sourjane 's review for:

The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb

4.0

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I don't know how to feel about this one. The prose and character development were superb, as per usual with Mr Lamb. His usual sharp wit and sense of irony, though, were painfully absent, replaced by a grim, sobering account of addiction and its unthinkable consequences. I know I'll feel this one for quite a while, and I'm not altogether sure if that's a good or not-so-good thing, given the disturbing content. I don't think I'll recommend this novel to many people, to be honest. It's just too heavy. I gave it four stars out of respect to the author, but I'm most likely going to pass on a re-read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child death, Rape, Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic