of the river will sustain her through her hardships, ease the pain of her losses, and guide her to find her niche in life.
Go as a River is a Historical Fiction story that has a different feel to it. It's a woman's story, but there's so much more. The four decades of the 20th century it's set in, the small rural Colorado community and location, the tedious and arduous pace of ranch-life, and the images the author's writing creates and stirs in my head are ones I couldn't stop thinking about.
It's hard to believe Go as a River is a debut novel. The writing is beautifully picturesque, despite a flicker of purple-prose in the beginning chapters that softens as the story progresses. The characters are well-developed and diverse, the setting is so well-described that you visualize the rugged terrain of the mountains, feel the heat of the sun, and smell the ripeness of the warm peaches the author writes about so lovingly.
Topics of racism and prejudice are depicted as harsh as the landscape of the Colorado wilderness and coalesce to feel as deep and frigid as the Gunnison River. Victoria is both resilient and brave and as her memory intently holds Wilson's words "Go as a river", she knows she is meant to always move forward with her life to find a better way.
The audiobook narrator, Cynthia Farrell, does a fine job with her narration, never skipping a beat with character voicing, and giving life and believability to the main character, Victoria.
Historical Fiction is not a genre I read often as most feel so similar, but after discovering, and listening to this one, I'll definitely look for more. I highly recommend Go as a River to those who love Historical Fiction and to readers, like me, who prefer HF that feels a little different!
4.5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, OrangeSky Audio, and Shelley Read for an ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
April 14, 2023
Sometimes you see the cover and title of a book and you just know it’s one your going to love… I had been looking forward to reading this since I knew of its existence!
This is a stunning debut.. two young, lost souls meet each other at the beginning of the story and fall in love..
they are from different sides of the track as you might call it.. this story starts out in the 1940’s..in a small ranch town in Colorado and ends in the early 1970’s.
This is a first love that has a tragic outcome…unfathomable decisions had to be made by the young girl.
A story of love and loss with beautiful scenic descriptions.
I could hardly put this book down!
This is a stunning debut.. two young, lost souls meet each other at the beginning of the story and fall in love..
they are from different sides of the track as you might call it.. this story starts out in the 1940’s..in a small ranch town in Colorado and ends in the early 1970’s.
This is a first love that has a tragic outcome…unfathomable decisions had to be made by the young girl.
A story of love and loss with beautiful scenic descriptions.
I could hardly put this book down!
February 24, 2023
Iola, Colorado, 1948
This starts with chance meeting between a filthy stranger with such kind eyes who asks Victoria Nash the way to the flop house. For some inexplicable reason, Victoria feels his life and hers are meant to intersect and that they are invisibly connected. He is Wilson Moon who has drifted like a river from his tribal lands but sadly for him, his path of a river is beset with harsh waters. We follow Victoria’s story over four decades from the dilapidated Nash farm in Iola to a peach farm a few hours away. The flow of her life tells a story of passion and betrayal, of heartache and the deep crush of loss and loneliness but ultimately it’s a story of resilience and love.
This is a really stunning, atmospheric and beautifully written debut which is almost lyrical in places. The author brings the landscape and people to life with all the harshness of the late ‘40’s and ‘50’s, from the things that are expected of her as a female of the family farm to the small town prejudice. Much of the bigotry comes in the form of her brother Seth which forces Victoria to make a difficult decision and ultimately a sacrifice. The characterisation of Victoria is masterful, she is one heck of a woman and you grow to thoroughly admire her as she meets obstacles with such strength, perseverance and fortitude. You are truly invested in the story, totally absorbed and I make no apology for the tears in my eyes at the end. Wilson Moon is not in the story for long but he leaves a haunting and calming presence and you feel their bond and deep love.
