Review of I Wish I Had a River

[Theresa Moffitt]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "I Wish I Had a River" by Martha Reynolds.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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I Wish I Had a River by Martha Reynolds is a poignant novel about love, loss, and family. The main character is a pediatrician named Anna Drury. She is struggling with the sudden death of her husband, Nick, and the promise she made to fulfill his dying wishes. He died two weeks after receiving his cancer diagnosis. Prior to that, there were issues in their marriage and divorce seemed imminent. Nick felt the need to connect with his ancestors and apologize for past wrongs when he knew he was dying. After her husband’s death, Anna took a year-long leave of absence from her medical practice to fulfill her promises and come to terms with her life as a widow. Her journey spanned four countries.

Anna’s first visit was Portugal, the land of Nick’s ancestors. Nick wanted his ashes spread in the Douro River. She had never been to Portugal and did not speak the language. It seemed an arduous task. Also, Nick’s mother and sisters did not want him cremated. Anna had to fight with them to fulfill Nick’s request and risked irreparably damaging her relationship with them in the process. Nick also requested that Anna deliver a sealed manilla envelope to a man in Spain. She did not know who this mysterious man was or what was in the envelope. Throughout the course of her journey, Anna learned new details about Nick’s past and his family history.

I enjoyed reading this book. Martha Reynolds used colorful language to describe the details of the countries Anna visited and the people she met. Readers will feel like they are traveling with Anna on her journey. The descriptions make it easy to visualize the people and places. I enjoyed learning about the various histories and landscapes as Anna made her way from country to country. The author also did an excellent job of conveying the complex emotions that Anna experienced before and after Nick’s death. She examined the conflicted emotions of fulfilling her husband’s desire for cremation despite his family’s desire for a traditional burial.

What I enjoyed most about the book was the author’s depiction of complex family relationships. Anna did not have a traditional childhood and her relationships with members of her husband’s family were also unique. Reynolds provided insight into Anna’s worries and concerns as she traveled alone through these countries. Aside from her inner dialogue, we learn about her personality as she makes friends along the way. She is a caring and nurturing woman who is experiencing a challenging time in her life. There was nothing that I disliked about this book.

The book was exceptionally well edited. I did not see any errors, so I believe it was professionally edited. I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I would not rate it any less because it is a well-written story about a woman’s struggle to come to terms with loss and focus on her future. There is a focus on family that will be relatable to most people. I recommend this book to people who enjoy reading novels about complex family relationships and personal journeys to unfamiliar places.

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I Wish I Had a River
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[Amy Luman]

I like novels with enough description that I feel as though I am really seeing and going through the same things as the characters. This also. Makes me wonder if we ever really know the people we feel closest to.

[Hazel Mae Bagarinao]

Nick's past is something unresolved until Anna fulfills his desire, and fixes his past. That's how I understand. This proves that Anna as a wife is so supportive of complying with all his wishes. The story is enough to intrigue me and pick up this book soon. Thanks for your engaging review!

[Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala]

I already feel sad for Anna and wonder if she managed to heal and live a wholesome life. Great review!

[Kemzy5]

Losing a loved one is not easy. Anna will be occupied for a while by fulfilling her late husband's wishes. Great review.

[Favour Ugwu Chidinma]

Impressive book. I look forward to reading the book. Thanks for this review.