Reviews

Across the Winding River by Aimie K. Runyan

theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition

4.0

Across the Winding River by Elsa Hart is a rich historical novel. Dr. Beth Cohen regrets that she did not spend more time with her mother when she was dying, and she is not going to make that mistake with her father. His request to look at his old box of World War II mementoes provides Beth with insight into her father and has her on a quest. The story takes place from 1937 to 2007. It goes back in forth in time and switches point-of-view from Beth, Max (Beth’s father), and Johanna. Johanna lost touch with her sister after the war and she has wondered all these years what happened to her. Johanna would like to get answers for herself and for her children. We see how the war affected Max and Johanna plus we get answers on Beth’s hunt. It sounds confusing, but it is not. It is all beautifully woven together into one complete piece. I like how their stories connected. We get transported back to World War II where Max is serving as a medic and Johanna is an engineer who designs planes. Johanna has a brother in the SS and her sister marries a high-ranking SS officer. Johanna is against everything Hitler stands for and believes in, but she loves her job. We get a look at life inside Germany during the war. Across the Winding River is a well-written with a complex plot and developed characters. The story does play out in an expected manner and the pacing is slow in the beginning. It is a compelling story, though, that will soon capture and hold your interest. The last seventy-five percent is the best part of the book. The pace and tension ramp up. Everything begins coming together and you get that aha moment. Across the Winding River is a captivating story about hope, love, loss, and courage.

theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition

4.0

Across the Winding River by Aimie K. Runyan is a rich historical novel. Dr. Beth Cohen regrets that she did not spend more time with her mother when she was dying, and she is not going to make that mistake with her father. His request to look at his old box of World War II mementoes provides Beth with insight into her father and has her on a quest. The story takes place from 1937 to 2007. It goes back in forth in time and switches point-of-view from Beth, Max (Beth’s father), and Johanna. Johanna lost touch with her sister after the war and she has wondered all these years what happened to her. Johanna would like to get answers for herself and for her children. We see how the war affected Max and Johanna plus we get answers on Beth’s hunt. It sounds confusing, but it is not. It is all beautifully woven together into one complete piece. I like how their stories connected. We get transported back to World War II where Max is serving as a medic and Johanna is an engineer who designs planes. Johanna has a brother in the SS and her sister marries a high-ranking SS officer. Johanna is against everything Hitler stands for and believes in, but she loves her job. We get a look at life inside Germany during the war. Across the Winding River is a well-written with a complex plot and developed characters. The story does play out in an expected manner and the pacing is slow in the beginning. It is a compelling story, though, that will soon capture and hold your interest. The last seventy-five percent is the best part of the book. The pace and tension ramp up. Everything begins coming together and you get that aha moment. Across the Winding River is a captivating story about hope, love, loss, and courage.

scienceworks's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

alliebex's review against another edition

4.0

Surprisingly good. Very impressed with the intersecting timelines, and I will say, though there was some predictability in them, it was still enjoyable. This is not some sort of ground-breaking brilliant read, but it is a good one.

lauralarua's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

susanp's review against another edition

4.0

This was a good book, but a couple of the coincidences were just too ridiculous to believe.

retiredlibrarylady's review against another edition

3.0

I'm getting tired of novels that move between two or more stories set at different times and places. Often, the historical part of the book is stronger, and that is true here. The part set mostly in Germany during WWII is more interesting and the modern day part is more interesting when the discussion is about the past. I really did enjoy the library researcher finding the crucial information that reunites the family.

reneesmith's review against another edition

4.0

Well-researched, smooth writing, interesting characters & satisfying ending! Max was my favorite.

weyrdkat's review against another edition

5.0

Well written and heartfelt

Three lives connected by war and love written through memory. If not for my comfy chair i would have believed i was in California and Germany through modern times and World War II. Well written and we'll researched

mnboyer's review against another edition

4.0

Beth's father, Max, fought in World War II and is now ailing -- he is not long for this world. While going through some of his things she finds a photograph of Max with a pregnant woman who she does not know, but she does know the photograph was taken during the war. When asked about it, Max retells a story in which he was in love with a German woman who was trying to escape the war and help Germans/Jews -- they were in love, she was pregnant with his child, yet she was married to an awful Nazi officer.

The story begins with Beth trying to find this woman, and potentially her sibling, before her father passes away. They both want some closure. Yet as we read, we are then sucked into three different storylines of different people caught up in WWII and those now being effected in contemporary times.

A really nicely put together historical fiction with a hint of romance, a touch of sadness, and an overall feeling of accomplishment at the end of reading. Would definitely recommend for those interested in WWII fiction and those interested in general historical fiction. The audible narration was also really great to listen to in between reading.