As kids we were all told, on some nice Summer day, to get outside and play. Summers were endless weekends spent poolside, or doing outdoor chores, so staying inside on any given day to read and live someone else's adventure never seemed exactly like punishment. Twenty years later sitting at desks in offices, knowing it's a beautiful Tuesday and that there are still three days of work before the weekend, we have a little more appreciation for our parents' suggestions. However, reverting back to my 9 year old self, I spent the better part of a beautiful weekend day living with the Land's.
Peace Like a River is Leif Enger's first book, and tells the story of father Jeremiah Land, his eldest son Davy, his younger son Reuban (the narrator) and his young daughter Swede. The live in a small Minnesota town in the early 1960s, but the kids dream of the outlaws and the West of a century before. Before long, they are given a chance to play out every kid's dream: vindication for a bully's crime, a daring jailbreak, riding horseback in the Badlands and living to tell about being tailed by the FBI.
All the Lands are fleshed out and maintain traits and speech specific to their characters. Reuban's narration in the far future is believable while at the same time painting a picture of romantic nostagia. Swede's epic poem of Sunny Sundown parallels the Land's journey from Minnesota to the Badlands. Jeremiah is the heroic and sometimes miracle performing father, wanting to teach his children right from wrong while acknowledging there is often a fine line separating the two.
Peace Like a River seemed to take the best qualities from To Kill A Mockingbird and In Cold Blood, while maintaining the (sometimes) lightheartedness of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I don't regret wasting a beautiful day reading this book.
Netflix rating 5/5 stars.
Peace Like a River is Leif Enger's first book, and tells the story of father Jeremiah Land, his eldest son Davy, his younger son Reuban (the narrator) and his young daughter Swede. The live in a small Minnesota town in the early 1960s, but the kids dream of the outlaws and the West of a century before. Before long, they are given a chance to play out every kid's dream: vindication for a bully's crime, a daring jailbreak, riding horseback in the Badlands and living to tell about being tailed by the FBI.
All the Lands are fleshed out and maintain traits and speech specific to their characters. Reuban's narration in the far future is believable while at the same time painting a picture of romantic nostagia. Swede's epic poem of Sunny Sundown parallels the Land's journey from Minnesota to the Badlands. Jeremiah is the heroic and sometimes miracle performing father, wanting to teach his children right from wrong while acknowledging there is often a fine line separating the two.
Peace Like a River seemed to take the best qualities from To Kill A Mockingbird and In Cold Blood, while maintaining the (sometimes) lightheartedness of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I don't regret wasting a beautiful day reading this book.
Netflix rating 5/5 stars.
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