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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
I don't read enough books by male authors (and need to change that). I enjoyed this book, had a hard time getting into the grit of things at first, it felt like a lot of information/back story at first. Once I got into it though, I truly cared about Neil and the situation his life was in... caught between loving his wife who would never recover, and getting on with his life, dealing with his grief.
I think as a parent, his reaction was very relatable. We try to shelter our children from our sorrow, but as Neil's relationship with his son Chris shows, our children are more observant than we think!
I also felt the loss of control of Neil's life, so many things thrown at him at once, showing us how easily life can change on a dime. Some decisions Neil made (like how he treated his relationship with Lauren) showed the turmoil of his situation. A good read overall, and I look forward to another book from this new author!
I think as a parent, his reaction was very relatable. We try to shelter our children from our sorrow, but as Neil's relationship with his son Chris shows, our children are more observant than we think!
I also felt the loss of control of Neil's life, so many things thrown at him at once, showing us how easily life can change on a dime. Some decisions Neil made (like how he treated his relationship with Lauren) showed the turmoil of his situation. A good read overall, and I look forward to another book from this new author!
Every good book has a point of no return. It’s when the story becomes so engrossing, when the characters start living and breathing in your imagination, and when you can see their pain as well as your best friend’s longing. Last night I reached the point of no return for The Banks of Certain Rivers by Jon Harrison. It was 1AM, but I kept reading. I could not stop until I was sure that my new friends, the novel’s characters, ached no more. Or ached less.
In The Banks of Certain Rivers, our narrator and protagonist Neil Kazenzakis is trying to return to his normal life after a tragic accident left his wife “profoundly disabled” (according to the book description-I don’t want to give any spoilers about the accident). He’s popular high school physics teacher as well as coach for the girls cross country track team. He’s also secretly seeing his elderly mother-in-law’s home care nurse. On the surface it looks like everything is under control, but slowly Neil’s life starts to unravel. A video of him assaulting a student appears on YouTube and threatens his job, his reputation, and worse yet, his ability to provide care for his wife.
As Harrison introduces each pivotal character in his novel, he offers readers little tidbits of Neil’s past so we can learn how he becomes the person the we currently see.
Read the rest of the review here: http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/book-review-the-banks-of-certain-rivers-by-jon-harrison/
In The Banks of Certain Rivers, our narrator and protagonist Neil Kazenzakis is trying to return to his normal life after a tragic accident left his wife “profoundly disabled” (according to the book description-I don’t want to give any spoilers about the accident). He’s popular high school physics teacher as well as coach for the girls cross country track team. He’s also secretly seeing his elderly mother-in-law’s home care nurse. On the surface it looks like everything is under control, but slowly Neil’s life starts to unravel. A video of him assaulting a student appears on YouTube and threatens his job, his reputation, and worse yet, his ability to provide care for his wife.
As Harrison introduces each pivotal character in his novel, he offers readers little tidbits of Neil’s past so we can learn how he becomes the person the we currently see.
Read the rest of the review here: http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/book-review-the-banks-of-certain-rivers-by-jon-harrison/
This review was originally published on Cozy Up With A Good Read
This book has been on my radar because of a group I am part of on Goodreads, so when I got asked if I would like to review it, I was happy to check it out! I really enjoyed the idea of this book, looking into a familial relationship during a very difficult time. This book really spoke to me at times, really showing what people will do for those they love the most.
I found that it took a bit of time to get into the drama of the book, but when Neil's world begins to fall apart little by little, you will be gripped with how real the story feels. Harrison really brings out realistic issues in this book. Everything that Neil goes through it heartbreaking, Christopher is his only family at this point and he must figure out how to tell his son that he is in a new relationship without it sounding like he doesn't care about his wife.
I really enjoy that there are parts in this book that detail how much Neil misses his wife, he opens up an email account that no one can access to send emails to his wife about what is happening in his life, even though she can't respond it's a great way for Neil to open up about things.
