The River

The Valley Trilogy, Book 3

By: Helen Bryan

Narrated by: Kate Reading

From Helen Bryan, international bestselling author of The Valley and The Mountain, comes the final chapter in her epic historical trilogy of love, loyalty, and family in the heart of Virginia.

It's the dawn of the twentieth century, post-Reconstruction, in the Commonwealth of Virginia. From the ancestral blood and sweat of its settlers - the immigrants, the slaves, the Cherokee - a new generation strives for prosperity in the united township of Grafton.

Across the unfolding decades, childhood friends, mothers and daughters, wives and lovers will have their bonds tested. New hopes and dreams lie beyond the river, and as allegiances are challenged, a harmonious community finds itself grappling with inevitable cultural change - change that creates a vast, opportune, and unpredictable new beginning for generations yet to come.

©2021 Helen Bryan (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

The Narrator is The Best

The Trilogy spans two centuries and mentioned important historical events along the way. I was particularly interested in the history of racism. In some ways it has improved, but even today still exists. I wonder if systemic racism will ever disappear. I fear it won’t my lifetime. There were some storylines that disappeared with no explanation. I would like to know that happened to Gideon. He was one of the first settlers in Grafton and played a big role in the story until he disappeared with no explanation. If the author were to write a book about him in more detail, I would definitely be interested.

Wonderful!

Impressed with the history of this series
Well written and read to make me want to know what’s next

Great history lesson.

This was a good read. I enjoyed the overall story but could have done without the tedium of Hamilton like, interpretation of every little detail.

Systemic racism

This series has helped me see how racism continues to be a problem in Society both South and the North. It’s so sad that people believe that the color of your skin determines intelligence. That belief limits their ability to grow socially, intellectually and spiritually

Ok, but....

The book is a good but I wish the author would have developed the storyline of the descendants of the community of free blacks. I would've like to hear more about their experiences during all the sweeping change of the 19th century. There was next to nothing about them, I kept waiting chapter after chapter until I finally realized she wasn't going to include the Stewart's or Hanovers in the story.