The River King

The River King, Alice Hoffman. I picked this off the shelf at the bed and breakfast last weekend. I was captured by the story and stayed up until midnight to finish the story so that I wouldn't have to either leave the story swimming around in my head unfinished, or smuggle the book out and return it when I'd finished. The River King is the story of a small New England town and the elite boarding school at the edge of town. It's a magical and mournful tale about three love triangles, one in the past which sets the tone for the story that follows, and two in the present. The story was compelling and beautifully written. The ending only just avoided being a tad trite and predictable, but the lovely writing and magical realism made it all worthwhile in the end. My favorite part: The black stones and silver fishes Carlin kept finding in her pockets. What a lovely image, one that will stay with me for quite some time. A charming and melancholy light read, perfect for passing the time on a relaxing getaway weekend.