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Go as a River  By  cover art

Go as a River

By: Shelley Read
Narrated by: Cynthia Farrell
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Publisher's summary

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

Set amid Colorado’s wild beauty, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story of a resilient young woman whose life is changed forever by one chance encounter. A tragic and uplifting novel of love and loss, family and survival—and hope—for listeners of Great Circle,The Four Winds, and Where the Crawdads Sing.

Seventeen-year-old Victoria Nash runs the household on her family’s peach farm in the small ranch town of Iola, Colorado—the sole surviving female in a family of troubled men. Wilson Moon is a young drifter with a mysterious past, displaced from his tribal land and determined to live as he chooses.

Victoria encounters Wil by chance on a street corner, a meeting that profoundly alters both of their young lives, unknowingly igniting as much passion as danger. When tragedy strikes, Victoria leaves the only life she has ever known. She flees into the surrounding mountains where she struggles to survive in the wilderness with no clear notion of what her future will bring. As the seasons change, she also charts the changes in herself, finding in the beautiful but harsh landscape the meaning and strength to move forward and rebuild all that she has lost, even as the Gunnison River threatens to submerge her homeland—its ranches, farms, and the beloved peach orchard that has been in her family for generations.

Inspired by true events surrounding the destruction of the town of Iola in the 1960s, Go as a River is a story of deeply held love in the face of hardship and loss, but also of finding courage, resilience, friendship, and, finally, home—where least expected. This stunning debut explores what it means to lead your life as if it were a river—gathering and flowing, finding a way forward even when a river is dammed.

©2023 Shelley Read (P)2023 Spiegel & Grau by Spotify Audiobooks

Critic reviews

“Beautiful . . . A striking first novel of love and strength and growth, set against the forests and rivers of Colorado’s high country. Read is a gifted writer, and the book is a literary triumph.”Denver Post

“With gorgeous descriptions of the great outdoors, an illicit love story, and an unforgettable protagonist, Go as a River offers something for everyone.”Real Simple

“Shelley Read creates a truly convincing and lovable character in Torie, who faces loss and despair, and has to make a decision which is driven by love, yet tragic for herself. It’s a captivating novel, impossible to put down and one which will be remembered long after reading it.—Irish Examiner

What listeners say about Go as a River

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Great character development

That I am left hanging .. the rest of the story. I see a sequel coming :)

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2 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Beautiful writing… felt unfinished

The writing is beautiful and the author certainly has a gift for prose, but ultimately story felt unfinished me. A couple of storylines were just left dangling, and after being quite invested in this book, I ultimately feel unsatisfied.

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awesome

this was a great book. very beautifully written and wonderfully descriptive. you feel all the heartbreak immensely.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting story of navigating loss

An Interesting story of navigating loss. It had some great life lessons . Overall a good read .

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Disappointing Ending

The book ended right when I thought it was finally getting good again. Strong start, slowed towards the end. The narrator made a decent plot sound boring if you can get past her mundane tone of voice. Liked the main character.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful story

This story is set in the past but is very relevant to the struggles of families today. It is beautifully written. It is one of those books that I wish would keep going forever.

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Interesting, not outstanding

Study of the resilience of mothers. Of endurance. I recommend reading vs listening. The reader did a poor job of a male voice. Either have a second reader or perhaps voice coach for a different male voice.

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Loved this book!

This was recommended to me by a friend and I have recommended it to others. It is beautifully written, both tragic, heartbreaking, and hopeful. I loved it!

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The river theme throughout the story

Certainly needs a sequel ! I liked the weaving farm life values relating to food, work, animals and faith.

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Beautiful & heartbreaking.

This is the story of a woman’s undeniable courage and strength. I cried several times.

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