What was really great in this book were the secondary characters. Harrison has such a range of personalities in this book, but I loved seeing how people would come together for others in their time of need. No one knows what to believe when this video comes out, and slowly Neil finds himself in more and more trouble, and his son is pulling away from him at a time when he is needed the most. Alan was my favourite character of all, he was eccentric and I loved how he was the voice of reason for Nick through everything. Nick wanted to take the easy way out at times, always looking for the perfect moment, but what Harrison shows in this book is that there never is such thing as a perfect moment to come out with difficult information. It will always be hard and there will always be problems.
There was one small issue I had at the end of the book, and that is after everything that happened, I felt like I missed out on an explanation of why something was happening throughout the story. (I can't explain without giving everything away). I felt that with this one little issue, there was a quick mention and I think readers were supposed to understand it, but I wanted to know why.
Other than that one thing though, this book is beautiful and an amazing story about family and friends. Harrison tells such a true tale with this story and really shows the meaning of family. I am one of those people that my family is everything to me, and I will always be there, but we see that family is not just blood relations but friends as well.
This book has been on my radar because of a group I am part of on Goodreads, so when I got asked if I would like to review it, I was happy to check it out! I really enjoyed the idea of this book, looking into a familial relationship during a very difficult time. This book really spoke to me at times, really showing what people will do for those they love the most.
I found that it took a bit of time to get into the drama of the book, but when Neil's world begins to fall apart little by little, you will be gripped with how real the story feels. Harrison really brings out realistic issues in this book. Everything that Neil goes through it heartbreaking, Christopher is his only family at this point and he must figure out how to tell his son that he is in a new relationship without it sounding like he doesn't care about his wife.
I really enjoy that there are parts in this book that detail how much Neil misses his wife, he opens up an email account that no one can access to send emails to his wife about what is happening in his life, even though she can't respond it's a great way for Neil to open up about things.
What was really great in this book were the secondary characters. Harrison has such a range of personalities in this book, but I loved seeing how people would come together for others in their time of need. No one knows what to believe when this video comes out, and slowly Neil finds himself in more and more trouble, and his son is pulling away from him at a time when he is needed the most. Alan was my favourite character of all, he was eccentric and I loved how he was the voice of reason for Nick through everything. Nick wanted to take the easy way out at times, always looking for the perfect moment, but what Harrison shows in this book is that there never is such thing as a perfect moment to come out with difficult information. It will always be hard and there will always be problems.
There was one small issue I had at the end of the book, and that is after everything that happened, I felt like I missed out on an explanation of why something was happening throughout the story. (I can't explain without giving everything away). I felt that with this one little issue, there was a quick mention and I think readers were supposed to understand it, but I wanted to know why.
Other than that one thing though, this book is beautiful and an amazing story about family and friends. Harrison tells such a true tale with this story and really shows the meaning of family. I am one of those people that my family is everything to me, and I will always be there, but we see that family is not just blood relations but friends as well.
I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by the book I'm posting about today. I work in publishing and I've seen some quality writing in the self publishing world. I've also seen some not so great and some downright terrible. Jon Harrison's debut was recommended to me by a person whose taste I do genuinely trust thanks to their other recs and reviews on Goodreads. And so I said I would give The Banks of Certain Rivers a shot. I have to say I am glad that I did - it was well worth it.
Neil Kazenzakis doesn't exactly have it easy: he's a high school teacher with a teenage son he's been raising on his own since his wife was hospitalized a few years ago. Neil and his son, Chris, are doing their best. Chris does well in school and is planning to start college in a year. But Neil has been in a relationship for the past two years, something he's been careful to keep from his son out of fear of how he will react. Just when he's ready to finally come clean, Neil is accused of beating up a student. A scandalizing YouTube video is all the proof most people need of the event, but Neil stands by his side of the story. The video's account isn't what really happened. Suspended while the event is investigated, Neil's world is further shaken by the threat of losing his job and the insurance that pays for his wife's long term care.
