Death of a River Guide: A Novel

This book was not as special to me as it was to other reviewers. Certainly there are some high points including a very creative concept for telling the story, some memorable characters, Flanagan's excellent prose, and his ability to evoke deep emotions from his readers.On the other hand, I think his literary devices got in the way of telling an outstanding story. The drowning/life-flashing-before-my-eyeswas clever at first, but as the story went on, for me, it became a bit unbelievable and a distraction. Another difficult aspect and distraction was the author's overuse of introducing a name, object, or brief description of an event significantly sooner in the story line than the reader is able to connect the dots. This, of course, is a common literary device that when used with discretion is very effective. It is one thing when a reader has to turn back to re-read a passage for his or her 'ah-ha' moment, but it was a constant event for me as I read - very tiring. The jumping back and forth in time was a criticism I have read on other reader boards - it was a challenge for me too. There are so many characters in this book that one almost needs to keep a note sheet to keep them straight, understand who they are related to, and in what chronological order.Compounded in the overall difficulty of following the story line is that it is set in Australia, particularly in parts that I am unfamiliar with. I regularly found myself consulting with Wikipedia to figure out where, what and why. I wish the author would have incorporated a little more historical information.The book has been described as "soaring, lyrical, and mysterious." I agree, but at times it soared too high, the visionary lyrics were confusing, and the mystery often was "what the heck is going on?" I don't like reading a book where my mind skips over the confusing stuff with hopes of picking up the plot line here and there.All in all there were some terrific aspects of the story where the reader will feel things deeply, and ponder in a philosophical manner. However, I feel like a fantastic story was overshadowed by an overly ambitious attempt to create literary brilliance. In other words, style caused substance to suffer.

Aljaz Cosini, a Tasmanian, has signed on as lead guide on a rafting trip down the Franklin River in Tasmania. Cosini has been away from his homeland for a decade and is not in the best of shape for such a grueling job, but he's broke and needs a job. His co-guide, Cockroach, is young and strong but doesn't know the river at all. Still, it's a week and they need the money. They collect their group who are a typical group of tourists and set out. But the river is in the mood for blood. The weather turns and steady rain causes the river to rise precipitously When one of the tourists makes a foolhardy move, Aljaz jumps into the river to save him. Instead, he finds himself head down stuck between two rocks, slowly drowning.As his last minutes tick away, Aljaz finds himself having a series of visions. He sees his life rush past, with jobs from footballer to sailor to handyman. His marriage to the only woman he has ever really loved flashes past with the reason it failed in the biggest tragedy of his life. He not only sees his own life, but that of his ancestors. That includes his parents. Harry marries an Eastern European woman he finds and falls in love with in Italy in a misbegotten attempt to become a sewing machine salesman. They return instead to Tasmania where they live out their lives, their closest friend the midwife who assists at Aljaz's birth. But Aljaz sees even further back to ancestors such as Ned Quade, who comes to Tasmania as the result of transportation for a crime he doesn't even remember. He also has visions of the Aboriginal woman whose place in his genetic background is never talked about.Richard Flanagan is acknowledged as one of Australia's premier authors. He won the 2014 Man Booker Prize for his novel, The Narrow Road To The Deep North, an exploration of the Australian experience during the second World War and the Japanese POW camps. This was Richard Flanagan's second novel. As always, he explores the history and lush environment of the land he lives in and loves. He captures the beauty and the despair that is the characteristic of the people who live there. He explores the exploitation of both Tasmania's natural resources and the native people who are supplanted there by those who come and conquer the land. This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction.

Take this book with you when you travel to Tasmania (along with Nicholas Shakespeare's "In Tasmania"). The former is a epic history of the island seen through the eyes of a fictional drowning river guide as his extended family's lives pass through his dying mind. The latter is a history of the island as the author pieces together his ancestors that played varying roles in Tasmanian history. Both deal with how views changed regarding people's convict and aboriginal ancestry, and the environmental degradation of a unique landscape.This is the 5th book that I have read by Richard Flanagan. I must state that they are all, to varying degrees, a struggle. Don't give up too soon. The only one I didn't like was "Narrow Road to the Deep North" (which is his most highly acclaimed). "Death of a River Guide" I enjoyed the most, perhaps because I had recently spent a month in Tasmania and wished I had read it while I was there. As one reviewer pointed out, it was hard to keep track of all the characters. Best to make a list. Next I need to take a second stab at "Gould's Book of Fish". Knowing what I know now about Flanagan's books, I didn't give my first effort enough time.

A superb read. Flanagan weaves a whole family experience and the history of a country (Tasmania) into one moment of reflection for one individual (the bubbles being the visions as he is drowning). It does take concentration to read the book because of the intentionally disjointed narrative and it is sometimes difficult to work out the way in which the characters are related - but it is vital to do so to follow the story. The writing is beautiful, flowing and profound; he easily conjures up characters of great depth. Although a "literary novel" this is in no way pretentious and deals with issues that really deserve to be dragged out of the shadows. You will enjoy this book if you have an interest in themes of history, man and his environment, the meaning of family and the extent to which we shape or are shaped by events in our lives. Needless to say if you are looking for action, plot and "feel good" this is not it. Indeed the sadness of the narrative is overwhelming at times. Despite this it is not dispiriting as there is at the core of the book at kind of catharsis that encourages contemplative reflection. I will definitely we returning to this author in the future.

This book is well written, as you would expect from Flanagan, and celebrates the wild Tasmanian landscape, giving you a real feeling for the rainforest and river system. The story shifts constantly back and forth between present day and earlier times, focusing on the ancestors of the main character, a somewhat dysfunctional and miserable river guide whose background has been permanently scarred by tragedy. I found the book a depressing read and not something I couldn't wait to go back to - it doesn't grip you in the way his later novels do but you can see the nascent talent in Flanagan's prose.

Richard Flanagan is an absolutely wonderful writer. Somehow he manages to capture the soul of the ''characters' perfectly' Knowing he was a 'greenie' when I first started reading the book, I wondered if I'd like it - even after really enjoying 'Wanting' but it wasn't long before I became really immersed and now I can't wait for an excuse to get back to it. I can tell you, as a fellow Tasmanian, he really does reflect everything about the island well.

A beautifully written book with interesting and intriguing characters who grew on me as I read on. Perhaps slightly long in places and it felt a bit jumpy as the hallucinations/visions moved from one generation to the next, seemingly a little haphazardly, which left me a little baffled at times about who was who and how they were all related. This is not a book to read if you want a light-hearted pick me up (evident in the title) but one to loose yourself in and savour.

Whilst the book does have it's moments however overall as a narrative it didn't grip me and I was somewhat relieved when it was over. I found the main character rather one dimensional and difficult to relate to. Plus as a character he had virtually no redeeming qualities (do I want to read about an ugly character?). I don't know why I was compelled to read this as I'd read The Narrow Road to the Deep North and hadn't been overly enthralled by it either. Flanagan has moments but I definitely didn't find myself recommending either book to friends.