![]() ![]() ![]() This apparently simple river story is structurally complicated by Heller’s use of internal dialogue for both Wynn and Jack, and frequent flashbacks which illuminate their characters and skills. The path north on the river pushes the story forward, as the friends juggle the elemental risks - fire, earth, air, water- in the midst of their more human dangers. Two friends from Dartmouth are on a month-long wilderness canoeing trip, first lake-hopping, then running the fictional Maskwa River (patterned on the Winisk?) towards Hudson Bay. ![]() The River, at first blush, has the simplest plot. “Write what you know” is the advice young writers receive, and each of these novels is set in a frame of Heller’s experience. Heller previously wrote a creative post-apocalyptic novel ( The Dog Stars, 2012) a thriller about an artist with anger issues ( The Painter 2014) a mystery story about a quirky, female investigator ( Celine, 2017) and now a morality tale about wilderness canoeing. The river itself seems no problem to them, as they feel prepared for that. Peter Heller’s fourth novel starts with smoke.įrom the first pages we are introduced to each of the elements which will dog the two friends - Wynn and Jack - as they canoe in the Canadian wilderness: a forest fire, two drunks on land, and a pair of arguing voices in the fog. ![]() It has brought its flute it is a long way. When it has gone I hear the stream running after it Without reproaches after all it has done for us ![]()
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