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In The River
An intensely moving tale of survival and madness along the river's edge. A father and son fishing lesson become a nightmarish voyage to the sea in this visionary testament to the lengths we will go for those we love.
130 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 2, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
October 22, 2018
Review for this novella first appeared in the September/October #50 issue of SCREAM magazine.
I’m an avid reader and my favorite genre is horror. I started my “Season of Horror” in September of last year and it was supposed to end at Christmas but it didn’t. I’m now on my ninth month of non stop horror and I see no sign of growing faint or weary.
That being said, immersing oneself in a niche genre such as horror, I began to see the plot tropes, cliches and patterns emerge fairly quickly. The upside to garnering that knowledge is that I can spot originality with eagle-eye precision. Sometimes, it’s the very first line that grabs at me.
Earlier this year I read Jeremy R. Johnson’s collection of stories, Entropy in Bloom. The first line of every story, sixteen in total, smacked me square between the eyes; it was slightly jarring to read stuff so exotic and unique.
While some authors do one thing very, very well and it becomes their signature voice, other authors have a mixed bag of gifts and that’s what sets them apart.
Johnson’s narrative wheelhouse is...anything and everything. This makes him a chameleon for the horror genre. Readers never know what they’re going to get.
In the River, is no exception but it’s maybe the darkest of his unique brand of horror.
This tale plumbs the depths of grief and loss in a way that forces the reader into some unexpected and slightly jarring moments of introspection.
We are sucked into a nightmare that unfolds during a father and son fishing trip. This torment reaches out beyond the pages of the book, into your heart, to probe at buried and unspoken fears. So be prepared: This story doesn’t allow you to sit on the sidelines, a mere observer to the events unfolding, no. Johnson challenges you to participate in the horror and engage with it.
Around forty pages or so into the novella, I was feeling uncomfortable with the level of intimacy. I put it aside to allow my heart and mind to rest from the unrelenting anguish the protagonist experiences in waves. Each, new isolation focused on the different ways humans respond to tragedy and it was gut punching me over and over again.
Eventually, I was drawn back. The story is overwhelming in its magnetism.
Horror like this requires nerves of steel but the payoff is rich; it’s all the unexpected touches that make this a must read. You’ll be able to read this in whatever summer context you find yourself in where you have the luxury of spending time devouring it in one setting. Don’t expect to dip your toe into the current, plan on recklessly throwing yourself into the deep end.
In the River is a brilliant offering; the pain and the strange beauty of it will wash over you and sweep you away.
Five Stars/Skulls Sadie Hartmann aka Mother Horror on Instagram & Twitter
I’m an avid reader and my favorite genre is horror. I started my “Season of Horror” in September of last year and it was supposed to end at Christmas but it didn’t. I’m now on my ninth month of non stop horror and I see no sign of growing faint or weary.
That being said, immersing oneself in a niche genre such as horror, I began to see the plot tropes, cliches and patterns emerge fairly quickly. The upside to garnering that knowledge is that I can spot originality with eagle-eye precision. Sometimes, it’s the very first line that grabs at me.
Earlier this year I read Jeremy R. Johnson’s collection of stories, Entropy in Bloom. The first line of every story, sixteen in total, smacked me square between the eyes; it was slightly jarring to read stuff so exotic and unique.
While some authors do one thing very, very well and it becomes their signature voice, other authors have a mixed bag of gifts and that’s what sets them apart.
Johnson’s narrative wheelhouse is...anything and everything. This makes him a chameleon for the horror genre. Readers never know what they’re going to get.
In the River, is no exception but it’s maybe the darkest of his unique brand of horror.
This tale plumbs the depths of grief and loss in a way that forces the reader into some unexpected and slightly jarring moments of introspection.
We are sucked into a nightmare that unfolds during a father and son fishing trip. This torment reaches out beyond the pages of the book, into your heart, to probe at buried and unspoken fears. So be prepared: This story doesn’t allow you to sit on the sidelines, a mere observer to the events unfolding, no. Johnson challenges you to participate in the horror and engage with it.
Around forty pages or so into the novella, I was feeling uncomfortable with the level of intimacy. I put it aside to allow my heart and mind to rest from the unrelenting anguish the protagonist experiences in waves. Each, new isolation focused on the different ways humans respond to tragedy and it was gut punching me over and over again.
Eventually, I was drawn back. The story is overwhelming in its magnetism.
Horror like this requires nerves of steel but the payoff is rich; it’s all the unexpected touches that make this a must read. You’ll be able to read this in whatever summer context you find yourself in where you have the luxury of spending time devouring it in one setting. Don’t expect to dip your toe into the current, plan on recklessly throwing yourself into the deep end.
In the River is a brilliant offering; the pain and the strange beauty of it will wash over you and sweep you away.
Five Stars/Skulls Sadie Hartmann aka Mother Horror on Instagram & Twitter
March 1, 2019
IN THE RIVER is the first I have read from author Jeremy Robert Johnson. As an introduction, this one could not have been any more captivating! This novella, at first glance, looked to be fairly simple in style--short, to the point, sentences, evolving into short, plain, paragraphs.
That impression was banished within the first several seconds that I read.
