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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
Incredible, moving, vivid, poignant, such a great meditation on grief and moving on and there are angels too! It was a long book and I can’t lie, I wasn’t sure I’d get through it, but things kick up a notch around halfway through and it just whizzes by at breakneck speed and cranks up to 10!
Let me start by saying this.. This is nothing like what I thought would ever come from a man like TJ Klune. To what I understand, TJ is not a religious man but this... THIS is a religious book.
“I asked you if she was happy, and you implied by deflection that she was. If she is happy, who are you to say she’s not how God wanted her to be?”
“She doesn’t know any better!”
“And how can you? Do you think you know better than she? Than God? That is a sin, to presume the will of my Father. For all you know, she’s exactly the person she is meant to be”
This book made me feel so tired, it felt like I have been reading this book for months, like I have been next to Benji for a really long time... How has it only been 3 days? This book took a lot from me emotionally.
I can't even begin to tell you about the characters or the twists or even what really happen. It definitely took some turns I did not expect, though I was not surprised by them. I mentioned before that this didn't seem like the usual Klune book, I can't really see if its because of the parts I liked or because of the parts that I didn't.
Because there were a few I didn't like - the plot moved at a snail's pace, most of the side characters didn't really stand out like they usually do in his newer books. Even his written style was different. At times it felt like he wrote this book more so for himself than for me or you. It felt incredibly intimate and personal.
But the parts that I did like? Oh, how they took my breath away.
Maybe this review won't make any sense to you, but it will be a reminder to me and how this book made me feel. This is not one I will soon forget.
"Sometimes I float along the river,
For to its surface I am bound.
And sometimes stones done fill my pockets, oh Lord,
And it’s into this river I drown."
“I asked you if she was happy, and you implied by deflection that she was. If she is happy, who are you to say she’s not how God wanted her to be?”
“She doesn’t know any better!”
“And how can you? Do you think you know better than she? Than God? That is a sin, to presume the will of my Father. For all you know, she’s exactly the person she is meant to be”
This book made me feel so tired, it felt like I have been reading this book for months, like I have been next to Benji for a really long time... How has it only been 3 days? This book took a lot from me emotionally.
I can't even begin to tell you about the characters or the twists or even what really happen. It definitely took some turns I did not expect, though I was not surprised by them. I mentioned before that this didn't seem like the usual Klune book, I can't really see if its because of the parts I liked or because of the parts that I didn't.
Because there were a few I didn't like - the plot moved at a snail's pace, most of the side characters didn't really stand out like they usually do in his newer books. Even his written style was different. At times it felt like he wrote this book more so for himself than for me or you. It felt incredibly intimate and personal.
But the parts that I did like? Oh, how they took my breath away.
Maybe this review won't make any sense to you, but it will be a reminder to me and how this book made me feel. This is not one I will soon forget.
"Sometimes I float along the river,
For to its surface I am bound.
And sometimes stones done fill my pockets, oh Lord,
And it’s into this river I drown."
[b:Into This River I Drown|48822551|Into This River I Drown|T.J. Klune|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1573827252l/48822551._SY75_.jpg|23695986] by [a:T.J. Klune|5073330|T.J. Klune|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1546275989p2/5073330.jpg] follows Benji (awesome name btw, no bias here >.>), who is suffering from the loss of his father five years ago. The official line is that his truck overturned and crashed into the river, but Benji is certain that there's more to it than that and he's determined to uncover everything.
Calliel is the guardian angel of the town of Roseland. But he crash lands by the river and is found by Benji, he doesn't remember some aspects of his life, specifically when it comes to the situation of Benji's dad dying.
The town of Roseland has some pretty dark secrets, and Benji's poking around puts im in the line of sights for some shady people.
The relationship between Benji and Cal as amazing. Both are struggling with similar feelings of loneliness and it was great to watch their trust grow with one another.
The theme of family was very strong here, particularly father/son. Seeing flashbacks of Benji and his father was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. This book nearly made me cry, and probably would have had me full on bawling if I was listening to it at home (if people on the bus saw me at certain points in this book, they'd be wondering why I was blinking so much).
The mystery was also a big part of the story, and I found it really engaging. I felt genuine fear for the safety of the characters at times.
Another five star book for Mr. Klune!
