The River

By Rumer Godden

Book Overview

Facing harsh adult realities, a young English girl in India must leave childhood behind, in this masterful tale from a New York Times-bestselling author.

The Ganges River runs through young Harriet's world. The eleven-year-old daughter of the British owner of a successful jute concern, she loves her life in Bengal, India, on the river's edge, so far removed from the English boarding school she attended before the outbreak of hostilities in Europe.

Often left alone by an overworked father and preoccupied mother, Harriet is enchanted by the local festivals, colors, and vibrant life surrounding her. Now, as she stands on the brink of adulthood--too old to play childish games with her reckless little brother, Bogey, yet too young to be touched by such grown-up concerns as the faraway Second World War--a stranger's unexpected arrival will rock her world.

When Captain John, a handsome soldier returning wounded from the battlefield, becomes her family's new neighbor, Harriet is instantly entranced, beset by a rush of unfamiliar emotions: longing, jealousy, infatuation. But the inevitable change inherent in growing older may be too heavy a burden for a young girl to bear when it carries with it disappointment and heartbreaking loss.

Inspired by the author's personal experiences as a child raised in India--and the basis for the acclaimed classic motion picture of the same name from French film director Jean Renoir--Rumer Godden's The River is a lovely, moving portrayal of childhood's end. Evocative, heartfelt, and bittersweet, it is a coming-of-age story without equal from a major twentieth-century novelist.

This ebook features an illustrated biography of the author including rare images from the Rumer Godden Literary Estate.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 150406660X
• ISBN13: 9781504066600
• Release Date: April 2021
• Publisher: Open Road Media
• Length: 140 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.1" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

A Book to Read when You are ten, then every year after.

This Book gave me another world view, as it takes place in India in the 20's . It has an un-American style of writing, British 1920's which I think children should be exposed to and it is a lovely story about life and death and the circle of it all. The characters are a British family. The children are the main charcters, particularily the 9 year old girl, Harriet, the style of writing strongly influenced the way I write fiction. I would love to produce a movie of it. It is lyrical and original. I've read it at least ten times. One of my late grandmother's legacies to me was Rumer Godden's books. Thank you Grandma Hunter!

Quiet Profundity

In this brief book Godden captures the bittersweetness of a girl's approach toward womanhood, and tackles the biggest issues humans face - birth, death, identity, loss, and faith. With a concise, poetic hand, the author illuminates the spiritual and intellectual journey of a child who is beginning to piece together an understanding of the world around her, and to identify her place in it. The river is a simple, beautiful metaphor for the events that flow through the girl's life.Godden's evocative book touched my own recollections of childhood - the remarkable clarity of taste, smell, sensation, thought and feeling, the electrical insights flashing into awareness almost reflexively. Deeply affecting read, if one is quiet enough to hear all that is taking place within the simple narrative.

A Simple but Challenging Novel

I think it is fairly thoughtless to say that The River isn't a deep or thought-provoking read. The plot is so simple, and comes in such abrupt waves that one might not notice the amount of time the protagonist, Harriet, spends considering life, death, and our purpose here. It's richly symbolic and very subtle. The coming of age element of the story is told in a deft and beautiful way, and the ways in which the characters view life will get you thinking. Highly recommended (if you can find it).

A fun read nothing more ... but what a fun read

The River is a coming-of-age novel set in Bengal/India. The older sister is becoming interested in men; a particular man with adjustment problems is becoming interested in her. The younger brother is "a kid" with an interest in a cobra. The middle child can't quite figure out what's happening. The local color makes the story a delightful read and transforms the coming-of-age story into a stronger plot than many similar novels.This novel will not challenge your view of the world ... but it will give you a bit of thoughtful (not thought-provoking) fun.

This is a beautiful book.

I really loved this book. It is beautiful. The plot is simple on the outside yet very interesting and thoughtful as you read on. It is deep. I couldn't put the book down! I just kept reading. Rumer Godden writes a superb ending. And the book is wonderful and very well written all the way through.