Shelley Read clearly has genuine literary talent, I loved this debut and recommend it wholeheartedly. I can’t wait to read what she comes up with next, she’s set the bar high. It was a genuine privilege to read this novel and it’s one that will stay with me.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Transworld for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
This starts with chance meeting between a filthy stranger with such kind eyes who asks Victoria Nash the way to the flop house. For some inexplicable reason, Victoria feels his life and hers are meant to intersect and that they are invisibly connected. He is Wilson Moon who has drifted like a river from his tribal lands but sadly for him, his path of a river is beset with harsh waters. We follow Victoria’s story over four decades from the dilapidated Nash farm in Iola to a peach farm a few hours away. The flow of her life tells a story of passion and betrayal, of heartache and the deep crush of loss and loneliness but ultimately it’s a story of resilience and love.
This is a really stunning, atmospheric and beautifully written debut which is almost lyrical in places. The author brings the landscape and people to life with all the harshness of the late ‘40’s and ‘50’s, from the things that are expected of her as a female of the family farm to the small town prejudice. Much of the bigotry comes in the form of her brother Seth which forces Victoria to make a difficult decision and ultimately a sacrifice. The characterisation of Victoria is masterful, she is one heck of a woman and you grow to thoroughly admire her as she meets obstacles with such strength, perseverance and fortitude. You are truly invested in the story, totally absorbed and I make no apology for the tears in my eyes at the end. Wilson Moon is not in the story for long but he leaves a haunting and calming presence and you feel their bond and deep love.
Shelley Read clearly has genuine literary talent, I loved this debut and recommend it wholeheartedly. I can’t wait to read what she comes up with next, she’s set the bar high. It was a genuine privilege to read this novel and it’s one that will stay with me.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Transworld for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
May 12, 2023
Ye gods. I did not intend to be an outlier here, but I didn't really enjoy this book that much, and my rating of a scant three stars is a reflection of that. Based strictly on personal preference. The lovely prose noted in a great many of the reviews that have been posted is definitely there, as is the heartache, displacement, and 'cruelty of ignorance'. Guess I'm not much of a nature girl (make that crone). Nor am I a mother. Made it more difficult to relate, I suppose. I did like the title of the book and the way in which it figures into the story.
April 15, 2023
Go As a River by Shelley Read is a debut novel following the life of Victoria, a woman living on a peach farm in Colorado 1950s.
Of the many 5 star reviews this has so far received, I am a bit of an outlier because unfortunately this book didn't land for me. My biggest issue was that the writing style had hardly any dialogue and had a focus on the setting. This is only a problem because of my preference for plenty of dialogue and minimal descriptions of the setting.
This story is told in the first person and for me, this didn't work as I found Victoria to be quite dull. There were some one dimensional characters that I think couldve come alive if we'd been given the opportunity to inhabit their perspectives specifically Wilson and Ruby-Alice. Both of these characters exist on the fringes of society and yet they have very little agency in this story which is a shame, because they were the most interesting to me.
The inner life of Victoria felt lacking to me, and so her character didn't feel all that real or fleshed out. Often the events of the story are so front of mind for Victoria that space wasn't given for much of her reflections. There is a particular passage where Victoria tells us she is thinking about specific events, but she never actually says what she thinks, which was a missed opportunity.
My reading experience with this was not great overall, and because I was frequently bored, I had more time be critical of elements of the book. Having said that, my favourite part was towards the end in a series of letters, which I found very engaging, I just wish this element was introduced earlier and played a bigger role in the book as the middle was very stagnant.
I think if you enjoy books that have a strong focus on setting, and appreciate themes of motherhood, isolation and the natural world this would 100% be your cup of tea, but it wasn't mine.
CWs for racism including lynching and ableism
Note: A copy was sent to me by the publisher to review.
Of the many 5 star reviews this has so far received, I am a bit of an outlier because unfortunately this book didn't land for me. My biggest issue was that the writing style had hardly any dialogue and had a focus on the setting. This is only a problem because of my preference for plenty of dialogue and minimal descriptions of the setting.
This story is told in the first person and for me, this didn't work as I found Victoria to be quite dull. There were some one dimensional characters that I think couldve come alive if we'd been given the opportunity to inhabit their perspectives specifically Wilson and Ruby-Alice. Both of these characters exist on the fringes of society and yet they have very little agency in this story which is a shame, because they were the most interesting to me.
