Peace Like A River

by Leif Enger

I could not let October pass by without a review. Oh my gosh, so much time has passed since my last review. I just haven't been reading as much, I guess. But still reading, so I have a few reviews to put up. Nothing real hard core or intense.

But this book, Peace Like A River was recommended to me by my sister-in-law. We seem to have similar reading tastes, so when she recommends a book, I always have to read it. :-) This book was just so different than anything else I have read. To be honest, I'm not even sure I liked the story, but it truly drew me in. I laughed with the characters, I cried with the characters, and I completely empathized. Our hero in the story has asthma, and I have never in my life read such an accurate portrayal of what it's like to have asthma. I know what it's like, and I found my lungs tightening up when his did, the imagery was just amazing.

Our story begins with the Land family. We have father Jeremiah, 11-year old Rube (our narrator), older brother Davey, and younger sister Swede- a young poet with a passion for cowboys and a great imagination. The family dynamic here is portrayed so realistically- at times the father almost seems aloof, like he's not sure how to be a father. And everything is told through the eyes of an eleven year old boy, which makes it all the more interesting. Rube finds himself (several times) witness to bona-fide miracles, which somehow circle around his father.

Now I mention the miracles, and I could mention a whole lot more, but I have to say I really don't want to spoil the story for anyone. I wouldn't go so far as to say that this is a Christian book, although the subject of God and heaven do come up, but it isn't preachy in any manner. And really, by the end of the book, you are just left with lots of thought. It gives you something to think on. I can definitely recommend this book- the author writes absolutely beautifully, and I would love to read more by him. This is his first book, and I can only imagine they can get better from here.