Darswords

Like A River Flowing by Patricia Barnhart

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Because I felt them important to the overall feelings I had about this book, I have added all the little notes that I’ve written along the way about it. Because it’s a paperback and not a Kindle it took me a lot longer to read it. Even though the font was a little bit bigger than some, I still have trouble tracking. Still in all the time it took me to read it, it kept my interest and I always wanted to see what would happen next.

Let me tell you how this book came into my house. The author, Patricia Barnhart came to our local library (Christmas Valley, Oregon) for a signing and to talk about Self-Publishing. Wouldn’t you know it, I was snowed in with no car to get there. But over the phone, she was kind enough to leave a copy of her notes and a signed copy of her book for me. Hopefully, she had enough people show that made it worthwhile for her. 🙂 Can’t wait to read this beauty!

12/30 marked as: currently-reading

01/04 page 3 1.0% “I am loving the relatability of the main character. AND the first page has a vocabulary word I still need to look up. If it were a Kindle book I would have already done that. Here we go. Insouciance: a relaxed and calm state: a feeling of not worrying about anything. Seems like a good word to learn. Hope the young people who might read this will take the time to do that. I like that the vocabulary isn’t third-grade level.”

01/04 page 3 1.0% “I like the challenge!”

02/01 page 126 63.0% “Sorry it is taking me so long to read this. Even though the font isn’t as small as some, it is still hard to read. Wish I were reading it on my Kindle. Still I am enjoying this story a lot.”
***

Finally, I have finished reading the book. You know that lump in your throat when you finish a book? Yeah, I got that. And a warning you might need a Kleenex box near you for the last couple chapters. I don’t want to give anything away so no spoilers here.

I get the impression that most of this really is a memoir, memories that the author holds of her own childhood. But she has it labeled as a novel. So I’m not sure what is true and what isn’t or what may just be a 12-year-old’s memory and we know how solid those can be.

This is a time when the main character, Izzy, was 12 and the year was 1959. Not only was it a different time for most of us but the main character grew up in a really tiny town in Oregon. So a lot of it is not relatable to those who grew up in the city. But we’ve all been through 12 years old. I was nine in 1959. I was 12 only three years later. I wasn’t as grown up as Izzy was. But Izzy is an only child. I was the oldest of three. But I still remember a death from that year. My best friend who lived next door at the time had a birthday on February 6. Her grandmother died that day. Do you see how I still remember February 6? We remember being 12 years old. It is the verge of adulthood. And Izzy’s story is worth reading.

I’m not sure what age group the book falls into. Surely it a mature 12-year-old and older could read it. I think older people will enjoy it for remembering how life was back then. And even though the main character, Izzy, is a girl I think boys would like this book, even men would like this book. It reminds us how life is like a river flowing.

Thank you, Patricia Barnhart, for letting me read your fantastic book!

Just registered this edition on BookCrossing.com for my permanent collection as it is a signed copy to loan to friends. BCID: 136-13854409

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