River Woman: A Novel [Hardcover]

Donna Hemans (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2002

In an unforgettable debut, Donna Hemans crafts a haunting novel of promises kept and promises broken, exploring the unyielding bonds joining mother and child -- bonds that neither time nor betrayal can sever.

As she washes her laundry in the river, Kelithe is startled from her daydreams by the sound of women screaming. It is not until she sees a small body in the shallow water that she realizes what has happened. Her young son, Timothy, has drowned in the Rio Minho.

The women of Standfast, Jamaica, whisper that she stood and watched Timothy die so that she could seize her chance to join her mother in America. Numb with grief, Kelithe lacks the strength to confront them. She can only wait for the funeral. And for her mother to come stand by her at last.

It is into this cauldron of guilt, grief, and suspicion that Sonya returns to bury the grandson she has never seen. Fifteen years ago, promising to send for her five-year-old daughter "soon, soon," Sonya set off for America. Year after year, she struggled to get settled enough to do right by Kelithe. But even as Sonya married and had a second daughter, Kelithe grew to womanhood under her grandmother's care, found fleeting love in a stranger's arms, and had a shame-filled pregnancy of her own. And when Sonya was finally ready, there was room only for Kelithe. Timothy would have to stay behind. Kelithe would have to abandon him as she herself had been abandoned. But Sonya would send for him "soon, soon."

What really happened at the Rio Minho? It is a question Sonya cannot ask, and an accusation Kelithe will not answer. And it lies at the heart of this shattering novel. In spare, powerful prose, Donna Hemans lays barethe human heart, and the many facets of truth.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The Rio Minho in Jamaica provides much more than a setting for this potent, accomplished debut. Hemans is an original, although she never seems to be making a point of her uniqueness. Born in Jamaica and educated in the States, she apparently hears life sung by a chorus, not a single voice. The novel opens with the drowning of three-year-old Timothy, as his teenage single mother, Kelithe, is washing clothes in the river with the other women of Standfast, a small town that seems a century behind the times. The drowning prompts the return of Kelithe's mother, Sonya, who had abandoned her for a life in the States, promising "soon-soon" to send for the girl. It is revealed that just before Timothy's death, Sonya finally made the offer concrete, but on condition that Kelithe leave the boy behind. Abandonment is a major theme here not only by parents but by a government that has broken all its promises to Standfast and the myth of the beautiful but treacherous river mother, the Mumma, is a recurring metaphor throughout. Sonya returns to Jamaica for the funeral and finds the townsfolk united in their conviction that Kelithe stood by and let Timothy die so she could slip away unburdened to a new life in America. Will Sonya come to her daughter's defense or abandon her again? Hemans pitches the question as intensely as a thriller writer and answers it as resonantly as a poet. Northeast 4-city author tour.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Did Kelithe's son Timothy accidentally drown in the Rio Minho as the women washed their clothes, or did Kelithe stand by and watch Timothy die so that she could leave behind her life and join her mother in America? Though the women of Standfast, Jamaica, shun her and demand that she be put to justice, Kelithe remains mute and numb with grief. She can only wait for her mother, Sonya, to return from New York and stand by to defend her. But mother and daughter are virtual strangers after 15 years apart, and, in the end, nothing can comfort the devastated Kelithe. The tone of the novel is one of deep sorrow and abiding pain, making the book a difficult one to read for long stretches at a time. But it is also alive with the sights, smells, and tastes of Jamaica, its rich history, and vibrant people. Like the works of Edwidge Danticat and Jamaica Kincaid, Hemans's first novel is one of stark lyricism and shattering emotional honesty. For all large public libraries. Yvette W. Olson, City Univ. Lib., Bellevue, WA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Washington Square Press; 1ST edition (January 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743410394
• ISBN-13: 978-0743410397
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,619,286 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tragic Tale of Human Nature, April 5, 2002

By 

Taryn A. B. (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: River Woman: A Novel (Hardcover)

This book has an unexplainable quality that gives it the aura of a dream. Even though the story is sad from beginning to end, I found myself not being able to put the book down. As you read, the story clarifies itself in a way that makes you realize that the book is not only about the death of a child, but about how people use the tragedy of others to serve their own purposes. This is a very thought provoking work that will leave you stunned as Hamans refuses to give us the "just" ending we wish for throughout.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is the Real Thing, January 25, 2002

By 

Gretchen Laskas "Author" (Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: River Woman: A Novel (Hardcover)

I had the opportunity to hear Ms. Hemans read from her work before publication and could hardly wait for this book to be published. This is the sort of book that deserves a wide readership -- a book that is a privilege to read. This is a book about the fundamental issues that make up our lives. A book that makes you look up at the end and see your own world in a whole new way.

The characters in RIVER WOMAN are poignant, heartbreaking, yet rendered with such care and so real to the reader that they will resonate with you long after you close the covers. The writing is wise -- gentle in places -- but ultimately as true to itself as the women are to the story.

This is a book that should have a wide reach. I hope every opportunity is given to RIVER WOMAN and Ms. Hemans to find the readers this book deserves.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Book, January 25, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: River Woman: A Novel (Hardcover)

I heard about this book from a friend. I don't know why it isn't getting more publicity: it's absolutely fabulous! From the stunning first chapter, it's impossible to put this novel down. The author's style is poetic without being pretentious, and she's interested in the serious stuff of life: guilt, loneliness, heartbreak, love.

I'm recommending this one to my book club!