The inner life of Victoria felt lacking to me, and so her character didn't feel all that real or fleshed out. Often the events of the story are so front of mind for Victoria that space wasn't given for much of her reflections. There is a particular passage where Victoria tells us she is thinking about specific events, but she never actually says what she thinks, which was a missed opportunity.
My reading experience with this was not great overall, and because I was frequently bored, I had more time be critical of elements of the book. Having said that, my favourite part was towards the end in a series of letters, which I found very engaging, I just wish this element was introduced earlier and played a bigger role in the book as the middle was very stagnant.
I think if you enjoy books that have a strong focus on setting, and appreciate themes of motherhood, isolation and the natural world this would 100% be your cup of tea, but it wasn't mine.
CWs for racism including lynching and ableism
Note: A copy was sent to me by the publisher to review.
February 28, 2023
'Just as a single rainstorm can erode the bank and change the course of a river, so can a single circumstance of a girl's life erase who she was before'.
Life for Victoria Nash, growing up on a peach farm in rural Colorado is pretty ordinary. Left motherless at 12 years of age, she quietly stepped into her shoes; fulfilling the role of homemaker without having had time to be taught it. One day, a chance encounter with a stranger, Wil Moon, and her life is changed; simultaneously doors are opened and they are shut, 'But it is often the small fateful twist that can alter our lives more profoundly...' No longer satisfied with life as she has lived it, she realises her life was a stagnate pond of preconceived ideas and judgments, and heeds Wil's advice to 'go as a river': to keep moving, wash over obstacles, change course if forced to, and repulse against the banks which define and shape you.
'Go as a River' is a beautiful coming of age story. We follow Victoria's journey from a motherless, aimless teenager to a strong, self-sufficient woman who has known sacrifice and hardship but has found the inner strength to move on and do better. Shelley Read has a lovely way with words and has somehow managed to relate a story that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I was so invested in Victoria's journey, that I would have appreciated an epilogue to see how the rest of her life turned out. Nevertheless, reading this story will give you pause for thought and reflection upon your own life choices.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Life for Victoria Nash, growing up on a peach farm in rural Colorado is pretty ordinary. Left motherless at 12 years of age, she quietly stepped into her shoes; fulfilling the role of homemaker without having had time to be taught it. One day, a chance encounter with a stranger, Wil Moon, and her life is changed; simultaneously doors are opened and they are shut, 'But it is often the small fateful twist that can alter our lives more profoundly...' No longer satisfied with life as she has lived it, she realises her life was a stagnate pond of preconceived ideas and judgments, and heeds Wil's advice to 'go as a river': to keep moving, wash over obstacles, change course if forced to, and repulse against the banks which define and shape you.
'Go as a River' is a beautiful coming of age story. We follow Victoria's journey from a motherless, aimless teenager to a strong, self-sufficient woman who has known sacrifice and hardship but has found the inner strength to move on and do better. Shelley Read has a lovely way with words and has somehow managed to relate a story that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I was so invested in Victoria's journey, that I would have appreciated an epilogue to see how the rest of her life turned out. Nevertheless, reading this story will give you pause for thought and reflection upon your own life choices.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to read and review this book.
April 18, 2023
’I am peaches in September
And corn from a roadside stall
I'm the language of the natives
I'm a cadence and a drawl.
I'm the pines behind the graveyard
And the cool beneath their shade
Where the boys have left their beer cans
I am weeds between the graves.’
--I Am a Town by Mary Chapin Carpenter
Set in 1948 as this story begins, in a small town in Colorado, this is a quietly lovely debut novel of first love, intolerance, family, and loss. Loss of people, but also of the place you once called home.
Victoria is somewhat of a loner. Her mother died when she was approaching her teen years, leaving her to take over the chores her mother used to do, as well as help with the farm alongside her brothers. Their uncle, who lives with them, was injured in the war and spends his days in a wheelchair. Since her mother died, she is expected to take over her chores, cleaning the house, washing their clothes, cleaning out the coops and the garden.