"River looks rough."
The words convey a beauty and a love deeper than what I was expecting. This is the tale of a father taking his seven-year-old son fishing for the first time. It is to be a "growing up" experience for the boy, a bonding between them as the father teaches the boy things he will do as a man.
". . . The river gave so much to them, but the river was also serious."
In the stern instructions given, you can feel the love this man has for his son. Knowing the dangers to watch out for is a part of "protecting", and the boy is proud to be a part in this. We explore the entire gauntlet of emotions in these pages: Love, pride, a healthy fear for the dangers of the river, guilt, forgiveness, sorrow, anger, confusion, and contentedness.
". . . you'll know he's there, and he'll know you know it . . . "
I put this novella down only once, and couldn't wait to get back to it! The characters we encounter are so realistic and down to Earth. Despite the many dangers along the river, including snakes and black caiman crocodiles, the universe is constantly in motion, and these people have learned to cope with whatever comes their way.
". . . What good does it do anyone to know the unending cruelty of the world? . . . "
Overall, I found this story to be most impressive. It had the ability to take me along with the man and his son on their journey. No matter where you go, or what you do, it's not possible to control all the variables around. No single person is immune to the whims of fate, and the best you can do is accept this truth and continue on.
"There's purpose in you still."
A spellbinding tale that takes you--mentally and emotionally--much further than you'd expect.
Highly recommended!
That impression was banished within the first several seconds that I read.
"River looks rough."
The words convey a beauty and a love deeper than what I was expecting. This is the tale of a father taking his seven-year-old son fishing for the first time. It is to be a "growing up" experience for the boy, a bonding between them as the father teaches the boy things he will do as a man.
". . . The river gave so much to them, but the river was also serious."
In the stern instructions given, you can feel the love this man has for his son. Knowing the dangers to watch out for is a part of "protecting", and the boy is proud to be a part in this. We explore the entire gauntlet of emotions in these pages: Love, pride, a healthy fear for the dangers of the river, guilt, forgiveness, sorrow, anger, confusion, and contentedness.
". . . you'll know he's there, and he'll know you know it . . . "
I put this novella down only once, and couldn't wait to get back to it! The characters we encounter are so realistic and down to Earth. Despite the many dangers along the river, including snakes and black caiman crocodiles, the universe is constantly in motion, and these people have learned to cope with whatever comes their way.
". . . What good does it do anyone to know the unending cruelty of the world? . . . "
Overall, I found this story to be most impressive. It had the ability to take me along with the man and his son on their journey. No matter where you go, or what you do, it's not possible to control all the variables around. No single person is immune to the whims of fate, and the best you can do is accept this truth and continue on.
"There's purpose in you still."
A spellbinding tale that takes you--mentally and emotionally--much further than you'd expect.
Highly recommended!
August 31, 2018
I'm getting ready to read Skullcrack City with my good friend Sadie, so I thought I would end the month with this little novella from Johnson first.
Let me just say right away that I was not prepared for this! You turned the waterworks back on, Mr. Johnson. I had gone months without crying over a book. Now it's been zero days.
There is so much packed into this short novella. So much story. I'm not going to say a word about the plot, but it's about loss, pain, grief, and the lengths a person will for someone they love unconditionally. I felt all of these things along with the protagonist. By the end I was in tears. This one will get to you. It's going to stay with me for a long time.
Let me just say right away that I was not prepared for this! You turned the waterworks back on, Mr. Johnson. I had gone months without crying over a book. Now it's been zero days.
There is so much packed into this short novella. So much story. I'm not going to say a word about the plot, but it's about loss, pain, grief, and the lengths a person will for someone they love unconditionally. I felt all of these things along with the protagonist. By the end I was in tears. This one will get to you. It's going to stay with me for a long time.
May 30, 2018
She stated it as a fact. The sun shines. The wind blows. If he dies, so do I.In this book about a man and his young son on a fateful fishing trip and the tragedy that befalls them, author Jeremy Robert Johnson crafts an intense tale of loss and grief wrapped up in a package of powerful imagery, top-notch writing and evocative language. It's creative, original, and never goes where you expect it to. I don't want to say too much and ruin the effect of experiencing it.
The sound of the rushing river became a torment. Time was broken. The man was broken. But the river acknowledged neither and carried on as it always had and would and the sound of it was the song of nothing caring and the man knew it would be the last thing he'd hear.
March 4, 2019
This little book looks innocuous enough, doesn’t it? Soothing waves of blue and green grace the cover. Perhaps it is about an adorable sea monster or maybe a meaner one who is crunching and munching its way through a bunch of B-movie characters who kind of, sort of deserve everything they get.
It isn’t either of those things.
In The River is a deadly serious examination of pain and madness and it is one of those books that will not leave you after you turn the last page. It seeps under your skin and even now, quite a few days later, the images and emotions still bubble to the surface of my brain and continue to haunt me. I assumed I was going to give it a read in-between the bigger books and move along feeling accomplished that I finished a book in a few hours. That didn’t happen. I finished it quickly enough because I had to know what happened but I found myself unable to start up anything else for several days and watched tv and listened to podcasts in order to clear my head instead.
