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readhikerepeat 's review for:
Last Night in Twisted River
by John Irving
If we look back on our lives, we can all pinpoint one single act that set into motion a chain of events that spiraled out of our control. If you have kids, then you also know that a parent will do absolutely anything to protect their child. These two statements aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive and serve as the catalyst for Last Night In Twisted River by John Irving, which follows a logging camp cook and his son over several decades as they try to escape their past and forge a new future.
The book starts out by introducing the reader to the logging camp cook and his 12-year old son, who live in Coos County, New Hampshire. Life is decent, if not great, and they bumble through the days with a quiet dignity. That is until the cook’s son mistakes a woman for a bear and defends his father against her, forcing them to flee the town and people they know to escape the clutches of a violent, alcoholic constable. From there, the story follows them over the next five decades as they bounce around from state to state (and even to Canada) to avoid detection. With the help of an old logger friend, they take on assumed identities and are prepared to pull up roots at a moment’s notice. It’s easy to imagine the toll this takes on them, and Irving is not shy about weaving the effects into their personalities and actions.
As with most longer books, it’s a bit slow-going at first as Irving provides detailed background on the characters. It soon picks up the pace, though, and the enhanced background enriches the story as it progresses. It also forces the reader to connect with the characters early on, which, to be frank, gives Irving the power to punch you in the gut. If you’ve read A Prayer for Owen Meany, then you know exactly what I mean by this.
For the full review, visit The Book Wheel.
The book starts out by introducing the reader to the logging camp cook and his 12-year old son, who live in Coos County, New Hampshire. Life is decent, if not great, and they bumble through the days with a quiet dignity. That is until the cook’s son mistakes a woman for a bear and defends his father against her, forcing them to flee the town and people they know to escape the clutches of a violent, alcoholic constable. From there, the story follows them over the next five decades as they bounce around from state to state (and even to Canada) to avoid detection. With the help of an old logger friend, they take on assumed identities and are prepared to pull up roots at a moment’s notice. It’s easy to imagine the toll this takes on them, and Irving is not shy about weaving the effects into their personalities and actions.
As with most longer books, it’s a bit slow-going at first as Irving provides detailed background on the characters. It soon picks up the pace, though, and the enhanced background enriches the story as it progresses. It also forces the reader to connect with the characters early on, which, to be frank, gives Irving the power to punch you in the gut. If you’ve read A Prayer for Owen Meany, then you know exactly what I mean by this.
For the full review, visit The Book Wheel.