Peace Like a River by Leif Engle is one of the best reads I encountered so far in 2016. It was recommended by a friend who had borrowed it from the library, and she wanted me to read it so badly, she sent an Amazon copy to my front door (good friend!). One of the blurbs on the book said, it “serves as a reminder of why we read fiction to begin with.”
The Land family,consists of father-Jeremiah, Davy-older brother, Ruben-narrator and wonderful but asthmatic middle child, and Swede- the blonde haired blue eyed baby of the family, whom one reviewer compares to Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. The story is set in Minnesota and travels to the Dakota badlands as the story progresses. The characters are unforgettable and the plot is suspenseful to the point where you discover you are holding your breath as you read.
There is a peace, as mentioned in the title, constantly searched for and finally attained by both the characters and the reader. One reviewer called the novel, “the perfect book for an anxious time,” referring to both the decade of the novel and today’s times which often require the total immersion in a good book to “make it through.”
I wholeheartedly recommend this book as a good investment of your reading time.
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