So be warned, this one may be slight but it will wound you deeply and if it doesn’t I fear for you a little.
I can’t tell you much about the plot and honestly I am struggling with this review. I have put it off for days and days because I didn’t want to think about it. I’ll only say that it’s about a man and his boy and a fishing expedition that doesn’t end at all the way it should’ve ended. It hits you with a grueling image and prose that says only just enough to destroy you and just when you begin to believe that you’re ready to continue on and see where it leads and that you’ve perhaps recovered emotionally, it smacks you again with another terrible image for good measure. This is true horror, people, the kind that leaves scars on your soul.
In The River wasn’t an easy read but it was incredibly moving and incredibly painful and it made me feel all the anguish. This book gets all five stars. If you’re up for a good gutting, give it a read. I don’t think you’ll be sorry.
It isn’t either of those things.
In The River is a deadly serious examination of pain and madness and it is one of those books that will not leave you after you turn the last page. It seeps under your skin and even now, quite a few days later, the images and emotions still bubble to the surface of my brain and continue to haunt me. I assumed I was going to give it a read in-between the bigger books and move along feeling accomplished that I finished a book in a few hours. That didn’t happen. I finished it quickly enough because I had to know what happened but I found myself unable to start up anything else for several days and watched tv and listened to podcasts in order to clear my head instead.
So be warned, this one may be slight but it will wound you deeply and if it doesn’t I fear for you a little.
I can’t tell you much about the plot and honestly I am struggling with this review. I have put it off for days and days because I didn’t want to think about it. I’ll only say that it’s about a man and his boy and a fishing expedition that doesn’t end at all the way it should’ve ended. It hits you with a grueling image and prose that says only just enough to destroy you and just when you begin to believe that you’re ready to continue on and see where it leads and that you’ve perhaps recovered emotionally, it smacks you again with another terrible image for good measure. This is true horror, people, the kind that leaves scars on your soul.
In The River wasn’t an easy read but it was incredibly moving and incredibly painful and it made me feel all the anguish. This book gets all five stars. If you’re up for a good gutting, give it a read. I don’t think you’ll be sorry.
October 8, 2018
Mesmeric, devastating, make-you-cringe-and-cry horror/dark fiction.
February 10, 2019
Wow! I’m floored. One of my favorite books of the year so far. This one was so unexpected, and so completely different from his other works, and it’s going to haunt me for quite some time. Loved it!
December 15, 2018
This is one of these books that begin as something, morph into something completely else and end up a strange, Frankenstein-like hybrid of the two.
There's very little to dislike about In the River: it's short, unpredictable, filled with moving symbolism and has a quite tasteful ambiguity about it. It's not for everyone though. The leap from cute Hemingwayesque tribute into the occult and supernatural horror will make some readers pull the plug. I thought Jeremy Robert Johnson did a tremendous job at remaining focused on the driving themes despite making a 180 degree turn in terms of tome. In the River is a book about fatherhood at its heart and as a 36 years old man who doesn't have kids (yet), I thought it was a better explanation of what it feels like than anything I've ever came across.
Fatherhood novels as usually a little full of themselves. In the River isn't. It was an emotional ride for me, too.
There's very little to dislike about In the River: it's short, unpredictable, filled with moving symbolism and has a quite tasteful ambiguity about it. It's not for everyone though. The leap from cute Hemingwayesque tribute into the occult and supernatural horror will make some readers pull the plug. I thought Jeremy Robert Johnson did a tremendous job at remaining focused on the driving themes despite making a 180 degree turn in terms of tome. In the River is a book about fatherhood at its heart and as a 36 years old man who doesn't have kids (yet), I thought it was a better explanation of what it feels like than anything I've ever came across.
Fatherhood novels as usually a little full of themselves. In the River isn't. It was an emotional ride for me, too.
August 31, 2017
In the River is refined, poignant and intimately told, with nary a wasted word. The protagonist seeks to avenge tragedy and fulfill destiny with the hand of magic as a potential ally. All of the pieces fit together impeccably to make this an amazing read, wrapping up with a truly unforgettable ending.
March 5, 2019
So much is nestled inside this novella by Jeremy Robert Johnson. It centers on grief, death, anguish, loss, pain, agony, guilt, and so much more. The lengths someone will go to for someone they love with every fiber of their being is on full display with In The River. I gasped and had my heart broken. One thing I loved most about this story is the format. It's like the way the words and pages are setup that it is a character all on its own. You'll see what I mean whenever you get this one. And you definitely should get this one! But do not just assume that this will be some easy, quick read to fill in between bigger books or to give yourself a break. This book will break YOU.
5 stars 😭💔
5 stars 😭💔
February 17, 2019
WARNING: Horror with FEELINGS. HORROR with feelings.
What a powerful novella about loss.... done in such a unique way that for me borderlined on mythology. I weirdly got a very tiny ping of Pinocchio mixed in for some reason … don't even know why I'm admitting that - haha but it's funny where your mind goes sometimes when you're reading.
Honestly, I've been eyeing Mr. Johnson's Entropy in Bloom for a while now so when In the River showed up in Night Worm's February package I was so excited. This book. You guys. It drives you down DEEP into grief, madness, what's real or not real but who cares because you're on this roller coaster of feelings right along with the father. And when a book can keep you so enraptured from the get go, well, there's something special about a novella that does that.