The small town of Iola is a town that will soon no longer exist. Soon, it will be flooded to create a Reservoir if the powers that be have their way.
It is 1948 the year a stranger comes to town, the year that Victoria Nash is 17, a young man who is charmed by her, and while she has never been one to yearn for a boy. Still, she is curious.
This is the kind of place where almost everyone knows everyone else, and rumours spread quickly. So when someone from out of town arrives it is noticed. When it is someone who arrives from out of town and the colour of their skin is different, they are not welcomed.
’The stranger’s eyes were as dark and shiny as a raven’s wing. And kind—that is what I remember most about those eyes from that first glimpse until the final gaze—-a gentleness that seemed to fountain from his center and spill out like an overflowing well.’
This is a love story, a story of the love you have for the place you call home, a love of a way of life that grounds you, and a love of nature. A love of family. A story of first love. This is also a story of the heartbreak of loss, the loss of the place you used to call home, the loss of friends, of family. The loss of your hopes and dreams for the future. The heartbreaking loss of a decision that changes the lives of the people involved.
An impressive, lovely debut.
March 14, 2023
Victoria Nash is only twelve when her mother passes away, she becomes the homemaker for her father, brother Seth a troublemaker and uncle Ogden. They live near a little town called Iola, in Colorado, her family own a farm and orchard. Nash peaches are the best, big and juicy and they have a roadside stall and people drive for miles to buy their fruit.
Wilson Moon is a handsome young drifter, he arrives in Iola and he’s quickly chased out of town. Wil is an American Indian, he was taken away from his parents as a toddler and he has no idea what tribe he belongs to. It was hard for Torie growing up without a mother, she had no one to explain womanly things to her and she’s now seventeen. Wil and Torie meet each other on a street in Iola, two lost and lonely souls, they see each other in secret and fall in love, until Wil disappears.
Torie makes plans to hide in the mountains, she secretly starts gathering supplies and storing food to take with her. Torie stays in a deserted hunters shack and it’s much harder to survive in the wilderness than she anticipated, Torie has to make a difficult choice and a very distressing one. Torie returns home, she discovers the government is talking about buying land in Iola, and two nearby towns, and to build the Blue Mesa Reservoir. Anything left behind could be auctioned off or burnt and then entire valley would be submerged under water.
I received a copy of Go as a River by Shelley Read from NetGalley and Random House UK in exchange for an honest review. Inspired by the real story of a reservoir being built in Colorado during the 1960’s and Ms. Read has created a phenomenal debut novel. I can’t believe this is the authors first book, the amazing narrative has as many twists and turns as a mighty Gunnison River and it’s tributaries. A historical saga spanning decades and it's about a young woman's ability to overcome difficult and challenging times and adversity. Tories meaningful friendships with characters Ruby-Alice and Zelda who provided help and guidance when she really needed it. Torie never gave up, she remained humble and always grateful. Five stars from me, the ultimate coming of age story, a captivating and hope filled one.
Wilson Moon is a handsome young drifter, he arrives in Iola and he’s quickly chased out of town. Wil is an American Indian, he was taken away from his parents as a toddler and he has no idea what tribe he belongs to. It was hard for Torie growing up without a mother, she had no one to explain womanly things to her and she’s now seventeen. Wil and Torie meet each other on a street in Iola, two lost and lonely souls, they see each other in secret and fall in love, until Wil disappears.
Torie makes plans to hide in the mountains, she secretly starts gathering supplies and storing food to take with her. Torie stays in a deserted hunters shack and it’s much harder to survive in the wilderness than she anticipated, Torie has to make a difficult choice and a very distressing one. Torie returns home, she discovers the government is talking about buying land in Iola, and two nearby towns, and to build the Blue Mesa Reservoir. Anything left behind could be auctioned off or burnt and then entire valley would be submerged under water.
