Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Peace Like a River

3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 · rating details · 36,473 ratings · 4,321 reviews

Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers
Once in a great while, we encounter a novel in our voluminous reading that begs to be read aloud. Leif Enger's debut, Peace Like a River, is one such work. His richly evocative novel, narrated by an asthmatic 11-year-old named Reuben Land, is the story of Reuben's unusual family and their journey across the frozen Badlands of th...more

Paperback, 312 pages

Published August 7th 2002 by Atlantic Monthly Press (first published August 2nd 2001)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Best Books of the Decade: 2000s

99th out of 4,071 books — 19,780 voters

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Best Books Ever

453rd out of 24,598 books — 93,850 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Feb 18, 2011 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

This has been on my to-read book ever since seeing how highly recommended it came from Jenn. Lots of my other Goodreads friends had read it, too, and they’d all loved it.

I loved it, too.

Three things that kept me turning those pages:

1. The characters. Eleven-year-old Reuben soon became one of my favorite narrators ever. Loved him and everything about him. And don’t even get me started on little sister Swede. I’m sure there’s no eight-year-old who’s quite so bright and hardworking and loyal and ta...more

44 likes · like · see review

Jan 10, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm rereading this again for a book club I'm hosting. It is one of my all-time favorite books because it has GREAT writing, a wonderful message, a twisting plot and has laugh out loud parts. When people ask me for a book to read, this is the first one I recommend.

21 likes · like · see review

May 11, 2008 Becky Rhoads rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Melinda Deffenbaugh, Holly Deffenbaugh

Just finished this book. Highly recommend it! It is a very creative story, full of wonderful prose, and characters you come to love, admire and hate. Very interesting spiritual theme running throughout the book. It is clear the author has some understanding of the miraculous! This is certainly not a story that has what we would call a happy ending, but surprises you and on some level it makes sense. And the ending is not even the most important thing - it is walking the journey with these charac...more

17 likes · like · see review

Apr 28, 2008 Holli rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: literary-fiction

Great book! Great story! Great characters! I especially liked Swede and her vocabulary, not to mention her epic cowboy poems. I didn’t care that she can write better than I can. And of course, Rube, who is so human, struggling with what is the right thing to do. The feeling of a brother gone bad, wanting to protect him, bring him back into the fold—I know that feeling. And the breathing—even though mine doesn’t get that bad, I could still identify. The book was full of great imagery. I especial...more Great book! Great story! Great characters! I especially liked Swede and her vocabulary, not to mention her epic cowboy poems. I didn’t care that she can write better than I can. And of course, Rube, who is so human, struggling with what is the right thing to do. The feeling of a brother gone bad, wanting to protect him, bring him back into the fold—I know that feeling. And the breathing—even though mine doesn’t get that bad, I could still identify. The book was full of great imagery. I especially liked the line about searching his brain like opening every drawer of a bureau. I didn’t see the end coming, but it was inevitable. I can’t wait for Enger to write another novel.

Amazon.com's Best of 2001
To the list of great American child narrators that includes Huck Finn and Scout Finch, let us now add Reuben "Rube" Land, the asthmatic 11-year-old boy at the center of Leif Enger's remarkable first novel, Peace Like a River. Rube recalls the events of his childhood, in small-town Minnesota circa 1962, in a voice that perfectly captures the poetic, verbal stoicism of the northern Great Plains. "Here's what I saw," Rube warns his readers. "Here's how it went. Make of it what you will." And Rube sees plenty.
In the winter of his 11th year, two schoolyard bullies break into the Lands' house, and Rube's big brother Davy guns them down with a Winchester. Shortly after his arrest, Davy breaks out of jail and goes on the lam. Swede is Rube's younger sister, a precocious writer who crafts rhymed epics of romantic Western outlawry. Shortly after Davy's escape, Rube, Swede, and their father, a widowed school custodian, hit the road too, swerving this way and that across Minnesota and North Dakota, determined to find their lost outlaw Davy. In the end it's not Rube who haunts the reader's imagination, it's his father, torn between love for his outlaw son and the duty to do the right, honest thing. Enger finds something quietly heroic in the bred-in-the-bone Minnesota decency of America's heartland. Peace Like a River opens up a new chapter in Midwestern literature.
(less)

7 likes · like · see review

Jan 19, 2008 Katy rated it 5 of 5 stars

This might be my favorite book.

I love the writing style. Randy and I read it aloud and that was perfect because there are so many quotable moments.