What a powerful novella about loss.... done in such a unique way that for me borderlined on mythology. I weirdly got a very tiny ping of Pinocchio mixed in for some reason … don't even know why I'm admitting that - haha but it's funny where your mind goes sometimes when you're reading.
Honestly, I've been eyeing Mr. Johnson's Entropy in Bloom for a while now so when In the River showed up in Night Worm's February package I was so excited. This book. You guys. It drives you down DEEP into grief, madness, what's real or not real but who cares because you're on this roller coaster of feelings right along with the father. And when a book can keep you so enraptured from the get go, well, there's something special about a novella that does that.
March 7, 2021
This is my first time reading Jeremy Robert Johnson and I have to say I am intrigued. This short story or novella is put into the horror genre. The horror aspect to this story is very tame. Instead of true horror its more of daily life horrors.
The novella starts off with a sweet outing of fishing between a loving father and an eager son. The seven year old is going to learn how to bow fish and he is overly excited to be a "big boy" and catch fish like his father. The story never says where it is located, but with a little research on the Caiman crocodile, this story takes place between Mexico and the northern part of South America. The added water monster (bull shark) adds more of a specific location. I think this story takes place around Nicaragua. I could be wrong, but the story does have a lush rain forest, freshwater sharks and a beach or bay that the tribes use to gather fish into nets. I have dm'd the author on Instagram to get a true location because I'm that extra. *Johnson just wrote me back...squee!!!! He said it's closer to Brazil* To further my research on this no name place I looked up the word Cuja which is a witch like woman in the story. Cuja is the female version of Cujo. Which is derived from the Old Portuguese word cuś which is to experience an emotion or other mental state about) to smell (sense with the nose). There is a Cuja River in South America. The Cuja River is a river of Cundinamarca, Colombia. It is a tributary of the Sumapaz River, that flows into the Magdalena River, flowing towards the Caribbean. If you are as interested as I am on the location of this book, hopefully that helps narrow it down a bit.
While the man and boy fish (they are never named) their collection of catches gets bigger and bigger. It is getting late and they should head home, but the son has proven a good fisherman and so the father finally relents to allowing his son the bow. However, this soon proves to be a bad decision when the boy is eaten by a shark only an arms reach from the father.
That is the first of the horrors. The second comes in the form of a witch or Cuja. The third and final horror I believe is the act of revenge.
The shark takes the boy, the Cuja takes a promise, the man takes revenge.
In my eyes this historical fiction novella set in or around South America about a loving father is a sad tale more than a horrifying one. I as a parent could definitely see myself in the father's shoes even if we live world's apart. There is a deep and old instinct to protect our own. As a parent there is nothing I wouldn't do for my children and I definitely understand the father's position in this story.
Overall I recommend if you want to get your feet wet in the way Johnson writes. I'm looking forward to picking up The Loop by this author in the near future. 3.5 stars
The novella starts off with a sweet outing of fishing between a loving father and an eager son. The seven year old is going to learn how to bow fish and he is overly excited to be a "big boy" and catch fish like his father. The story never says where it is located, but with a little research on the Caiman crocodile, this story takes place between Mexico and the northern part of South America. The added water monster (bull shark) adds more of a specific location. I think this story takes place around Nicaragua. I could be wrong, but the story does have a lush rain forest, freshwater sharks and a beach or bay that the tribes use to gather fish into nets. I have dm'd the author on Instagram to get a true location because I'm that extra. *Johnson just wrote me back...squee!!!! He said it's closer to Brazil* To further my research on this no name place I looked up the word Cuja which is a witch like woman in the story. Cuja is the female version of Cujo. Which is derived from the Old Portuguese word cuś which is to experience an emotion or other mental state about) to smell (sense with the nose). There is a Cuja River in South America. The Cuja River is a river of Cundinamarca, Colombia. It is a tributary of the Sumapaz River, that flows into the Magdalena River, flowing towards the Caribbean. If you are as interested as I am on the location of this book, hopefully that helps narrow it down a bit.
While the man and boy fish (they are never named) their collection of catches gets bigger and bigger. It is getting late and they should head home, but the son has proven a good fisherman and so the father finally relents to allowing his son the bow. However, this soon proves to be a bad decision when the boy is eaten by a shark only an arms reach from the father.
That is the first of the horrors. The second comes in the form of a witch or Cuja. The third and final horror I believe is the act of revenge.
The shark takes the boy, the Cuja takes a promise, the man takes revenge.
In my eyes this historical fiction novella set in or around South America about a loving father is a sad tale more than a horrifying one. I as a parent could definitely see myself in the father's shoes even if we live world's apart. There is a deep and old instinct to protect our own. As a parent there is nothing I wouldn't do for my children and I definitely understand the father's position in this story.
Overall I recommend if you want to get your feet wet in the way Johnson writes. I'm looking forward to picking up The Loop by this author in the near future. 3.5 stars
November 12, 2018
Similar to a river, the constant thrum of the water forcing its way downstream, this novella is a relentless, merciless force, driving the reader on and on. Once your feet get swept out from under you, there is no solid ground in sight—don’t expect leniency from the natural world Johnson has envisioned.