I received a copy of Go as a River by Shelley Read from NetGalley and Random House UK in exchange for an honest review. Inspired by the real story of a reservoir being built in Colorado during the 1960’s and Ms. Read has created a phenomenal debut novel. I can’t believe this is the authors first book, the amazing narrative has as many twists and turns as a mighty Gunnison River and it’s tributaries. A historical saga spanning decades and it's about a young woman's ability to overcome difficult and challenging times and adversity. Tories meaningful friendships with characters Ruby-Alice and Zelda who provided help and guidance when she really needed it. Torie never gave up, she remained humble and always grateful. Five stars from me, the ultimate coming of age story, a captivating and hope filled one.
August 13, 2023
Fabulous!
I will never look at a peach the same again!
A young woman is growing up in the hardened Nash family. Victoria Nash, the daughter has lost her mother and the only feminine influence in her life. She is a dutiful daughter, (a slave really) to her harsh father and brother, Seth.
One morning heading into town, a rural Colorado town, she encounters a young man, Wil Moon and there is something between them immediately She knows she shouldn't, but the pull and spark between them ignites a love story that follows. Wil is an Indian young man, one who is shunned by the townspeople as well as her family. However, Victoria is determined to follow her dreams that most include Wil. Meeting in secret, the inevitable happens and Victoria has to run away helped along by a kindly old lady, a town pariah especially when Victoria loses the one person who provided happiness and love to her with her own brother being one of the responsible parties.
Go As A River, something told to her by Wil, determines Victoria's life as she and the river ebb an flow hitting rocks and stones along the way. In a desperate act of love, Victoria gives up the very thing left to her.
The story follows forty years in Victoria's sad but resolute life. She is a most admirable figure with staunch resolve to carry forward wherever life like the river leads her. This is a powerful story, the author's first, that reveals fortitude, couage, and an overpowering love.
Definitely recommend this story!
I will never look at a peach the same again!
A young woman is growing up in the hardened Nash family. Victoria Nash, the daughter has lost her mother and the only feminine influence in her life. She is a dutiful daughter, (a slave really) to her harsh father and brother, Seth.
One morning heading into town, a rural Colorado town, she encounters a young man, Wil Moon and there is something between them immediately She knows she shouldn't, but the pull and spark between them ignites a love story that follows. Wil is an Indian young man, one who is shunned by the townspeople as well as her family. However, Victoria is determined to follow her dreams that most include Wil. Meeting in secret, the inevitable happens and Victoria has to run away helped along by a kindly old lady, a town pariah especially when Victoria loses the one person who provided happiness and love to her with her own brother being one of the responsible parties.
Go As A River, something told to her by Wil, determines Victoria's life as she and the river ebb an flow hitting rocks and stones along the way. In a desperate act of love, Victoria gives up the very thing left to her.
The story follows forty years in Victoria's sad but resolute life. She is a most admirable figure with staunch resolve to carry forward wherever life like the river leads her. This is a powerful story, the author's first, that reveals fortitude, couage, and an overpowering love.
Definitely recommend this story!
May 16, 2024
Shelley Read you are a great author. I really enjoyed your great book. I can’t put into words how stunning this book is. You can picture the mountains, taste the peaches and feel the attraction between Victoria and Wilson. The story is so beautiful and equally so heartbreaking. I’ve read a good few books this year but this one has to be at the top, I feel it will be the book to read in 2023 and a worthy best seller. I highly recommend this book.
April 22, 2023
Audiobook….read by Cynthia Farrell
….9 hours and 58 minutes
“Go as the River” …. a lovely historical fiction debut…spanning thirty years….(the 1940’s to 1970’s)….
written in first person,
literally, figuratively and *lyrically* flows like a river….
The Colorado setting near the Gunnison River was gorgeous.
We meet seventeen year old Victoria Nash (Torie). She lives in Iolo, Colorado on a Peach Farm. (They are known for having the most delicious peaches throughout the state).
Her mother died years ago.
Torie lives with her abusive father, an insulting contemptuous vile brother, and disabled Uncle.
While in town one day, Torie meets a ‘stranger’ ….a drifter….named Wilson Moon.
