Review by Monie_raey -- American River: Tributaries
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Monie_raey
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Review by Monie_raey -- American River: Tributaries
[Following is a volunteer review of "American River: Tributaries" by Mallory M. O'Connor.]
4 out of 4 stars
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American River: Tributaries by Mallory M. O'Connor is the first part of the American River trilogy. Set in the nineteenth century, the story talks about the lives of three families coming from different backgrounds, from different parts of the world, to settle in the beautiful state of California. Scenic views, and the sight of a meandering river, the patrons of these families established themselves here. For varying reasons really, they came. And for varying reasons, their offsprings will find their lives perfectly intertwined with one another.
Each generation has their challenges, and just as the ancestors of the McPhalan, the Morales and the Ashida family battled with fierce determination the demons of their world, the third generation will also fight theirs. And this book takes us through their lives, one by one, scene by scene, through the highs and lows of these Californian families.
The story tells us of the pain of a very conservative man in the person of Owen, who tries as 'much' as possible to keep his family's legacy afloat. His wife, Marian, who no matter what, had to pursue her dream of being an artist. The 'unlawful' romance budding between Kate, Owen's daughter and Tommy, the sexual orientation of Julian, Kate's brother, and all the other things in between. This story, although not so obvious, was really centred on the McPhalan family. Their pain, aspirations, hopes and the problems that plagued them. That plagues one too many families.
The beginning was a bit dubious for me but as I continued, it became exciting. The writer did justice to the characters. They were very relatable and well I grew to hate, get irritated by and sympathize with some of the characters. So you can say I was very emotionally tied to the book. It was intense, jarring, intriguing and in a way, poetic. A contradiction, really. The heavy dose of reality in a supposed, fictional book makes it so. I do not think I will let myself go through such an emotional rollercoaster anytime soon. Not from the same book, no.
The story really highlights the disappointments, selfishness and the rawness of the human soul. Why, to think that when their ancestors chose California, in the hopes of building strong family legacies... Well, it goes without saying that, yes, man can plan but things change and people change. It is one thing to hope everything we wish for, the plans we have will all end up in unicorns and rainbows, only to find out that life has always been waiting in the wings, waiting for that opportunity to snuff the very life out of those dreams, to pull the rug from under those relationships.
The story also, did not shy away but instead expounded on many issues plaguing the American society, and in retrospect, others too. Although, I like this, I think it was over flogged, and so it became a bit of a bore. All the excitement began to wane and it became something of a drag to me. It was like a soap opera. So many unnecessary scenes and at times, I thought some were a bit dramatic. The sex scenes I could definitely do without too. And while it is hard to pinpoint if in fact the writer had chosen a side, I found myself able to live in the world of each of the book's characters. How their actions and inactions affected others and themselves likewise. How they justified their selfishness.
The other things I like about this book apart from its realistic slant among others, is how well she told us about the river. The river of which one could say is the source of inspiration for this story. The brief history of the river was smoothly crafted, very well described and interesting. I say it was one of those things that piqued my interest at the very beginning. It perfectly posed as a beautiful backdrop and remained a constant in the story. The presence of the cast in the beginning of this book was also very helpful. The playlist at the end was unusual but equally amusing. The book was very musical. So if you know your classics well, all the better for you and your reading. I also did not notice any grammatical or typographical errors, so that says something about the publisher and editing team.
Reading this book was memorable for me. It took its toll on me emotionally (just a bit though). I liked the ending too. No enervating cliffhangers. Just a sad ending. That should quite be how much I will say so I do not spoil it any further.
I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. It's deserving of it. The writer, I dare say did not write out of ignorance but from a place of knowledge and the whole book was written in a simple way. It was easy to understand. The book is not for entertainment, I must say. At least not for me. It was more of a realistic exposition into the minds of the many people that make the families that forge our societies. If you like reading books like that, all well and good. This book is for you.
******
American River: Tributaries
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4 out of 4 stars
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American River: Tributaries by Mallory M. O'Connor is the first part of the American River trilogy. Set in the nineteenth century, the story talks about the lives of three families coming from different backgrounds, from different parts of the world, to settle in the beautiful state of California. Scenic views, and the sight of a meandering river, the patrons of these families established themselves here. For varying reasons really, they came. And for varying reasons, their offsprings will find their lives perfectly intertwined with one another.
Each generation has their challenges, and just as the ancestors of the McPhalan, the Morales and the Ashida family battled with fierce determination the demons of their world, the third generation will also fight theirs. And this book takes us through their lives, one by one, scene by scene, through the highs and lows of these Californian families.
The story tells us of the pain of a very conservative man in the person of Owen, who tries as 'much' as possible to keep his family's legacy afloat. His wife, Marian, who no matter what, had to pursue her dream of being an artist. The 'unlawful' romance budding between Kate, Owen's daughter and Tommy, the sexual orientation of Julian, Kate's brother, and all the other things in between. This story, although not so obvious, was really centred on the McPhalan family. Their pain, aspirations, hopes and the problems that plagued them. That plagues one too many families.
The beginning was a bit dubious for me but as I continued, it became exciting. The writer did justice to the characters. They were very relatable and well I grew to hate, get irritated by and sympathize with some of the characters. So you can say I was very emotionally tied to the book. It was intense, jarring, intriguing and in a way, poetic. A contradiction, really. The heavy dose of reality in a supposed, fictional book makes it so. I do not think I will let myself go through such an emotional rollercoaster anytime soon. Not from the same book, no.
The story really highlights the disappointments, selfishness and the rawness of the human soul. Why, to think that when their ancestors chose California, in the hopes of building strong family legacies... Well, it goes without saying that, yes, man can plan but things change and people change. It is one thing to hope everything we wish for, the plans we have will all end up in unicorns and rainbows, only to find out that life has always been waiting in the wings, waiting for that opportunity to snuff the very life out of those dreams, to pull the rug from under those relationships.
The story also, did not shy away but instead expounded on many issues plaguing the American society, and in retrospect, others too. Although, I like this, I think it was over flogged, and so it became a bit of a bore. All the excitement began to wane and it became something of a drag to me. It was like a soap opera. So many unnecessary scenes and at times, I thought some were a bit dramatic. The sex scenes I could definitely do without too. And while it is hard to pinpoint if in fact the writer had chosen a side, I found myself able to live in the world of each of the book's characters. How their actions and inactions affected others and themselves likewise. How they justified their selfishness.
The other things I like about this book apart from its realistic slant among others, is how well she told us about the river. The river of which one could say is the source of inspiration for this story. The brief history of the river was smoothly crafted, very well described and interesting. I say it was one of those things that piqued my interest at the very beginning. It perfectly posed as a beautiful backdrop and remained a constant in the story. The presence of the cast in the beginning of this book was also very helpful. The playlist at the end was unusual but equally amusing. The book was very musical. So if you know your classics well, all the better for you and your reading. I also did not notice any grammatical or typographical errors, so that says something about the publisher and editing team.
Reading this book was memorable for me. It took its toll on me emotionally (just a bit though). I liked the ending too. No enervating cliffhangers. Just a sad ending. That should quite be how much I will say so I do not spoil it any further.
I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. It's deserving of it. The writer, I dare say did not write out of ignorance but from a place of knowledge and the whole book was written in a simple way. It was easy to understand. The book is not for entertainment, I must say. At least not for me. It was more of a realistic exposition into the minds of the many people that make the families that forge our societies. If you like reading books like that, all well and good. This book is for you.
******
American River: Tributaries
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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Latest Review: Junk Justice by Gerry Rising
