On My Shelf | The River… By: Michael Neale

The River     By: Michael Neale
A light read, a touch of romance and a whole lot of emotions. Sounds like everything we look for in books, and it’s all rolled up into one subliminal novel. My dear awesome and loyal followers fantastic fellow random readers listen up because though I can’t say this book will change your lives I can certainly say it may help you understand it. The book ‘The River’ by Michael Neale is the unrivalled novel for anyone who feels like they want more out of life or who are struggling against loss, depression and teenage hood.

But now it wouldn’t be fair to tell you to read this book without informing you of what it’s about so without further a due let’s dive in. A 5yr old boy watches his dad drown in the river trying to save a kayaker. From then on he lives in fear and anger of the water. Skipping into the future, a year after his graduation he’s invited on a trip that will change his life.

One thing I’m sure you will all relate to is the characters insatisfaction with a slow paced ordinary life. We all search for passion and adventure that will deepen the meaning of being alive and this book has it. It’s something I love about ‘The River’ it’s so mesmerizing; it makes you thirst for a change you didn’t even know you needed. Every sentence seems like enlightenment. I swear when I first read the book I was like “OMG!!! He liked the stew! I want the stew!” But honestly this is just because you get so engrossed with the book that you cry laugh and cringe as the characters move forward in their lives.
This may sound like a weird novel but I promise you that no disappointment will come of reading this. Let me put it this way…Having a bad day? More girl drama with your friends? That upcoming math exam is freaking you out? Don’t think about those earthly things, just plunge into the book and let it wash away your worries like the river that rushes down through the gorge wiping away all that was there a minute ago.

  The book says it “When you experience the river you live” and yet again “you were made for the river. You were made for this book; don’t let the busyness of society drown out the importance of finding the calm eddies where you will at last come to terms with the insanity of life. Instead of losing yourself among the tidal waves of grief and confusion read this book and let it teach you to surf and soar.
When you follow the current of the river, you lead a simple yet exhilarating life, these are the same feelings you receive as you jump from sentence to sentence in a frantic race to see if the boy will forgive the man who caused his father’s death or whether he will ever unravel the secrets of the river.

Whether you are looking for passion, struggling with loss, insecurities or your past, this book has something in it for you. It’s not a heavy laden story but it unquestionably puts things in perspective. The river by Michael Neale is a guaranteed yes in my library, add it to yours.