Helpful Score: 3
Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
The characters are fairly deep, flawed, and human. The imagery is good. The writing style is readable and fast. The complex plot draws you in. The plot, which could fit equally in the mystery genre and the general fiction genre, draws in elements of racism, Civil Rights, the Vietnam war, a single father trying to raise a daughter (and makes plenty of mistakes), unwed teenaged pregnancy, dysfunctional families, small town life, forgiveness, redemption, and ultimately hope.
The story alternates effortlessly between flashbacks of the 1950's and 60's and the 1980's (the present era for the story). The past tells about the upbringing of Harper and Betsy (his girlfriend and later wife), their flawed parents and friends in a small Vermont town where everyone knows everyone else...or at least, they think they do.
Harper's mother, who feels unfulfilled with her life, involves herself in the Civil Rights movement. She goes down to the Deep South to help bring voting rights and equality to blacks. When she comes home, she is murdered while distributing Civil Rights literature during a race riot.
So, although there are no black people living in Two Rivers, Vermont, the now young adult Harper faces growing resentment for black people in general and for his father who, it seems, is doing nothing to avenge the death of his wife.
Meanwhile, Betsy, who previously refuses marriage because she does not want to end up like her depressed mother who commited suicide, finally intentionally becomes pregnant with Harper's baby and then weds him to help him avoid the Vietnam draft. And then she is killed in a car accident.
All of this grief and resentment leads Harper to become involved in a horrific crime.
Now, twelve years later, Harper, a railroad worker struggling to raise his daughter on his own, takes in a black pregnant teenaged girl who seems to be one of the many victums of a massive train derailment in Two Rivers.
But, who is she really? Her story does not check out.
The characters are fairly deep, flawed, and human. The imagery is good. The writing style is readable and fast. The complex plot draws you in. The plot, which could fit equally in the mystery genre and the general fiction genre, draws in elements of racism, Civil Rights, the Vietnam war, a single father trying to raise a daughter (and makes plenty of mistakes), unwed teenaged pregnancy, dysfunctional families, small town life, forgiveness, redemption, and ultimately hope.
The story alternates effortlessly between flashbacks of the 1950's and 60's and the 1980's (the present era for the story). The past tells about the upbringing of Harper and Betsy (his girlfriend and later wife), their flawed parents and friends in a small Vermont town where everyone knows everyone else...or at least, they think they do.
Harper's mother, who feels unfulfilled with her life, involves herself in the Civil Rights movement. She goes down to the Deep South to help bring voting rights and equality to blacks. When she comes home, she is murdered while distributing Civil Rights literature during a race riot.
So, although there are no black people living in Two Rivers, Vermont, the now young adult Harper faces growing resentment for black people in general and for his father who, it seems, is doing nothing to avenge the death of his wife.
Meanwhile, Betsy, who previously refuses marriage because she does not want to end up like her depressed mother who commited suicide, finally intentionally becomes pregnant with Harper's baby and then weds him to help him avoid the Vietnam draft. And then she is killed in a car accident.
All of this grief and resentment leads Harper to become involved in a horrific crime.
Now, twelve years later, Harper, a railroad worker struggling to raise his daughter on his own, takes in a black pregnant teenaged girl who seems to be one of the many victums of a massive train derailment in Two Rivers.
But, who is she really? Her story does not check out.
Helpful Score: 2
Absolutely terrific! From the train derailment at the beginning of the book, throught the life and love of Harper and Betsy, Harper's terrible secret, and the story of Maggie, a victim of the train wreck, this story is a non-stop adventure through life. I couldn't resist telling everyone I know about this book as the tail progressed. Well, worth reading and reflecting on how turbulent and precious life can be.
Helpful Score: 2
Harper Montgomery, small town man has lived in Two Rivers all his life. He and Betsy his wife, long time sweehearts married in their twenties and were expecting their first child when she died. The daughter survived and he has raised her with the help of some family members. There is also a mystery under the surface that involves Harper, Beener and Ray his high school friends. This secret holds much guilt and anxiety for the three of them. When the story begins, a train derails in Two Rivers and one of the survivors, a pregnant fifteen year old girl seeks out Harper and needs a place to stay. Dispite his misgivings, he does take her in. There is more to this "chance" request than meets the eye.
The story is told in current time and flashbacks, until slowly we are allowed to see exactly how his wife died and how the mystery of the long ago brutal crime between the three friends fits into the story. Also, why the appearance of the pregnant girl is not random.
I felt the story was rather slow and plodding but I did want to find out how it all pulled together in the end. Harper was a frustrating character and much of the story was depressing. It did look in the end like everything had been resolved and his life would move forward from there, yet it didn't satisfy. I would not go out of my way to recommend this book.
The story is told in current time and flashbacks, until slowly we are allowed to see exactly how his wife died and how the mystery of the long ago brutal crime between the three friends fits into the story. Also, why the appearance of the pregnant girl is not random.
I felt the story was rather slow and plodding but I did want to find out how it all pulled together in the end. Harper was a frustrating character and much of the story was depressing. It did look in the end like everything had been resolved and his life would move forward from there, yet it didn't satisfy. I would not go out of my way to recommend this book.
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent book! had a hard time putting it down and getting other things done. Loved it.. would recommend to everyone!one of the best I've read this year1
Helpful Score: 1
Two Rivers is a town, not two rivers. The story takes place in the 60's and progresses through the early 80's. The time period involves young lives effected by the Vietnam war, both male and female as well as the civil rights movement. There is both love and tragedy, death and birth, black and white relationships and more. The characters are developed very well and the story is well paced. In the end, I was left wanting to know what will happen to the characters in the future.
Helpful Score: 1
This book grabbed me right away and kept me intrigued throughout my reading. I liked the way the chapters went back and forth in time and did not find it confusing at all. I would definitely recommend this book and plan on reading others by this author.
Excellent read, I tried to read slowly to savor the story but I couldn't slow down!
Hard to read any books right now with all the racial tension but really an interesting book.
a good read
