A review by kimberly_b
Mink River by Brian Doyle

4.0

This isn't a book you can rush through; it's meant to be savored and absorbed. This is unlike any book I've read, and, frankly, I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. Normally, lack of traditional punctuation and sentence structure drives me crazy. But, Doyle's writing is anything but conformist and you either go with it or you quit reading. One of my favorite parts of the book were the elements of magical realism, especially Moses, the crow. My other favorite aspect was the deep respect given to all of nature: men/women, plants, and animals. There was a thread running through everything and everyone--a deep connection beyond our mortal world. It made for a powerful story in an unobtrusive way. My favorite line of the book was said by the Old Nun to Moses, "Our paths are in the mighty waters, Moses, and so are holy and hidden."

Now, I must add a disclaimer that this story is not plot driven. The threads of different characters' lives interweave and that is what makes up the heart of Mink River. I'm fairly certain this book will be sticking with me for quite some time.