River of Our Return

Gladys Smith paints vividly with words. The reader experiences the drama and surroundings in a way that makes the story live. My husband and I read THE RIVER OF OUR RETURN, then passed it on to others who have been as enthusiastic about it as we are. Well worth reading. We look for more from this author.

Gladys Smith's lyrical and sensual prose seduces the reader into a journey of adventure and of reclaiming the Feminine through water and wilderness, through nurturing and courage, through love and connectedness. Hattie pulls herself away from the grave of her husband, from her own doubts and fears, and confronted by the needs of a child, opens her heart to new loves and her life to the often not so tender mercies of the river and the wilderness. The returns the river brings are of silence and action, of passion and compromise, each character pulled into the whirlpool of her or his own depth and into deep connection with each other and the world around them. On the surface this is a delightful adventure, below that a love story of heart and forgiveness, and below that the story of reconnection with the pulse of life that flows in all that is. The reclaimed Feminine within nature, woman, man, and boy offers healing and the return to life fully lived. Smith's prose- simple, clear and elegant-forms a sound craft by which the reader, spellbound, navigates the return, secure within a seamless "fictive dream" that rushes, like the river, too fast to story's end.

River of Our Return, by Gladys Smith, is an obviously well-researched novel of pioneer days in Idaho's Salmon River country. It will be savored by readers of any age or gender for it's fine descriptive passages depicting everyday life in a time and place where mere survival was a constant battle. I found the language and lyrical imagery to be most successful in carrying the reader along with the characters (in an at-times desperate fight against nature and fellow men). The author shows subtle skill in describing the landscape, the river, the animals, and above all the simple home surroundings and implements used by her characters in their daily lives. Seasonal changes and natural phenomena were depicted in a way that really drew the reader into the story. I was entranced by the author's skillful portrayal of the drama and challenge of pioneer times. Finally, I was delighted to enjoy a story that successfully ignores the overworked stereotypes of youth and beauty in its protagonists! Here are real people of character, strength and determination . . . and the reader avidly follows their story with the hope that their bonding together and exposure to great personal danger will lead to the triumph and resolution of loneliness as well as to the healing of the boy Toby's painful early childhood history.

Gladys Smith has done her homework on her new novel, RIVER OF OUR RETURN. The great sense of presence puts you at the turn of the century in a pioneer life of survival along the one-way wild Salmon River. You are there homesteading against isolation, wildlife, ruthless interlopers, and the elements in the almost inaccessible wilderness of Idaho. A strong woman widowed by the River, a crusty gold prospector, and his rebellious young nephew whose lives have become interwoven unite to float the Salmon--the shortest path back to civilization. You are there with them in a cumbersome scow to master the River's hungry turbulence. You are there as their loyalties and loves are tested by pounding currents that seek the Snake in a relentless circuitous rush down boulder-choked canyon narrows. Character interaction and a strong plot combine with action in a picturesque setting to make an irresistible tale of the early West. RIVER OF OUR RETURN is a good read. Captivating.

Having been born and raised in just north of the Salmon River, I particularly enjoyed The River of Our Return. The descriptions of the river country are so vivid and well written, it's easy to imagine oneself floating along with the characters. This book is an excellent prelude to a trip to western Idaho. The book deals with the relationship of a boy, his uncle, and a widowed neighbor. It is written in first person in with a tender motherly theme, but still manages to keep you in suspense. It's a "can't put it down" novel. Great job Gladys.