Here's a review I found that describes it better than I can:

"A rich mixture of adventure, tragedy, and healing, " Peace Like a River is "a collage of legends from sources sacred and profane -- from the Old Testament to the Old West, from the Gospels to police dramas" (Ron Charles, The Christian Science Monitor). In "lyrical, openhearted prose" (Mich...more

6 likes · like · see review

Jun 04, 2007 Siria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 21st-century, american-fiction

Whoever typeset this book should be fired, and then possibly summarily shot. I cannot recall the last time I saw so many errors in a book--apostrophes and quotation marks inverted, no spaces left after some of the full stops, and, on one occasion, the e.e. cummings-esque 'multi- p lied' appeared in the middle of the page for no discernible reason.

Such gripes aside, this book is really an excellent read. It is a novel of faith, the kind of novel which I normally find hard to connect with, since m...more

8 likes · like · see review

Jul 14, 2008 Nancy rated it 2 of 5 stars

There were things I really liked about this story but more things that I didn't...Overall I would say that the general story was good, but the details of plot and character interaction were random and disjointed. I loved the father's faith, the world would be a far better place if we all had faith like that to see beyond the coincidences of life and know that God is in the details. Here is a quote from the beginning of the book which gave me food for thought.

"Let me say something about that word...more

7 likes · like · see review

Feb 18, 2008 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: book groups

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It's good, but not as good as people say. It’s no To Kill a Mockingbird.

Synopsis
Reuben Land tells his family story. How he was born without lung capacity and his father told him to breath—the first of many miracles by his father. Little sister Swede is a budding writer, taken with poetry of the west. She’s writing an epic poem about Sunny Sundown, originally hunting the untouchable, he becomes a sympathetic outlaw. Their older brother Davy lives the outlaw life, molding Swede’s outlaw sympathie...more It's good, but not as good as people say. It’s no To Kill a Mockingbird.

Synopsis
Reuben Land tells his family story. How he was born without lung capacity and his father told him to breath—the first of many miracles by his father. Little sister Swede is a budding writer, taken with poetry of the west. She’s writing an epic poem about Sunny Sundown, originally hunting the untouchable, he becomes a sympathetic outlaw. Their older brother Davy lives the outlaw life, molding Swede’s outlaw sympathies & disillusionments.

The story begins as Jeremiah Land, father and high school janitor, breaks up a locker room attack. High school jerks Tommy Basca and Israel Finch had attacked Davy’s girlfriend. The boys seek revenge on the Land family, briefly kidnapping Swede, etc. One night Davy does some act of vandalism to lure their retaliation. That night he waits, when they arrive, Davy shoots them both dead.

Davy goes through a trial by jury. Things are looking grim when Davy breaks jail and takes to the hills by horse. The kids are overjoyed, father content. The Lands eventually inherit a new Airstream and take to the Badlands pursuing Davy. They are followed by federal agent & nemesis supreme Martin Andreeson.

The Lands are held up by a snow storm and take rooms with Roxanna, a gas station owner, deserted by her husband. Jeremiah and the kids fall in love with Roxanna. While there, Reuben sees a far off horse—Davy. They begin to meet at night in Davy’s secret hide-out shack. Davy lives with outlaw supreme Jape Waltzer and his daughter/wife Sara.

Reuben spills to Davy & Waltzer that Andreeson is talking in town, getting closer. Soon after, Andreeson disappears and is assumed dead. Reuben’s guilt overcomes him and he spills about Davy to family and feds. The real hunt begins, and the hideout is found, but empty.

Time passes. Roxanna and Jeremiah marry and move to the Red Farm outside of the Land hometown. Davy visits one day with Sarah, who he’d rescued. Waltzer arrives with a vengence, shoots Jeremiah and Reuben, leaves. Reuben has a next world experience and meets his dad who “sends him back”. Of course, Reuben should have died, but there’s a miracle, his lungs are fully restored as well.

Life goes on. Reuben marries Sara and, on occasion, runs into Davy in remote places. That’s about it.

(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 15, 2008 Annalisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Annalisa by: Amy

Shelves: book-club, literary, coming-of-age, contemporary

Almost more Swede's "Life in the Dakotas" than a story, most of the novel is a well-painted picture of life in North Dakotas for a religious family in the '60s. I wasn't exactly sure what the book was about until the end, but I just enjoyed the scenery. And the beautifully written scenes needed to be strong to get you to the end because of the ambivalent direction. There were moments when I wondered where the adventure was leading me, as in what the point of the novel was, and even a few where m...more Almost more Swede's "Life in the Dakotas" than a story, most of the novel is a well-painted picture of life in North Dakotas for a religious family in the '60s. I wasn't exactly sure what the book was about until the end, but I just enjoyed the scenery. And the beautifully written scenes needed to be strong to get you to the end because of the ambivalent direction. There were moments when I wondered where the adventure was leading me, as in what the point of the novel was, and even a few where my interest was waning. But I knew all the loose ends would tie up and I'd be left with a good story and a thoughtful message and then it would all make sense. Enger did not disappoint.