At the core, this is the story of a father, his grief, and the physical and spiritual journey it takes him on. In that way, it reminded me of a condensed sort of Pet Sematary maybe mixed with the quiet intensity of The Road.
But comparisons aside, this novella is a fish all its own. I’ve never read anything quite like it and I’m so glad I got a hold of this one at a signing of JRJ’s last year.
The story is very emotionally frontloaded—you’re going to get invested and you’re going to think you see it coming, but you won’t—and from there it morphs into this strange fever dream of a journey that you just have to experience.
Since I haven’t read it yet, I am excited to move on to the collection Entropy in Bloom, knowing a sliver of what to expect in the darkness there.
At the core, this is the story of a father, his grief, and the physical and spiritual journey it takes him on. In that way, it reminded me of a condensed sort of Pet Sematary maybe mixed with the quiet intensity of The Road.
But comparisons aside, this novella is a fish all its own. I’ve never read anything quite like it and I’m so glad I got a hold of this one at a signing of JRJ’s last year.
The story is very emotionally frontloaded—you’re going to get invested and you’re going to think you see it coming, but you won’t—and from there it morphs into this strange fever dream of a journey that you just have to experience.
Since I haven’t read it yet, I am excited to move on to the collection Entropy in Bloom, knowing a sliver of what to expect in the darkness there.
September 6, 2017
No spoilers, but In The River is phenomenal. JRJ almost always delivers.
May 9, 2019
This was my introduction to the fiction of Jeremy Robert Johnson, and what an intro it was. I completely devoured this novella, lost in the concise yet lyrical prose and the heart-shattering events within the pages.
As an English instructor myself, I sometimes find it difficult to "turn off" that part of my brain when I read, especially when it comes to shorter fiction. It really is crucial to make every word count - to be precise when needed and to also know when to elongate those descriptions to make a deeper impact. Or even, at times, to say the most with the least. I did not have any occasion in which "teacher me" took over. Johnson really excels in this story by hitting that sweet spot of knowing when to elaborate and when to back off and let the story and characters just wash over the reader.
I don't want to say to much about the plot here. This book is devastating, yet beautiful; simple, yet elegant.I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to an author and his voice/work.
As an English instructor myself, I sometimes find it difficult to "turn off" that part of my brain when I read, especially when it comes to shorter fiction. It really is crucial to make every word count - to be precise when needed and to also know when to elongate those descriptions to make a deeper impact. Or even, at times, to say the most with the least. I did not have any occasion in which "teacher me" took over. Johnson really excels in this story by hitting that sweet spot of knowing when to elaborate and when to back off and let the story and characters just wash over the reader.
I don't want to say to much about the plot here. This book is devastating, yet beautiful; simple, yet elegant.I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to an author and his voice/work.
August 24, 2021
"Have hope again. Or find a dead place and feel nothing."
This little book is powerful, the loving bond of father to son and the great lengths he goes to are touching.
This little book is powerful, the loving bond of father to son and the great lengths he goes to are touching.
February 17, 2019
Great bullheaded fish rises from the river and in an instant changes the course of the mans life. He runs away from all that is his world.
This story brought forth so many emotions:sadness, loss, despair, shock, guilt, angst and the love a parent holds for their child. Oh how the man suffers because he feels he couldn’t protect his boy. Wow, this is a good one to read, it draws you along, down the river and doesn’t release you until the very last page!
This story brought forth so many emotions:sadness, loss, despair, shock, guilt, angst and the love a parent holds for their child. Oh how the man suffers because he feels he couldn’t protect his boy. Wow, this is a good one to read, it draws you along, down the river and doesn’t release you until the very last page!
May 19, 2023
Imagine Crooked God Machine written by Cormac Mccarthy. Unique story, I loved the writing and the length, made a real impact.
August 2, 2022
I started & finished this during my volunteering today, and twice I was asked by nearby children if I was okay.
No. I am not okay.
This is so good, 5/5, definitely recommended! A heart-wrenching story of a father trying to teach & provide for his son, and what comes after. There are other little snippets of stories toward the end as well and these were SO SAD, ahhhh. I can't handle all these feelings! (But I love it.)
No. I am not okay.
This is so good, 5/5, definitely recommended! A heart-wrenching story of a father trying to teach & provide for his son, and what comes after. There are other little snippets of stories toward the end as well and these were SO SAD, ahhhh. I can't handle all these feelings! (But I love it.)
November 13, 2019
In The River by Jeremy Robert Johnson was a recommended read from (I believe ) a YouTube video book haul I happened to be watching. I thought it sounded like a good enough horror read that I bought it straight away. The book arrived at my doorstep yesterday afternoon.
Where do I even start on how this book eventually gave me a new outlook on what seems like complete "craziness" of a father. This book ended up hitting way too close to home in most areas. Did I really just say a "horror" story hit too close to home AND gave me a little peace of mind?!?
