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THE RIVER KNOWS YOUR NAME
Kelly Mustian
Sourcebooks Landmark
April 1, 2025
432 pages
Goodreads | Bookshop.org | Amazon
I was excited to see that there was a new book out by this author. I loved The Stilt Girls, a lot!
This book has two timelines, 2 stories, seemingly unconnected. One timeline is in the 1930s, during the tough depression. Becca is a young widow trying to bring up a toddler without family support. The 1970s is about Nell and Evie, who were sisters by chance with a very enigmatic “mother”. Nell is trying to figure out their past. It takes place in the Deep South, often close to the Mississippi River, sometimes in the mountains in the Carolinas. As in the previous book, the setting is very descriptive and important to the story.
BUT. And, I hate that there is a “but”. This story fell short for me. There were a few too many characters, especially in the 1930s segments. I had trouble trying to keep them straight in my mind. A name would pop up and I’d have to stop to try to figure out who it was. Some of the story felt disjointed. Maybe there were too many words. I’m not sure what it was.
As happens with two timelines, they come together in the end, in ways that I did not expect. And, I enjoyed that. In fact, I enjoyed the whole storyline. It had good elements: secrets, family, chosen family, perseverance. I think it could have been presented a little more smoothly.
I would rate this a solid 3.5 stars, but I have to go up or down. I’ll go up to 4 stars because I did enjoy the story, through my own confusion.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
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