Go As A River 🍑👒🦋
book review | Go As A River by Shelley Read 🌱
my rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Setting: Iola, Colorado 🌳
Live life like a river — flowing and resilient.
This historical coming-of-age story follows seventeen-year-old Victoria Nash. A young woman living on her family’s Colorado peach farm in the 1940s. Her life is forever changed by tragedy and a chance encounter with a young drifter — causing her to flee into the surrounding mountainous wilderness where she struggles to survive. Victoria is eventually forced to confront the rising of the Gunnison River and the eventual destruction of her homeland.
This book is inspired by the true story of Iola, Colorado a real-life ranch town that was purposefully flooded in the 1960s.
This novel was beautifully written! The narrative and tone of this book were so good. The setting was really brought to life through vivid descriptions. All of the characters were well-developed and interesting. 🤌🏼
I wanted more from the ending. It felt a little rushed. 🥲
Highly recommend this book! The audiobook version was very good.
Have you read Go As A River? Let me know what you thought! 🌊
#historicalfiction #bookrec #booktokbooks #bookrecommendations #booktok
Reading "Go As A River" feels like stepping into a beautifully painted moment in time, where the struggles of farming life and the unstoppable force of nature intertwine deeply. The author’s careful depiction of the peach farming community in Iola, Colorado during the 1940s lends a powerful sense of realism to Victoria Nash’s journey. What particularly struck me was the way the novel illustrates resilience—not just in Victoria’s character but symbolically through the river’s constant flow, reflecting life's unpredictability and persistence. The story’s setting against the backdrop of the Gunnison River's rising waters is more than just scenery; it becomes a character itself, shaping the fate of the land and its people. This historical context of the real Iola flooding adds an emotional weight that elevates the narrative beyond a simple coming-of-age tale. It made me reflect on how communities deal with sudden change and loss, and how personal identity is formed by these experiences. One aspect I appreciated was the complex portrayal of Victoria’s internal growth amid external hardships. Her chance encounter with a drifter and subsequent survival in the wilderness challenges traditional gender roles and showcases her grit. The novel’s tone balances more tender moments with gritty realism, making it feel authentic and engaging. For anyone who enjoys historical fiction rooted in true events, the blend of family, love, prejudice, and survival in this book is compelling. The pacing may feel a bit rushed towards the end, but the overall narrative leaves a lasting impression. Listening to the audiobook enhanced the experience for me, with narration that captured the spirit and nuances of the story. Finally, "Go As A River" serves as a tribute to forgotten places and the people who inhabit them, reminding us of the sacrifices behind progress and the memories submerged beneath changing landscapes.