Calliel is the guardian angel of the town of Roseland. But he crash lands by the river and is found by Benji, he doesn't remember some aspects of his life, specifically when it comes to the situation of Benji's dad dying.
The town of Roseland has some pretty dark secrets, and Benji's poking around puts im in the line of sights for some shady people.
The relationship between Benji and Cal as amazing. Both are struggling with similar feelings of loneliness and it was great to watch their trust grow with one another.
The theme of family was very strong here, particularly father/son. Seeing flashbacks of Benji and his father was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. This book nearly made me cry, and probably would have had me full on bawling if I was listening to it at home (if people on the bus saw me at certain points in this book, they'd be wondering why I was blinking so much).
The mystery was also a big part of the story, and I found it really engaging. I felt genuine fear for the safety of the characters at times.
Another five star book for Mr. Klune!
This was a slow burn read for me. I’m so glad it was too. Ugh so much happened and my heart went in millions of directions. I was skeptical at first because of the angel aspect, but oh my gosh! I’m just blown away. I can’t even fully put it into words.
I loved it. I waited a long time to read this book as my state of mind and emotions were in a fragile state, and it know well what TJ's books do to me. And this is about the power of grief. So. Yeah. Surprisingly, it didn't destroy me as I expected it to. I loved it, it was beautiful and full of love. Classic Klune. Guess it was time for me to read this one.
This was also my first experience with an audio book. The narrator was just perfect, truly enjoyed him. I have the paperback but my new job leaves me so tired, I fall asleep after 15 minutes of sitting down to read. So I decided to try Audible and listened while cooking and cleaning. So happy with my decision.
So here I am, it's December 31st 2020, and I just finished this wonderful book. I can't think of a better way to end this trying year. Thank you, TJ. See you in 2021. xxx
This was also my first experience with an audio book. The narrator was just perfect, truly enjoyed him. I have the paperback but my new job leaves me so tired, I fall asleep after 15 minutes of sitting down to read. So I decided to try Audible and listened while cooking and cleaning. So happy with my decision.
So here I am, it's December 31st 2020, and I just finished this wonderful book. I can't think of a better way to end this trying year. Thank you, TJ. See you in 2021. xxx
Matt Baca Narration Rating ~ 5 Stars
It is going to be extremely difficult to put into words how amazed I was by this story. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect going in. Based on the blurb, I knew that it was going to be on the darker side—darker than other books I’ve read by Klune—and that it had a paranormal aspect. I didn’t know that it was going to be romance, mystery, suspense, and paranormal all rolled into one. Or, that it would be so incredibly gorgeous. Into This River I Drown was everything I hoped it would be and then some. Which shouldn’t be surprising at all given that it’s a TJ Klune novel, and that it won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Romance in 2014.
Benji is not in a great place when we meet him. Consumed by grief for the past five years after losing his dad, we can see that he’s not really living but merely existing. He tried a short stint at college—because his mother made him go—but otherwise is content just running his dad’s convenience store, and getting by. Benji is unable to let go of his belief that Big Eddie’s accident was not an accident at all, but instead was some type of foul play. He goes through the daily motions of running the store and keeping up appearances for the sake of his mom and aunts, but he can’t stop obsessing over the police reports and photos, or from going to mile marker seventy-seven, where his father’s truck went into the river.
I can honestly say, without a doubt, that I have never read a book where the love between a father and a son was more beautifully portrayed, or that both filled and broke my heart so readily. The scenes between Benji and his father were written as memories, obviously, but they were some of the most real and vibrant moments in the book. Big Eddie was, according to Benji, “the greatest man who ever lived.” And, going by the way Klune wrote him, I’d have to say I agree. I mean, he says stuff like this to his son. All the time.
And, Benji’s love for his dad was so pure and touching. Benji would have done anything for his father. Including doing whatever he had to do to get to the bottom of what really happened the day Big Eddie died.
I also can’t say enough about Calliel, or Cal, as Benji calls him. I don’t want to go into any detail about where Cal came from, or how he came to be in Roseland, for fear of spoiling the story for anyone who hasn’t read it—but Cal was probably my favorite character in the book. He was such a bright light, and so needed, both by Benji and the townspeople of Roseland. I loved, loved, loved, Calliel.