We are left with much to ponder from this novel, even from the onset. When is self defense murder in your heart and when is it protection of your family? How is a legal system depended on intent ever supposed to accurately decipher a man's (or woman's) heart? Is it better to let misdeed continue, even escalate, than retaliate? Or do you wait until a ticking time bomb explodes and then feel guilty you did not intervene? I didn't realize until this very moment that both of those scenarios play out for the same character. Even gun control and hunting issues, particularly with minors, wandered through my head. And what of other people's misfortunes? When is it appropriate to intervene and risk your own happiness? And when do you let the path of others' lives fall naturally?

There are plenty of religious questions to contemplate as well. Do you believe in miracles? I for one wanted to find scientific explanations for 11-year-old witness accounts and then felt guilty to not show more faith. Why are miracles, or even faith, or luck, more predominant for some people than others? Why must some suffer burdens of life and others escape consequences of their own actions? I do not have a problem with the message that life is not fair because eternal justice is not metered on earth time. Even what we consider "suffering" is necessary for personal progression. It's not punishment. We have our reward in character strength and they have their reward in character destruction.

There is also a message of God working in mysterious ways. This family sets out on this journey to salvage one family member and ends up changing gears for a different family member. Davy wasn't the cause of the journey, but neon signs guiding them to a different purpose, and with some foresight, that purpose was very much needed. Oftentimes our lives are that way and we must listen to those redirectional signs.

What I did almost have a problem with was the message of sacrifice. Not that I find it unnecessary, but I wasn't sure this particular sacrifice (the one in the climax) required so much. I didn't find this miracle any more taxing than the others, and quite similar to the superintendent's, so why does Enger have to throw in a different outcome for a poignant message? Then again, I had that same moment of disbelief when the dad walked off the truck. Plus I am not a worker of miracles and I do not know the cost of their power. So I let it go, because I did find the whole scene incredibly beautiful, and you had to know that miracle was coming. And it had to be something big or it would have taken place already.

For the most part, I enjoyed the characters and their relationship with each other: I respected the father's patience, faith, humility, and the way he let his children learn for themselves instead of micro-managing their growth. I enjoyed the moments in the novel where Ruben called himself out on his pride and said he didn't want to go into details. As the narrator, I loved how Enger made him humanly weak and painfully aware of his shortcomings, and for that I found him incredibly strong, even during his pity party when I wondered why he hadn't played the prodigal son's brother more often. Confident, articulate Swede: such a vibrant character. I loved her poetry and how her fictitious outlaw retold and forecasted events for her own outlaw brother. I found her intelligence and maturity somewhat unbelievable, but the story is good enough that I was willing to buy it.

Davy was the one character I struggled with: his charismatic control vs his unrepentant darkness. At times he scared me (what was he capable of?) and I still do not know whether I liked him or not. He reacted completely opposite to danger first with planned violent extremes and secondly with impulsive disastrous stupidity. While both were courageous, they contradicted and neither solution made me respect him. I am not sure he was worthy of this cross-country rescue, but could understand his family's desire for reunion. I kept wondering what the conversation between father and son would be. Did he intend to encourage his surrender or aid his escape? It didn't really matter to me whether he was caught or not. Both endings would not have surprised me and somehow disappointed me. Do we encourage running from the law or watch a family pay for not wanting to be victims? I wondered what message Enger was leaning toward, but it turns out that was not the point of the book after all. A well-written, thought-provoking, moving novel.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 22, 2008 Robert Beveridge rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished, owned-and-gave-away

Leif Enger, Peace Like a River (Grove, 2001)

Oh, what has happened to Grove Press? The folks that made their name publishing scandalous novels by James Joyce, Henry Miller, William S. Burroughs, and the like publishing what may be the least controversial novel of the last ten years? It hurts my heart, folks, it really does. Please, Grove, stick to what you know.