In The River starts out with an innocent venture of father taking his son to the river to teach him how to fish. The boy has much to learn, but also is a young boy whose patience is short in supply. It is heartwarming to follow them as the father teaches him the tips, tricks, and rules that had been passed down to him and from his own personal family experiences.
The boy is excited to be learning how to fish, secretly hoping that he will be rewarded with his first experience with an bow and arrow. We learn a lot of family history in just a short amount of time with the small snippets of flashbacks. We know that the boy is very much loved by his father and mother. The mother is a strong influence through the whole story, even though she never once is used in book except in flashbacks and the fathers thoughts.
Yes, the boy gets his wish and does indeed get to use the bow. The problem is that he is young and forgot some of the tips and rules his father had mentioned until it was too late. One rule was simple because of the way they set up their nets earlier, you were not to drink the water. Being a young boy with no close access to boiled water on a hot day it is easy to forget.
What follows is tragic to read. (Sorry you will have to read it for yourself)
The father begins what seems to be a fall into the most craziness a mind can go. He goes on what seems to be an near impossible journey for justice. What is the worst is the way he thinks the outcome will be. At one point he just wants to die and does his best to accomplish that- then just as quick his mission for justice takes over and he must accomplish it.
The reason this book hit so close to home for me was because my own 14 year old son died in the river near our home. Definitely NOT the same as this story, but the way the father becomes "insane" was completely understandable to me. I felt the same emotions, thoughts, same blaming game, actions. and in the end I became jealous that the story ended the way it did. (Well kind of, jealous).
I felt that the snippets of dialogue of other peoples experiences told/showed to the father taught me a lesson. I realized that bad things happen and it sucks...what you do about it and how you find justice is your own journey.
The end of this story was the fathers justice and could NOT have ended any better. Peace is what we all seek to find- I believe he found his peaceful justice.
Where do I even start on how this book eventually gave me a new outlook on what seems like complete "craziness" of a father. This book ended up hitting way too close to home in most areas. Did I really just say a "horror" story hit too close to home AND gave me a little peace of mind?!?
In The River starts out with an innocent venture of father taking his son to the river to teach him how to fish. The boy has much to learn, but also is a young boy whose patience is short in supply. It is heartwarming to follow them as the father teaches him the tips, tricks, and rules that had been passed down to him and from his own personal family experiences.
The boy is excited to be learning how to fish, secretly hoping that he will be rewarded with his first experience with an bow and arrow. We learn a lot of family history in just a short amount of time with the small snippets of flashbacks. We know that the boy is very much loved by his father and mother. The mother is a strong influence through the whole story, even though she never once is used in book except in flashbacks and the fathers thoughts.
Yes, the boy gets his wish and does indeed get to use the bow. The problem is that he is young and forgot some of the tips and rules his father had mentioned until it was too late. One rule was simple because of the way they set up their nets earlier, you were not to drink the water. Being a young boy with no close access to boiled water on a hot day it is easy to forget.
What follows is tragic to read. (Sorry you will have to read it for yourself)
The father begins what seems to be a fall into the most craziness a mind can go. He goes on what seems to be an near impossible journey for justice. What is the worst is the way he thinks the outcome will be. At one point he just wants to die and does his best to accomplish that- then just as quick his mission for justice takes over and he must accomplish it.
The reason this book hit so close to home for me was because my own 14 year old son died in the river near our home. Definitely NOT the same as this story, but the way the father becomes "insane" was completely understandable to me. I felt the same emotions, thoughts, same blaming game, actions. and in the end I became jealous that the story ended the way it did. (Well kind of, jealous).
I felt that the snippets of dialogue of other peoples experiences told/showed to the father taught me a lesson. I realized that bad things happen and it sucks...what you do about it and how you find justice is your own journey.
The end of this story was the fathers justice and could NOT have ended any better. Peace is what we all seek to find- I believe he found his peaceful justice.
August 25, 2021
The nitty-gritty: Short and powerful, In the River is a tiny, horrific masterpiece.
I can’t believe I haven’t read anything by Jeremy Robert Johnson before now, but In the River might be the perfect place to start. This is a fairly short novella and can be read in a matter of hours, but it packs a huge emotional punch, and it’s one of those stories that will end up haunting you long after you’ve finished it. I purchased a lovely paperback copy after hearing that several of Johnson’s older books were getting a fresh look and reprint, and I’m so glad I got my hands on this! Think a cross between The Old Man and the Sea and Moby Dick with a grief-stricken protagonist, add in a bit of body horror and an ending that had me in tears, and that’s what you can expect from In the River.
Because the story is short, I’m not really going to talk much about the plot. In gorgeous but spare prose, Johnson tells the story of a man (unnamed) who is taking his young son on a fishing trip for the first time. But something goes terribly wrong, and the man is thrust into a nightmarish journey from which he may never return.
You can’t tell from the dreamy cover art, but there are some truly horrific scenes in this story. The man’s journey is one of despair and madness, and after a particular event happens, I did not expect things to get worse, but they did. Johnson’s deceptively simple prose perfectly describes the man’s emotional and mental state, which deteriorates as the story progresses.
