Customer Reviews

Last Year's River

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This really is a wonderful book, but not accurately described, I think, by the editorial reviews and book jacket, which lead you to believe that it is plot-driven. It's more of a character-driven and introspective novel with a richness of detail that is very evocative of the time and location. It was hard for me to believe that a man wrote this, inasmuch as the protagonist is a woman and his characterization resonated so profoundly with me. The careful attention to detail does not weigh down the storyline, though; this must have been very hard to accomplish! One side note (that shows my ignorance about this form of writing): why does the author not use quotation marks when writing dialogue? I found this a little disconcerting, but then it also contributed to the feeling that so much of the converstion mirrored the characters' internal dialogue(...)

Allen Jones does more than just bring the characters of his novel, LAST YEAR'S RIVER, to life on the page; he makes them larger than life, to the point where they haunt your thoughts and days. Simply put, this historical novel is a love story. But, the way Jones tells the story--with allusions to what the world was like at that time--is what is the most amazing feature of this novel. Do yourself a favor: buy this book and put aside two or three days to read it. Better yet, read LAST YEAR'S RIVER slowly, savor it, you won't want it to end.

This was a terrific book that took me away from all the horrors that surround us in our country right now. The novel is set during a period when America was strong and without the threat of war, and the storyline is filled with romance, intrigue, historical & geographical accuracy. A young NY socialite named Virginia, pregnant because her boyfriend has raped her, is sent to a ranch in Wyoming with her delicate Aunt, where she is to have the child in secrecy. Once there she falls in love with the son of the ranch owner- a young man back from WWI, with battle fatigue. Virginia has an absolute sexual and emotional revolution that ends up affecting every one around her.
READ THIS BOOK! You'll escape for a few hundred pages, and feel better that you did.

Well.
I heard this was a good book.
You heard that? You heard about Allen Morris Jones?
I heard.
And you think I should read it? You think it's worth my time?
I say it is.
Well. Cough.
All right then.

Does this writing style remind you of anyone? How about Cormac McCarthy, Kent Haruf, or Annie Proulx? "Last Year's River" is an impressive debut novel and one that will appeal to a large audience. It is full of amazing passages about the West (specifically Wyoming and the fringes of Yellowstone), dialogue that leaves you wanting (to throttle the various characters at one time or another), and thankful to live in present times (versus back when an out-of-wedlock pregnancy meant social death). My only criticism (and reason for the three-star rating) is that the plot is somewhat predictable -- especially with the flashbacks told in Virginia's voice at the beginning of the chapters. That said, this is a hugely readable story -- gritty, closely observed, and vivid. Add Allen Morris Jones to your list of serious western novelists!

The characters in LAST YEAR'S RIVER come to life on the page, with all of their hopes and dreams and failures laid bare. The thing that impressed me the most about this novel was the way that--with references to what people were eating, the music they were listening to, the clothes they were wearing--Jones re-creates the post-WWI world for the reader. It really is incredible. Buy this book and treat yourself to a beautifully-written literary novel. I didn't want it to end.

Last Year's River contains an excellent use of contemporary thoughts blended with an honest and accurate representation of yesterday's 'pioneer' culture. Like Shakespeare's best works, this novel's base is one of love, drama, spite and hate and will warmly accomidate the interests of male and female readers alike. A real page turner based on feelings of personal involvement and attachment, by the reader, to the characters. This no doubt stems from excellent writing and an obvious concern for detail. The overall structure of the novel is meticulously broad-based that allows the reader to mentally expand and explore beyond the book's cover. A very fluid novel that I recommend to other readers looking for a change from the standard 'stamped and printed' novel. I am looking foreward to this new writer's next novel.

I was hoping for so much more than this book turned out to be. Enjoyable but nothing profound.

I enjoyed this book, but expected more from it than I got. The characters were well developed but seem to sleep walk through the story. There was no real heat between the main characters, they seemed to seek each other out for warmth and comfort not because they truly cared about each other, which is OK, I guess, if you're into that sort of thing. Some of the scenes in the book were brutal, like the West is (was) back then. But the characters seemed to hold back their emotions from everyone, including us.