It wouldn't be so bad if there were more about this piece of smarmy claptrap to like. I haven't decided whether this is a good thing or a...more Leif Enger, Peace Like a River (Grove, 2001)

Oh, what has happened to Grove Press? The folks that made their name publishing scandalous novels by James Joyce, Henry Miller, William S. Burroughs, and the like publishing what may be the least controversial novel of the last ten years? It hurts my heart, folks, it really does. Please, Grove, stick to what you know.

It wouldn't be so bad if there were more about this piece of smarmy claptrap to like. I haven't decided whether this is a good thing or a bad thing yet (I'm grudgingly leaning towards the former). Enger's writing style allows for long lapses in anything actually happening. Just when I'm ready to throw the book against the wall, however, he perks right back up again and things start going well for a few pages, then it's back into the depths of... well, the void. That's about the only way I can put it.

Reuben Land is an asthmatic eleven-year-old (or, at least, he is in the novel; one of the more amusing things I'm finding about most reviews is that they seem to have skipped over the fact that he WAS an asthmatic eleven-year-old at the time of the novel, but he's telling the story as an adult, which makes the comparisons to To Kill a Mockingbird, Huck Finn, etc. specious at best) with a father who can perform miracles, a sister who's a writing prodigy, and a brother who's your basic teenager in the small-town American Midwest in 1962. After Reuben's father stops two town thugs from raping a girl, they seek revenge on the family. The teenager's reaction to this is what sets up the rest of the novel; it's probably not a spoiler any more, but I won't say anything just in case.

The plotline with Davy (the teenager) is by far the most interesting thing about the novel. When Enger is writing this, his prose rises off the page and compels the reader to keep going. Unfortunately, it's a minor point in the general scheme of things; Enger seems far more interested in writing an episode of Seventh Heaven where the family's father is actually Jesus. Except Seventh Heaven, for all its many many faults, has more wit, more compassion, and less preaching than does Peace Like a River.

I was willing to give this mess two stars, mostly because Enger can write well when he tries, and a couple of his characters are perfectly drawn, but then I got to the ending. Of all the endings I would have projected for this novel, Enger took the most predictable, most syrupy-sweet, most clichéd ending he possibly could, then tried to pass it off and something epic and grandiose. Even if the rest of the book had been perfect, the ending is such a miserable failure that I'd recommend skipping the whole novel, unless you seek out smarminess and predictability.

The purpose of a great novel is to challenge the reader, make the reader think, open the reader's eyes and make the reader look at things from a new perspective. All in all, I can't say I've come across another book this year that fails so miserably in all those capacities as does Peace Like a River. * ½ (less)

17 likes · like · see review

view all 9 comments

Pam Received notice of a comment which opened this back up for me. I am one of the many that gave this book 5 stars so I obviously disagree with those of...more
Jan 09, 2013 05:10pm

Terry Read this book for book club this month. I am pretty sure I am going to be the only one there tonight that was totally unimpressed with this book. I k...more
Feb 15, 2013 06:15am

Aug 28, 2008 Villate rated it 2 of 5 stars

When I saw the glowing reviews about the spectacular prose in this novel, I thought "OK, whatever." Then I opened it up and started reading, and I really was amazed by the lyrical writing. It was beautiful. As I read the story, however, I was troubled by a weird sense that I read it somewhere before. Then I realized that I had - this book is like every John Irving novel I've ever read, minus the kinky sex. It's all here: weird family dynamic, quirky characters - particularly the little sister -...more

6 likes · like · see review

Jun 11, 2007 barbara b rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: not really

Shelves: bookgroupbooks

A book for a reading group does give one the opportunity to read things one wouldn't necessarily choose for oneself. Such is the present case. Many have found this book wonderful, the writing splendid, and the topics introduced important and compelling. I do not share this view. I found the book slow going, sentimental at times and wishy-washy at others. Some characters were believable, but didn't get my sympathy. Other characters were just not real (the genius little sister for one). The big qu...more

5 likes · like · see review

Jan 13, 2010 Brandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: just-about-life

This is such a difficult book to rate. I have so many differing opinions about this book that I would say it ranges from a 3 to a 4, although I don't necessarily think it is a book that I feel made a huge impact on my life, which is what I usually save 4 and 5 star ratings for. Nevertheless, I felt the writing in this book was good enough that I put it at a 4 instead of a 3. I just changed my mind and am putting it at a 3 because 4 star books I will probably read again, but I don't think I will...more This is such a difficult book to rate. I have so many differing opinions about this book that I would say it ranges from a 3 to a 4, although I don't necessarily think it is a book that I feel made a huge impact on my life, which is what I usually save 4 and 5 star ratings for. Nevertheless, I felt the writing in this book was good enough that I put it at a 4 instead of a 3. I just changed my mind and am putting it at a 3 because 4 star books I will probably read again, but I don't think I will read this one again.

