Peace Like a River

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Summary: Peace comes more easily after reading this book
Review: If you have ever lost a loved one to death, then this book is right for you. We all have ideas of how our loved ones "go on to Heaven", but this book gives us a heart wrenching mind trip on the process like no other book before it. Peace Like A River brings the reader to a moment that is so incredibly beautiful we can only hope our departed ones did indeed "go that way". This special part of the book bathes the reader in the peace of the river of life on earth and life beyond. My father was so moved by this book he purchased one for each family member after my mother died. His misery was lifted and he was a new person. The book gave him and then us comfort beyond our expectations.

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Summary: Wow, what a novel novel!
Review: If you enjoy books with great character development and a wonderfully unpredictable story line, then you MUST read Peace Like A River. I have been recommending this to everyone and both men and women love it! This is destined to be made into a movie, but definitely read the book first!!!

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Summary: The Minnesota "tall tale" gets a modern twist....
Review: Leif Enger becomes a lightning rod for praise and blame in "Peace Like A River". Judging just from the reviews on this site, you can either wax rhapsodic about his tale, or just view it as contemporary claptrap.

Leif Enger, in his first novel, couldn't be more Minnesotan. Raised on Minnesota farm, he lives as an adult on a farm in a quintessential small town of the hinterland, with his wife and children. For most of his adult career, prior to the release of "Peace Like a River" he worked for Minnesota Public Radio (which also begat Garrison Keillor). Like Keillor, Enger looks for beauty in the simple way of life around him, and roots it in the family. But other comparisons do no justice to either man. So, too, has Enger's novel been compared to "To Kill a Mockingbird", mostly because the narration is through the eyes of a child, who is telling the story as an adult. Symbolism and the discovery of one's parents' true nature are themes for Enger, as much as they were for Lee.

But Enger does strike out into new territory with "Peace Like a River" -- he captures the charm and folk wisdom of the Minnesota "tall tale", and sets it in a relatively contemporary setting - 1962 in the heartland. More successful at weaving Christian mysticism and the appearance of miracles into his narrative than say, contemporary writers such as Dean Koontz, Leif Enger brings a true talent for rich prose and unsettling questions to his tale.

Synopsis of the plot:

Born an asthmatic, Reuben Land's first miraculous event was finally beginning to breathe after several minutes of stillness, when his father, Jeremiah, orders him to breathe in the name of the living God. Reuben is raised by his father, with older brother Davy and younger sister Swede. Abandoned at a young age by their mother, Reuben and his siblings grow up in a way that many children who feel abandoned do - they develop skills and thoughts far more mature than is normal for their age. In this family, most of the precociousness is drawn in 9-year old Swede, who commands language and vocabulary far above that of most adults. Swede's interest in all things western form the story's backdrop, as she writes lyric poetry with a larger than life character, Sunny Sundown.

From Reuben's point of view, his early life, is as a spectator, watching his dad perform miracles and overturn the laws of nature. It is left to the reader to divine whether the miracles do occur, or are just what they are in the viewpoint of a small boy who witnesses over and over how Jeremiah pulls his family together with faith and love.

In a search for Reuben's older brother, Jeremiah confronts obstacles and seemingly performs feats which make the obstacles disappear. Are they really miracles, or do they feel as such to a scared, eleven year-old boy? It is evident that Jeremiah's strong belief in God and his ability to connect to God to protect and provide for his family are the driving force behind the Land family's ability to find Davy, and to find comfort in the circle of a woman named Roxanna. In the tale, Enger also draws a villain named 'Jape', like Koontz's villains, almost a caricature of Satan. What comes to prevent the most tragic of fates, and lends a remarkable conclusion to the tale, is best left to the reader to pursue.

Enger adds rich texture to the tale by the quality of his prose. He can invoke memories from me of the land and the beauty and fear of a child when coming of age. His faith is simple and strong, and from it he envisions the miracles that Jeremiah performs to keep his family together. Forces of nature (blizzards, fires) conspire to give you the feeling that you are truly being transported to the wild west, a land where people need to come to terms with how to live around what nature puts in their path.