Within minutes they are walking together holding hands.
We follow decades of Victoria’s life. With horrific devastating tragedies…we take part in experiencing the ways she undergoes great misfortunes …. many obstacles to overcome….
with strength and resilience.
My only criticism is
I felt there was a little too much religious narrative….
but overall Shelley Read wrote a marvelous-heartfelt-affecting story.
A new author to watch!!!
Cynthia Farrell was an outstanding audio voice in the way that only the best of readers can do —
allowing us-listeners to lose ourselves in the story….rather than causing distract-drift-offs.
In other words - she gave this story life and held our attention from beginning to end.
4.5 stars rating up.
….9 hours and 58 minutes
“Go as the River” …. a lovely historical fiction debut…spanning thirty years….(the 1940’s to 1970’s)….
written in first person,
literally, figuratively and *lyrically* flows like a river….
The Colorado setting near the Gunnison River was gorgeous.
We meet seventeen year old Victoria Nash (Torie). She lives in Iolo, Colorado on a Peach Farm. (They are known for having the most delicious peaches throughout the state).
Her mother died years ago.
Torie lives with her abusive father, an insulting contemptuous vile brother, and disabled Uncle.
While in town one day, Torie meets a ‘stranger’ ….a drifter….named Wilson Moon.
Within minutes they are walking together holding hands.
We follow decades of Victoria’s life. With horrific devastating tragedies…we take part in experiencing the ways she undergoes great misfortunes …. many obstacles to overcome….
with strength and resilience.
My only criticism is
I felt there was a little too much religious narrative….
but overall Shelley Read wrote a marvelous-heartfelt-affecting story.
A new author to watch!!!
Cynthia Farrell was an outstanding audio voice in the way that only the best of readers can do —
allowing us-listeners to lose ourselves in the story….rather than causing distract-drift-offs.
In other words - she gave this story life and held our attention from beginning to end.
4.5 stars rating up.
January 2, 2024
overall enjoyed the writing and story, but the brutal death of a one-dimensional indigenous american man who is mostly used as an early plot device (for a white woman’s character growth), and for sex by the main character, is in such poor taste.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2023
Gorgeous writing - beyond gorgeous. As I read other reviews, I see I’m in the minority. Although I loved the writing and the concept for the plot, I felt the pacing was off. Some areas felt slow and drawn out while the last 1/3 felt incredibly rushed. A few of the relationships, to me, seemed missing details or more information to make them full and whole. Enjoy this one for the writing - what a gift this author has. I felt like I could see the town, smell the peaches as they ripened, and hear the men come through the door for breakfast. Stunning writing.
March 9, 2023
All the stars!!! 🤩🤩🤩
Absolutely loved this slow burn story of Victoria and the gradual unfolding of her life. What’s beautiful story of friendships, especially female friendships. This one felt extra special because the author is local and it was enjoyable to learn more about Colorado. Oh man I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time!!!
That ending!! 🥹🥹🥹
Absolutely loved this slow burn story of Victoria and the gradual unfolding of her life. What’s beautiful story of friendships, especially female friendships. This one felt extra special because the author is local and it was enjoyable to learn more about Colorado. Oh man I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time!!!
That ending!! 🥹🥹🥹
May 8, 2024
Okay, I thought this was a good story, not great. There’s an ocean of 5-star reviews out there, I think my 3.5 stars (which is alright) is a bit of an outlier.
The writing was excellent. However, the story moved a tad slow for me. Yeah, I know it’s not Mad Max 3, but parts fell into a bit of a hole for this reader. I started thinking about what to cook for lunch.
There’s important themes here of racism, intolerance, unimaginable loss, and unpleasant family dynamics.
There’s also lots of delicious peaches bouncing around – so I was constantly salivating. More than usual.
I do think this story was a little predictable too. BUT, there was enough to keep me interested, I did like Victoria, the main character, which helped. I wanted the best for her, as she had a tough life.
3.5 stars, ratcheted up to 4.