Sometimes I read a book that the writing is pretty shallow and I know that I am reading a book. Other times I read a book and the writing is pretty good and I can get carried away in the story. Then there are times when I read a book and the writing feels so real that when I stop I have to snap back into reality... that I was not actually living inside that book. Kind of like when you wake up from a dream and you have a hard time telling if it was real or not.

This book was like that. At times I would look up from my book and realize that I was actually just sitting in my family room cuddled up in my blankets and that my kids were safe and sound in their beds. Some may argue that his writing could be long winded and I felt that once or twice at the end but mostly through the book I was completely sucked in by the writing.

Now, here is where I get confused. This was a great story. I was completely sucked in. The writing was awesome. Then came the ending. I don't know how I feel about the ending. It wasn't unexpected. I can't complain about that. I fully expected the things to happen that did. But I am still wondering what did we learn from this story. What was the purpose of telling it. I don't feel that every story has to have a moral per se, but I am still wondering why write this story, what compelled the author to tell it. It left me with such an "ok now what feeling" that I can't say I loved the book or that it changed me. The thing that is the most sad to me is that this story had such potential to really pack a punch but it just ended, ended the way you expected with nothing profound from the narrator at the end.

If you have read this, or if you plan to read this, I would really enjoy hearing what you thought, because if I missed something then maybe you can help me find it.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Nov 14, 2007 Leah rated it 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to love it, and I did love it--until about halfway through. The book's characters are drawn well; they are unique and full of individuality. The plot is well paced up through the suspense of the oldest brother's trial for double murder. From then on, the book dissolves into a strange mix of cowboy western and religious fable. The plot loses steam, and I lost interest. The ending was tragically disappointing, the characters lose their depth, and their choices seem forced.

7 likes · like · see review

Mar 01, 2010 Annette rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Annette by: Dawn

Shelves: adult

OK! I'm finally getting around to writing a review for this book! I actually finished reading it a week ago, but wasn't able to get around to reviewing it until now because a) I got super busy and b) this is a really hard book to review.

So this is what I liked about it: 1) The beautiful prose made it very enjoyable to read. It was like listening to a grandpa or favorite uncle telling stories of when he was a boy. 2) Swede's poetry, of course it's impossible for an eight year old to write poetry...more OK! I'm finally getting around to writing a review for this book! I actually finished reading it a week ago, but wasn't able to get around to reviewing it until now because a) I got super busy and b) this is a really hard book to review.

So this is what I liked about it: 1) The beautiful prose made it very enjoyable to read. It was like listening to a grandpa or favorite uncle telling stories of when he was a boy. 2) Swede's poetry, of course it's impossible for an eight year old to write poetry like that, but still, I enjoyed it. 3) The characters were very likable.

What didn't I like? Here comes the hard part. I had to think about this for a long time, it really took me a while to figure out just what it was that didn't work for me and I think I have it. The problem is this: the book sends conflicting messages. On one hand there are messages of faith and loyalty to family, on the other hand there are also messages like, it's ok to run from the law, it's ok to lie to a police officer especially if it's a Fed because Feds are bad guys, it's ok to kill someone who has wronged you and if you pray the Lord will help you to escape from the law.

It's kind of weird because I really did enjoy reading the book, but then when it was over I felt bewildered and confused. It was like someone put the pieces from three different puzzles into one box and said "Here put this puzzle together." No matter how hard you try, the pieces won't fit. There are parts of this book that just don't fit. It starts out with this nice American church-going family from the early sixties, they're out in the country on a family outing, hunting geese. The next thing you know the oldest son is shooting people and it's clearly not self defense. Here's another piece that doesn't fit, through most of the book the father is less than cooperative with the law, but then he'll randomly perform a miracle like he's a god or something. Where did that come from? The violence and the random supernatural stuff just doesn't fit in with the rest of the story.

The most frustrating thing about this book is, it had so much potential, Enger really is a talented writer. This book could've been a powerful force for good, but instead it just leaves you scratching your head, wondering what in the heck you were supposed to get out of those 320 pages. (less)

3 likes · like · see review

Dec 29, 2008 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I don't know where I heard the raves on this one. I have meant to read it for a long time.

Very few books of indeterminate enthusiasm can survive such a rep. As good as it was, I didn't find Swede's writing believable. There were too many allusions that just didn't fit in the vision of a 9 year old girl, genius or not.

That said, I did find it hard to put down. But all the ethical questions persist, long after the reading is finished. I wonder if Davy is as glamorous to Enger as he is to the narra...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 24, 2010 Judy rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone

Shelves: audiobooks, my-2010-books

The characters in this story felt so real to me. I read this book on audio, on my ipod, and the performance was excellent. The voice of Reuben, the 11-yr-old, was clear and compelling and wise beyond years. Swede, his sister, was also unique and special as a poet, teller of wild west tales, and best friend. The father, Jeremiah, was someone I felt I wanted to meet and know. The only character really hard to know was Davy, who just wasn't around enough, but I could still picture him well through...more

4 likes · like · see review

Mar 18, 2009 Michelle added it

I don't know what to rate this!
This book made me cranky.
It is beautifully written, almost poetic. It reminds me of the style of "How Green Was My Valley." There's a strong, wise father figure. A boy coming of age. An older brother who makes a dubious choice. A shocking death. Many inspiring quotables. It's a book about the power of faith--I think.
It's really made me wonder about why I closed it feeling unsettled and unhappy.
I think it's because it was almost too real. The characters in it are s...more

5 likes · like · see review

Sep 01, 2008 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Among the many glowing reviews for Peace Like a River, there is this:

"Peace Like a River serves as a reminder of why we read fiction to begin with: to commune with a vividly, lovingly rendered world, to lose ourselves in story and language and beauty, to savor what we don't want to end yet know must."

I would add that I read to meet and know fascinating characters. At any rate, the reviewer got it right — Peace Like a River by Leif Enger, has all this and more.

Character: Reuben Land, an 11-year-...more

5 likes · like · see review

Aug 14, 2008 Rebekah rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I am really torn as to know what to say about this book. I've thought about it over and over again, and I think I've finally figured it out.

First of all, I have so many reasons to love this book. There are some struggles with reading it...like when you realize that the Father, Jeremiah Land, has so few things so right with his life. He leaves behind his dream of being a doctor and becomes a janitor because God tells him to; his wife leaves him; his son shoots two teenagers because Jeremiah defen...more I am really torn as to know what to say about this book. I've thought about it over and over again, and I think I've finally figured it out.

First of all, I have so many reasons to love this book. There are some struggles with reading it...like when you realize that the Father, Jeremiah Land, has so few things so right with his life. He leaves behind his dream of being a doctor and becomes a janitor because God tells him to; his wife leaves him; his son shoots two teenagers because Jeremiah defends a girl's honor; he loses his job; he ends up having to turn against his son in order to help the "putrid fed" find him; and in the end, he dies from a gunshot wound that shouldn't have killed him. What a horrible life. It hurts because he's so close to God...why would God have allowed all of these calamities to take place, and still required so much of Jeremiah? But eventually, I came to the realization that much good came out of it. Because of everything that happens, Roxanna is able to be "saved" and have a better life, and so is Sara. And, if nothing else, Reuben is able to gain an understanding and testimony of God because of what his father goes through.

Also, how awesome is the part when Roxanna hears Jeremiah's "prayer" concerning whether or not he should help Andreeson? It tore my soul apart. I know I have had times in my life like that...when God asks you to do something that seems completely impossible and unjust; and when people, even your own family members question and accuse you about it later, all you can say is, "I did it because God told me to." And for some people, that just won't be enough.

Okay, but really, what's up with Jape Waltzer? That character ruined the entire book. I think there was a lot of potential there, but he just went to far. In my opinion, he's too weird and creepy and crazy, to the point where he is unrealistic. I think this book needed a bad guy, but one who was believable. I like that he shows up at the end and just starts shooting everybody. I can take that much. But buying Sara as a daughter/wife? Feeding sausages to the pig Emil? He crossed the line; and a book about God needs to be realistic in every sense so that the miracles are understood to be miracles, in my opinion.

Enough said. Conclusion: three stars for Peace Like a River.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 20, 2008 Tiffany rated it 5 of 5 stars

King Jame Bible Mark 6:4 " A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. "

Davy...
I wonder about Davy. When did he come to his agnostic views? Where did he lose his hope & then his faith. Did his mother pack it in her suit case when she left him? At some point Davy decided that his faith was in himself and he was a very capable and bright young man.