I mentioned that this book was a romance, a mystery/suspense novel, and a paranormal story all rolled into one. Every piece is beautifully written and masterfully woven together. The romance was like none that I’ve read before; the mystery was terrifying and heart-pounding at times, and had an unbelievable twist, but it was the paranormal element that had me in awe for the entirety of the book. It was imaginative, thought-provoking, and gutsy. I loved every bit of it.
All the characters were remarkable, some for their good traits and some for the bad, but the river was really the star of the story. The Umpqua river, the place where Big Eddie drowned, keeps drawing Benji back to its banks—typically in his dreams—over and over again. The question is, will Benji succumb to his overwhelming grief and let the river carry him away?
As amazed as I was by the story, I was equally in awe of the narration. Matt Baca was FANTASTIC. I’m sad that he no longer appears to be doing audiobooks, because his talent is undeniable. His voice characterizations and his performance were spot-on. I loved the way he did the inner monologue bits. And, he even sang! It was such a kickass performance. I would listen to this audio again; it was so, so good.
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach
It is going to be extremely difficult to put into words how amazed I was by this story. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect going in. Based on the blurb, I knew that it was going to be on the darker side—darker than other books I’ve read by Klune—and that it had a paranormal aspect. I didn’t know that it was going to be romance, mystery, suspense, and paranormal all rolled into one. Or, that it would be so incredibly gorgeous. Into This River I Drown was everything I hoped it would be and then some. Which shouldn’t be surprising at all given that it’s a TJ Klune novel, and that it won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Romance in 2014.
Benji is not in a great place when we meet him. Consumed by grief for the past five years after losing his dad, we can see that he’s not really living but merely existing. He tried a short stint at college—because his mother made him go—but otherwise is content just running his dad’s convenience store, and getting by. Benji is unable to let go of his belief that Big Eddie’s accident was not an accident at all, but instead was some type of foul play. He goes through the daily motions of running the store and keeping up appearances for the sake of his mom and aunts, but he can’t stop obsessing over the police reports and photos, or from going to mile marker seventy-seven, where his father’s truck went into the river.
I can honestly say, without a doubt, that I have never read a book where the love between a father and a son was more beautifully portrayed, or that both filled and broke my heart so readily. The scenes between Benji and his father were written as memories, obviously, but they were some of the most real and vibrant moments in the book. Big Eddie was, according to Benji, “the greatest man who ever lived.” And, going by the way Klune wrote him, I’d have to say I agree. I mean, he says stuff like this to his son. All the time.
“Because there is no one such as you in the world, and you belong to me, I’ll believe in you always because you are my son. You are going to be strong and brave, and one day, you’re going to be a great man and you will stand for what you believe in. I have faith that you will stand and be true.”
And, Benji’s love for his dad was so pure and touching. Benji would have done anything for his father. Including doing whatever he had to do to get to the bottom of what really happened the day Big Eddie died.
I also can’t say enough about Calliel, or Cal, as Benji calls him. I don’t want to go into any detail about where Cal came from, or how he came to be in Roseland, for fear of spoiling the story for anyone who hasn’t read it—but Cal was probably my favorite character in the book. He was such a bright light, and so needed, both by Benji and the townspeople of Roseland. I loved, loved, loved, Calliel.
I mentioned that this book was a romance, a mystery/suspense novel, and a paranormal story all rolled into one. Every piece is beautifully written and masterfully woven together. The romance was like none that I’ve read before; the mystery was terrifying and heart-pounding at times, and had an unbelievable twist, but it was the paranormal element that had me in awe for the entirety of the book. It was imaginative, thought-provoking, and gutsy. I loved every bit of it.
All the characters were remarkable, some for their good traits and some for the bad, but the river was really the star of the story. The Umpqua river, the place where Big Eddie drowned, keeps drawing Benji back to its banks—typically in his dreams—over and over again. The question is, will Benji succumb to his overwhelming grief and let the river carry him away?
As amazed as I was by the story, I was equally in awe of the narration. Matt Baca was FANTASTIC. I’m sad that he no longer appears to be doing audiobooks, because his talent is undeniable. His voice characterizations and his performance were spot-on. I loved the way he did the inner monologue bits. And, he even sang! It was such a kickass performance. I would listen to this audio again; it was so, so good.
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach
Ooof! This was a tear-jerker from start to finish. I loved it! It just felt a little bit long.
P.S. - This book will make you want to go hug your dad very tight and not let go.
P.S. - This book will make you want to go hug your dad very tight and not let go.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced