TIME IS A RIVER by Mary Alice Monroe
Mary Alice Monroe has fast become one of America’s favorite authors. Her books such as SWEETGRASS and SWIMMING LESSONS have attracted attention to her beloved low country and have made her stories of strength and survival best sellers. In her latest novel TIME IS A RIVER Monroe once again focuses on survival; survival in many distinct areas.
Mia Landan is a socially prominent member of Charleston society. Her husband is an attorney and she is a patron of the arts. She dresses well and has all the necessary social skills – then she finds out she has breast cancer. Her treatment for this disease depletes her family funds and causes an estrangement between her and her husband.
Once on the road to recovery Mia joins a group who uses fly fishing as a means of getting back a balance in their lives. She goes to the mountains of North Carolina for an outing and when she returns home to Charleston she finds her husband involved in a full-fledged affair.
Mia heads back to the North Carolina mountains where she has been offered the use of a cabin owned by her fly fishing instructor Belle Carson. Belle’s grandmother Kate Watkins was a celebrity of sorts in the area, first because of her skills in the outdoors and later as a possible murderess. When Mia moves into the cabin she unearths some of Kate’s letters and diaries and becomes fascinated with this unique woman.
While Mia is learning how to survive her illness and her husband’s infidelity, she begins to grow as an independent woman. Slowly she becomes a part of the community in which she is visiting and finds several women there who are also survivors. As she befriends each one of them she takes from each a coping skill.
In true Monroe fashion the reader learns a great deal about the art of fly fishing. In SWEETGRASS she included information about basket weaving and in SWIMMING LESSONS it was the care and rescue of giant sea turtles. There is always a subtext of useful information in a Monroe book.
In this book the lead character is not as impressive as some of the lesser ones. Kate Watkins makes her presence known as she rises from the past to become a mentor of sorts to Mia. Sorting out the mystery surrounding her gives Mia a purpose and she pursues it doggedly.
Another interesting character is Becky, the owner operator of a bakery goods store in the town near the cabin. Becky has problems of her own but is ever eager and ready to help anyone in need. We don’t learn a lot about her but what we do know is impressive.
The book’s story flows like a river with one event trailing the next. Mia is caught up in the currents of her life and has to learn to “go with the flow.” Monroe promotes the philosophy that life is not always calm water, but the adventure is worth the bouts of turbulence. And throughout our time on the river hope floats.
Fans of Monroe will find TIME IS A RIVER to be another winner from this writer of depth, inspiration and intensity.
TIME IS A RIVER is published by Pocket Books. It contains 369 pages and sells for $25.00.