We see the horrors unfold from the man’s point of view, and afterwards we witness his decline: he is so wracked with grief he can barely think straight. He spends a great deal of time thinking of his wife back home and worrying about her, and this adds another gut wrenching layer to the story. Joining the man on his journey was emotionally devastating, and because of this I’m glad this novella was on the short side. I don’t think I could have taken any more, to be honest.
So if it hurt so much to read it, why did I love it? Some of my favorite stories deal with emotional pain, and if it’s done right, they end up being the unforgettable ones, the ones that linger long after the story has ended. For me, In the River is one of those: short, brutal, horrifying and surprising. The ending was not what I expected; in fact, it was much better and much more painful than anything I could imagine. I cannot wait to read more of Jeremy Robert Johnson’s books.
I can’t believe I haven’t read anything by Jeremy Robert Johnson before now, but In the River might be the perfect place to start. This is a fairly short novella and can be read in a matter of hours, but it packs a huge emotional punch, and it’s one of those stories that will end up haunting you long after you’ve finished it. I purchased a lovely paperback copy after hearing that several of Johnson’s older books were getting a fresh look and reprint, and I’m so glad I got my hands on this! Think a cross between The Old Man and the Sea and Moby Dick with a grief-stricken protagonist, add in a bit of body horror and an ending that had me in tears, and that’s what you can expect from In the River.
Because the story is short, I’m not really going to talk much about the plot. In gorgeous but spare prose, Johnson tells the story of a man (unnamed) who is taking his young son on a fishing trip for the first time. But something goes terribly wrong, and the man is thrust into a nightmarish journey from which he may never return.
You can’t tell from the dreamy cover art, but there are some truly horrific scenes in this story. The man’s journey is one of despair and madness, and after a particular event happens, I did not expect things to get worse, but they did. Johnson’s deceptively simple prose perfectly describes the man’s emotional and mental state, which deteriorates as the story progresses.
We see the horrors unfold from the man’s point of view, and afterwards we witness his decline: he is so wracked with grief he can barely think straight. He spends a great deal of time thinking of his wife back home and worrying about her, and this adds another gut wrenching layer to the story. Joining the man on his journey was emotionally devastating, and because of this I’m glad this novella was on the short side. I don’t think I could have taken any more, to be honest.
So if it hurt so much to read it, why did I love it? Some of my favorite stories deal with emotional pain, and if it’s done right, they end up being the unforgettable ones, the ones that linger long after the story has ended. For me, In the River is one of those: short, brutal, horrifying and surprising. The ending was not what I expected; in fact, it was much better and much more painful than anything I could imagine. I cannot wait to read more of Jeremy Robert Johnson’s books.
March 15, 2024
Effroi, malaise, compassion, horreur, folie, déraison. Voici une partie de ce que l'on ressent en lisant Apprendre à se noyer, court roman de Jeremy Robert Johnson. L'auteur, à travers un récit changeant de rythme régulièrement, nous propose une intensité émotionnelle forte qui a du mal à laisser indifférent. J'ai beaucoup aimé mais l'histoire était un peu (trop) émotionnelle à mon sens.
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Dread, unease, compassion, horror, madness, folly. These are just some of the feelings you get when reading In the River, Jeremy Robert Johnson's short novel. Through a narrative that changes pace regularly, the author offers us a strong emotional intensity that's hard to leave indifferent. I really enjoyed it, but the story was a little (too) emotional for my taste.
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Dread, unease, compassion, horror, madness, folly. These are just some of the feelings you get when reading In the River, Jeremy Robert Johnson's short novel. Through a narrative that changes pace regularly, the author offers us a strong emotional intensity that's hard to leave indifferent. I really enjoyed it, but the story was a little (too) emotional for my taste.
November 28, 2017
It's like McCarthy's THE ROAD meets a river monster legend. This is one of the most intense things I read in 2017. I loved the minimalism, the emotional rawness, the way that scene with the hand made my throat swell up.
January 22, 2022
There was a huge buzz around this book a few years back, but by the time I got around to buying it, it was out of print. Typical.
Anyway, I have to say the praise is deserved. This was a great read. Lots of emotion, and the direction it took into the bizarre worked beautifully. Wonderfully written, too.
Another five star read for me.
I need to check out The Loop. Heard good things about that one as well.
Anyway, I have to say the praise is deserved. This was a great read. Lots of emotion, and the direction it took into the bizarre worked beautifully. Wonderfully written, too.
Another five star read for me.
I need to check out The Loop. Heard good things about that one as well.
August 6, 2017
Wow! This book is amazing. Johnson's work is always phenomenal and In The River is perhaps his best yet.
The story of a father who takes his son to teach him how to fish, and things go horribly wrong.
I cannot begin to describe the amount of raw emotion that flows through the pages of this book. Jeremy Robert Johnson brilliantly captures the love and anxiety of parenthood, and presents it in a perfectly brutal way.
This book is a must read!
The story of a father who takes his son to teach him how to fish, and things go horribly wrong.
I cannot begin to describe the amount of raw emotion that flows through the pages of this book. Jeremy Robert Johnson brilliantly captures the love and anxiety of parenthood, and presents it in a perfectly brutal way.
This book is a must read!
June 11, 2022
Fuck, this dude can write!