And, like Harper Lee, Enger is able to get inside the mind of a child, and put forth a child's vision and wishes into contemporary terms as they focus their desires through toys and activities. Less of an adventure story than a tale to reinforce the value of a strong family, I think Enger's novel is somewhat miraculous in and of itself, a surprising journey into emotions you felt as a child, and have since forgotten.

It feels as though there is at least some of the autobiographical in Enger's novel. Read it, delight in it!

Rating:
Summary: Remarkable First Novel
Review: I was captivated and transformed by this magical story, much to my complete surprise. I do not like hunting, but in the context of this story it was understandable and thought provoking. I loved the Wild West poetry, and the characters really came alive for me. Hard to put it down until you can find out how it concludes. I enjoyed it immensely, and look forward to Leif Enger's next achievement.

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Summary: This is a world you dearly want to enter
Review: I read this book in Mongolia, and it didn't matter. I was instantly transported to a fascinating time and place by a brilliant writer. This one has stayed with me--the characters, the story, the setting, the mood are that good. Everyone I've given it to has loved it, and I've given it a lot.

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Summary: What's the big deal?
Review: I finished this book last night and was so utterly disappointed I wanted to scream. Perhaps Enger is a marvelous writer, perhaps his literary skills are maginficent, but the story really bites. I was so disturbed by the appearance of "the villian" (Jape) and the fact that he is still lurking around in society after shooting up this family and their home. And I could hardly believe that anyone could be excited for the love story that transpires at the end. I mean come on, what do we know about this girl and why should we like her? I spend a lot of time reading this book that should have been spent doing other things and it's all because of the hype surrounding the book. I thought for sure at the end the book would be redeemed and I would agree with the masses, but I guess I'm going to have to stop trusting popular opinion. Ughh.

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Summary: Testimony to the breadth and goodness of the human spirit
Review: It was a surprise, how much I liked the book - for quite a variety of reasons, - it's terse phrasing,, somewhat engaging storyline, the wisdom nestled somewhere in between the lines, never too overt, but there nonetheless. It is a wholesome testimony to the breadth and goodness of the human spirit.

I thought the characters, some phrases etc were quite poetic - in fact this book in great parts was quite poetic. It is refreshing in its approach, in its integrity to the Midwestern way of life and thought, and in how it captures what religion and faith truly are.

The story itself is fascinating and well-written. The moral questions raised are handled very well and not simplistically. The super-natural aspects could have been unbelievable had they not been handled so well. But I was hooked from the first page and found that somehow I totally believed in this family. The writing was simple, yet the themes complex. It takes a talented author to accomplish this. It was gripping reading. Had I not had Neel to look after and several chores to finish, I would have finished this book in a single read.

The book actually reads with such lilting beauty that I often found myself gasping at the sheer gracefulness of his prose. Reuben, Davy, Swede and Dad Land often reminded me of Atticus, Gem Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird with their devotion to one another despite their imperfections. Think about that and let me know what you think of the comparison - I will be interested. This is a graceful, stirring first novel, ( I think the back flap said it was a first novel - but I might be wrong). I did find several echoes of To Kill a Mockingbird and classic Americana at its heart. Eleven-year-old Reuben Land lives a typically calm existence in a small Midwestern town; beyond having an extraordinary father (who performs quiet miracles), he's a pretty average boy. When two neighbourhood bullies threaten his older brother, Davy, and his younger sister, Swede, life takes on a dark edge. The conflict escalates after Davy shoots the two boys dead, is in jail awaiting trial and escapes. Enger's characters are exceptionally strong, and Lowe deftly portrays them: Swede's chutzpah, Reuben's reverence for his family, and their father's magic are all admirably expressed.

I would class it as a modern morality play, exploring the relationships of 'saints' and 'sinners' that interweaves touches of poetry inspired by the best Zane Grey sagas. The author probes the 'gift' of healing-physical, mental, and spiritual-and how it affects both the healer and the healed. The central figures of a father and his 3 very different- and uniquely gifted - children and their reactions to upheaval in their lives are an inspiration.

