Peace Like a River
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger, published by Atlantic Monthly Press in 2001, is a debut novel that intertwines elements of a heroic quest, tragedy, and a love story. This edition spans 312 pages and is presented in English. The narrative follows eleven-year-old Reuben Land, who, despite his struggles with asthma, believes in the presence of miracles in everyday life. The family’s tranquil Midwestern existence is disrupted when Reuben’s older brother, Davy, becomes embroiled in a violent incident, leading to his escape from custody and prompting a search that tests the family’s bonds and faith.
Readers will find a rich exploration of family life and the complexities of justice as the Lands embark on their journey. The story is infused with themes of religious faith and the coming-of-age experience, as Reuben grapples with his father’s seemingly divine abilities. Along the way, the family encounters various characters, including a free spirit named Roxanna, who offers them refuge during a blizzard. The narrative is also sprinkled with references to biblical tales and classic literature, creating a tapestry that reflects the extraordinary within the ordinary.
Official synopsis Publisher
A “reminder of why we read fiction to begin with” (San Francisco Chronicle), Peace Like a River is Leif Enger’s extraordinary debut novel–a heroic quest, a tragedy, a love story, and a haunting meditation on the possibility of magic in the everyday world–with over one million copies sold
Raised on tales of cowboys and pirates, eleven-year-old Reuben Land has little doubt that miracles happen all around us, and that it’s up to us to “make of it what we will.” Reuben was born with no air in his lungs, and it was only when his father, Jeremiah, picked him up and commanded him to breathe that his lungs filled. Reuben struggles with debilitating asthma from then on, making him a boy who knows firsthand that life is a gift, and also one who suspects that his father is touched by God and can overturn the laws of nature.
The quiet Midwestern life of the Lands is upended when Davy, the oldest son, kills two marauders who have come to harm the family; unlike his father, he is not content to leave all matters of justice in God’s hands. The morning of his sentencing, Davy-a hero to some, a cold-blooded murderer to others-escapes from his cell, and the Lands set out in search of him. Their journey is touched by serendipity and the kindness of strangers-among them a free spirit named Roxanna, who offers them a place to stay during a blizzard and winds up providing them with something far more permanent. Meanwhile, a federal agent is trailing the Lands, convinced they know of Davy’s whereabouts.
With Jeremiah at the helm, the family covers territory far more extraordinary than even the Badlands where they search for Davy from their Airstream trailer. Sprinkled with playful nods to biblical tales, beloved classics such as Huckleberry Finn, the adventure stories of Robert Louis Stevenson, and the westerns of Zane Grey, Peace Like a River unfolds like a revelation.
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