While the story is playing out, there are emails addressed to Neil's wife interspersed throughout the story. It's his journal of sorts and gives readers further insight into the various things Neil struggles with. His friend Alan serves as a good sounding board for some of these issues, but Neil spends a lot of time hiding things from those around him - not really for his own sake but to protect the people he loves from the things he thinks might hurt them. Neil puts up a good front, but it wears on him and as the story progresses he starts to crack.
Neil reminisces about his life, his marriage, his family, and his friends throughout the story as well. It's worked into the narrative in a way that it doesn't at all hinder the flow of the story, which has a great pacing. Harrison's prose is very smooth, the kind of story that sweeps you along so that you don't even notice how much time has passed when you next look up from the page.
Harrison's characters and their relationships are the driving force of this story. Without such fantastic characterization, the story would still have been a good story but the characters make it more relatable and human.
Neil Kazenzakis doesn't exactly have it easy: he's a high school teacher with a teenage son he's been raising on his own since his wife was hospitalized a few years ago. Neil and his son, Chris, are doing their best. Chris does well in school and is planning to start college in a year. But Neil has been in a relationship for the past two years, something he's been careful to keep from his son out of fear of how he will react. Just when he's ready to finally come clean, Neil is accused of beating up a student. A scandalizing YouTube video is all the proof most people need of the event, but Neil stands by his side of the story. The video's account isn't what really happened. Suspended while the event is investigated, Neil's world is further shaken by the threat of losing his job and the insurance that pays for his wife's long term care.
While the story is playing out, there are emails addressed to Neil's wife interspersed throughout the story. It's his journal of sorts and gives readers further insight into the various things Neil struggles with. His friend Alan serves as a good sounding board for some of these issues, but Neil spends a lot of time hiding things from those around him - not really for his own sake but to protect the people he loves from the things he thinks might hurt them. Neil puts up a good front, but it wears on him and as the story progresses he starts to crack.
Neil reminisces about his life, his marriage, his family, and his friends throughout the story as well. It's worked into the narrative in a way that it doesn't at all hinder the flow of the story, which has a great pacing. Harrison's prose is very smooth, the kind of story that sweeps you along so that you don't even notice how much time has passed when you next look up from the page.
Harrison's characters and their relationships are the driving force of this story. Without such fantastic characterization, the story would still have been a good story but the characters make it more relatable and human.
Originally reviewed at Books Etc.
I had been hearing quite a bit of buzz about The Banks of Certain Rivers around the Internet, much of it positive. While Jon Harrison's debut novel is not one I would normally pick up, I decided to give it a try because I had a feeling I'd end up liking it. I was right. This was a really enjoyable novel that kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next.
It sounds like it would be horribly depressing, right? The situations Neil faces are pretty brutal, true, but he has great friendships and relationships to help him get through life. I think things could have seemed over the top had Neil not had he not had his friends and family around. He had people in his corner, who believed in him and stood by him as he tried to figure out how to prove his innocence.
I just loved the scenes between Neil and his son, Chris. Neil seemed to do a pretty outstanding job raising Chris after his wife's accident. In fact, their storyline was probably my favourite part of the novel. Their interactions were so real and you could tell how they struggled but also how much they helped each other.
I don't want to say too much else about the plot because there are subtle twists that I don't want to give away. I will say that the story grabbed me. There was a bit of set up necessary, some back story, that was interesting but it wasn't until the action really started that I realized I was completely invested in the characters' lives. In fact, I was so into the story that I was reading it during commercial breaks while I watched a TV show because I couldn't wait to find out how it turned out for Neil.
If you're looking for a good read, pick up The Banks of Certain Rivers by Jon Harrison. It gives you a little bit of everything - family, love, intrigue - wrapped up in a great story. I definitely recommend it!
Happy reading :)
I had been hearing quite a bit of buzz about The Banks of Certain Rivers around the Internet, much of it positive. While Jon Harrison's debut novel is not one I would normally pick up, I decided to give it a try because I had a feeling I'd end up liking it. I was right. This was a really enjoyable novel that kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next.