There are some elements, of course, which I in my incredible cynicism, could not quite grasp or be at one with. For one, the story continually stretched the outer limits of my credulity regarding Jeremiah Land's ability to spontaneously create miracles. I personally do not, as you know, believe in the power of prayer and miracles and in God's grace, so to ask me to believe that our Jeremiah, a religious man and devoted single father of 3 children, walks on thin air (literally), heals an individual's scarred face and repairs a broken horse saddle with a stroke of his hand - is asking too much. Another flaw: The narrative essentially regards Davy as an outlaw guilty of the crime of murder for which he is accused - the media, the people of his town, and law enforcement see him as an evildoer; yet the facts of Davy's case, and the circumstances leading to Davy's act of vengeance, believe this conclusion. Other issues I had with the book: what was the point of Swede's long poem that recurs throughout the book? What was the point of the plodding details of Butch Cassidy's true history? There is also the flaw, I think, in that the story never really resolves itself. Are we to believe that Davvy lives the remainder of his life on the limb, always one step ahead of, and able to outsmart a nation-wide law enforcement network? These lend a lack of credibility, and make this book maybe a bit more of an imaginative piece than I would like.

Nevertheless, this is compelling read, and the characters are intriguing, even though it does at times stretch the imagination a bit - perhaps the author intended it that way.

Rating:
Summary: please read this amazing book!
Review: this is such a wonderful book, that it has been placed in my top 5 favorite books of all time! mr. enger has a gift for creating real and completely lovable characters. the story was moving, uplifting, sad and fascinating. the tone of the story was similar to that of "to kill a mockingbird" which is my favorite book ever. that probably has an influence on my love of "peace like a river." you will enjoy this book and be so moved by its characters and their lifes. please read it!

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Summary: Flirting with my Worst Reads of 2003 list.
Review: Leif Enger, Peace Like a River (Grove, 2001)

Oh, what has happened to Grove Press? The folks that made their name publishing scandalous novels by James Joyce, Henry Miller, William S. Burroughs, and the like publishing what may be the least controversial novel of the last ten years? It hurts my heart, folks, it really does. Please, Grove, stick to what you know.

It wouldn't be so bad if there were more about this piece of smarmy claptrap to like. I haven't decided whether this is a good thing or a bad thing yet (I'm grudgingly leaning towards the former). Enger's writing style allows for long lapses in anything actually happening. Just when I'm ready to throw the book against the wall, however, he perks right back up again and things start going well for a few pages, then it's back into the depths of... well, the void. That's about the only way I can put it.

Reuben Land is an asthmatic eleven-year-old (or, at least, he is in the novel; one of the more amusing things I'm finding about most reviews is that they seem to have skipped over the fact that he WAS an asthmatic eleven-year-old at the time of the novel, but he's telling the story as an adult, which makes the comparisons to To Kill a Mockingbird, Huck Finn, etc. specious at best) with a father who can perform miracles, a sister who's a writing prodigy, and a brother who's your basic teenager in the small-town American Midwest in 1962. After Reuben's father stops two town thugs from raping a girl, they seek revenge on the family. The teenager's reaction to this is what sets up the rest of the novel; it's probably not a spoiler any more, but I won't say anything just in case.

The plotline with Davy (the teenager) is by far the most interesting thing about the novel. When Enger is writing this, his prose rises off the page and compels the reader to keep going. Unfortunately, it's a minor point in the general scheme of things; Enger seems far more interested in writing an episode of Seventh Heaven where the family's father is actually Jesus. Except Seventh Heaven, for all its many many faults, has more wit, more compassion, and less preaching than does Peace Like a River.

I was willing to give this mess two stars, mostly because Enger can write well when he tries, and a couple of his characters are perfectly drawn, but then I got to the ending. Of all the endings I would have projected for this novel, Enger took the most predictable, most syrupy-sweet, most clichéd ending he possibly could, then tried to pass it off and something epic and grandiose. Even if the rest of the book had been perfect, the ending is such a miserable failure that I'd recommend skipping the whole novel, unless you seek out smarminess and predictability.

The purpose of a great novel is to challenge the reader, make the reader think, open the reader's eyes and make the reader look at things from a new perspective. All in all, I can't say I've come across another book this year that fails so miserably in all those capacities as does Peace Like a River. * ½

Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: Without doubt, one of the best books I've read for a long time. The book wraps you in such a wonderful atmosphere that you'll find it hard to put the book down.