It is easy for me to justify Davy's actions. He's seventeen and he has grown up going to school everyday with Is...more King Jame Bible Mark 6:4 " A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. "

Davy...
I wonder about Davy. When did he come to his agnostic views? Where did he lose his hope & then his faith. Did his mother pack it in her suit case when she left him? At some point Davy decided that his faith was in himself and he was a very capable and bright young man.

It is easy for me to justify Davy's actions. He's seventeen and he has grown up going to school everyday with Israel Finch. He knows this kid. He remembers, surely what Israel had done to his teacher. Now Finch has tried to rape his girlfriend. He's vandalized Davy's home and kidnapped his sister. "They pulled her out of the house, Ted. Her own home. Threatened her, put their hands on her." And the law, Ted Pullet to be exact, sits in the Land's kitchen drinking coffee with shaking hands and passes this off as just a "those boys were both playing-- kicking around -- had meant no harm." Pullet is afraid of Israel Finch and he's not going to do anything. Israel Finch will be back. Davy knows this and so he decides that rather than wait, wonder and be surprised.. risking further damage to Swede, he'll just make an appointment. I believe in military speak this is called, "preparing the battlefield." And so he vandalized Israel's car and lay in his bed with the Winchester waiting because he knows Israel will come and Tommy will follow. They don't have to, no one is forcing them.. but Davy knows they will come. They come with a bat and they enter the home and when the lights come on I think that Israel had half a seconds decision, but he doesn't make the wise one, "he lifted the bat, the knothead, and Davy fired..."

Many of you know my own story about living in a condominium that was invaded by meth cooks. At a certain point, we considered purchasing a hand gun. I was home alone most of the day. I distinctly remember C asking me, "Tiffany, if someone breaks in here, can you point a gun at them and then shoot until it's empty?"

So why if I can defend Davy, why does his father, Jeremiah, decide to help the law to retrieve Davy? I read over pages 245 and 246 a number of times and Jeremiah doesn't come right out and say, but he does lead Reuben to believe that Davy is in the wrong. Was it that Davy shot Tommy as he was crawling away from the scene?
"'... and while he messed thus Tommy Basca's last moment reappeared to me, and the bafflement in his face as he scrambled bellywise over the floor.
"Okay," I said.
"What?"
"Davy did a wrong thing."'

But as I've told you before, I, Tiffany, don't have a problem justifying Davy's actions. If someone were to break into my home.. the instructions were to empty the gun. And, I would have.

But Jeremiah, still speaking to Reuban, says, "If you like Mr. Andreeson better as an enemy, then keep him one. Maybe that's your job as a boy-- as a brother. My job is different... Because I'm the dad. I have to heed the Lord's instructions." And I don't know, but maybe that just changes everything.

Davy is not a witness. He does not see the miracles that justify his father's action. His father has also acted violently and his face has shown with light. Without faith, Davy is blind to his father's miracles and to his authority? He's curious though. And, later he asks Reuben to relate to him the story of how Jeremiah exchanges his life for Reuben's. "'Breathe," Davy said. 'Let's see you breathe."' Our decisions in life are good informed by conscience and by morality, they are better informed by hope and informed by faith. "... Then I breath deeply, and certainty enters into me like light, like a piece of science, and a curious music seems to hum inside my fingers."
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jul 15, 2008 Carrie rated it 5 of 5 stars

the book is a story told from the perspective of eleven year old reuben, as he tells about the adventures and experiences his family has when they go in search of his older brother, who has been charged with murder.

the story is set in the early sixties, which is hard to remember. reuben and his sister swede are entranced by the old west, and they are constantly comparing their encounters to those outlaws of the past.

you quickly grow attached to each member of the family, even the older brother d...more

like · see review

Feb 01, 2008 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a very compelling story. It only took me a week to read this 300 (or so) page book which is a miracle considering my clingy baby. It's about a family - father, 16 year old boy named Davy, 11 year old boy (the narrater) named Reuben, and nine year old girl named Swede. After the father catches some boys harassing a girl, the boys and Davy get in a series of altercations which leads Davy to kill them both. After his trial but before his most definite conviction he goes out on the run. The...more

3 likes · like · see review

May 26, 2008 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Danielle by: Carol Poulter

Shelves: fiction, danielle-recommends

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. After reading the reviews here I thought I would hate it for sure..."schmaltzy" just doesn't appeal to me. But I didn't find the emotion of this book over the top. I thought the plot was both interesting and thoughtful, and completely aside from that, the writing was excellent. I've read much more poorly written books with thinner plots to complain about this one.
I found Enger's writing style to be delightful and beautiful. The narrator was extre...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 03, 2010 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: on-my-bookshelf