The writing was excellent. However, the story moved a tad slow for me. Yeah, I know it’s not Mad Max 3, but parts fell into a bit of a hole for this reader. I started thinking about what to cook for lunch.
There’s important themes here of racism, intolerance, unimaginable loss, and unpleasant family dynamics.
There’s also lots of delicious peaches bouncing around – so I was constantly salivating. More than usual.
I do think this story was a little predictable too. BUT, there was enough to keep me interested, I did like Victoria, the main character, which helped. I wanted the best for her, as she had a tough life.
3.5 stars, ratcheted up to 4.
April 19, 2023
Punctaj maxim pentru că m-a bușit plânsul ascultând-o, și efectiv nu mai țin minte ultima dată când o carte m-a făcut să plâng! Este un roman foarte frumos scris, cu o proză muzicală, plasat într-un decor natural care îți taie răsuflarea, iar pe deasupra povestea este incredibil de emoționantă mai ales dacă ești femeie. Da, nu-mi vine să cred că o zic, dar e un roman care atinge într-un loc sensibil cititoarele, și chiar cred că femeile pot relaționa la un nivel mult mai intim cu povestea de aici decât ar putea-o face bărbații. Ce mai, mi-a plăcut foarte mult, și recomand din tot sufletul versiunea audio de pe Voxa, sunt sigură că mi-a transformat experiența lecturii acestei cărți într-un memorabilă. E un roman care se simte, se trăiește cu tot sufletul, și cred că așa trebuie parcurs. O recenzie detaliată în curând pe https://www.youtube.com/@Bookinista08. Cartea poate fi găsită la editura Litera: https://bit.ly/3GZ2zhc
July 2, 2023
Go as a River was a debut historical fiction novel by Shelley Read. What do I say? I am definitely an outlier as I was not as drawn to the writing as most. I most certainly was not the reader for this book but the allure of Colorado won out, and hence, I read Go as a River. This is a story about the Blue Mesa Reservoir and the homes and communities that were lost with its creation.
It is the mid-century in Colorado in the town of Iola, and teenager Victoria Nash is running the household on her family's peach farm that had been planted by her grandfather. Victoria is the only surviving female in her family, losing her mother and aunt in a tragic accident many years earlier. Living with her father and brother Seth, she keeps the household running smoothly. On a trip into town, she meets a drifter with a mysterious past and from the Four Corners area, Wilson Moon. Immediately drawn to one another, a series of events is put into motion that no one is able to control. This is a book of love and loss and finding one's place.
And if I may add a personal note, probably more the responsibility of the editors, but as a lifelong resident of Colorado and New Mexico, Canon City appeared as Canyon City while pinon was pinyon. Not the Colorado way.
"A history-book version of the creation of the Blue Mesa Reservoir might portray the project as heroic, part of the grand vision to carry precious water from the Colorado River's tributaries to the arid Southwest. Good intentions may have plugged the once wild Gunnison River and forced it to be a lake, but I know a different story."
"The landscape of our youths create us, and we carry them within us, storied by all they gave and stole, in who we become."
It is the mid-century in Colorado in the town of Iola, and teenager Victoria Nash is running the household on her family's peach farm that had been planted by her grandfather. Victoria is the only surviving female in her family, losing her mother and aunt in a tragic accident many years earlier. Living with her father and brother Seth, she keeps the household running smoothly. On a trip into town, she meets a drifter with a mysterious past and from the Four Corners area, Wilson Moon. Immediately drawn to one another, a series of events is put into motion that no one is able to control. This is a book of love and loss and finding one's place.
And if I may add a personal note, probably more the responsibility of the editors, but as a lifelong resident of Colorado and New Mexico, Canon City appeared as Canyon City while pinon was pinyon. Not the Colorado way.
February 1, 2024
When do I learn? This was recommended to me by a very close friend who absolutely loved it. I knew it wasn’t likely to be my style, but I wanted to share this with her. I cannot do it. 86 pages in and I am out. Second DNF this year already and I am pledging to myself that if I am not interested in a book for my own reasons I will just pass.
