★★★★☆ A contrived story about Brian

The River

Gary Paulsen

Gary Paulsen explains that he wrote The River because it was demanded of him

I received literally thousands of letters (sometimes fifty or sixty a day) from readers interested in Brian, who did not want him to end with Hatchet.

In response Paulsen contrived this story of Brian's further adventures in the Canadian wilderness.

I say "contrived" because that's the way it feels. Both the excuse for getting Brian back into the wilderness and the event that leaves him "with a wounded partner and a long river to navigate", as the publisher's blurb summarizes it -- both of them feel contrived. In fact, fairly early in the book there is a point where Brian looks at what he and his partner Derek are doing and thinks, "It was all wrong."

Well, that feeling of Brian's is essentially my feeling about this whole story.

Now, I will say, I still enjoyed it quite a lot. All fiction is contrivance, and The River is certainly better than most. I think Hatchet spoiled me. I intend to continue with the series.

Amazon review

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