Peace Like a River has been on my TBR “shelf” for 5 years. It was recommended to me by a friend, and for some reason, I’ve never gotten around to reading it. Finally, this was the month, and after completing it my thoughts are, “what took me so long?”
It is a story that is a surprising mix of heroic quest, cowboy romance and moral fable. Reuben's older brother Davy gets caught up in an escalating feud with two small-town bullies, is charged and tried for murdering them, and when the verdict seems...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 17, 2009 bookczuk rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to bookczuk by: Hazraibai

Shelves: bookcrossing, read-on-recommendation

An asmatic boy who wasn't supposed to live, a father who makes miracles, a nine year old who writes epic poems, and a fugitive older brother- an unlikely cast for a novel of loyalty and love. But what a story!

Set in the Minnesota countryside and North Dakota Badlands of the early 1960s, on the most simple level, this is a story about one family's quest to retrieve its most wayward member- before the FBI does. On a more profound level, it's a tale of faith, growth, love and impossibilities.

From t...more

3 likes · like · see review

Sep 02, 2007 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars

11-year old Rueben was born with weak lungs and brought to life by a miracle seemingly performed by his own father. After his mother runs off, Rueben lives poor but content with his father, his older brother Davy, and his younger sister Swede - a budding writer far too wise for her age and reminiscent of Scout Finch. When Davy is put on trial for murder and escapes from jail, Reuben's world is turned upside-down and his family heads out West. As Reuben bears witness to his father's many miracles...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 02, 2008 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book gets five stars for the writing alone, never mind the characters and plot. This passage near the beginning of the book told me this was going to be a great book: "Real miracles bother people, like strange sudden pains unknown in medical literature. It's true: They rebut every rule all we good citizens take comfort in. Lazarus obeying orders and climbing up out of the grave--now there's a miracle, and you can bet it upset a lot of folks who were standing around at the time...People fear...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 03, 2008 Lauryn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-time-favorites

Hands down, one of my favorite pieces of fiction. "Peace Like a River", the debut novel by Leif Enger, is a work of exceptional emotional power, written in prose as clean and concise as it is rich and deeply satisfying. Told through the eyes of 11 year-old Reuban Land, Enger infuses this modern day Western outlaw tale with the power of family bonds, of faith, and of miracles. Not since Harper Lee's Atticus Finch and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird have there been characters as thoroughly good as...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 07, 2011 Melinda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-group-reads

What a captivating story! This reads like a true great American novel, and the fact that it is Enger's first, makes it even that much more fantastic. The prose itself, is eloquent, and the characters are defined, authentic and exquisite. Even though the Land family experiences its share of woes and heartache, Enger incorporates the essence of spirituality that turns despair into miracle. Allusions to and quotations of biblical verse are dispersed throughout, not to mention the repeated theme of...more

1 like · like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
can you answer this questions?	2	51	Sep 06, 2012 01:40pm
Another strange occurrence involves Swedes saddle. Explain!	3	23	Aug 30, 2012 02:15pm
World Book Night	4	29	May 07, 2012 04:59pm

combine
Other Editions (28)

More editions...

Genres

Book Club

351 users

Adult Fiction

53 users

Historical Fiction

48 users

Adult

44 users

Novels

41 users

Contemporary

31 users

Literature

30 users

Literary Fiction

26 users

Religion

22 users

Young Adult > Coming Of Age

20 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Leif Enger

Leif Enger was raised in Osakis, Minnesota, and worked as a reporter and producer for Minnesota Public Radio for nearly twenty years. He lives on a farm in Minnesota with his wife and two sons.

His writing is a smooth mix of romanticism and gritty reality, recalling the Old West's greatest cowboy stories.

Enger's novel, Peace Like a River, was one of Time magazine's top-five novels of the year 2001...more

More about Leif Enger...

Books by Leif Enger

Reader's Digest Select Editions, 2001, Vol. 4: Peace Like A River / "P" Is For Peril / Summer Island / The Incumbent

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Peace Like a River

9 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Peace Like a River

“Sometimes heroism is nothing more than patience, curiosity, and a refusal to panic.” — 62 people liked it

“Fair is whatever God wants to do.” — 46 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Peace Like a River
avg rating	preview: Peace Like a River Goodreads rating: 3.94 (36473 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/227571.Peace_Like_a_River?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348992192l/227571.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/227571.Peace_Like_a_River?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Peace Like a River by Leif Enger[/url]

Peace Like a River

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website