Jack and Wynn are best friends who love adventures. Jack is from Colorado and Wynn grew up in Vermont, which is what drew me to the book being from Vermont. Neither are ready to head back to college, so they head on a canoe trip in Northern Canada on the Maskwa River. Both experienced canoers, their experience can’t compare when a wildfire is tearing through the are.
In addition to worrying about the wildfire, there are others also canoeing on the river. There are two drunks that the guys would rather steer clear of and what appears to be a husband and wife, they’re arguing, so the boys keep moving along. Until guilt tells them they should let the couple know about the wildfire. This delay in their trip delays the distance they can be putting between them and the fire. After not being able to find the couple, they continue on. Only to find a single man canoeing down the river straight towards them. Why is this man alone and why is he so agitated?
The River was a fun read, I loved Heller’s descriptions of the river, the wildlife, and the knowledge of Wynn and Jack about canoeing, fishing, and camping. They had an excellent friendship and the recounting of their friendship made the book so much more meaningful. For me, it would have been a perfect read, but then I felt the book ended too abruptly. I feel like the last part of the book was rushed to an ending, which was a disappointment. Aside from the ending, it’s a great read.
You can read my review on Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub, and if you’ve enjoyed it, give it a “like”. You can purchase The River on Amazon for $12.99.
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