My sincere apologies to all my wonderful GR friends who loved this book and rated it 5-stars. It is likely just me. Just got a Kate Morton from the wait list at the library…off to read it.
My sincere apologies to all my wonderful GR friends who loved this book and rated it 5-stars. It is likely just me. Just got a Kate Morton from the wait list at the library…off to read it.
January 9, 2024
Victoria (Torie) is a seventeen-year-old woman living on a peach farm in Colorado with her father, brother, and disabled uncle. Torie’s mother died many years ago and Torie has had to take on the care and housekeeping of her family. While walking into town one day, Torie meets up with a young man who will change everything for her. Wilson Moon is a drifter and Native American who seems to see Torie for the beautiful young woman she is, something she has never considered. Wilson is not welcome in town and their time together is both precious and short.
A stirring tale of love and loss, hardship and resilience, the novel is a tribute to the natural world and how one can learn from it. Based on a true story of a Colorado town that was flooded for a dam project, Victoria and her fellow townspeople must also come to terms with the loss of their homes and way of life. Torie, now Victoria, must find a way forward as a river does, flowing around all obstacles. Gorgeous descriptions of nature and a fascinating historical setting make this a wonderful read. – Jennifer C.
A stirring tale of love and loss, hardship and resilience, the novel is a tribute to the natural world and how one can learn from it. Based on a true story of a Colorado town that was flooded for a dam project, Victoria and her fellow townspeople must also come to terms with the loss of their homes and way of life. Torie, now Victoria, must find a way forward as a river does, flowing around all obstacles. Gorgeous descriptions of nature and a fascinating historical setting make this a wonderful read. – Jennifer C.
January 29, 2024
I had high hopes for this one given all the love it has received, but I don't think I'm the target audience for this. There's some pretty writing, but the pacing is SO strange and it relies on its reader's emotional investment to do far too much labor in remaining interested in the story following huge jumps in time. A strange reading experience for me overall.
August 23, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
An absolutely amazing heartwarming, heartbreaking and extremely inspiring story!
An absolutely amazing heartwarming, heartbreaking and extremely inspiring story!
April 10, 2023
When I heard about Go As A River and it’s comparisons to Where The Crawdads Sing, I was keen to give it a go. Not my usual genres, but it is nice to mix it up every now and then. So many of my trusted reviewer friends loved this book and now I can see why.
This is an historical fiction book, told over 4 decades of the life of Victoria Nash. We first meet her when she is 17 years old and running the family household after the death of her mother. Now the only female, she is expected to cook, clean and look after her male relatives while they work the family peach farm. A chance meeting with one Wilson Moon, a young stranger who doesn’t fit in, will change both their lives forever.
This book is so beautifully written. The landscape is a major part of the storyline and Is described in intricate detail. Victoria is a force to be reckoned with. She grew up in a time when women had less rights,and were just expected to keep house. She is brave and stronger than even she believes. It will make you cry, it will make you angry. There is blatant discrimination and racism in this story, which is true to the time.
A stunning coming of age story that made this crime loving reader melt just a little bit.
Thanks to Penguin Books Australia for sending me a copy of this book that I might not have read otherwise. Out now and absolutely worth a read.
This is an historical fiction book, told over 4 decades of the life of Victoria Nash. We first meet her when she is 17 years old and running the family household after the death of her mother. Now the only female, she is expected to cook, clean and look after her male relatives while they work the family peach farm. A chance meeting with one Wilson Moon, a young stranger who doesn’t fit in, will change both their lives forever.
This book is so beautifully written. The landscape is a major part of the storyline and Is described in intricate detail. Victoria is a force to be reckoned with. She grew up in a time when women had less rights,and were just expected to keep house. She is brave and stronger than even she believes. It will make you cry, it will make you angry. There is blatant discrimination and racism in this story, which is true to the time.
A stunning coming of age story that made this crime loving reader melt just a little bit.
Thanks to Penguin Books Australia for sending me a copy of this book that I might not have read otherwise. Out now and absolutely worth a read.
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