It sounds like it would be horribly depressing, right? The situations Neil faces are pretty brutal, true, but he has great friendships and relationships to help him get through life. I think things could have seemed over the top had Neil not had he not had his friends and family around. He had people in his corner, who believed in him and stood by him as he tried to figure out how to prove his innocence.
I just loved the scenes between Neil and his son, Chris. Neil seemed to do a pretty outstanding job raising Chris after his wife's accident. In fact, their storyline was probably my favourite part of the novel. Their interactions were so real and you could tell how they struggled but also how much they helped each other.
I don't want to say too much else about the plot because there are subtle twists that I don't want to give away. I will say that the story grabbed me. There was a bit of set up necessary, some back story, that was interesting but it wasn't until the action really started that I realized I was completely invested in the characters' lives. In fact, I was so into the story that I was reading it during commercial breaks while I watched a TV show because I couldn't wait to find out how it turned out for Neil.
If you're looking for a good read, pick up The Banks of Certain Rivers by Jon Harrison. It gives you a little bit of everything - family, love, intrigue - wrapped up in a great story. I definitely recommend it!
Happy reading :)
I felt like the plot kinda fell flat there towards the end. But I really enjoyed the characters and the overall storyline.
This one just wasn't for me. While I appreciate a little bit of back story, I don't need a back story to be so long and drawn out and every scene painted so vividly that by the time I get to the central story lines, the book is half over. This makes the ending feel rushed to me. I found myself reading certain scenes, wondering how it would play out in the future only to find that scene was never mentioned again. Then why did I get so invested in that past memory? I wish I didn't have this on my Kindle as I now can't trade it for another book.
I will say, the author does very well with the concept of "show don't tell." I just wish he told more of a story that pulled me in and kept me there.
I will say, the author does very well with the concept of "show don't tell." I just wish he told more of a story that pulled me in and kept me there.
This story is about a short period of time in the life of a man and his son. The book starts off with a tragic accident and then quickly jumps ahead a couple of years. My heart really went out to the man who was doing is best to survive and take care of his son and his family. It seems like no matter what he tried to do to, he managed to find himself in an ever greater pit. It is really nice to see his character and his obvious love for those near him. Even with things at their worst, his focus was on making sure his family was ok.
This was a really good story and I look forward to seeing what this author writes next.
This was a really good story and I look forward to seeing what this author writes next.
This book was so good. Very fast paced, and many likable characters. Would definitely recommend!
I give it 4.5 stars, actually.
I am expanding my reading horizons this year & this book became a part of that; it was last week's selection from GR book club '52 Weeks, 52 Books.' I do not think I would ever have heard of or read this book otherwise and, thankfully, it turned out to be one of the best books I've read so far this year. I greatly enjoyed this book. Right away I was drawn into the richly detailed life of the main character, Neil, his family and his community. This book is very beautifully written and the plot revealed through several different methods, which succeded in adding depth to the story. I especially enjoyed the setting, having grown up in the Detroit suburbs and summered on the western shores of Lake Michigan many times. I would have given it a full 5 stars except that about half way in I found myself wondering when the plot twist would come, because surely there was one. It was a slow build up but once the twist(s) arrived, I couldn't put it down until I knew what the outcome was. Wonderful!
I am expanding my reading horizons this year & this book became a part of that; it was last week's selection from GR book club '52 Weeks, 52 Books.' I do not think I would ever have heard of or read this book otherwise and, thankfully, it turned out to be one of the best books I've read so far this year. I greatly enjoyed this book. Right away I was drawn into the richly detailed life of the main character, Neil, his family and his community. This book is very beautifully written and the plot revealed through several different methods, which succeded in adding depth to the story. I especially enjoyed the setting, having grown up in the Detroit suburbs and summered on the western shores of Lake Michigan many times. I would have given it a full 5 stars except that about half way in I found myself wondering when the plot twist would come, because surely there was one. It was a slow build up but once the twist(s) arrived, I couldn't put it down until I knew what the outcome was. Wonderful!