Ain't No River [Paperback]

Sharon Ewell Foster (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 4, 2001

Penned in the same poetic voice introduced in her bestselling debut novel, Passing by Samaria, Sharon Ewell Foster's Ain't No River is a contemporary tale where the angst of modern life is seasoned with wisdom, humor, and a dash of African-American history. Meemaw has been a doting mother, grandmother, and church mother to her community. Suddenly she's become a slimmed-down, silver-haired, seventy-something fox with a new attitude. And all fingers are pointing at a much younger ex-pro football player, GoGo Walker. When D.C. lawyer Garvin Daniels -- Meemaw's granddaughter -- gets wind of what's happening, she heads back to her hometown determined to help her Meemaw get it together before she goes too far.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Christian readers who loved Foster's surprise hit, Passing by Samaria, will enjoy this second novel, which takes place in present-day North Carolina. Garvin Daniels is a sexy, savvy, successful D.C. lawyer for whom everything suddenly begins to go wrong. Her devoted grandmother Meemaw is keeping company with a much younger man-about-town called GoGo, and Garvin's racist supervisor at work gets her suspended for three months even though her performance is top-notch. So Garvin heads home to Jacks Creek, to look after Meemaw and see if she can't piece her own life together in the process. There, she encounters more problems and becomes convinced that GoGo is a schemer, out to bilk her grandma. This book is one more piece of evidence that Christian publishers are getting serious about producing literary fiction. Foster's prose is often evocative and eloquent ("She wore her hair like a mistake"), and the plot never drags. But the novel is far from flawless. Several plot lines are both predictable and insufficiently explained. Readers will guess by the second chapter, for example, that GoGo is after Garvin's heart, not her grandma's money--but they will wonder, when GoGo finally confesses his affections, how they came about. So, too, it's no surprise when Garvin, hostile to the church of her youth, is magically born again, but readers may not find the conversion convincing when it comes. Still, this is a rewarding read from an author to watch. (Feb.)Forecast: Foster is a relative newcomer to the Christian fiction scene, but the generally unexpected response to her first novel demonstrated the deep market for quality Christian fiction for African-Americans (Passing by Samaria debuted on the CBA bestseller list in the first month of its release). Because of its success, other Christian publishers have been actively seeking fiction to serve this audience, and as a trend-maker, Foster has a significant leg up.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Garvin Daniels is a brash, materialistic black lawyer in Washington, D.C., in Foster's sassy Ain't No River. She's handed an impossible case in which she must prove the subtle discrimination of an employer, the plot of her own supervisor to do her in, she thinks. She heads for her North Carolina hometown to chill out and put right another worrisome situation: her 70-plus grandmother, Meemaw, seems suddenly to have lost her head over a young fortune hunter, GoGo Walker. Is he a fortune hunter, or is Garvin judging by stereotype, like her employer? Foster, one of the brightest lights of evangelical fiction, turns in a nuanced, often amusing tale of a contemporary African American woman who learns to let go, trust God and her colorful grandmother, and love. John Mort
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 364 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books (January 4, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576736288
• ISBN-13: 978-1576736289
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,304,367 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Spiritual Uplift, January 17, 2001

By 

P. W. WILLIAMS (League City, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ain't No River (Paperback)

Reading "Aint't No River" was a beautiful love-learning experience that I will not forget. The novel is undoubtedly fiction; however, the spiritual insight is clearly based on scripture.

We spend our lives trying to climb the direction we perceive as up. "Ain't No River" reminds us about the real things in life that are important; God, family, friends, truth, and trust. Sharon Ewell Foster's newest novel inspires, touches and teachers. "Ain't No River" is beautifully written and reaffirms Ms. Foster's place among the literary elite.

Pamela Walker-Williams, PageTurner.Net

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Redeeming, Uplifting, and Full of Fun, May 20, 2001

By 

K. Downey (Atmore, AL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ain't No River (Paperback)

Ain't No River was my first venture into contemporary Christian fiction and author Sharon Ewell Foster has made me a believer in the genre. Rarely does a work of fiction feature so many well-developed, realistic characters. Author Sharon Ewell Foster has done this and seemingly with ease. The story features Garvin, a high-powered attorney from Washington D.C., who makes her way back home after being temporarily "laid off" from her firm. Home is a small town in North Carolina that seems a million miles away from the fast-paced world she knows. However, the attorney quickly sets down to business when she feels that her beloved 70-something Meemaw is running wild with proven ladies man, young GoGo Walker. A host of other well-developed characters add to the drama.

This uplifting story about redemption and remembering who we are is bound to bless any and all readers. However, readers will not feel that they are being preached to throughout the story. The method is much more subtle until perhaps the very end. Rarely does a work of fiction contain such a fine plot, such a wonderful host of characters, and so much fun. Foster's humor and sense of fun are unmistakable and would make the story one worth reading if other elements were not as strong. However, the author has integrated the finest elements of fiction along with this humor and has proven herself a voice to be reckoned with in contemporary fiction.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars inspiring and refreshing, April 20, 2001

By 

Cindy (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ain't No River (Paperback)

I had a little difficulty getting through the first few chapters, but I'm glad I kept on. I found Garvin to be an annoying and frustrating character who overreacts to "problems" most people wouldn't even consider problems. She struck me as a whiny, spoiled city-girl, but I think Ms. Foster did a wonderful job portraying her character growth. The story is mainly Garvin's story, about her journey home and spiritual growth along the way. I found Meemaw, Garvin's grandmother, a delightful character that everyone can find inspiring. I really enjoyed watching the relationships between both Garvin and Meemaw and Garvin and Monique (a lonely child she is "mentoring") develop. Parts of the book are very predictable, and there seems to be so many climaxes in Garvin's character that one begins to wonder when, and if, she will ever really "see the light." Besides that, I felt it to be a really refreshing read.