Saints At The River

by Ron Rash

This was a beautiful novel. I had no idea what this book was about, but picked it up from the library for my Virtual Discussion Group on a bulletin board I frequent. I was not disappointed. Ron Rash has a fantastic knack for portraying emotion. From the very first page I was sucked in, and I clearly felt the emotions of each and every person this story touched. It was wonderful.

The book begins with a 12 year old girl drowning in a protected river, and the ensuing story is a very emotional one for all involved. The girl's body becomes trapped in a pool, and after three weeks, divers still can't pull her out. The parents of the girl want to hire a man to build a temporary dam so the girls body can be put to rest. The local river-folk want their protected river to stay protected, and claim that allowing such an activity will set a precedence that will lead to the eventual destruction of their beloved river.

Enter Maggie. Maggie grew up in this rural Carolina town and is sent to cover the story as a photographer for her newspaper. When Maggie left this town years ago, it was with the intent of never returning. As she covers the story for her paper, she uncovers her own story and learns that running away from the past isn't always the answer.

The turn of every single page is wrought with emotion. This spectacular novel is a pretty quick read and doesn't disappoint. The conclusion is unexpected and every loose end is nicely tied up with an ending that leaves the reader fully satisfied. This book held me with every word, and is one of those stories that I am so glad to have read. I'm looking forward to seeing more from Ron Rash.