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Time Is a River | 
| Author: Mary Alice Monroe
Publisher: Pocket
Category: Book
List Price: $25.00
Buy New: $12.49
You Save: $12.51 (50%)
New (31) Used (13) Collectible (1) from $10.75
Avg. Customer Rating:  19 reviews
Sales Rank: 7061
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 384
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.5
ISBN: 1416544364
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9781416544364
ASIN: 1416544364
Publication Date: July 8, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New Book! - Get It Fast From A Trusted Seller!
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Product Description
With a strong, warm voice that brings the South to life, New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe writes richly textured stories that intimately portray the complex and emotional relationships we share with families, friends, and the natural world. "Every book that Mary Alice Monroe has written has felt like a homecoming to me," writes Pat Conroy, bestselling author of The Prince of Tides.Time Is a River is an insightful novel that will sweep readers away to the seductive southern landscape, joining books by authors such as Anne Rivers Siddons and Sue Monk Kidd. Recovering from breast cancer and reeling from her husband's infidelity, Mia Landan flees her Charleston home to heal in the mountains near Asheville, North Carolina. She seeks refuge in a neglected fishing cabin belonging to her fly-fishing instructor, Belle Carson. Belle recently inherited the cabin, which once belonged to a grandmother she never knew -- the legendary fly fisher and journalist of the 1920s, Kate Watkins, whose life fell into ruins after she was accused of murdering her lover. Her fortune lost in the stock market crash and her reputation destroyed, Kate slipped into seclusion in the remote cabin. After her death the fishing cabin remained locked and abandoned for decades. Little does Belle know that by opening the cabin doors to Mia for a summer's sanctuary, she will open again the scandal that plagued Belle's family for generations. From her first step inside the dusty cabin, Mia is fascinated by the traces of Kate's mysterious story left behind in the eccentric furnishings of the cabin. And though Belle, ashamed of the tabloid scandal that tortured her mother, warns Mia not to stir the mud, Mia is compelled to find out more about Kate...especially when she discovers Kate's journal. The inspiring words of the remarkable woman echo across the years. Mia has been learning to fly-fish, and Kate's wise words comparing life to a river resonate deeply. She begins a quest to uncover the truth behind the lies. As she searches newspaper archives and listens to the colorful memories of the local small-town residents, the story of a proud, fiercely independent woman emerges. Mia feels a strange kinship with the woman who, like her, suffered fears, betrayal, the death of loved ones, and a fall from grace -- yet found strength, compassion and, ultimately, forgiveness in her isolation. A story timeless in its appeal emerges, with a power that reopens old wounds, but also brings a transforming healing for Mia, for Kate's descendants, and for all those in Mia's new community.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 14 more reviews...
 Time is a River September 6, 2008
This was the first Mary Alice Monroe novel that I have read, and I really enjoyed it. I thought Mia was going to be a whining and miserable character, and that the story would dwell on her husband's detachment from her as she struggled through her recovery from breast cancer and his subsequent infidelity. Surprisingly, the author doesn't dwell on either issue. Both are introduced early in the story and are brought up just enough to show that while Mia is dealing with these issues, she has truly began her recovering by learning how to live as a breast cancer survivor and deal with the complications that arise from it, and by becoming involved with the mystery of Kate and the lives of those around her. The book is a quick read, and I recommend it.
 A Delectable Lovely Story September 6, 2008
Since we were going fishing on our annual camping trip last weekend, I thought this book would be a perfect fit. After all, even though fly fishing is a fancier form of fishing, and the story of a woman rediscovering herself in the course of life ... it would be a great opportunity to read this book. Ok, maybe I wasn't in the Smokies, but I've been there and can still vividly imagine where the setting is.
I was right. This is a lovely book. It is very sensual, lush in its descriptions and the story-telling moved right along, gently in spots like a slow-moving current in the river. This book is about a woman enduring one of the toughest courses in life ... fighting breast cancer and coming home from a women only retreat only to discover her husband in bed with another woman. Hit by the double blows, Mia rushes back to North Carolina to stay in Belle's (her fly-fishing instructor) cabin that had belong to her grandmother. Staying for the summer, Mia agreed to look after the house. While cleaning out the house, Mia stumbled on intersting artifacts about Belle's grandmother, Kate. Unable to leave a good mystery alone, Mia set out to discover the real story about Kate and in the process, comes to discover things about herself that she had never realized or thought about for a long time. It was a summer of healing for Mia and surrounded by the lush scenery, she comes to appreciate the value of her life.
This is a great book for any time of the year. It is a great book to curl up with on a rainy day or on a camping trip. Even if you're not a fan of fishing, this book is not about fishing. It is a book about life, trials and tribulations and endurance. This is a story about a woman fighting to reclaim her life again from cancer and the fear attached to it. This is a woman who discovers what love is really about. This is a story about another woman who lost her loved ones, her lover, her father and her daughter. How together, these women discover peace and joy again.
Definitely worth getting.
9/6/08
Couldn't put it down September 6, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Mary Alice Monroe is now one of my favorite authors. The story and the characters make you feel a part of their lives. The main character is facing putting her life back together after cancer and her husband's infidelity. While spending time in a small North Carolina cabin she finds herself and a purpose for living Mary Alice Monroe brings the reader into the story much like Ann River Siddons. It's hard to put the book down and then when you finish reading you are sad that you can't continue being a part of the characters lives.
Time Is A River September 1, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This was another totally enjoyable, hard-to-put-down book story by Mary Alice Monroe. I've read and enjoyed all of her books and will anxiously await the next one. Each book has led to learning a great deal about a variety of topics.
Good, but a bit uneven August 31, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I am a big Mary Alice Monroe fan and always enjoy reading her books. This one was no exception, but I don't think it is her best. Definitely worth reading and lots of it is wonderful, but there are some parts that didn't seem up to her usual high quality of writing.
As soon as she has a book published, I always eagerly dive in expecting a wonderful sense of place and time which this one definitely delivers. The descriptions of Watkins Mill, NC and the surrounding area is absolutely fabulous. When she describes the mountains, streams, rivers, and storms she is actually painting a picture in your head and you can "see" exactly what she is wanting you to see. One of the strongest authors I have ever read with this ability.
I was a bit nervous about the fly fishing aspect of the story. I have no knowledge of (or real interest in) fly fishing and thought I might find it tedious which I did not. While fly fishing is central to the theme of the book, it was not overdone or boring. Instead, I enjoyed it and felt I actually learned something new (which is always a plus with fiction books). It added greatly to the movement of the story and was excecuted well.
I didn't give the book 5 stars because of some weaker sections of the book. Without giving away too much, the main character (Mia) has a very significant event which propels her to the mountains of North Carolina. The story around her reaction to the trauma did not ring true for me. She has a huge event which will drastically change her life and she runs through a large range of emotions incredibly quickly and manages to get to acceptance and resolution within an unrealistic amount of time. The entire book only spans about 10 or so weeks and she has recovered, accepted and organized her life and is moving on within that time span..... good for moving the story along, but seems rushed to me. Also, there were some time issues in the book where the time of day is lost. For example, she gets up in the morning, has coffee and breakfast and then watches the sun go down. While picky, it is jarring and disrupts the flow of the book. I would have hoped an editor would have caught some of these.
Mary Alice Monroe has been compared to Anne Rivers Siddons and Sue Monk Kidd. I think she is closer to A. R. Siddons and if you enjoy her books, you will enjoy this author. A good book and well worth the time and effort. I will be recommending this to friends who enjoy a good story .....
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