Peace Like a River

The Boy Scout finished reading the World According to Garp to me and I enjoyed it tremendously. What a writer! I can't pick out any particular sentences, or point to a paragraph that I think was a masterpiece, but I was amazed at the depth in which Irving could make me feel. One minute such grief that a couple of times I had to ask him to stop reading, then dread and disappointment with the characters, and then with such hilarity that the Boy Scout was unable to read through the spasms of laughter and tears rolling down his face. Irving seems to love his characters but allows them to be so very human.

Cannot wait to start A Prayer for Owen Meany but we thought we would mix it up a bit.

Now we are navigating Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. Thus far, I am finding it to be subtle and quiet with a poinency that aches. Family, love, revenge and faith.....the writing is simply lovely.

“Once in my life I knew a grief so hard I could actually hear it inside, scraping at the lining of my stomach, an audible ache, dredging with hooks as rivers are dredged when someone’s been missing too long.” 

“Fresh peach pie can lift a bullying reprobate into apologetic courtesy; I have watched it happen.” 

Written from the point of view of our young protagonist Rueben, he has well captured the voice of a boy becoming a man and learning what we all have to learn about this world sooner or later. We've got a way to go, so this might be premature, but I am loving every minute of it thus far.