March 3, 2019
I received this book in my Nightworms book box at the beginning of February, having not heard of the book and had no idea what it was about. I was not expecting something that would rip out my heart, stomp on it, put in a blender, and.....now I think I'm starting to quote lyrics from a song? Ok, but in all seriousness, I was not expecting such an emotional reading experience. Not with a horror novella, but it can happen and it did here. Jeremy Robert Johnson wrote a devastating and creepy novella that shines a beautiful light on unconditional love with In the River.
In the River starts out swimmingly-(see what I did there?)- ok, sorry! Sometimes I laugh at funerals, sue me! This is how I deal with sad emotions! Anyway, In the River begins with a father and son fishing tutorial, but then the son is captured by a monster and swept away down stream. The father sets out to find his child, but as his journey continues, the man starts to go insane with grief.
First, I think this is more of a dark fiction work than horror, but in any case it was fantastic. And yes, heartbreaking. It was not the most easy read, and even though it was short, I had to put it down and go do something else to get out of the father's headspace. The author did a great job with character building of the father who is the protagonist. I could feel his angst and despair. I don't have children, so to have a child taken, this could definitely be a horror story to some. However, I'm still empathetic towards this man and the situation. If only all parents had this much love for their children.
The writing itself, basically perfection. The author finds your vulnerability- in this case, the empathy towards the father- and he reaches into you and digs deep and just leaves a lump of pain there to settle a bit. In other words, this story will stick with you! You feel the father's guilt, shock. It's brutal.
Jeremy Robert Johnson writes a beautiful, angst filled ode to unconditional love and the undeniable love between a parent and child. This is a story about grief, pain, loss, and love. And everything that goes along with it. This is not your typical monster horror tale. It's a story with a big pulsating heart that you will hear long after you have finished In the River.
In the River starts out swimmingly-(see what I did there?)- ok, sorry! Sometimes I laugh at funerals, sue me! This is how I deal with sad emotions! Anyway, In the River begins with a father and son fishing tutorial, but then the son is captured by a monster and swept away down stream. The father sets out to find his child, but as his journey continues, the man starts to go insane with grief.
First, I think this is more of a dark fiction work than horror, but in any case it was fantastic. And yes, heartbreaking. It was not the most easy read, and even though it was short, I had to put it down and go do something else to get out of the father's headspace. The author did a great job with character building of the father who is the protagonist. I could feel his angst and despair. I don't have children, so to have a child taken, this could definitely be a horror story to some. However, I'm still empathetic towards this man and the situation. If only all parents had this much love for their children.
The writing itself, basically perfection. The author finds your vulnerability- in this case, the empathy towards the father- and he reaches into you and digs deep and just leaves a lump of pain there to settle a bit. In other words, this story will stick with you! You feel the father's guilt, shock. It's brutal.
Jeremy Robert Johnson writes a beautiful, angst filled ode to unconditional love and the undeniable love between a parent and child. This is a story about grief, pain, loss, and love. And everything that goes along with it. This is not your typical monster horror tale. It's a story with a big pulsating heart that you will hear long after you have finished In the River.
March 16, 2019
Overwhelming! As a father this book just gutted me,as I can’t even imagine such horror. Jeremy Robert Johnson has such a unique voice, I’m so excited to have finally read one of his books. Entropy in Bloom has been on my TBR for way to long and In The River has been on my radar for some time after reading reviews from several fellow book lovers.
This novella tells a story of ferocious loss and the depths a father will go to find his child beyond all hope. The journey from the river to the sea is filled with deep introspection on what it means to care for and protect another even in the face of the greatest despair. This is not a cookie cutter horror story in any way, its imagery is lush almost exotic and it’s voice is true. I honestly can’t wait to read more by Johnson, he has so much to say and does so in such few words. Definitely recommended!
This novella tells a story of ferocious loss and the depths a father will go to find his child beyond all hope. The journey from the river to the sea is filled with deep introspection on what it means to care for and protect another even in the face of the greatest despair. This is not a cookie cutter horror story in any way, its imagery is lush almost exotic and it’s voice is true. I honestly can’t wait to read more by Johnson, he has so much to say and does so in such few words. Definitely recommended!
August 12, 2017
In the River is an intense and gripping survival tale about the things we'll go through with the odds stacked against us, for the ones we love. A simple mistake during a lesson in the hostile wilderness leads to a revenge driven pursuit, where the right decisions aren't clear and sanity is at it's boiling point.
Also, the paperback is gorgeous inside and out. It's pocket sized so, you know, take it with you on a hike, a float downstream, take it with you to work or something. Put that perfect portability to good use!
Also, the paperback is gorgeous inside and out. It's pocket sized so, you know, take it with you on a hike, a float downstream, take it with you to work or something. Put that perfect portability to good use!
August 19, 2021
Apprendre à se noyer est une lecture qui ne nous laisse pas indemne. Suffocant, cruel, macabre, c’est un récit qui nous plonge au plus profond des ombres et du désespoir grâce à une narration maîtrisée et percutante et un usage des mots remarquables. Son final, plus confus m’a cependant un peu déçue. Cela reste néanmoins une lecture forte qui laissera mes yeux embués de larmes.
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