ABOUT THE BOOK
Seventeen-year-old Victoria Nash runs the household on her family’s peach farm in the small ranch town of Iola, Colorado—the sole surviving female in a family of troubled men. Wilson Moon is a young drifter with a mysterious past, displaced from his tribal land but determined to live as he chooses.
Victoria’s chance encounter with Wil on a street corner profoundly alters both of their young lives, igniting as much passion as danger. When tragedy strikes, Victoria leaves the only life she has ever known, fleeing into the nearby mountains. Taking shelter in a small hut, she struggles to survive in the wilderness, with no clear notion of what her future will be. As the seasons change, she also charts the changes in herself, finding in the natural world the strength and meaning that set her on a quest to regain all that she has lost, even as the Gunnison River rises to submerge her homeland—its ranches, farms, and the beloved peach orchard that has been in her family for generations.
Inspired by true events surrounding the destruction of the town of Iola in the 1960s, Go as a River is a story of deeply held love in the midst of hardship and loss, but also of finding courage, resilience, friendship, and finally, home—where least expected. This stunning debut explores what it means to lead your life as if it were a river—gathering and flowing, finding a way forward even when the river is dammed.
| Length | 9 hours and 58 minutes |
|---|---|
| Author | Shelley Read |
| Narrator | Cynthia Farrell |
| Audible.com Release Date | February 28, 2023 |
| Publisher | Spiegel & Grau by OrangeSky Audio |
This is a debut novel that I was excited to listen to. And of course, with an audiobook, the narrator can enhance or absolutely ruin the experience. In this case, Cynthia Farrell did an incredible job of bringing the story to life.
I’m not sure whether I was distracted when I started the story, but as it began I wasn’t sure it was going to be a favorite. However, it didn’t take long for me to be drawn into the story and correct that thought.
The story revolves around the life of 17-year-old Victoria Nash. When her mother died Victoria stepped into the role of cook and housekeeper for her dad, a peach farmer, an uncle confined to a wheelchair due to war injuries, and a brother who is a challenging problem. She, herself, is challenged to a thankless life.
Not surprisingly when she meets a man who catches her eye and treats her with kindness her attention is focused in that direction. At the time, she has no idea where this new attraction will take her.
This is a story that reminded me of Kristin Hannah’s wonderful writing. It was touching, and detailed Colorado’s wilderness in such a way that it was easy to imagine.
My Concerns
As I mentioned earlier, I think it was probably the fact that I was distracted as I started listening, but the first of the story didn’t grab me.
Final Thoughts
I highly recommend this audiobook and debut author. The time span of the 1940s to the 1970s covers a touching story that is sure to stick with you long after you finish the book.
My thanks to NetGalley and Orange Sky Audio for the ability to listen to this early-release audiobook.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shelley Read is a fifth generation Coloradoan who lives with her family in the Elk Mountains of the Western Slope. She was a Senior Lecturer at Western Colorado University for nearly three decades, where she taught writing, literature, environmental studies, and Honors, and was a founder of the Environment & Sustainability major and a support program for first-generation and 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. She is a regular contributor to Crested Butte Magazine and Gunnison Valley Journal, and has written for the Denver Post and a variety of publications. Go as a River, her first novel, is inspired by the landscape she comes from and will be published in over twenty-five territories.
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